Cricket

Moeen dropped for the 2nd Test.

Denly incredibly lucky not to suffer the same fate.

Moeen dropped for the 2nd Test.

Denly incredibly lucky not to suffer the same fate.

Batting is a huge concern

Moeen dropped for the 2nd Test.

Denly incredibly lucky not to suffer the same fate.

Moeen deserves it..so is denly

Batting is a huge concern

Yep, I think Australia will get a few low scores in the tests to come (no way can Smith fire everything single innings) but do England have the runs in that team to punish them? I'm not sure.

Lot will depend on Root and stokes as Buttler and Bairstow looks horribly out of form.

Butler not a Test match batsman..out for 1..played inside a fairly innocuous delivery.

Butler is an aggressive batsman and has what it takes to be successful in tests. He should score ones in form.

Good old British weather

Other than pretending to be the captain I'm not sure what Tim Pain is doing. Cant bat very well, and his keeping is horrible.

Burns getting lives but has cemented his spot as opener for the series. Another 50 to add to his 100. Bats time too which is nice. Need to get the Aussies into long spells.

Some pretty poor prodding there by Butler.  England always paranoid about the slope at Lords.

Some pretty poor prodding there by Butler.  England always paranoid about the slope at Lords.

Stokes gets it on the act by sweeping mindlessly at lyon

Weather means this test is surely a draw, unless England can power through the Aussie line up.

Seems to be the same story as previous innings though, it requires us getting Smith out if we are to have any chance. If he goes, you’d fancy England to finish off the rest of the Aussie line up fairly quickly.

Smith brings up his half century with a 4.

Amazing how the series has become all about him so early on, he’s absolutely brilliant.

Smith brings up his half century with a 4.

Amazing how the series has become all about him so early on, he’s absolutely brilliant.

Bowling has been absolutely sh*te. Far too short. More about containment

F**k me jofra

Still don't understand why steve smith wasn't booked for simulation

That was a deadly ball. Smith very lucky

I get that is the way Roy plays and may be it goes with the territory. Pick him and blocking an innings out is not going to happen.Still a terrible shot to play given the situation.

This white ball/red ball is a difficult deal. Juggling the players across both versions of the game won't be easy but Test match cricket is still vital to the well being of the sport.

Aussies might win this as well!

Get to F**k moaning Tim Pain its not out just because you finally caught one down leg up to the stumps. He still has to hit it.

Previously moaning about his previous review of a delivery that didn't turn and was clearly going down leg saying 'that turned that turned' it went as straight as an arrow and he should know as he should be in a position  to stop it if the batsman misses it.

Absolute crap he is. Anyway Australia getting the run around now the real captain is off the field.

England look like they want to get out and bowl in just under an hour. Need another 50 I'd say.

That being said id F**k this game off and keep them bowling, pitch looks flat.

England playing for Stokes 100 then an immediate declaration and Bairstow scampered 2 off the second ball then plays forward defensives for the over.

Never waa the brightest bulb in the box.

 Hard to know what pitch to prepare for the next game, but both of these so far have been slow  and low. Probably deliberately so.

Makes Archers performance all the more impressive because his achievements here have been on a dead surface.

Problem for England is we got smashed in Australia on bouncier pitches due to Aussies army of tall 87mph bowlers and Archer is a 1 off in this team.

This isn't the first Lords pitch to die like this though. If there was time I would back Australia to win the game. On pitches like this Root has to trust in his spinner.

Needs to be a green seamer next up or a hard bouncy pitch because England now need to start getting a result pitch.

Even if Smith's fit for Headingley, surely Australia have to find a way to get this Labuschagne into the team? Done very well considering that blow he took from Archer.

Smith out and talk of the work horse Siddle missing this one. Be interesting to see if England can bat a whole day for once if these Aussie quicks can bowl long spells without him.

This is Englands chance to get back into the series. Australia without their best player and real captain.