2nd Test - Aus vs Eng @Adel Oval

94/1 not bad after the early wicket. Panesar in then? Hmm. I don't know.
Anywho.

Why on earth isn't Ballance playing? Jesus Christ. The guy top scored in their train wreck of a side in that practice match.
Makes no sense at all.

Those 3 dropped catches may well cost England ........... >

Stumps - Day 1

Australia 273/5 (91.0 ov)

The dropped catches would really hurt England and the old adage remains true.

I really felt Clarke to be a good leader but his recent Border like approach to abuse and sledging is very unattractive.

I do not think there is any place in the game for sledging and it is unfortunate only the Australians feel this is somehow acceptable. You can play hard and be ultra competitive without this nastiness.

Of course in the heat of the moment things might be said and that should stay on the field. But a systematic rant should be stopped.

This issue of sledging so undermines what cricket is all about and importantly the quality of the Australian game.

Thought the Aussies showed grit today so this game is well poised but you will feel more satisfaction as an Australians getting back to the pavilion.

Those dropped catches have already proven to be expensive and telling. Shaping up for a good game and a batting line up that seemed inept, not so long ago, seems very robust now.

Dropped three catches in the final session, the most criminal a simple miss at backward point

when Brad Haddin, on 5, cut Panesar: the culprit, Michael Carberry, has been a strange mixture

in the field of brilliance and fallibility in his brief England career. Panesar spilled a quick return catch from Bailey, on 10;
Root sprang to his right at short midwicket, with Clarke on 18 :
but a chance off Swann went to ground.

whappen ....like Pup want me to update his thread ? 

570 -9  declared

Clarke 148

Haddo 118

35 - 1

Cook exits to Johnno on 2

Stumps, Day 2 .

He bowled with some serious pace and aggression to ENG in the last session yesterday.

ENG have an uphill task to dig themselves out of this deep hole they're in while AUS are all fired up and will keep coming at them.  Should be a good contest today ......

Eng lost 3 wicks in that first session
we smell Pommies blood