Its Summer! - the Fever Cricket Thread.

I see what you have done there, I approve.

Lol @ Lolstraya.

Sounds like Michael "Pup" Clarke is at the center of it all, apparently decided on the punishment for the players in question. Has been known to have differences with players before as well, namely Simon Katich.

Strange decision to bowl first imo. Still wish I was there though.

 I don't think we think these things through.  I think we just go 'oh, this worked last time, let's do it again' then if it doesn't work we swoitch next time.

Yep. Despite that wicket I'm picking that we'll be chasing at least 400.

We are bowling a few good balls, what England are missing atm. With England's attack, they probably would be finding the edge of our bats.

Yeah I agree to an extent. But surely if you're our captain, and we've just scored 460 in our previous crack, including an opening stand of 158, you've got to show some confidence in your batters to put something on the board.

Having a ton of guts is all very well, but unless Wagner gets a lot faster, or learns to swing the ball, he's the 2013 version of Geoff Allott.

Here are some pro tips for cricket tickets. 

ANZ customers apparently get $10 off a $90 match pass. Sorry I'm not sure of the details. 

Day passes are $30 per day, plus the Ticketek fees you are all so familiar with. Starting from $5.25 per transaction for as many tickets as you need. 

Match pass is $90 plus fees. If you are going to go for at least 3 days you should get one of these, and try to get the ANZ discount. Use your CC and while you have to pay CC fees if there is rain disruption you will get automagically refunded without having to piss around sending tickets back. 

Going for only 1 or 2 days? PRE-PURCHASE your ticket. They go up $10 if you buy on the day you are attending. Even buying the night prior saves you $10. Though the gate ticket fee is only $3 per ticket so one ticket would cost $35.25 online in advance vs $43 at the gate. Or $65.25 for 2 in advance vs $86 at the gate. 

Hope this helps someone because this isn't all clearly laid out on the websites. 

I love test cricket, but when you win the toss and bowl first on a batting track, and its 165/1, it really tests my patience TBH.

Why did we do it? And I thought the groundsman talked about making it suit our bowlers?

 I think the plan is that England kill 2 and a half days batting getting 600 and then we bat as long as we can and try and hang on for a draw.

I still don't rate Wagner. I think Martin is a better option than him. Martin offers something different to Southee and Boult. Would have been interesting if Bracewell was fit.

Boult's lack of wickets a worry- isn't seeming to swing the ball that much after being really impressive overseas.

He's arguably been our best bowler in the series so far. He deserves his chance.

Boult will come right. He has a lot of potential if he gets it to swing more consistently. On a good day he can swing it round corners.

Even if you didn't expect England to bat well on this pitch...surely it looks the sort of pitch you want to bowl 4th on? Though I guess we could still technically do that....

Reminds me, so far, of that test v the Windies in 2000 when Sherwin Cambell and Adrian (Griffiths?) batted all day on the opening day and had absolutely murdered us. Because they hadn't scored at much of a clip it meant that when we rolled them for another 100 on the next day the damage of the opening day wasn't fatal. We went on to win that test, pretty comfortably I think.

I may be an eternal optimist but if we came out this morning and a 10-over old ball started to swing no reason we couldn't have them 350-7 and be back in the game.

Martin's 2 wickets have been good spinners wickets, and he's bowling much better than when he took 4 in the first test.  Concerned that we are batting last on a wicket thats already turning.  Panesar is a good bowler.

Martin is bowling well. Spinners could be the key, so really glad Swann isn't playing.

Great ball from Martin to get Root.  Big turner though.  Getting very nervous about 5th day batting.  

Edit: Root, not Pieterson.

Edit 2: RR got their first ;)

Edit 3: Strikethrough doesn't seem to work.

Great bowling Martin.  I still maintain we would be better off with Ronchi in the side keeping and either McCullum (preferably) or Watiling opening instead of Fulton.  A couple of (tough) half chances missed by Watling now, and I think it gives us both a better keeper, and a better batting line up.  Fulton has caught well though!

Good to see Boult getting a wicket here, he has worked hard in both tests so far and deserved it.

Got another, can we roll them for under 400?

That duck story made me sad :(

Awful shot.  So far away from his body.

Fulton to a tea - has to be the end of his in and out career

Plz...somebody in the nation must be better at cricket than Peter Fulton?  Surely?

Rutherford out very similar to Fulton, playing well away from the body, all hands chasing it, no head or foot movement.

What a horrible ball to get first up.  No shame in that from Taylor, absolutely gorgeous ball from Broad, full and straightening down  the line of off stump.  

217 runs to go.

Ouch.

 okay Williamson double century here we go...

Out by drinks at this rate!