ralphindevon

Well you don’t often get to past 7 o’clock on day 5 of a test match with either team able to win. What a treat it’s been

When you think of the ages of Broad and Anderson and the injuries to Mo and Stokes we’ve done well to get this close. But how they all fair over 5 tests really will be a test.

Right now let’s attack a bit more please, we’ve been handing them runs lately

Edgbaston 2005 was a remarkable test I thought we’d never see the like of again. Well Edgbaston 2023 is having a darned good go

Can’t believe listening to commentary on my home before tea they had England slight favourites. two players looking comfortable, one of the 5 wickets a night watchman, I had Australia a bit better than slight favourites. gonna need a clutch of wickets now to swing it back our way.

No I'm with you i absolutely liove this approach in general but there's still got to be a line that when it's crossed its just reckless. I felt the way the 2 were batting the reward wasn't worth the risk in this case but im certainly nit going to get sngry about it. Im loving it overall

Not cricket but a mate was late for his tee time at a golf competition, turned up in his transit van with a minute to spare. Got his gear together, ran to the tee, got his driver out and drove his ball straight through his own van’s windscreen.

I think that was the main opposition to it. If it had been Broad and Robinson then fair enough but Root was on fire and Robinson was looking comfortable. Another 60 looked a piece of cake.

In the second over the Essex comms said “Somerset run rate already looking worrying at nearly 12 an over. It was a run a ball a few overs later

Chasing 187 to get it down to 32 off 42 is pretty good going

I hope they remember it’s only 7.5 an over needed. It started a big total but they’ve reduced that run rate to comfortable

There always seems to be someone to chuck them back at Taunton. They’ve had to get new balls here

Just mammouth hitting

I’ve watched a lot of cricket at Taunton but I’ve never seen so many lost balls than at Cheltenham in the first 5 overs of Somerset’s innings tonight. That reverse switch hit from Banton just now was extraordinary.

Either Smeed or Banton will get six sixes in an over one day

Well Henry has put that dreadful over in the last game behind him with great figures of 3 for 24 off his 4 overs. All or nothing with that boy

And a very good start he has too. 2 for 7 off 9 balls so far

Going into the final day and any result is possible. Cracking test match.

Crikey! Jack Brooks has played for everyone in the last few weeks and tonight he’s even turning out for Somerset

Needed that but overall it’s not looking good. As predicted Moeen doesn’t look like he’ll bowl many now his finger has opened up, Root warming up needs one of his magic spell’s

Yeah at the end of the day we’re debating because that’s what the forum is for but none of us really know all the ins and outs. Plus we’re using hindsight, I’d have been quiet about Foakes if Bairstow had kept as well as he can admittedly. As for the test overall, I’m a fan of Bazball but there has to be a time when you look at the game and do what’s best to win the test at that moment and I don’t think we’ve executed those skills well enough in this test.

Should we be picking players that aren't ready for test cricket? We dont have time to play players into form. Same as Moeen, though replacements for him are slim admittedly. Could he have played in the last Yorkshire game maybe? Love Bairstow but asking him to keep in an Ashes test clearly under prepared seems odd to me

Jimmy’s got to strike early for me, usually I’m patient but we can’t be waiting as long as the first innings for him to strike. Or Broad to get Warner nice and early

Foakes has a a good test

This is the first time I've felt we're well behind. It feels to me our tale us way too long. So much resting on these 2