7.05pm: And with that dismissal, Dawid Malan and the Australia players also leave the field of play… What drama amid the lengthening shadows! England had cruised to the brink of a commanding first-day performance, a partnership of 133 between Malan and Joe Root almost seeing them through a lengthy evening session unscathed. But almost doesn’t cut it in Test cricket, no sir; Mitchell Starc coaxed another premature demise from Root and then Josh Hazlewood doubled Australia’s dividend. With a lengthy tail to come (and Moeen Ali horribly out of form), that five-minute passage could be the difference between 270 and 400. Phew! That’s the game, folks. It was a thoroughly absorbing day, which Brydon’s report will tell you all about; that’s it from us, Gnasher and I will be back for an early start (10am local time) tomorrow. Cheerio!
Hazlewood to Bairstow, OUT, edged and taken! Lovely bowling from Hazlewood, Australia have another! A huge one-two combo to the solar plexus, England go from controlling the ring to hanging on the ropes in a blink… Wide on the crease, fired in and then straightening off the seam to kiss the edge, the new ball thudding into the gloves to raucous celebrations around the SCG!
JM Bairstow c †Paine b Hazlewood 5 (7b 1×4 0x6) SR: 71.42
Hazlewood to Bairstow, no run, angled in and then nipping away, good length but the line was wide enough for YJB to shoulder arms again
Here’s James J: “And that, I’m afraid is what sets Root apart from the likes of Smith and Kohli, as a batsman and a leader. Far too many times in this series, he has got out to an awful shot at an awful time – risks jeopardising any progress made today”
Hazlewood to Bairstow, no run, length, 84mph in the channel, into line and left
Hazlewood to Bairstow, FOUR, Hazlewood overpitches and Bairstow crisply punches four through the covers, lovely timing from the new man
There’s about a minute left in the day, so we’ll only get one more over in… So that review has possibly cost Australia a few more deliveries with the new ball
END OF OVER:
81 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 229/4
- JM Bairstow1 (3b)
- DJ Malan55 (160b)
- MA Starc16-4-63-1
- JR Hazlewood17-2-43-1
Starc to Bairstow, 1 run, searing yorker, thudding into the pads, Australia go up for the lbw… and Smith then asks for the review, though looks like it was heading down leg to me. In fact, Bairstow got a scrape of inside edge on it, too – so Australia will lose that review
“Root Root Root, what have you done?” gasps Ajay
Starc to Bairstow, no run, full, 86mph a foot or so outside off, again YJB ushers it through
Starc to Bairstow, no run, angled across full and tempting, Bairstow lets it go
Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow in, no nightwatchman
Starc to Root, OUT, full and swinging, flicked to leg – and this time he is gone, taken on the dive at square leg! Root’s conversion rate drops again, he hangs his head and thumps the turf! Mitchell Marsh threw himself forward to snaffle the chance, it was an excellent catch to leave Root tantalised in his search for a hundred in Australia… Starc gets the breakthrough and is mobbed by his team-mates. A late intervention to prevent England from fully claiming the day
JE Root c MR Marsh b Starc 83 (141b 8×4 0x6) SR: 58.86
Starc to Root, FOUR, nearly slayed by a drag-on! In fact, he’s squeezed it fine for four… Late swing for Starc and Root was a touch late on it, Starc gives him a rueful grin
Starc to Root, FOUR, full, shaping a touch, into Root’s arc and he sends a rasping drive back down the ground, fine of mid-off and it races away
And Australia immediately take the new ball, Starc to bowl with it… Three overs left in the day
END OF OVER:
80 | 2 Runs | ENG: 220/3
- DJ Malan55 (160b)
- JE Root75 (138b)
- JR Hazlewood17-2-43-1
- MA Starc15-4-54-0
Hazlewood to Malan, no run, full outside off and Malan steps out to drive, can’t pierce the infield at cover
Hazlewood to Malan, no run, in the channel, 81mph/133kph, no stroke
Hazlewood to Malan, 2 runs, dug in by Hazlewood and Malan pulls, gets it away through square leg… and now Bancroft nearly comes a cropper as his knee goes through the outfield, he goes over trying to slide but appears okay, able to fetch the ball and throw it in
Hazlewood to Malan, no run, gets on to the front foot and blocks on off
“The spot currently occupied by Curran (Woakes) would be the one Stokes gets I’d imagine,” suggests David. Well, he’ll be back at No. 6, yes… Although Bayliss has said they view him as a long term No. 5
Hazlewood to Malan, no run, good length, 83mph in the channel and tapped towards cover
Hazlewood to Malan, no run, touch back of a length outside off, defended coming across
Just one more over until Australia can take the second new ball
END OF OVER:
79 | 2 Runs | ENG: 218/3
- JE Root75 (138b)
- DJ Malan53 (154b)
- MA Starc15-4-54-0
- JR Hazlewood16-2-41-1
“Is this not a good wicket for spinners? Lyon hasn’t had much luck yet, and England have selected both Ali and Crane. Was that a mistake or is it too early to say yet?” It has turned a bit, Dave Fern, enough for Lyon to cause Cook and Malan a little trouble – and it’s expected that Sydney will break up in a way Melbourne didn’t
Starc to Root, no run, touch full and Root drives but picks out cover
Starc to Root, no run, hits the pitch hard, 87mph as Starc wrings a last bit of effort out of the day, defended on off
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
No comments:
Post a Comment