3rd test

[NEIL RUNKEL]

They have decided upon Bell and we all hope he bat’s a lot better than he has done in his last two innings. It will be interesting to see the bowling selections but I suggest this may be left until the last minute when they have seen how much grass is on the wicket and what sort of weather conditions are expected. If it is a dry wicket with not a lot of grass on it we may have both spinners playing, however I suggest the weather conditions will take precedence and harmy will replace onions. It looks as though it might be cloudy on Thursday which will give Ricky Ponting a difficult decision as he is likely to win the toss and will want to bat but cloudy conditions will suit the English bowlers. Whatever the weather, whoever wins the toss they must bat first as the weather looks very unreliable for the whole period of the test. There will be great pressure on our number three to perform in this test and it is time that Andrew Flintoff scored some runs, we know he can bowl but his batting still looks fragile. He looked less comfortable at Lord’s than broad. I still have my doubts about broad as there continue to be too many four ball's, always remembering that if the ball is swinging a half volley can be a wicket taking ball. Unfortunately winning the toss continues to matter too much interest cricket let’s hope it’s different in this test match.

[NEIL RUNKEL]

my predictio of a draw now looks certain, I should have put money on betfair..On the last day the aussie batsmen have shown once again that if there is no lateral movement they can get runs.the wicket has done very little today and saved the blushes of the aussies. they will take some comfort from their last days batting but if the weather conditions continue there will be plenty of lateral movement at headingly which could mean t another tough test for the aussie batsmen. Even with the addition of lea, who will they drop? not johnston but may be the ne opening bat whose bowling looked very ordinary.

[Gordon McIvor Wilson]

I hope I havent upset The Badger, our greatest trader on cricket, he hasnt got a trading competitor here, that's the problem. Anyone out there?
So, where are we now? Will someone explain what the exchanges are signalling for the outcome of this important, rain-bedevilled Test?

[Ron]

Just turned it on, had to rub my eyes. The boys are doing well.

[Gordon McIvor Wilson]

Good one, Mooders, now the boys are on the pitch in their waders, we can see that the gentlemen from the Southern Hemisphere are determined = whoops, hat trick for Onions just come through = rethnk needed!

Now where are the bloggrs and traders for the cricket - I know J2E has asked permissio to be off-air, but we're missing you.

Better revise my forecast of an Oz win ater this. Must be more English subtlety in the pitch than we realised?

[Neil Moodley]

But is there something to be said for interrupted play being in our favour? Surely our lads ought to be fairly used to it by now, whereas the aussies probably find themselves quite frustrated by it. A psychological edge, perhaps?

I know, I know - I'm clutching at straws. I'm just worried that by winning at Lord's, we've made them angry...

As to team selection - I am edgy about Bell. I've just never gotten a good feeling about him. He's never struck me as solid, in the way that Vaughan or Tresco used to, or Strauss does now. I think I'd like to see Harmison have a go though. I know Onions did okay at Lord's, and credit to him, but he seems a little workaday, whereas Harmison can change an entire game. Given that the aussie's are out for blood, I feel we need all the heroics we can muster.

[Gordon McIvor Wilson]

You're up there, Badger, I know it, in Brum with your rain gauge and thermometer, Ned Kelly hat and Dry-z-bone mac.
Forecast looks soggy with damp patches but essentially showery, interspersed with longish periods of playable stuff especially on Sun and Mon.
God knows; could be lots of disrupted cricket on your jelly pitch, still think a result, and Oz to win. You will let us into your strategy tomorrow perhaps?
Hope so, eagerly awaited by the 91 members and 500 readers per day (we got 1,000 when the 2nd Test hotted up).

[The Badger]

Just for the record, it is 5.52 here now and the rain just started. Hardly an accurate forecast when it predicted it for 4 this morning!

[Gordon McIvor Wilson]

Well, we sure do weather in this country. When in Australia, the forecast for the week was sacrosanct, and to be fair, did run true. The probability over here is the 'weather' will be wrong - but you know this. As for the wicket, not my beef.
I called it right on the first day at Lords, Badger, and I am now saying it will be a result at Edg. No draw. Despite the history, I call a marginal win for OZ, sorry Runks.

[The Badger]

Well just don't be sucked in by the gamblers fallacy about probability. If Strauss wins twenty tosses in a row, he has the same chance of winning the 21st as he did all of the others. Many people have lost their underpants at the roulette table think red or black must be "due".

The weather people in this country are a disgrace and should be sacked. metcheck is useless. Says heavy rain all day today at my house and here it is 11.10am and not one drop yet. And as for their forecasts in the last two tests.... useless.

So if they saying rain, bet on there being none.

I can't have the draw, 13 results from 16 tests tells me something is not right with that wicket. We shall see.

[NEIL RUNKEL]

Thank you Badger for your bruised words of ecouragement, I would have thought it would be quite reasonable to expect Ponting to win the toss, I can't remember the last time we won three tosses in a row against the Aussies, probably when Cowdrey was captain. technically you are right that the odds are the same for each toss but I know our luck. Having prepared wickets I know full well how groundsmen tend to use hyperbole. I can assure you there will be nothing soft about the test wicket and as I said batting or not does depend on the weather conditions, they are likey to be so variable that the captain winning the toss may decide to have the best of the wicket. the weather looks grim and a draw most likely