Severe Ashes fever in these parts this morning. I have genuinely no idea what it’s going to go like. TMS is on and we’ll just have to see how it goes….
Edit: And Crawley Smacks the first ball away for four runs. Game on!
Great first day for both sides, though I might have preferred a few more runs on the board for England, as I fear that the attack is a bit too one-dimensional (and there are many spinners I would have picked in front of Ali).
Still, as Michael Vaughan said on BBC, it's nice for England to throw the first punch (the declaration) for once.
Not even the appearance of my nightmare commentary duo (Atherton and Pietersen) could dampen the enjoyment, as my remote control was in reach and their inane babbling was silenced.
Bring on day 2 !!
David Warner must be completely, utterly, disgustingly sick of the sight of Stuart Broad steaming in at him.
As for Marnus Labuschagne. I’m not laughing. Honest!
Edit: Well, a second day of compelling cricket. It's been ebb and flow, periods where both teams have been in the ascendancy, only to be pegged back at crucuial moments.
However it does feel at the moment that Australia slightly have the edge. That Stuart Broad no ball to Khawaja is, I think, going to be critical. Khawaja has been magnificent today, well worth his Ton.
Shades of 2005 all over this test match so far, I just hope it keeps up for the entire series.
Watching Bairstow trying to keep wicket to spinners is painful. Foakes might not be able to thrash 78 in 74 (although he is fully capable of getting 78), but he also won't cost you 2 wickets with second-rate glovework.
a second day of compelling cricket. It's been ebb and flow, periods where both teams have been in the ascendancy, only to be pegged back at crucuial moments.
Very enjoyable match to watch so far and your summary is spot on.
I was surprised to hear how little bowling the English attack has had lately. I wonder how that might play out over the 5 tests. Will they be short of a gallop? Or will they have tapered nicely to get through the series still fresh? A 5 test series is partly a war of attrition and one of those key resources being used up are the bodies of the bowlers.
What is the weather outlook for the rest of the week fellas? Any chance of being interupted?
Current forecast predicts some rain dotting about during the day, then a fairly wide band of thunderstorms tonight.
Doesn't look like much interruption, which is good.
Sorbicol wrote:a second day of compelling cricket. It's been ebb and flow, periods where both teams have been in the ascendancy, only to be pegged back at crucuial moments.
I was surprised to hear how little bowling the English attack has had lately. I wonder how that might play out over the 5 tests. Will they be short of a gallop? Or will they have tapered nicely to get through the series still fresh? A 5 test series is partly a war of attrition and one of those key resources being used up are the bodies of the bowlers.
We basically swaddle Anderson and Broad in cotton wool these days and only wheel them out for tests. Jofra Archer is a great shame where his body clearly can’t cope with bowling but to be honest I think both Wood and Woakes are better options in English conditions. Leach’s injury is also a real shame, but (and I k ow others might disagree I think Ali was the best short notice option as a replacement purely because of his experience. I don’t think this Edgbaston track is helping either. It’s a little too lifeless.
Overall I think we have enough cover for test bowlers, so I’m not too worried but it’s the same for Australia at the end of the day. I think it might come down to how good Lyon is, and whoever we can put on the field. I’m not sure we’ll see Ali for every game, whereas if he were fit we would be seeing Leachy every game.
Current forecast predicts some rain dotting about during the day, then a fairly wide band of thunderstorms tonight.
Doesn't look like much interruption, which is good.
Well....
First over of the 4th day of the first ashes test and Joe Root is reverse ramping off his first ball.
Say what you like about BazBall, but it’s murder for my nerves.
Christ he’s done it twice more. A 6 and a 4 off those though.
Edit: I’ve chewed off all my finger nails and there is still a day to go. Dammit.
Edit edit: What a test match this is!
Those wickets at the end set everything up for a great day of cricket tomorrow - hopefully the weather won't intervene too much (unless Australia reach 250-3, in which case I'll be doing the rain dance..)
It is game on. Can't wait for tonight.
I think my prediction holds up wrt Bazball having English innings go fast - but also leaving enough time for the opposition to do enough to stay in the match. England have batted for 136 overs total. Aussies have already had 147 with more than 90 still available.
It is game on. Can't wait for tonight.
I think my prediction holds up wrt Bazball having English innings go fast - but also leaving enough time for the opposition to do enough to stay in the match. England have batted for 136 overs total. Aussies have already had 147 with more than 90 still available.
I didn't think the declaration was the right move the first day. Nothing so far has changed my mind.
I didn't think the declaration was the right move the first day. Nothing so far has changed my mind.
10 more overs used, or 20-30 runs more would have an impact for sure.
EDIT: Is the weather going to juice things up a bit in favor of the bowlers?
This is so tense I feel sick......
Well. Captains innings there from Cummings. Congrats on winning that. It’s going to be one hell of a series
That was well worth denying myself sleep for.
That was well worth denying myself sleep for.
The last ashes down your end of the world, my brother and I were very drunk and settled down to watch the Boxing Day game at about midnight after a long, but lovely Christmas Day with the family.
I think we went to bed 20 minutes later when we were about 11-3. It was certainly better than that!
Time to finish some sleep time and some initial reactions to one of the greatest tests.
England scored fast - but not enough. Some of that from the declaration choice, and some from 2nd innings batting choices.
Batting for 5 sessions leaves 10 sessions for the opposition.
I think I'd rather Carey's level of contribution than Bairstow's. Does Foakes get reconsidered?
It's nice to win a close one for a change.
I have too many memories of staying up far too late on a work night to listen to England grind the Aussies down in an English Ashes test.
Switched off the radio around 3.10am this morning after Carey went out, feeling dejected and guilty with the roar of the Barmy Army in my ears.
Woke up to the most amazing news that the Aussies hung on to win. Cummins, you magnificent bastard!
The declaration was a minor factor in that defeat to be honest. I would put far more blame on the wicket that was prepared. It offered nothing to our bowlers and that’s criminal. That Leachy got injured and Ali got that blister on his finger is ‘just one of those things’ but it also really didn’t help.
Despite all that, we nearly - and should have - beat Australia. Once we’re through the disappointment, I think England will take a lot of positives from that.
4 more to go.
The declaration was a minor factor in that defeat to be honest. I would put far more blame on the wicket that was prepared. It offered nothing to our bowlers and that’s criminal. That Leachy got injured and Ali got that blister on his finger is ‘just one of those things’ but it also really didn’t help.
Despite all that, we nearly - and should have - beat Australia. Once we’re through the disappointment, I think England will take a lot of positives from that.
4 more to go.
I'd also add the brief intermission that saw both of England's openers out cheaply in the second innings and Bairstow's below-par keeping to that as well.
Shout out for Tammy Beaumont today becoming the first English Player - and only the 8th all time - to score 200 runs in an innings in any format of the game. Superb effort.
Shout out for Tammy Beaumont today becoming the first English Player - and only the 8th all time - to score 200 runs in an innings in any format of the game. Superb effort.
She batted really well. I'm glad they gave them 5 days for the test given how evenly poised it is now going into the final day.
Just a shame that Beaumont has two other decent players supporting her, and the rest who seem to be mainly asleep. You can't be fielding the way that England fielded during Australia's second innings and expect to get anywhere.
I am genuinely not trying to troll when I say "what makes Australia 'boring'?"
It feels like they are desperately trying to goad the Aussies into having a Bazball drag race with them.
Reading that piece, that adjective was used by an Australian player.
Their second innings seemed quite pedestrian at times, particularly in the context of the potential for rain to wipe out parts of days 4 and 5. The more aggressive approach would have been to bat hard and fast, knowing that their bowlers were way better than the English bowlers, Ecclestone apart, then get England in under conditions which may have been more conducive to bowling.
As it turned out, England's fielding in the second innings was particularly dire (I think either 6 or 7 catches were dropped), and the bowling so ordinary that somehow Australia still ended up about 270 ahead with 4 or so sessions to go - and the collapse at the end of day 4 pretty much ended it as a contest.
England have been very poor today and allowed Australia to walk all over them.
That is all I’m going to say as otherwise I’ll be agreeing with Kevin Pietersen and I have to draw the line somewhere.
You'll know that you're in a dark place if you start agreeing with Atherton, whose entire commentary career is based on the premise that England are sh*te (if losing) or fortunate (if winning), and that while every England player is 'streaky' or has 'flaws', every overseas player is the second coming of Bradman/Lillee/Gavaskar/Imzamam (configure for nationality and playing position).
Unfortunately, he writes for the Times as well. His pieces are easy to avoid - usually the title gives it away before you get to the byline with his name in it.
You'll know that you're in a dark place if you start agreeing with Atherton, whose entire commentary career is based on the premise that England are sh*te (if losing) or fortunate (if winning)
To be fair, that was absolutely the case when Atherton himself was captain...
Robinson really walking the walk. Chucking pies from 20 yards with 6 no balls in a day.
Stokes showed what he thought the conditions were going to bring with his field settings. His plans were around nicks with a full cordon all day which the conditions were absolutely set up for.
Pages