Test match at Lord's

[John Townsend]

England won that one. All they have to do now is win the next two tests and they will have the Ashes back ...

[Tim Harding]

Thanks to Brook, Woakes and especially Wood, England have just got one back at Headingley.
But there is a fundamental flaw in the thinking of England's management, reckoning Bairstow is an asset when he is keeping wicket.
Bar the first innings in the First Test, he has been a liability throughout, both with bat and gloves.

It's a shame because he used to be a brilliant outfielder, but maybe after his broken leg he cannot do that any more?

[John Townsend]

Tim, I would have thought that Bairstow merits his place because of his batting ability.

[Mick Norris]

Yes, but we need to have Foakes keeping wicket (and maybe batting at 3?)

Another win at Headingley but the next Ashes neither Headingley nor Old Trafford will stage a test

[Neville Twitchell]

it would be good to have Foakes back in, if ony because we would then have a team containing "Stokes, Woakes and Foakes". That might confuse the commentators.

[Ronnie Burton]

Very good Neville. Weather looks bad for next match

[Mick Norris]

I think we should be reasonably ok for the first 3 days, but Saturday looks a possible washout and Sunday a bit mixed

[John Townsend]

The fourth test match, at Old Trafford, is going swimmingly well for England. The Aussies have lost two wickets in their second innings, while still trailing by over 200 runs arising from the first innings deficit. Rain will cause some interruptions and is probably the main obstacle to another England victory. With luck, there will be enough playing time to get a result.

[Angus French]

The fourth test match, at Old Trafford, is going swimmingly well for England. The Aussies have lost two wickets in their second innings, while still trailing by over 200 runs arising from the first innings deficit. Rain will cause some interruptions and is probably the main obstacle to another England victory. With luck, there will be enough playing time to get a result.

Australia four wickets down at stumps and trailing by 162.

One thing I noticed: 83 overs were bowled on first day, 80 on the second (with rounding up for the end of an innings) and 77 overs today with a rain delay (not sure how long that lasted). So: an average of 80 overs a day when the target for Tests is 90 overs and I'm wondering, why were the overs bowled below target and is it going to have an impact on England's chances? (For comparison, in the current Middlesex vs. Surrey county match, which I'm citing because I follow Surrey: 96 overs were bowled on each of the first two days and 93.1 overs today.)

[John Townsend]

The Ashes will remain with Australia. The weather has meant the fourth test match has been declared a draw. This result does not reflect the disparity of the scores of the two sides: England stood better by a margin of five wickets and 61 runs. It seems surprising that, in all these years, some system has not been devised that is capable of reflecting such disparity. Even adjudication would be better than what happens; it may be out of favour in chess, but, surely, it could deliver a fairer result in a test match than simply calling it a draw.

[Mick Norris]

Pity they can't have a reserve day like in the World Test Championship, the forecast is good tomorrow for Old Trafford

It's raining in Port of Spain in the West Indies v India test, just 1 of those days

[Ronnie Burton]

Sadly the weather costs us any chance of winning the Ashes. Full days play on Sunday and England would have won. Great chance of winning at Oval weather permitting

[Alan Walton]

Pity they can't have a reserve day like in the World Test Championship, the forecast is good tomorrow for Old Trafford

It's raining in Port of Spain in the West Indies v India test, just 1 of those days

They could have done, but it is entirely the ECB fault for packing the tests in such a small window to concentrate on the Hundred

There has to be a minimum of 3 rest days between tests, so the scheduling would have never been accommodate it in the first place

[Matt Mackenzie]

History shows that not losing the first two Tests is a good idea if you want to win the Ashes.

[Ronnie Burton]

Agree Matt. Should have won the first test when we declare too early