Is there any point in reviewing an Aleem Dar decision?

Well, the only one worth reviewing was the plumb lbw for Hussey which wasn't given... but unfortunately the ******ed rules on the UDRS meant we couldn't use it and him and Haddin put on another 221 runs, coincidentally exactly the same as the Aussie lead

Expensive error?

Meh **** happens..

It's very rare to see a batsman make a double hundred without surviving a close decision. Sucks but part of the game. That's why not wasting your reviews is so important..

No, it's not why not wasting reviews is important. It's actually why having a limit on the number of reviews is so ******ed. In fact, it's why having the captains deciding whether to use it is ******ed. If it's going to be there and be available then the umpires should decide on their own when they need the help.

Hussey got the chance to have a bad lbw over-ruled, but England were denied the same opportunity three overs later. Why?

The UDRS isn't removing controversy from decisions, it's just changing which decisions are the ones creating said controversy

Using any other method is really gonna slow down the game. We give captains unlimited reviews and they're reviewing 40 decisions an innings. We give umpires unltd reviews and they're sending elementary decisions upstairs like they do with runouts now just because they don't wanna make a mistake..

So what do we think England's chances of drawing this test are? 25%?

They need to make ~450+ to save the match or bat 5 sessions..

Using hawkeye just among the umpires wouldn't take long at all. It makes an instantaneous assessment of where the ball pitched and whether it would have hit. All the slo-mo cartoon graphics are merely there to provide a bit of drama for the tv people to broadcast to the masses, but they're not an essential part of the algorithm which judges the delivery. The 3rd umpire wouldn't need all that animation crap; in the event of an lbw decision he only needs a red light or a green light based on whether the lbw criteria have been fulfilled, and he can transmit that to the on-field umpires via their earpiece in a moment. No fuss, no drama, and most importantly, no controversy.

Either that or don't use the UDRS system at all, and give all decisions back to the standing umpires, warts-and-all. But don't try and justify a system which intentionally allows for the possibility of stopping some errors while letting through others which are similar, yet totally avoidable with a smidgen of common-sense.

Sounds too generous unless there's much weather although Ponting has just gone for the North option that worked so well in Cardiff.

What chance an England win?

g'night all, looking forward to tomorrow night, so tense.

starts 12 minutes early

22mins iirc.... 9.38 i think rather then 10 iirc...

I don't see how that's reasonable. It reduce the number of bad decisions which is worthwhile even if it isn't perfect.

It also has the benefit of reducing noisy appeals that are designed to con/sway the umpire by bowlers etc who are exposed by not wanting to waste a referrel.

Lastly and most unimportantly I'm appreciating the nuance its added to the game of when to refer.

Ty

Wow, grats to those who went the distance, awesome staying power

I came home around 2a,m, flicked it on and moped of to bed.

Bring on the rain!

I loled.


Also, re Aleem Dar, he's far and away the best umpire in the business. It's very rare indeed to see him get something wrong.

I can't believe people are dissing the review system. Finally the ICC have the best system in place. It took freaking ages, but at least they are ahead of football.

we probably need to bat 5sessions to save the game.

first 10 overs is so important tomorrow with the newer ball. if we survive that, the pitch is still pretty good and we should bat all day at least. saving the game is still pretty feasible imo

Draw at 5/2 on Betfair right now; during the pitch report Beefy seemed pretty optimistic about England's chances though, so maybe value in that.

Weird and tiring day, gonna try and stay up for the fourth night in a row though.

Wow, do they know something about the weather we don't? I think England'd be lucky to draw this 1 out of every 6 or 7 from here. I just want to see a few batsmen show some form to set up for the rest of the series. Getting anything from this game would just be a huge bonus imo.

I kind of think that batting out for what would need to be nearly five more sessions is somewhat against the current England quasi-lagtard batting ethos and fully expect us to lose enough wickets to lose the test barring weather

Was thinking that crowd seemed a bit short, they just mentioned it on commentary too. Obv the locals have no confidence in the Aussie bowling attack either

LOL Sky with the meaningless statistic that Strauss/Cook are now the highest scoring england opening partnership ever, ignoring that they've had nearly as many innings as second and third combined

LOL needing to repaint the crease after 20 mins

It's like Mike Sexton and his "folks this is a THREE MILLION DOLLAR POT!"

perhaps the fact that they've held the opening positions for so many tests is something to lauded in itself?

Same here. Has to be done.