great start, can't believe someone here (briefly) entertained the notion of dropping Siddle- IDIOT!
i'd still like to see his seam in a better way... but a couple of real quick ones so far.
the beautiful even straw pitch certainly has chopped up in the bowlers follow through quickly.
Maybe it was crepe over the top of sand paper!
the one off Bells fore arm (from Siddle) was good umpiring. it looked like it did touch the band at the top of the glove, but there was enough doubt to give in favour of the batsman. keep it consistent and a result will be achieved through good cricket- if not the weather!
ReplyDeletegood to see Jonno touching up Bell too!
good to see a test played with meaning, and that 5 of the ICC ranked top 10 batsman and bowlers are in this match. A quarter of the world top 20 player banging it out... off for a secret moment (next break in play!)
ReplyDeleteapart from the wicket Lango, it looks like you'll see that 100 in a session. at preset 1/68
ReplyDeleteIt's the minimum standard in modern Tests. Good position is 120 a session.
ReplyDeleteEngland 1-108 at 4 an over. Strauss looks very good. Some beautiful strikes off Siddle and Johnson. Bell can play but he plays a lot of balls in the air near fieldsmen ... another reason why he'd be better against a softer, older ball down the order.
Hilfenhaus bowled a good line without swinging the ball. Johnson did some good monster stuff against Bell but had nothing against Strauss. Siddle was his usual attacking self but Clark was impecable.
Interesting start!
your right about that. Strauss is rock solid!
ReplyDeletelove the monster stuff call. all apart from Clark must tighten their lines though.
will we see some slower stuff after 15 overs this session?
this is one of the worst surfaces i've ever seen!
ReplyDeleteit will be mud by day 2 lunch!
poor shot Strauss ...
ReplyDelete.. don't think so on the spin. Ponting usually bowls his part-time spinners in the the last hour of the day, mainly to gain some overs back against the over rate.
yeah, a failure to regain his concentration chasing wide.
ReplyDeletePonting better look at the clock, the overs are already dragging!
but that is typical Punter, not changing tactically, just being reactionary!
can we request Mikey on both mic's?
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ReplyDeleteMy lunch summary is avaiable over on the tragics
ReplyDeleteLovely bowling from Clark
was just thinking ... I usually have my egg on toast but like others, I may have it on my face sometime after tea ... ringing any Bells?
ReplyDeleteWatson off the field ... done an ankle picking his nose?
ReplyDeletewell played Stoph .. North on half hour before tea
ReplyDeletecheers mate. with a 5am start i missed the above.
ReplyDeletePOTD for Watson call!
No egg for you Lango, 8 for 100 per session reads like we wrote it!
did the rest of you blokes have a Bex and a lie down early?
Was out for tea and then fell asleep with Collingwood and Bell at the crease. Interesting that Collingwood got an edge that wasn’t picked up by ‘hot spot’ but was by ‘snicko’ – this has implications for referrals and the technology used I reckon. Faintest of edges for sure but I think Haddin knew there was an edge – didn’t look like Collingwood did though.
ReplyDeleteBowden missed a howler of a no ball that got Strauss – missing a foot so far over the line is unforgivable.
Anyway – how about that pitch! I can’t wait for the highlights tonight to see what North did. If he got 14 overs then we may be short a spinner after all. I guess we’ll see how good the part-timers are. I wasn’t impressed by Clark – he doesn’t look too effective on this pitch. Some of his balls looked like they wouldn’t even reach the batsman they were so slow. Hopefully he can provide accuracy – therefore pressure – for the others to exploit.
England should have some confidence from day 1 - it won’t be easy batting last on that crumbler but they’ve only got Swann themselves so perhaps both teams got selection wrong. We’ll see but Flintoff and Harmison have huge jobs to do.
Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell. All that hard work mate! You soft cock.
At least he knew it. Always a good sign when a bloke is up himself for the rent after a mistake. It means he cares. First stage in improvement. Not like Gower, edging to slip just before a break and then smiling all the way to the stands and waving at the fans as though his job was done. Now there was Limp Lion if ever there was one.
ReplyDeleteNorth turned them and made the odd one jump or dive when it broke through the top. Don't worry about not having a spinner ... we have to bat last!
I think you're wrong about Clark. Like Hilfenhaus and Siddle, he bowled good lines and for long spells kept the batsmen dry, especially after lunch, which was the secret behind Australia getting eight Lemony Snikkets. Johnson had his moments but they were separated by lots of rubbish.
On this track, 300 is looking like a good score and a result. Which way?
Fair call on Clark – like I said his role may be to build pressure which might not result in wickets at his end. If Johnson can tighten up the attack looks even better.
ReplyDeleteI loathe to read too much into pitch commentary (despite my comment about batting last – but that is generally quite difficult even on today’s pitches) so we’ll see tonight who’s in the front seat but we may not get an indication of much more. While this appears obvious if 300 is a par score then we’ll have to wait til the 2nd dig to have a clearer picture. Even if Aus gets through the tail quickly and makes 300 odd England still has to then put more runs on the board with plenty of time to bowl Aus out. Getting runs on the board first was always going to be important though so I actually think England (in the scope of the test as a whole) are marginally in front! Great test for the Aus batsmen tonight – Watson in search of a big one, Katich has dropped off a little, Hussey has shown some promise, Ponting has missed out in the last few (and this will be his last test in England) and then there’s the dynamic duo.
I’m still quite confident of Aus’ prospects as 1 to 8 have all shown at least something with the bat. Ironically I don’t think Aus have batted too well in partnerships – other than Clarke and North. England showed that a few 50 run jobs gets you 300 so if they can have a sniff of the Ashes with only one century in 9 innings surely Aus can do better!
I don’t think you can say which way the result could go, Lango. My fear is that Aus winds up chasing 120 to win with way too much time. We all know of many tests where that has been an issue for sides. I hope Aus are batting at tea tomorrow is all I can say. I’m getting more and more nervous now from writing about all this!
to anyone just picking up now- or missed last night, get over to Lango's
ReplyDeletehttp://thecricketragics.blogspot.com/2009/08/5th-test-day-one.html#comment-form
for the best right up on the days play, pure drama and very poetic.
i can't see how this pitch will make it to the later innings Lefty. did you see the dampness under the surface on the delivery mark? or the dusty blowing out from Hilfs back foot when viewed throughthe hot spot cam? sure that dampness will dry out, but this thing could blow away in a zephyr!
i for one like the prospect of the unknown- nervousness and all, there is a palpible feeling that nothing means anything yet (ie. let's see how we play on it), or that we are looking at Australia resisting attrition in the name of a draw.
Either way, if by this time tomorrow we are looking at a similar Australian score, it is GAME ON, for what might be the most important 2nd inning in a long time.
got to go,the excitment has got the better of my bowels!
I have a similiar problems with my vowels.
ReplyDeleteDidn’t see the pitch coming apart at the seams Stoph. Actually I think it proves the curators didn’t produce a pitch especially for England as Panesar may have got a guernsey if so. I’ll get the chance tonight to examine the pitch while sipping on some red with brie and salami at my finger tips. I’ve never been so excited about a night in on a Friday night on my own.
ReplyDeleteIf the pitch is a complete crumbler then 1st innings runs are even more important. Aus need a decent lead to avoid that icky small total chase in the 4th dig.
gonna be a result on that deck for sure... Engerland must have known but still no Panesar?
ReplyDeleteGlad they picked Clark as he is taller than Hauritz and should be able to see the pitch in his delivery stride whereas Nathan would be underground stepping in the footmarks the way this strip is breaking up.
My own conspiracy theory says the wicket was prepared as a result wicket. It looks to me like we started on a three day old deck. However, the English team heirachy wasn't in on it and have blundered in judgment in not having two spinners.
ReplyDeleteI accept why we didn't play a spinner ... he ain't that good and certainly we have three part timers who corporately can do his job, perhaps, as a group, better than he can.
I think I have already said, an accurate medium fast scrooge who bowls with the pace off is just as dangerous on these type of pitches - think McGrath, think Alderman.
Let's see, who does that remind me of?
it certainly is a results track!
ReplyDeleteAlderman did a lot more through the air than McAh and clone.
Lefty, that sounds like the ideal night in.
ReplyDeletelucky sod. i've got to have an early one for a 4am start and 5 hour drive!
Seven hours of watching and writing Test cricket, a few cold Crownies, a warm bed and cuddle toy at 3:30am and Saturday spent climbing a mountain.
ReplyDeleteHappiness is one's own choice but these simple things are high ranking in Lango's joy division.
sounds nice, what Mt?
ReplyDeletei was going to Mt Loch at 4am, now boyy has a temp and trip off!
just saw the score!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The mountains in Warrumbungle NP near Coonabarabran, north wstern NSW. About 250 kms away. Will be "watching" the cricket in the old fashion way tomorrow night ... BBC Test Match Special via Aunty.
ReplyDeleteYoung fella okay?
ReplyDeletenah, off to hospital now. thanks for asking.
ReplyDeletehad a great pizza in coonabarabran a few years back...nice place. gotta go now
shite.
ReplyDeletescarey when they young. sat in your chair quite a few times. God bless him.