The cricket...

[andyoxon]

Metoffice showing poss 'dry window' 1-3pm.

[Basil]

Metoffice showing poss 'dry window' 1-3pm.

Well that's no good then.
Previous experience teaches me that:
1 o'clock. It stops raining.  An announcement is made that there will be a pitch inspection at 2
2 o'clock.  Pitch inspection.  An announcement is made that play will resume at 3
3 o'clock.  It rains.

[andyoxon]

Troo dat.

[citoyen]

Edit: I don’t think there was ever another bowler quite like Underwood. Left arm, but not really slow. He could make the ball do things on a drying pitch that pretty well no-one else could.

I started watching cricket at Kent in the early 80s so got to enjoy the tail end of Underwood’s career. The thing I remember most about him is his unerring consistency. There was nothing spectacular about his style but he just seemed very difficult for even top class batsmen to play against.

[Von Broad]

The thing I remember most about him is his unerring consistency. There was nothing spectacular about his style but he just seemed very difficult for even top class batsmen to play against.

Geoff Boycott give's a quick insightful overview of Derek Underwood here.
When he was commentating GB was always bleating on about uncovered pitches, but it really was a huge variable in the game in those days and how conditions could so easily change so quickly over 5 days or so. Interesting stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oM-CvMkwT8&t=210s

edit: anyway....has it stopped raining yet?

[Von Broad]

crickey.....pitch inspection at 2pm!!

[citoyen]

1 o'clock. It stops raining.  An announcement is made that there will be a pitch inspection at 2
2 o'clock.  Pitch inspection.  An announcement is made that play will resume at 3
3 o'clock.  It rains.

Play is due to start at 2.45. Let's see what time it starts raining again...

[Jaded]

Finally…

[andyoxon]

Google Win Probability:  95% Draw.

[Peter]

Doubt if the Aussies (including the now mandatory sporting Slovenian!) are moaning about English weather, now.

[Wowbagger]

Bobb will be along in a moment to tell us that the SCG loses more days to rain than Lords does...

[Peter]

Ha!  It's a lousy way end a match but I'm cynical/old enough to think that it wasn't a foregone conclusion that England would still win if play had been possible.  This is Australia we are talking about.

[Basil]

Yes. But very disappointing.

[Peter]

Definitely :'(

[citoyen]

Ha!  It's a lousy way end a match but I'm cynical/old enough to think that it wasn't a foregone conclusion that England would still win if play had been possible.  This is Australia we are talking about.

It's easy to be an expert after the event but one does wonder if they might have been better off declaring at lunch on Friday and having a go at the Aussies while there was still some life in the pitch.

As you say, though, this is Australia - England could easily have ended up regretting giving them that opportunity to get back into the match.

And Bairstow's post-lunch blitz was very enjoyable.

[citoyen]

Doubt if the Aussies (including the now mandatory sporting Slovenian!) are moaning about English weather, now.

An Aussie crossword setter I follow on Twitter posted:

"See the rain? Sad."

Which is an anagram of "Ashes retained".

[SoreTween]

It's easy to be an expert after the event but one does wonder if they might have been better off declaring at lunch on Friday and having a go at the Aussies while there was still some life in the pitch.

Somebody addressed this point, I can't recall if it was on the beeb, the Groan or Cricinfo.  They batted on betting on an innings defeat.  Had they declared it was more than likely England would have had to bat again and that introduces an innings break costing time from the match.  As they were scoring fast it seemed a logical approach.

[Peter]

At least most of us got a lot of entertainment and the Aussies were put in an emotional mincer which is a completely new experience for them (team and supporters).  It's almost impossible to see how there could have been a result given that everyone here in Lancashire knew that it was going to rain solid or pretty much for the last two days and had known this for days in advance.

Also, many are glossing over the fact that our bowlers had had it by Saturday.  In the 30 overs played, the Aussies put on 100 runs for the loss of only one wicket.

Unless they are going for a fairy-tale finish that will look good in a Netflix documentary, I think they are wrong to pick Anderson instead of Tongue for the final test.  The Aussies don't like it up'em and Jimmy is distinctly more down these days - and why wouldn't he be?

[Nuncio]

Doubt if the Aussies (including the now mandatory sporting Slovenian!) are moaning about English weather, now.

An Aussie crossword setter I follow on Twitter posted:

"See the rain? Sad."

Which is an anagram of "Ashes retained".

I thought that was posted by the Aussie crossword setter I follow, but I checked and my Aussie crossword setter had retweeted your Aussie crossword setter's post.

Anyway, Sunday was a bit of a bummer for me given that I have a ticket for day 2 at the Oval next Friday. But there's still a test match to win (and the chance to extend the period Australia last won an Ashes series in England beyond the current 22 years) and it would be great if I get to watch this England team bat. 

[citoyen]

I thought that was posted by the Aussie crossword setter I follow, but I checked and my Aussie crossword setter had retweeted your Aussie crossword setter's post.

David Astle?

I think there are only three crossword setters in Australia and I follow all of them.

[andyoxon]

Glenn MacGrath really enjoys announcing the Shipping Forecast...

[tonyh]

Glenn MacGrath really enjoys announcing the Shipping Forecast...

This household thinks it's Jim Maxwell.

[andyoxon]

Could be... 

[Peter]

And now in a turnabout, England praying for rain?

Edit:  Blimey - popped out to the shops for twenty minutes, during which time England put on 30 runs! Bazball for the win!

[andyoxon]

Root, Stokes, & Bairstow for 12 runs?