AB: Merry Christmas, Doley.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
No doubt, like me, you overindulged on Christmas Day and are in recovery mode today.
The best way to recover is watching the Boxing Day Test.
ND: Seasons Greetings to you and yours, Bourkey.
Yes, yes and yes to the above points.
Watching the first session at the MCG and I think the Australian attack may have done the same.
Have watched many memorable Boxing Day Test clashes over the years, but so far this one is a bit ho-hum.
AB: Ho-hum, I don't think so.
It's been a testing day of TEST cricket.
The Aussie quicks bowled tightly and the Poms put more of a price on their wickets than they did in the previous three Tests.
It could have been a different story had Nathan Coulter-Nile remained inside of the boundary rope and taken the catch off Pietersen.
The Aussies could well have ripped through the middle-order.
As it stands, I reckon we're in for a really close Test, particularly with your favourite player Shane Watson under another injury cloud.
ND: Favourite player, turn it up.
No doubt Watto can bat and bowl, but is renowned for his sooking when things are not going quite right.
Clarke's call to bowl has left me perplexed. As Pauline once declared, Please Explain?
AB: Usually when you win the toss, nine times out of 10 you bat first and then the 10th time you think about bowling first, then bat anyway.
It was a risk by Clarke.
Maybe in the back of his mind was the last Ashes Test at the MCG when England rolled Australia for 98 on Boxing Day.
The decision opened the door for England's batsmen to give their side a big advantage.
They didn't taken full advantage, but at 6-226 the game could go either way.
ND: Pietersen's wicket has become so much more crucial.
The Australian attack has fought back brilliantly, a feat it's achieved so often in this series.
Yet again a few English batsmen could rue starting well and then going out.
AB: That's been England's problem all summer - not enough top-order players have gone on to get a big score.
If England can get 320 plus then it will be game on.
Despite the 3-0 scoreline, there's still plenty of cracks in the Australian batting line-up.
ND: Have been saved by the middle and lower-order a few times so far. Your No. 1 player David Warner has starred with the willow, not so with his antics at times.
Some early breakthroughs by Broad and Anderson, he has to hit form soon, and the jitters may set in again.
AB: It should be another gripping day of Test cricket.
I reckon you and old mate Kingy can handle things in the office. I might stay home and do some bicep curls while I'm watching the cricket.
ND: I hear your "tin lids" will be keen to bowl a few bouncers in your backyard.
Bicep curls sound a bit too stressful Bourkey. I reckon the only curling you should do is that challenging pursuit on the ice.