Fourth test

[Duke of Gloucester]

Yes, It has been a fabulous series so far. What a shame England lost so tamely in the first test! I think this is a big difference between the two sides. Both are capable of getting ahead of the other. England may be slightly better at this because they have managed it three times, but once they are behind, Australia just don’t give up. Once they have saved a test match and twice they fought back almost enough to win. If we want a thriller for the fifth test, I think we need to wish for the initial advantage to go to England again, although it would be interesting to see what happens if England are asked to fight back – have they gained enough confidence to do so now?

Australia can use four bowlers for one reason. They have one bowler who they can absolutely rely on to bowl all day if needed, to be threatening and economic. This means they can rotate bowlers at the other end, and as long as two of them are effective, they can expect to bowl sides out. The problem they have now, with McGrath injured, is that they only have fast bowler who has been good enough. Maybe McGill should play regardless of whether the Oval pitch will take spin.

A question for the England selectors is whether they can continue with Geraint Jones. Although he made some useful runs in the first innings, he had an absolute shocker Yesterday, dropping a catch, missing a stumping and messing up a run out and then getting out in a stupid way to fully expose the tail. We were lucky that the Australians lost their nerve and that Giles and Hoggard held theirs. Is he good enough and should you change a winning team?

A great series as I said, and I am so glad that Australia did not win. It would have ruined Headingley 1981.

[Mount Suribachi]

Yes, It has been a fabulous series so far. What a shame England lost so tamely in the first test! I think this is a big difference between the two sides. Both are capable of getting ahead of the other. England may be slightly better at this because they have managed it three times, but once they are behind, Australia just don’t give up. Once they have saved a test match and twice they fought back almost enough to win. If we want a thriller for the fifth test, I think we need to wish for the initial advantage to go to England again, although it would be interesting to see what happens if England are asked to fight back – have they gained enough confidence to do so now?

everyone forgets that we came steaming in on the first day and bowled Australia out for 190 and roughed them up good and proper with hostile fast bowling. They were in trouble then, but McGraths opening spell dragged them back. Even then, we were only 20 odd runs behind after the first innings, it was the 7 dropped catches in the Aussie 2nd innings that meant were chasing 370 rather than 250 odd that was the difference.

[InsaneApache]

It would have ruined Headingley 1981.

Truly a classic....as this will be known as in twenty-odd years from now.

[English assassin]

Fantastic match. I was having to follow it on text updates as I was at the Reading Festival, if anything it was even more tense than watching it would have been.

I wouldn't drop Jones, and not just because he is a Kent man and that's my side. (Well, obviously with a name like that he is Welsh, but he plays for Kent.) He's not had a good series to put it mildly, but the team has been good enough to be on top in three out of four tests. For the last test of the series I would say don't rock the boat.

Unless he has a blinder at the Oval he should forget about touring this winter though IMHO.

I thought Ponting's whining about the substitute fielder was a bit pathetic too, especially since Jones was actually off injured at the time. Would Richie Benaud have done that?? Still, surely a sign that the pressure is getting to him, which has to be good for England.

Hats off to Shane Warne though, truly one of the all time greats. I wish him well in a commentating career and hope it starts as soon as possible...

[Geoffrey S]

A classic test. I was sitting at the edge of my seat throughout the last innings, particularly when Flintoff and Pietersen were out. It's a shame Geraint Jones screwed up so badly, and I still think Pietersen needs to perform better. Collingwood needs to be included again methinks.

[Mount Suribachi]

I would take Jones on the winter tours, plus the best of the pack of young keepers out there, let them fight it out for the spot. But he can't keep on missing chances, it means we have to take 14 wickets every innings, not 10. Test average of 33 or not, 4 extra wickets every innings is a lot...