That’s about it from a triumphant Cardiff, as England take a 1-0 series lead. Having dished out sufficient praise to Joe Root, I’ll close by pointing out that, for a patchwork team of old-timers and young bucks, this Ashes side has gelled at remarkable speed – this was a team victory in every respect.
As both Clarke and Cook mentioned, England were dominant in all three areas. While Moeen proved his worth and Mark Wood slotted effortlessly into the attack, it’s hard to find a player in the XI that didn’t contribute, whether Adam Lyth with two late catches, or Ballance and Bell fighting poor form to notch half-centuries. Alastair Cook may not have shone with the bat, but his captaincy was almost as flawless as the result.
So after the first Test, it’s England with the confidence, and Australia with the questions. This series is shaping up nicely. See you at Lord’s, 16th July, 11am sharp. Thanks for all your tweets, e-mails, and photoshopped Shane Watsons. Sorry I couldn’t use more. Bye!
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Now here’s Alastair Cook, who is greeted by a roar from the Cardiff contigent. I fear for the hostelries of St. Mary’s Street this evening, I really do. “This Test match couldn’t have gone any better” says Cook, and singles out Root’s first-innings knock as vital. There’s also due praise for England’s bowling, and fielding, on a slow, awkward pitch.
The man of the match is announced, and – surprise! – it’s Joe Root. Fully deserved – the only player to score a century, and it was a knock that guided England from 43-3 to 280-5. A penny for Brad Haddin’s thoughts, though.
Presentations and post-match interviews underway now, as the England players look a little dazed up in the pavilion. “We were outplayed in all three facets of the game” straight-bats Michael Clarke, before adding that they’ll be prepared for the second Test. You can count on that.
“We tried to play our natural game” says Clarke, when asked if Australia could have slowed things down a touch. He also confirms that Mitchell Starc may well feature at Lord’s, despite an ankle injury.
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A tweet from a full half hour ago:
@niallmcveigh In Split airport, no power on phone and laptop dying. Anyone sitting near a power socket they don't need? #TheAshes2015
— David Mills (@DavidMills73) July 11, 2015
When he lands, everyone pretend Australia finished the day on 350-7, OK?
We all saw this coming, right? The 1-0 scoreline is a big enough fillip for England after the recent months of soul-searching, but in truth, it doesn’t tell half the story. England won each of the four days played to differing degrees, and it added up to a scoreline so emphatic that the fifth day wasn’t required. This series is, of course, far from over, but it’s hard to see how England could have started any better.
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England win the first Test by 169 runs!
Moeen gets shot of Hazlewood, tossing the ball up and forcing Hazlewood into a big swing. It’s up in the air, and who else should be right underneath it but Joe Root, out at long-off. Hazlewood is out, c Root b Ali, for 14. England win?! England win!
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70th over: Australia 242-9 (Hazlewood 14, Lyon 0) With those two wickets, Root has probably put himself over the top in the man-of-the-match stakes. He almost snaffles a third to seal the win, appealing for lbw on Lyon, but the ball was pitching outside off. A wicket maiden for Root.
WICKET! Johnson c Lyth b Root 77
There goes the century for Johnson, and there goes the match for Australia. Johnson loses his cool, heaving at a full delivery and clipping it tamely through to Lyth. One to go.
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69th over: Australia 242-8 (Johnson 77, Hazlewood 14) Given his position in the order and the state of play, this has been an assured start from Hazlewood, as he fends off a few probing Moeen deliveries, before lobbing the ball over the infield for four.
68th over: Australia 237-8 (Johnson 76, Hazlewood 10) Root continues and almost catches Hazlewood out with a ball that pitches outside off, then spits outrageously past the outside edge. Otherwise, a steady over from the tail-enders. This really, actually does feel like a matter of time now.
67th over: Australia 232-8 (Johnson 73, Hazlewood 8) A decent start for Hazlewood, milking eight runs from the over, including a beautifully timed flick through midwicket. The Australian middle order must be a tad sheepish up in the pavilion.
“There’ll be a lot of bombast about a whitewash now. Absurd; the long-term forecast suggests to much rain for that...” brays Paul Griffin.
66th over: Australia 223-8 (Johnson 70, Hazlewood 0) Hazlewood sees out the over. Two more wickets for England. Johnson may now go all-out for a century; he’d be the first Australian to do so from No8, in the fourth innings of a Test match. Cold comfort, perhaps.
WICKET! Starc c Lyth b Root 17
Root returns, and will get a go at Starc after Johnson nicks a single... and second ball, he’s got him! It’s a team effort, with the part-time bowler getting an outside edge that’s not easy to reel in. Cook parries it in the air, and Adam Lyth takes the catch on the rebound. That could have easily got away – very well fielded.
65th over: Australia 222-7 (Johnson 71, Starc 17) Moeen almost gets his man, pulling back as Johnson comes down the pitch. The ball loops in the air but drops short of point. Just one from the over, Johnson with a leading edge that rolls to long–off.
“According to TMS’s Graeme Swann the Barmy Army are developing Watto’s own theme song, based on ‘Can’t take my eyes off you’ which includes ‘LB, LB, LBW’ as part of the chorus” whispers John Starbuck. If they’re dead set on those lyrics, I think this funky little tune would work better:
64th over: Australia 221-7 (Johnson 70, Starc 17) Root into the attack as England go for a double helping of spin. It doesn’t work spectacularly well, with Johnson sending the first two deliveries back down the ground for four each. Stokes at mid-off drops deeper – but he won’t be getting near that one, Johnson finding the stands over long-on with a big heave. Four, four, six so far – and Ali has to move sharpish from deep square to stop another boundary. Starc blocks to put Johnson back on strike. An expensive over for Root, and Australia now need less than 200, but no need to panic. Right, England fans?
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63rd over: Australia 204-7 (Johnson 53, Starc 17) Mid on and mid off hovering with intent for England, with Johnson determined to go for his shots. Still 18 overs to the second new ball, but there will be a change here; Johnson has leathered the ball out of shape. Big shout as Ali finds Starc’s pad, but it looked outside the line. England decide to leave it alone. Just a leg bye from the over.
62nd over: Australia 203-7 (Johnson 53, Starc 17) Johnson brings up his half-century with another sweetly timed cover drive, doing so in 70 balls. Well played from Johnson, who has kept his composure when all around him were losing theirs. A single, pushed to point, mean he’s Australia’s highest scorer of this innings. Well done him, not so well done Australia.
61st over: Australia 197-7 (Johnson 48, Starc 16) Moeen returns, but Johnson keeps the scoreboard ticking over with another thundering four, thumped straight down the ground. Johnson moves within sight of his half-century.
“This isn’t going to be a repeat of 2013? With the Mitchells bashing out centuries and getting the pulses racing as Anderson wipes himself out for the remainder of the series by bowling himself into the ground?” frets Tom van der Gucht. It’s a little early for that sort of talk, Tom. Isn’t it?
60th over: Australia 192-7 (Johnson 44, Starc 15) Now Watson has taken the mantle of England fans’ figure of fun, Mitchell Johnson can enjoy himself with the bat. He does so here with a nice, early take to pull Broad through midwicket for another four. Fully loosened up, he takes an almighty swing at a full ball, misses completely, and sees the ball zip just high and wide of his stumps.
A fine afternoon’s work from Simon Land, who reckons Shane Watson is the Hodor of cricket:
59th over: Australia 186-7 (Johnson 38, Starc 15) Wood finds a fuller ball to test Starc, and it’s edged towards the slips... but it doesn’t carry, instead sending the fielders skittering to the ground as it dribbles away for four. Wood oversteps his mark going for a yorker which Starc digs out for another couple.
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58th over: Australia 179-7 (Johnson 38, Starc 9) Broad to Johnson, who throws a few extravagant shapes as he leaves and blocks as required. Broad plumps for a fuller ball, and Johnson drives smartly through the covers.
57th over: Australia 175-7 (Johnson 34, Starc 9) Shot! Starc stays on strike and sends Wood packing with a drilled off drive for four, a fine stroke met with virtual silence. That was a rare fuller ball from Wood, and he reverts to the shorter stuff. No more runs from the over.
56th over: Australia 171-7 (Johnson 34, Starc 5) Four slips and a gully as Stuart Broad attempts to dislodge Mitchell Starc. He gets close with an angled delivery, that misses Starc’s bat by a hair’s breadth. Broad persists with his line of enquiry, but Starc nicks a single wide of mid on to retain the strike.
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55th over: Australia 170-7 (Johnson 34, Starc 4) It’s the Mitchells at the crease to face Mark Wood, and Johnson edges the first ball for four, barely registering a cheer from the stands. He’s at it again soon after, punching an off-drive to the boundary. Johnson becomes Australia’s second-highest scorer in this innings, despite three dot balls to finish the over.
The players are back
The sun is out, and the Barmy Army are buoyant. The Australian fans, meanwhile, are let down and hanging around...
Tony Cowards has spied Shane Watson prone on the deck, and has given him a boot to the ribs:
I've made a film about Shane Watson. Terrible reviews. #TheAshes2015 #ENGvAUS
— Tony Cowards (@TonyCowards) July 11, 2015
That was a real crowd-pleaser from Watson; getting caught plumb, reviewing, the execution, the inevitability. Like Springsteen rolling out Born to Run in the second encore.
Thanks Dan. Well, if this time last week, you had offered Alastair Cook this situation at tea on the fourth day, I’d imagine he would have ripped your arm clean from your shoulder, before hauling off the other one for good measure. Before apologising profusely for such poor form.
England need three wickets to win the first Test of this Ashes series. Altogether now...
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Tea: Australia 162-7
That was bloody brilliant, from an England perspective. If you’re comedy hero Shane Watson, it was possibly the last time you take the field in a Test match given Mitchell Marsh’s form.
England are almost certainly going to win this Test in the final session. Niall is returning for the glory shift after the break. In the unlikely event Australia survive the day, I’ll see you tomorrow, but don’t count on it.
Cheers for all your emails and tweets, sorry I couldn’t use them all.
54th over: Australia 162-7 (Johnson 26, Starc 4) This should be the last over before tea; Ali bowling to Johnson. Mitch Sr. smears the second ball past the diving man at extra cover for three. Two slips, short cover, silly mid off, leg slip, silly mid on and short leg in place for Starc, who rocks back and misses a cut at the final ball, but survives.
“Pull me out of the air crash, pull me out of the lake. Cos these are our superheroes. We are standing on the edge,” writes Matt Dony, continuing the 50th over theme. Glad someone got it.
53rd over: Australia 159-7 (Johnson 23, Starc 4) This should be fun: you’d expect England’s express pace bowler to give Johnson a bit of a working over here, and you’d expect Johnson to start swinging. He hooks one round the corner and the batsmen run well to get back for the second. The next ball he plays the same shot, but can only get one, exposing the number 10 – surely this has to be full and straight? Four slips, a gully, a short leg and I think there might be a leg slip in there too. Ooh Starc wafts and misses at a full one outside off, then flicks at the next one and gets a leading edge up, over Ali at leg slip and away for four.
52nd over: Australia 152-7 (Johnson 20, Starc 0) With a new batsman at the crease, Cook turns back to Ali. He gets a nice bit of drift into Johnson, who toe-ends it into his boot. The final ball is turned just wide of short leg for a single, which keeps Starc away from Wood.
This was predictable.
Well played, Twitter. Well played #ashes2015 #engvaus #watto pic.twitter.com/Qo9qk3ga6x
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) July 11, 2015
51st over: Australia 151-7 (Johnson 19, Starc 0) Wood is going to have a burst, replacing Ali. He’s provided excellent support to Broad and Anderson in his brief Test career to date, playing the Simon Jones role to their Harmison/Flintoff, in a way. He bowls a few wide of off, then straightens his line, goes a bit fuller and gets the most predictable wicket imaginable, complete with wasted Watto review. Five slips for Starc.
The entire press box just erupted with cheers... #Ashes2015
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) July 11, 2015
Yeah we liked it here too.
Yeah he's plumb
Watson plays all round it and the ball is clattering into leg stump. That’s 29 LBWs for him in Tests.
Review! Watson lbw b Wood 19
HA HA HA HA HA! Given out on field...
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50th over: Australia 151-6 (Johnson 19, Watson 19) A heart that’s full up like a landfill, a job that slowly kills you, bruises that won’t heal.
You look so tired, unhappy, bring down the government, they don’t, they don’t speak for us.
I’ll take a quiet life, a handshake of carbon monoxide and no alarms and no surprises.
Just a single to Watson from the last ball, worked behind square on the leg side.
49th over: Australia 150-6 (Johnson 19, Watson 18) Watson charges down the wicket to Ali and just about squirts it out to square leg for a single. Johnson then steps and heaves it just over Stokes at mid on, the ball speeding away from the chasing fielder to the boundary. 150’s up, for what it’s worth.
What’s happened here? A real England fan would never be so positive, so confident as to write this! Where’s the fear, guys?
@DanLucas86 Am I alone in thinking this is all a bit too easy? Can we have New Zealand back so as to have an opposition worth playing?
— Illuminations (@Illuminations) July 11, 2015
48th over: Australia 145-6 (Johnson 15, Watson 17) Neither of these two looks especially troubled, though you’d expect England to wrap this up today still. They could do with doing so, with tomorrow’s weather forecast looking iffy.
England cannily hastening Watson's progress to 30. Cook having a superb game.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) July 11, 2015
47th over: Australia 145-6 (Johnson 15, Watson 17) Johnson nudges behind square on the leg side for the only run of the over. The final ball gets a leading edge, but it goes straight to ground. Perhaps a touch of extra bounce on that one from Ali.
46th over: Australia 144-6 (Johnson 14, Watson 17) Anderson goes for a rest and Ben Stokes comes into the attack. Before that though, MIRTH! Gower and Atherton spot a man with the commentary earpiece thing dozing in the seats and shouts at him to wake up. Eventually the man stirs. Watson drops one to mid on and takes a single, then Johnson swings hard and misses, the ball ricocheting off his pocket and going to gully on the bounce. The fourth ball brings a single to long leg, then Watson smites an excellent pull through square for four off the fifth. Two runs from the final ball makes a good over for the Aussies.
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45th over: Australia 136-6 (Johnson 13, Watson 10) That ball that didn’t turn in Ali’s last over might actually have been the attempted doosra. In this over, runs! Six of ‘em as, the ball after getting beaten by the turn, Johnson slog-sweeps over the vacant midwicket region and beyond the rope.
44th over: Australia 130-6 (Johnson 7, Watson 10) As you’d expect, Anderson is aiming for that monolith of a front pad that Watson has, but he’s getting his bat out comfortably enough as Jimmy’s pace is down a bit. England have bowled very well and the bowling changes have been good, but there have been some pretty weak shots out there. A third maiden on the bounce.
Somewhere I didn’t think we’d have many readers:
Following @DanLucas86 on OBO from #SanDiegoComicCon with my lucky ball...cricket nerds v comic nerds! Oh the joy... pic.twitter.com/Ue4QxYA2Iy
— julian hanshaw (@HanshawJulian) July 11, 2015
43rd over: Australia 130-6 (Johnson 7, Watson 10) A faint soupcon of drama as Johnson leaves one that doesn’t turn, but it’s far enough outside off that it doesn’t really matter all that much.
42nd over: Australia 130-6 (Johnson 7, Watson 10) Anderson is round the wicket to the left handed Johnson, who bunts one off his knee roll for three, with Ali sliding well in the deep to save a run. “You would put Watson down as an underachiever,” says Gower on the telly and inadvertently channelling Woody Allen in Love and Death. I dare say he enjoyed saying that.
41st over: Australia 127-6 (Johnson 4, Watson 10) Er, we do appear to have got a bit mixed up with the over count at some point in this session, but I promise this is the 41st. On Sky, Atherton is revelling in the worried looks being exchanged between Punter and Glenn McGrath at the back of the commentary box. Back on the field, Johnson gets a single to square-ish leg, then Ali tempts Watson with a very wide, cuttable ball that the batsman misses out on.
Here’s OBO regular Guy Hornsby: “Well, I have to say that having woken up feeling like my head has been trodden on by hobnail boots, this afternoon’s play has been lifting the fuzziness admirably. Just before lunch (when I woke up, sorry) I was starting to get the fear, but since Warner went its been a very 90s English collapse. It feels odd saying its the Aussies doing it, but it also feels absolutely brilliant. I might have to crack open beer, even if it kills me.”
40th over: Australia 126-6 (Johnson 3, Watson 10) Anderson begins his over with a nasty lifter that catches Watson unawares and the batsman just about gets his gloves there to protect his ribcage. A couple of balls later a real peach angles in and seams away from Watto’s outside edge – there’s an appeal, but Shane Watson’s nowhere near good enough to get a nick on that. A single takes him out of the dangerzone, before Johnson gets off the mark with a thick outside edge down to third man for three. Time for drinks.
This looks like loads of fun.
@DanLucas86 Perfect day watching the cricket and recreating each wicket through the medium of this belting game pic.twitter.com/CyqaGt62r6
— Slowbear (@Slowbear9) July 11, 2015
39th over: Australia 122-6 (Johnson 0, Watson 9) Well this is all a bit good, isn’t it? Cook returns to Ali and is rewarded again. I have to admit, he’s captained his spinner excellently today. He’s taken a hell of a catch too, tumbling back and going one-handed, he parried it up in the air then grabbed it in his left hand as he landed. Johnson is the new man, with three close catchers in on the off side. A wicket maiden.
“Afternoon Dan,” writes Seth Levine. “Am I alone in hoping that Sky invited Punter to the UK as a guest commentator just so they can bring Gary Pratt in to the box to steal his microphone?”
Ponting has been very good, actually. An improvement on Warne.
Wicket! Haddin c Cook b Ali 7
Thanks Niall. A change of OBOer brings a wicket as Ali strikes first ball! Haddin looks to lift him over mid on and hits it hard, but fails to get the requisite elevation and Cook snaffles it, taking an excellent juggling catch!
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38th over: Australia 122-5 (Watson 9, Haddin 7) Watson back on strike, and Anderson keeps firing outside off stump, keeping Watson waiting for the in-swinger. When it comes, Watson is waiting, and punches down the ground for four.
Back to Dan Lucas for the rest of the afternoon session. I’ll leave you with comments from Matt Dony that I can’t condone:
“Props to Patrick Durkin’s Liver for taking one for the team. Only another 45 to go in the series. We believe in you, Patrick Durkin’s Liver.”
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37th over: Australia 118-5 (Watson 5, Haddin 7) Wood continues, and catches Haddin in what we’ll call ‘the Alastair Cook zone’. Haddin is at least boxed up and takes the blow stoically. Just two from the over. The home fans are singing “Livin’ on a Prayer”, while those in green and gold are caddishly waving umbrellas in the air. Fair to say some of the intensity has gone out of this.
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36th over: Australia 116-5 (Watson 5, Haddin 5) Anderson replaces Broad, and will steam in at Watson from the Cathedral Road end. Plenty of dark clouds around the ground, although no rain is forecast. Watson pinches a single with a flick down leg side, and Haddin adds another through backward square. Australia are hardly motoring here.
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36th over: Australia 114-5 (Watson 4, Haddin 4) Wood has kept his length expertly, giving the batsmen precious little to work with. It almost pays off as Haddin bottom edges a short ball, but it whistles over the stumps and away for a spawny four.
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35th over: Australia 109-5 (Watson 3, Haddin 0) So, a visibly aflame Stuart Broad up against two batsmen short on confidence, without a run to their name. Watson stands firm here though, with Broad predictably targeting that big old front pad. The Australian bides his time, getting off the mark with a flick through the covers for two off the final ball of the over.
Great to see @GMCricket's new Shane Watson range.. Via @Crickstuff pic.twitter.com/VoHu0DmGLo
— Jack Mendel (@JackMendel4) July 11, 2015
Harsh, but fair.
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33rd over: Australia 106-5 (Watson 0, Haddin 0) Wood gives Haddin not a sniff in that over, and completes a very tidy wicket maiden. Australia have lost four wickets for nine runs. I’m no batting coach, but that’s not the way to chase down 400+.
“That’s two whiskey cokes and two wickets. I will have six more.” hollers Patrick Durkin.
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WICKET! Voges c Buttler b Wood 1
And another! England’s pacemen have been rampant since lunch, and Wood works Voges outside his off stump, forcing him into a pitiful feather through to Buttler behind the stumps. England celebrate wildly.
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33rd over: Australia 106-4 (Voges 1, Watson 0) Foot to the throat stuff from Broad with the slips lining up behind Watson, but the batsman plays a straight bat to see out the over.
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WICKET! Clarke b Broad c Stokes 4
If the Smith wicket was big, this is positively colossal for England. Two quick wickets after lunch? No problem. Clarke had just flicked his old friend away for four, but a fuller ball has him going awkwardly after a drive – and it flies straight to Stokes at backward point!
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32nd over: Australia 102-3 (Voges 1, Clarke 0) Wood keeps a good length, but gives Voges a couple of glimpses with shorter balls – on both occasions, the new man at the crease is hasty, picking out only England shirts at midwicket and mid-off. Australia need to get a partnership going, and it feels a long way off at the moment.
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31st over: Australia 102-3 (Voges 1, Clarke 0) Broad is in the mood, and has Voges striking all sorts of poses, ducking under a short ball before getting a slight inside edge to spoil the maiden. That’s the first run since Smith’s four.
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30th over: Australia 101-3 (Voges 0, Clarke 0) Moeen gets a pat on the back and a stint back in the field, and Mark Wood, a model of tenacity throughout the series, is back in. It’s a maiden, Clarke seeing off more 80mph+ bowling from the back foot.
From the tweets I’ve been getting, it seems Patrick Durkin isn’t the only one turning to drink. Alcohol and cricket, eh? Who knew?
@niallmcveigh following from New Zealand and enjoying these bad boys with the duchess pic.twitter.com/fvBOPrr0tG
— BarmanPete (@barmanpete) July 11, 2015
@niallmcveigh remember this Jacob's Creek stuff? Raised a glass and hey presto Warner was out! #mightgetdrunktoday pic.twitter.com/wqaRWFau6n
— James Waite (@JamesWaiteLDN) July 11, 2015
Please enjoy The Ashes responsibly.
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29th over: Australia 101-3 (Voges 0, Clarke 0) In comes Adam Voges, who sees out the final two balls for no runs. Things looking much rosier for England – three wickets down, both batsmen at the crease on nought.
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WICKET! Smith c Bell b Broad 33
This could be a big, big wicket for England. Smith had begun to look in the mood, but Broad gets his man with a length delivery, outside off, which Smith nicks helplessly to Bell at second slip. Two wickets in eight balls either side of the lunch break.
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28th over: Australia 101-2 (Smith 33, Clarke 0) target 412 Smith continues with the attacking stance, driving Broad clean through the covers for four. Broad holds his line and there’s an appeal as the ball nicks through to Root, but a new angle shows England were right not to review – the ball struck his pad. No matter...
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27th over: Australia 97-2 (Smith 29, Clarke 0) target 412 Three dot balls complete a wicket maiden for Mooen. Broad will be in next, with a fair bit of cloud cover in Cardiff. Having lived there for four years, I can confirm this is not a huge surprise.
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We're back
Out come the players, England adopting a cool, casual strut that you’d imagine reflects their mindset at this stage. Moeen will have three more balls after that Warner wicket brought us a fractionally early lunch.
Here’s Patrick Durkin, who is 6,241 miles from Cardiff, at Asunción airport, Paraguay:
“A Kiwi here so supporting the English of course. Tried to explain the Ashes to a restaurant worker here so he could find it on TV at airport waiting for flight to Bolivia. It’s 8am here and been up since 4.30 am yesterday so cricket and a whiskey coke are settling jangly nerves.”
Having tried and failed to access the Wimbledon men’s final in a town in Normandy, I both feel your pain and admire your perseverance. Cricket to settle nerves, though?
Hi, everybody! So after a good morning with the ball, England were feeling a little frustrated with Australia settled in at 97-1 – but Mooen taking care of Warner moments before one o’clock in Cardiff, they’ll be ploughing into their sandwiches with gusto.
The hosts now face a procession of batsmen – Clarke, Voges, Watson and Haddin, as well as Steve Smith, still battling away at the crease – with something to prove after the first innings. All five scored between 22 and 38. That won’t get you to the line in a driving theory test, never mind an Ashes Test. England may be a couple of quick wickets from breaking the Australian resistance – that, of course, is easier said than done.
Lunch Australia 97-2
Until that final ball, you would say that it was Australia’s session. As it is, they go to lunch with their set batsman having just got out after misreading the spinner, with 315 more runs needed.
England wouldn’t have been worried, but they would certainly have been frustrated by that second wicket partnership. As it is, they can come out with their dander up and eight more wickets needed to win it.
Niall McVeigh is going to take you through the first hour or so after the break. He’s on niall.mcveigh@theguardian.com or @niallmcveigh. Do talk to him.
27th over: Australia 97-2 (Smith 29) target 412 I imagine this is going to be the final over of the session and it’s going to be Moeen Ali, rather than Root, to bowl it. His last over went for 17, but you wouldn’t think that Warner will be quite so aggressive. Oh in fact he’s out! That’s the perfect note to end the session on for England.
Wicket! Warner lbw b Ali 52
Warner goes! It goes straight on with the arm and hits him in front of middle and leg, going back to defend. Up goes the finger and Warner declines to review it.
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26th over: Australia 97-1 (Smith 29, Warner 52) target 412 Anderson to Smith then, for the first time today. He’s going to go across to counter what movement Jimmy can find, and it proves mighty effective as he times a nice drive just wide of the close catcher and through mid off for four. There is a touch of swing there for Anderson though, so England can take heart.
25th over: Australia 93-1 (Smith 25, Warner 52) target 412 I guess Warner is playing for the break now, as he reins in the big aggressive shots he was unfurling against Moeen earlier. Three singles from the over once again: two of them Smith’s, one Warner’s.
Audiophiles! This is what it sounds like when David Warner reaches 50. No one boos, sorry.
24th over: Australia 90-1 (Smith 23, Warner 51) target 412 Another double change as Anderson returns. This could be crucial – if Australia can see him off they’ll go to lunch full of confidence. Unlike Root, Jimmy has plenty of close catchers in on the off side. with two slips, gully, short extra cover, a very narrow silly mid off in the batsman’s eyeline and an orthodox mid off too. Warner’s patience wears thin from the fifth ball as he slashes and misses a full one outside off.
23rd over: Australia 90-1 (Smith 23, Warner 51) target 412 Root is indeed going to have a bowl. There was naff all on offer for Moeen earlier in terms of spin and he took a bit of a hammering. Warner takes a leg bye to bring Smith on strike and Root sticks to round the wicket against the right hander. The Australians milk a single apiece.
22nd over: Australia 87-1 (Smith 22, Warner 50) target 412 Easy runs – two of the damn things – as Stokes presents Warner with a half volley on leg stump and the opener moves to within one of his half century. Root is warming up, though you would think that Broad and Anderson have had enough of a rest that they could have a burst before we go to lunch in 20 minutes. Warner misses out trying to uppercut over the slips when Stokes bowls a bouncer, but then pulls a short, leg-side gimme round the corner for the single that takes him to his 15th Test half-century, from 72 balls with six fours and a six.
21st over: Australia 84-1 (Smith 22, Warner 47) target 412 From the last 10 overs, Australia have scored 56-0. Wood sends down an 88mph bouncer, but Warner is on to it so, so quickly, pulling it out off the back foot to deep midwicket for a couple. It’s a slightly odd pulling technique (stop it), is Warner’s; you think of the best players of the shot such as Ponting, Pietersen, Richards and even Shane Watson and they all played it predominantly off the front foot. Speedy running between the wickets brings two more to Warner, out to mid on where Ballance was fielding deep. Another single from another short ball out to midwicket from the last ball of the over. It’s not swinging any more, by the way.
20th over: Australia 79-1 (Smith 22, Warner 42) target 412 Stokes finds some extra lift outside off again strikes Smith on the arm. It’s worth persevering with that region, but not overpitching and allowing Smith to drive classically through extra cover for four. Stokes overpitches outside off and allows Smith to drive classically through extra cover for four. Good bouncer to finish though, which has the batsman ducking.
19th over: Australia 75-1 (Smith 18, Warner 42) target 412 Anderson had gone off the field for a bit, but he’s back on now and I imagine we’ll see him with ball in hand before too long. It’s Wood for now though and he gets a proper edge with one slanted across Warner, but it goes through a gaping hole between second and third slip and away for four. Cook responds by closing the gap, kinda pointlessly. Then a nasty one hits him on the hand as he can’t withdraw his bat in time. Good stuff this, as Wood then swings a full one back into the pads; it pops up but there’s no short leg there to take the catch.
Now, who wants to subsidise my rent? Couples only, perfect for bogling to Aswad.
18th over: Australia 71-1 (Smith 18, Warner 38) target 412 If Australia go to lunch at around 100-1 then I dare say they’ll be delighted, especially with these two having got settled so quickly. England need a wicket or two and I’m not sure Stokes is the man to smash the innings open. Even if they’re not going to slap him around, the batsmen can keep things ticking over off his bowling and keep the pressure off. That said, this one’s a maiden.
The last ball of that over from @MAWood33 92mph! Aus 71-1 #Ashes
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 11, 2015
17th over: Australia 71-1 (Smith 18, Warner 38) target 412 Who knew David Warner was capable of subtlety? He plays a lovely little late dab to guide it down to third man for four runs, taking the partnership to a brisk 50 from 40 balls. “I don’t need this pressure on,” sang Spandau Ballet in 1981, but that’s probably not advice England should listen to. Wood responds by sending one through quicker, using that variable bounce and beating the bat by a mile. There’s an appeal next ball; not sure if it’s for LBW or a catch behind, but either way the ball has beaten the bat by a long way and flicked the pocket, so it’s not even close either way. Warner works the final ball of the over round the corner for a couple more.
16th over: Australia 65-1 (Smith 18, Warner 32) target 412 As Nasser points out on the telly, Smith’s tendency to shuffle across his stumps makes him a candidate to be caught at leg slip. Indeed a leg slip comes in no sooner has he finished making the point. It’s the orthodox slip who’s most interested though, as a bit of extra bounce sees the ball take the edge, but drop short of the cordon. The next ball is short, hittable and gets swished through mid on for four.
“Hello Dan,” writes Marie Speakman in Tuscany. “We are out of England at the moment and can’t watch the game . What is your prediction of the outcome. Are the Aussies gonna go for it. What is the wicket doing?”
I’m sticking with an England win, without too many scares. Australia don’t really need to go for it too much, with two days to play even if we lose a session to the weather. I’d moan about being jealous of you out in Tuscany, but then I’m going there in a couple of weeks myself.
15th over: Australia 61-1 (Smith 14, Warner 32) target 412 Actually it’s a double change, with Moeen withdrawn from the firing line and Mark Wood brought on. Smith has a wild and wooly pull at his first one down the leg side and Buttler appeals. No one else does though as it passed way below the bottom of the bat. Smith shuffles across and works a single into the on side – he’s a walking LBW candidate if he misses that favourite shot of his, only he never seems to miss – before Warner fires a straight pull past the bowler and down the ground for four more. It was a good, if highly unorthodox shot, unlike the next one as Wood goes shorter and Warner misses with the attempted pull by miles.
Updated
14th over: Australia 56-1 (Smith 13, Warner 28) target 412 With the runs starting to flow for Australia, England make another change: Broad gets a rest and Stokes gets a bowl – ahead of Wood, which is a funny one. Perhaps Cook doesn’t want the ball to come flying off Warner’s bat against the faster bowler. After Smith tucks him into the on side for a single, there’s a slight mix up between gully and backward point that allows Warner through for another. Stokes goes wider on the crease and angles it back into the pads, where just a faint inside edge to take it down to fine leg saves Smith from being LBW.
Thanks, by the way, to Matt Emerson and Rob Smyth, for showing me where I went wrong with Statsguru earlier.
13th over: Australia 53-1 (Smith 11, Warner 27) target 412 Ali opens up with a half volley outside off that the Notorious BIG would reject for being too juicy. Smith carves it through cover point for four, then clips through a gap at midwicket for three more. Moeen shows his inexperience by overcorrecting, dragging it short and get launched over midwicket by Warner for six. Another short one to finish and it’s cut behind point for four more. We go to drinks with 17 leaked from the over.
12th over: Australia 36-1 (Smith 4, Warner 17) target 412 Broad opts to try the round the wicket angle to Warner, who turns the first one down to fine leg for two. Then a huge appeal as a fuller one pins the batsman back on his crease, but there’s a big inside edge. Cook acknowledges as much and declines to review. Four byes follow as Broad sends one miles down the leg side and Buttler can only tip it round the corner. Two more are then punched through mid on. Not convinced that this is the right move from Broad, given the number of times he had Warner swinging and missing at the one across– Broad then induces another play and miss with a full ball outside off that holds its line.
11th over: Australia 28-1 (Smith 4, Warner 13) target 412 Time for a change of bowling and time for a bit of spin, with Ali into the attack. Warner goes after him immediately, stepping down the track and sending a screamer past extra cover for four. It was in the air as it flew past Cook, but was hit far too hard for him to react in time. He blocks the next few, before dabbing to backward point for a single from the fifth. It’s not spinning a huge amount, but that’s to be expected at this stage. I would think that Cook is hoping that Warner’s natural aggression combined with the extra bounce of the hard ball will create some chances, just as it did with Lyon getting Cook with a top-spinner in the first innings of the match.
10th over: Australia 23-1 (Smith 4, Warner 8) target 412 There’s a touch of tennis ball bounce from the second ball of Broad’s over, rising sharply away from Rogers, though the batsman is about as interested in it as I am in the next Kasabian album. Broad adjusts his line and length though a couple of balls later, taking the shoulder of the bat and getting his reward. It goes to show how unreliable the bounce is here though and what a task Australia have ahead of them. The world’s number one batsman is the new man and he immediately gets an edge, playing an inswinger with soft hands and the ball dropping to the ground, going along the ground between slip and gully and down to third man for four.
Wicket! Rogers c Bell b Broad 10
England are claiming a catch here, but the umpires want to check it was out. The soft signal is out... and yes it’s been given! Broad tucked him up again, found the edge with a bit of extra bounce and it goes low to Bell at second slip.
Updated
9th over: Australia 19-0 (Rogers 10, Warner 8) target 412 Australia need fewer than 400 now then; it’s on. Anderson delivers that rare one he brings back into the left-hander from off, and Warner times it nicely through mid on for four. In comes short midwicket. Anderson then gets a warning for running on the pitch and thus has a minor funk on. Warner reaches a long way for a wide one outside off, but drags it straight down the ground for two as Wood does well to reel it in.
8th over: Australia 13-0 (Rogers 10, Warner 2) target 412 Broad begins with a rare loose ball on leg, which Rogers turns round the corner for a single. According to the groundsman (via Bumble on Sky), we’re likely to get rain overnight and it’ll last until about 2pm tomorrow, which makes my prediction that England will wrap it up in the morning session rather moot. Another straight one gets muscled away by Warner to deep square leg, taking him to two from 24 balls. He’s struggling to get bat on ball today and that’s mostly down to the excellent line and length that Broad has been probing at him with. Round the wicket he comes to Rogers and beats him with the final ball.
7th over: Australia 11-0 (Rogers 9, Warner 1) target 412 A slight change of field, with Broad moving into a very, very fine midwicket. He’s so close to the strip that he and Anderson almost collide as the bowler moves to field the ball in his follow-through. A short ball takes Rogers’ hip and the batsmen jog through for a leg-bye.
6th over: Australia 10-0 (Rogers 9, Warner 1) target 412 We have a review. Broad gets one to swing back into Warner and there’s a noise as it goes through to Buttler. It’s given not out, a decision that’s upheld as the ball is revealed to have clipped the pad on its way through. Another dodgy shot though from Warner, similar to the one that saw him nick to slip in the first innings.
“Morrning Dan,” writes Daniel, who appears to be the drummer for indie favourites Esben and the Witch. They’re really good. “Long time reader first time emailer, i am in Vevey Switzerland and cant find today’s youtube link to TMS anywhere. Any chance of a little help? Will obviously keep reading. Also wish we had 60 more but i think thats just scars from the 90’s”
5th over: Australia 10-0 (Rogers 9, Warner 1) targe 412 England are interested as Rogers falls all over one that hoops back into him from round the wicket. It’s an inswinger though and, with that and the angle, is going a way down leg. Rogers celebrates by timing very nicely through long on for a second boundary.
“Hi Dan.” Hi, Simon Platt. “We’re taking a bunch of kids to the very family-friendly Deershed music festival in a couple of weeks. Saturday’s headliner? That well-known kids favourite John Grant. ‘Daddy, what does [BAD WORD BEGINNING WITH M AND CONTAINING AN F] mean?’”
I went to the equally family friendly Green Man a couple of years ago. The headliners on the Saturday night were Fuck Buttons.
4th over: Australia 6-0 (Rogers 5, Warner 1) targe 412 This really is lovely bowling from Stuart Broad. Again pitched up on off, it just leaves the left-hander and draws a third false shot of the morning from Warner. The final ball is another beauty, Warner getting the line wrong again, and it’s a second maiden for Broad. This is going to be a very tricky opening spell for the batsmen.
3rd over: Australia 6-0 (Rogers 5, Warner 1) targe 412 Oh Joe! Anderson switches to round the wicket and immediately finds Rogers’ edge with a touch of extra bounce. It flies to the left of Root at second slip and he drops it diving to his left. It was tough, but at a decent height and probably should have been taken. It was identical to the one he clung on to to get rid of Starc in the first innings. Rogers works the next ball for a single and Jimmy comes back over the wicket to Warner. The opener gets off the mark with a nudge into the on side. A good bouncer is evaded well by Rogers from the fifth ball.
2nd over: Australia 4-0 (Rogers 4, Warner 0) targe 412 Broad is in the mood! He gets movement away from Warner off the seam and has the opener swiping and prodding at thin Cardiff air from the first two balls respectively. A maiden, with Broad tending to stay wide, across the batsman and test his resolve.
Davey Warner.....most outrageous hack first ball of the morning. He won't be here for a long time
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) July 11, 2015
“Hi Dan,” writes Ralph Sedgwick, my impromptu tech support. “At a guess, that filter would appear to only be runs scored by players - ie not counting extras.”
Cheers. Rob Smyth would be disappointed in me.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Rogers 4, Warner 0) targe 412 Chris Rogers, with seven Test fifties on the spin, will open the batting against Jimmy Anderson, as you’d expect. There’s not a huge amount of movement, by the looks of things, but enough zip that the second ball of the innings tucks the batsman up and Molemans him right in the testicles. We’re not going for euphemisms here, folks. Anderson strays on to the pads with the final ball and it’s clipped square for the first four runs of the day.
Apparently this morning Brad Haddin walked past Trevor Bayliss and growled “nice top, coach” at the coach in the England top.
Here we go. Players are out and play. Is. Imminent.
Simon Weston rings the bell. Five minutes to go.
“We have Jimmy, clouds and a pitch that can’t seem to make up its mind,” says Robin Basu in an email with the subject line Enough of this despondency. “All over by lunchtime. Plus I missed the morning session yesterday taking my daughter to kids about, so I’m definitely owed a wicketfest. The planets, as far as I’m concerned, are aligned.”
Well, the clouds have dissipated, but I like your optimism.
On the weather front, we might have a bit of rain tomorrow morning, but not enough to unduly worry us.
On Sky, Ian Ward is about to talk us through the art of chasing down big totals in Test matches. Ian Ward played in two Test matches featuring a successful fourth-innings chase. In those, Australia made 14-2 and 158-3.
“If Australia get to 404/3 there’s a good chance they will go on to win, mate,” points out Neil Brandon.
Well, yes. If Australia are still batting come the afternoon session tomorrow then they’ll surely win. But it will still be a record; I’m right about that much, damn it.
25 minutes until play begins. It’s looking a wee bit overcast in Cardiff, but only a wee bit. In the interim, you can either read the predictions of Bob O’Hara and Ian Copestake respectively, or you can listen to some music. You might even have time for both.
“I can think of 2 reasons you’re wrong about an England victory:
1. The Fear
2. The excellent job of jinxing you’ve managed.
Actually, point 2 might just be point 1 multi-tasking.”
And Ian’s:
“Come, come, Mr Lucas. You take just as much pleasure in being wrong as we do. England to win in five. After penalty shots.”
Er...
Yesterday’s OBO featured much talk of Desert Island Discs. And on that note, here’s Daniel Jeffreys.
“When will the Beeb have the guts to ask Mitchell Johnson for his Desert Island Discs? The Mitch should have plenty of time to think it over today as Australia put on a 412 run opening partnership. I’m thinking he has to go with ‘We are all very worried about you’ by Fun Loving Criminals, to remind him of Jonathan Trott, Handel’s Lascia Ch’io Panga from Rinaldo in memory of all the batsmen he castrated, The Beatles ‘Let it be’ in honour of all those who didn’t when he erred down the off-side, Queen, ‘Under Pressure’, just because its perfect and he almost has the same moustache as Freddie, John Grant ‘Pale Green Ghosts’ for the nightmares he gives England’s cricketers, Counting Crows ‘Murder of One’ for obvious reasons, and of course ‘Waltzing Matilda’ To finish up (and as the record he would have to keep if only allowed one) he’d surely go with Feed Me’s ‘One Click Headshot’ and its immortal line ‘My hearts beatin, my hands are shakin, but i’m still shootin and i’m still getting head shots’.”
There’s no excuse for including Counting Crows in anything, but you get points for the inclusion of the magnificent John Grant. I can think of a song that the Barmy Army LADZ might pick for him, but that’s about as funny as the rest of their BANTZ.
“Am I living in an alternate universe to you?” Asks Matt Blakeley. “Because in mine Australia scored 404-3 to beat England at Leeds in 1948.”
He’s right, you know. I suck at clicking the right buttons on Statsguru. Sorry. Still, this would be an Ashes record.
Let’s look at the flip side of things though. We have an Australia office now, you know, so we should probably add a vestige of impartiality to this.
Nathan Lyon bowled excellently in England’s second innings and his figures of 4-75 reflect that. BUT it was certainly to his advantage that England have eight left-handers, including seven of the top nine, in their batting lineup. He’s also a better, more seasoned bowler than Moeen, who only has five lefties to go after. Two of those are the openers and if things go well for England then he isn’t likely to get many overs at them. The other three are tail-enders too, so the meat of the Australian batting won’t have the ball turning away from them.
What’s more, Australia have a captain who trusts his spinners. I think Cook has improved his captaincy this year – not that there was any other direction it could go in – but there are still concerns over the way he uses his slow bowlers.
Some stats for you, before play begins at 11am BST:
- A successful run-chase would be the highest in Ashes history. The record is 388, set by Australia at Leeds in 1948.
- There has never been a successful fourth-innings run-chase in Tests here in Cardiff. Although this is only the third Test to be played here, so this stat is pretty much filler.
- Indeed 388 is the most runs Australia have ever scored in the fourth innings of an Ashes Test. The highest by either side is 403 by England in Sydney in 1924. And they got stuffed then.
All of which tells me England are definitely going to win this. Absolutely, no questions asked. Though if you want my more detailed prediction, I’m going with England by 80-odd runs, wrapping it up sometime tomorrow morning.
This is rapidly turning into a nasty old pitch to bat on, with Australia’s seamers getting a few to go through the top yesterday and Nathan Lyon finding some turn; if Moeen Ali can bowl at his best then he may well have a fair bit of success. What’s more, it’s fairly windy out there if Ricky Ponting’s hair is anything to go by, and that’ll help Anderson.
We should have a full day’s play. England will be fired up. This is a hell of an opportunity for them. Do feel free to send me your thoughts on why I know nothing and am completely wrong.
Preamble
Morning folks. Sometimes in life, the simple things are the most enjoyable. We all know that OK Computer was the best album of 1997, but if you’re going out on the lash then there’s nowt finer than the Stereophonics’ Word Gets Around. Only a philistine might put any film up against Citizen Kane, you would think, but I’ll take Predator every time. Dubliners? Bugger it, I’d rather read The Hunt for Red October. Tell you the truth, there are even days where I’d rather stick 24 on than The Wire, rare as they may be. The Hulk is a far superior superhero to Iron Man.
This weekend sees the stupefyingly straightforward denouement to a breathlessly wonderful Test match. Day four will begin with the first ball of the fourth innings. Australia will need to score 412 runs this weekend to win the opening exchange of the 942nd Ashes series of the year* and England will need 10 wickets to do the same. Australia are good enough to do it, England are good enough to do it. All four results are still possible.
You know there are some people who prefer other sports to Test cricket. Bloody idiots.
*Editors: please check this.
