And here are Stuart Broad’s thoughts:
Ali Martin on Joe Root and Alastair Cook:
And here’s Adam Collins on Steve Smith:
Vic Marks’s day three report from the Gabba:
Close of play: England lead by seven runs with eight wickets remaining
16th over: England 33-2 (Stoneman 19, Root 5) Root and Stoneman play out the last over of the day from Nathan Lyon, although Stoneman did edge one delivery short of the vacant gully area. These two have done really well because the game could have got away from England during a torrid final hour. Instead they will resume with a lead of seven, and they are still in this match despite a very difficult day. Steve Smith made an epic 141 not out before the fast bowlers went to work on a pitch that has quickened up from the first innings. Josh Hazlewood took two wickets, Mitchell Starc hit Joe Root on the head and Pat Cummins peppered Mark Stoneman. It was exhilarating stuff. Thanks for your company, goodnight!
15th over: England 31-2 (Stoneman 18, Root 4) Root deals comfortably with Cummins’s short ball before taking a single to bring Stoneman on strike. He has three more balls from Cummins to face today, and I’ll offer you odds of 3412423432423/1 on any of them being half-volleys. They are all short - and Stoneman deals with them nicely. Well played. Stoneman has played with admirable ticker tonight.
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14th over: England 30-2 (Stoneman 18, Root 3) Stoneman is beaten by a gorgeous delivery from Lyon that dips in and spits away. Lyon has completely outbowled Moeen in this game, though we expected that. He’s really enjoying himself here, and later in the over he skids a quicker delivery just past the off stump with Stoneman offering no stroke. I think that was a good leave, ultimately, but it is particularly hairy out there for Stoneman. He has one more over from Cummins to worry about.
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13th over: England 29-2 (Stoneman 18, Root 2) A super bouncer from Cummins has Stoneman in a flap, and he is fortunate to glove the ball short of the slip cordon. Two balls later he produces an even better delivery, a vicious bumper that is heading for Stoneman’s face until he gloves it short of leg slip. A wonderful over ends with Stoneman dropping his hands on another hot one that rams into the body. England have another 10 minutes to survive.
“On the subject of Steve Smith,” begins Ben Parker, “it’s rather unfortunate having those initials positioned under the A of the Asics-sponsored shirt sleeve.”
12th over: England 29-2 (Stoneman 18, Root 2) Nathan Lyon comes into the attack and gets some sharp spin straight away, though when he strays onto the pads Stoneman puts him away for three. Those runs take England into the lead. Yes, England are in the lead! There’s barely enough banter to go round.
11th over: England 25-2 (Stoneman 15, Root 1) Pat Cummins replaces Starc and rips his first delivery past Stoneman’s outside edge. This is serious cricket. Stoneman, though he’s had a few hairy moments, has played pretty well in the circumstances. England may well have found one, for a few years at least.
“This wicket undoubtedly has turned into the Brisbane wicket of four years ago,” says Graeme Swann on BT Sport. “Much more pace and bounce.”
10th over: England 25-2 (Stoneman 15, Root 1) England have calmed things down a touch. It’s not mayhem, but nor would you be advised to bet your Funko Pop collection on England being two down at the close.
“Steve Smith is the kind of name I’d enter into an online form that requires a name before it lets me click submit,” says Joe Meredith. “That got me wondering about other boring cricket names. Wikipedia lists three cricket-playing Steve Smiths and over 100 namesakes. That stat got me thinkin’: Is Steve Smith the best batsman with a boring name?”
Does Jack Hobbs count?
9th over: England 24-2 (Stoneman 14, Root 1) Cook and Root, England’s bankers, have scored 24 runs in the match. Root is still in there and fighting, though, and doesn’t seem to have been affected by that smack on the head. Maybe it reinforced his clarity. He gets off the mark with a pull round the corner for a single.
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8th over: England 22-2 (Stoneman 13, Root 0) England need to remember that they are only a few runs behind. If they can get to the close two down - if, if, iffity if - they will still be right in this game. They have 35 minutes to survive. Hazlewood switches round the wicket to Stoneman and sends down a half-volley that is driven firmly for four. Shot.
7th over: England 18-2 (Stoneman 9, Root 0) Root is hit on the side of the head by a brilliant bouncer from Starc. The Aussies converge to see if he is okay. Root smiles boyishly and shares a joke with Warner. He looks almost eerily unflustered, though he is being put through a concussion test by the England physio. He must be fine as he’s going to carry on.
“Greetings from remote Swaziland where we are spending a long weekend amidst torrential rain, thunderstorms and fog,” says Eva Maaten. “Not quite how one imagines Africa, but the world is full of surprises. It seemed a good idea at the time to spend a long weekend here; that was before we realised that it coincided with the first Ashes Test. No chance of seeing the match on telly, patchy internet and an unfortunate time difference to Perth all combine to make it hard for me to get a real idea of what is going on. Am hoping there will still be play on day five when I’ll be back in Joburg with its excellent sports coverage!”
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6th over: England 17-2 (Stoneman 8, Root 0) Joe Root marches to the middle with Australia all over England. This is wonderful theatre. Replays show it was the extra bounce that did for Vince, who didn’t do that much wrong.
WICKET! England 17-2 (Vince c Smith b Hazlewood 2)
This has turned into a grim fight for survival for England. Vince edges Hazlewood just short of third slip. There’s a bit more zip in the pitch than in the first innings - and now Vince has gone! He was turned round by a fine delivery from Hazlewood and edged it straight to first slip, where Smith took a comfortable catch.
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5th over: England 17-1 (Stoneman 8, Vince 2) An attempted yorker from Starc is pinged crisply through square leg for four by Stoneman, who is then beaten by a storming delivery outside off stump. The over ends with Stoneman, who is a bit skittish, beaten again chasing a wide one. This is such a dangerous time for England, a horrible little session before the close in which all their good work could be undone. Australia love the smell of scared Pom in the evening.
Here’s Ian Copestake. “As they say on Broadchurch, ‘What is the point of you, Cookie?’”
4th over: England 13-1 (Stoneman 4, Vince 2) That was a terrific bouncer from Hazlewood - straight enough that Cook couldn’t free his arms properly and high enough that he couldn’t control the stroke. I thought Cook would get millions of runs back in the ranks but he had a mixed summer, albeit in bowler-friendly conditions, and his form on this tour is a worry for England. He’s only 32 but he has a helluva lot of miles on the clock.
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WICKET! England 11-1 (Cook c Starc b Hazlewood 7)
Cook has failed again! He top-edged a hook towards long leg, where Starc ran round to take the boundary a brilliant tumbling catch. That is a huge wicket.
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3rd over: England 11-0 (Cook 7, Stoneman 4) Cook, pushing outside off stump, edges Starc short of the slips and through for four. It’s been a reasonably attacking start from Cook and Stoneman, who clearly don’t fancy being a punchbag for 20 overs. In Stoneman’s case, it might be a bit too attacking - he is beaten trying to cut a sharp delivery from Starc.
“Are we going to finish on 30 for 3?” says David Bertram. “Hving grown up watching England in the 90s, it’d be quite reassuring. A mediocre England cricket team is like a warm blanket.”
And you know what blankets can do for psoriasis.
2nd over: England 4-0 (Cook 0, Stoneman 4) Crikey. Josh Hazlewood’s first ball is short, wide and flashed in the air for four by Mark Stoneman. That was uncomfortably close to Nathan Lyon in the gully. Whether you support England, Australia or merely hope in your heart that Test cricket will be the winner, this is exquisitely tense.
1st over: England 0-0 (Cook 0, Stoneman 0) Mitchell Starc roars in to Alastair Cook ... and spears the first ball down the leg side. That aside it’s an excellent over, with plenty of fast, full, straight deliveries that Cook has to play. A maiden.
Here’s Ben Parker. “For the OBO playlist, how about this.”
It’s a yes from me.
There are a maximum of 20 overs remaining tonight. Twenty overs of hot, hot heat for England to survive.
WICKET! Australia 328 all out (Lyon c Cook b Root 9)
Lyon turns Root to leg slip, where Cook takes a smart catch. That wicket, even though it was the No11, came against the run of play. So Australia have a first-innings lead of 26 runs. England will take that after a difficult day, in which they had front-row seats for an awesome innings from Steve Smith: 141 not out from 326 balls.
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130th over: Australia 327-9 (Smith 140, Lyon 9) Smith flogs a short ball from Woakes through midwicket for four. This has been a magnificent innings. As Geoff Boycott says on BT Sport: it hasn’t just been chanceless, it’s been almost flawless.
129th over: Australia 322-9 (Smith 135, Lyon 9) Joe Root has brought himself on, a move that is intriguing/desperate/alarming (delete as appropriate). Two singles from the over. England, so inventive and purposeful for most of the innings, now look like they don’t know how to get Lyon out, never mind Smith.
128th over: Australia 319-9 (Smith 133, Lyon 8) Lyon hooks Woakes round the corner for four, a swaggering stroke that takes Australia’s lead to 17. It isn’t much but the manner in which they have taken the lead - and Anderson’s injury - has significantly changed the mood of this game. The theme from Jaws is blaring round the England subconscious. If they are not careful, eight sessions’ hard labour could be undone in the next hour and a half.
Anderson’s importance in Adelaide is such that I wonder whether England should just hook him from this game and try to get him fit for the second Te might be optimistic if it’s a side strain, but what are you gonna do?
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127th over: Australia 315-9 (Smith 133, Lyon 3) Anderson definitely has a problem. He threw the ball back from fine leg a moment ago and grimaced. Michael Vaughan reckons it’s a side problem, and if it is that’s an almighty blow to England - in this game and especially the day/night Test at Adelaide. England’s change bowlers are not in the same class, a point Smith reinforces by driving Ball down the ground for four and giving him a mouthful at the end of the over!
“Coffee can make a man do strange things,” says Hubert O’Hearn, the world’s worst defence lawyer. “I found myself idly wondering what an OBO theme song should be. Came up with this. YouTube can say it’s Oh-RE-Ole if it wants, but dammit I say it’s OBO!”
I like it - but we already have an OBO theme tune, for the England fans at least.
126th over: Australia 306-9 (Smith 128, Lyon 0) Both umpires had a word with Smith at the end of the over, presumably in response to Smith’s demonstrative frustration when a very short ball was not called wide. “Send him off!” says Michael Vaughan on BT Sport. Meanwhile, Woakes replaces Broad. England need to be careful that the wheels don’t come off here, with Broad and Anderson - who can’t be fully fit - out of the attack.
Smith, who has slipped a couple of gears since the dismissal of Hazlewood, times an excellent shot to deep point for two. He misses an uppercut off the fifth delivery, and Woakes spears the last down the leg side to keep Smith off strike for the next over. Well bowled.
125th over: Australia 304-9 (Smith 126, Lyon 0) Ball replaces Moeen, with a remit to bowl short and shorter to Smith. This is a dangerous tactic because it might get Smith’s beans going. He cuffs a boundary over short fine leg, which takes Australia into the lead. Then, finally, Smith turns down a single when Lyon tucks the final delivery off the hip.
“I’m enjoying the OBO commentary as I sit sipping coffee in the mid-morning Myanmar sun, flicking back and forth between emails and the Test,” says David Hadrill. “Andrew Marshall (Brit journalist) wrote a book The Trouser People (as the sarong-wearing Burmese called us Brits). It’s about how Victorian adventurer Sir George Scott introduced football all over Burma. And his legacy is clear: live Premier League, etc, etc on telly. Whereas Pakistan, India, Bangladesh each have several TV channels perpetually showing cricket, Myanmar just does the footie. So OBO is a life-saver. A thousand thanks.”
Thanks David! The OBO: spreading joy around the world since five minutes ago.
124th over: Australia 299-9 (Smith 121, Lyon 0) Smith takes a single off Broad’s third delivery, which puts Lyon on strike. Lyon is an excellent No11 but that’s still a bit of a surprise; I thought Smith would try to farm the strike and go into one-day mode.
It’s Broad v Lyon, the pantomime villain against the cult hero. “Get ready for a broken f***ing career,” says nobody to Lyon, who comfortably survives the remainder of the over. Broad has been outstanding: 25-10-49-3.
123rd over: Australia 298-9 (Smith 120, Lyon 0) “Hi Rob,” says Greg Wickline. “I am a Californian by birth and now count Test cricket as my favourite sport. I have traveled all around the world following England (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies and India - my honeymoon in fact was in Calcutta to coincide with the 2012 Test at Eden Gardens. This was with my wife’s enthusiastic support by the way - she is a huge fan as well. You can imagine my frustration then that, due to rights restrictions, you cannot listen or watch the Ashes in the USA. Willow owns the rights to both the audio and video and has chosen to show the Sri Lanka - India match instead at the moment so in effect the Ashes is blacked out here.”
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WICKET! Australia 298-9 (Hazlewood b Ali 6)
Smith pulls Moeen straight into the shin of Mark Stoneman at short leg. Stoneman doesn’t wince or rub it. He’s a northerner, you know. Never mind north/south stereotypes, Moeen has struck! Hazlewood whipped across a yorker-length delivery that zipped on to hit the stumps. Hazlewood was looking comfortable so that’s a handy wicket for England, who have a gossamer lead of four runs.
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122nd over: Australia 297-8 (Smith 119, Hazlewood 6) The admirable Broad continues, and again Smith evades a well-directed bouncer via the medium of the limbo dance. Smith is still in no hurry. I wonder what his plan is. It might be the most obvious, to wear England down and then punish them in the last hour of a long day.
121st over: Australia 296-8 (Smith 118, Hazlewood 6) “I just had a thought about yesterday’s play,” says Greg Young. “How often in Australian Test cricket would a Muslim batsman have been dismissed by a Muslim bowler and given out by a Muslim umpire. I can’t think of any precedent.”
That’s possibly the only thing you can’t search on Statsguru.
Save Our OBO
Here’s Kimberley Thonger. “I’ve amended the conventional Guardian plea for financial support slightly for OBO reader consumption *helpful face*.
“Since you’re here … we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian OBO than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our OBO journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardian OBO’s frivolous, sarcastic cut and paste ‘journalism’ takes a lot of time, money and ‘hard work’ to produce. But we do it because we believe our invective matters – because it might well be your invective, too.
“If everyone who reads our OBO ‘reporting’, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as £1000, you can support the Guardian OBO – and it only takes a minute. Make a contribution or get a subscription. - Guardian OBO HQ.”
120th over: Australia 294-8 (Smith 117, Hazlewood 5) Smith has no qualms about exposing Hazlewood. He takes a single off the second ball of Broad’s over and then Hazlewood cuts breezily for three. Batting looks pretty comfortable just now, with an old ball and weary bowlers; I suspect it won’t look quite so serene when England’s second innings begins.
119th over: Australia 290-8 (Smith 116, Hazlewood 2) There’s a short delay while the groundsman gives the footholes six of the best. Moeen continues after that, trying to tempt Hazlewood with a flight and a full, almost yorker length. Whatever he’s selling, Hazlewood ain’t buying. A maiden.
118th over: Australia 290-8 (Smith 116, Hazlewood 2) Stuart Broad (21-10-41-3) goes to the well yet again. He is a champion, one of the great Ashes matchwinners (nb: opinion), and if he takes a couple of quick wickets here he will significantly improve the collective demeanour of the group known in some cultures as Team England. Smith, who still seems in no hurry, plops an awkward short ball at his feet and then forces a couple of runs (nb: fact) past backward point.
“Good morning Rob!” says Hubert O’Hearn. “I have no idea why I woke up at half past hell, but here it is. Having nothing better to do I looked at the Guardian, opened the OBO and ... “Here’s a fact: otter poo is called spraint.” Thank you! Who says you never learn anything from following sport?”
“If Australia have no tail, then they have a coccyx,” says Andrew Benton. “Tell that to Hazlewood and see what he says.”
The second and final word of his reply would also begin with C.
117th over: Australia 288-8 (Smith 114, Hazlewood 2) Moeen Ali starts after tea. Smith flamingos a single; Hazlewood blocks the rest.
“Re: Steve Smith,” begins Kevin Ryan. “In the worlds of the Man himself, ‘Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.’”
I’m only prattling on about Smith because I picked him as a player when everybody else thought he was a clown. That said, I thought he would be Australia’s Collingwood, not their bloody Graeme Pollock.
There are 37 overs still to be bowled. Or, to put it another way, it’s a crucial last session!
Teatime chit chat
“Thanks for that bombshell about the Aussies not having a tail,” says Ian Copestake. “On the upside you are saying the Aussies suffer from anury? This is not helping, man.”
THE ANURY IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE, DUDE.
Tea
116th over: Australia 287-8 (Smith 113, Hazlewood 2) Woakes sits Smith down with an excellent bouncer. Smith smiles back at Woakes and then uppercuts brilliantly for four. Woakes doesn’t smile. That’s the end of another excellent session, this one dominated by Australia. They trail by 15 runs, thanks mainly to an immense innings from their captain.
“Rob,” sniffs Ollie Cunningham. “Smith the best test batsmen ‘by a long way’? Sorry mate you’ve fallen into the ‘I write for the Guardian so I’m going to write something based entirely on opinion but say it like it’s fact and that I know more than anyone else’ trap. He’s in the top 3-4, but are you seriously saying he’s a better all-round batsman than Kohli? Not a chance.”
It’s not a trap, Ollie, and it is my opinion. This is a blog, not a judicial review. Here’s a fact: otter poo is called spraint. Here’s an opinion: Kohli is by far the more stylish batsman, Smith has by far the better record.
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115th over: Australia 282-8 (Smith 108, Hazlewood 2) That catch from Cook was better than it first looked - two-handed, low to his right, with the ball dying on him. Meanwhile, Smith slaps a really poor ball from Anderson through backward point for four.
“All tours are important for players, but you get the feeling that for Woakes this tour is his audition to fill a Stokes-shaped hole, or to cement the impression that he’s not quite good enough at anything at this level,” says Felix Wood. “Early signs aren’t great.”
He’ll never be a Stokes but he’s still in pole position to lead the attack when Anderson and Broad disappear. I agree, though, it’s a really important tour for him. His ability to bat time and support Moeen/Bairstow is also really important; he should watch a video of Pat Cummins’ innings.
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114th over: Australia 275-8 (Smith 103, Hazlewood 0) The new batsman is Josh Hazlewood. Australia don’t really have a tail, as Hazlewood and Lyon are both pretty competent with the bat.
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WICKET! Australia 275-8 (Cummins c Cook b Woakes 42)
Girl did England need that. Cummins chases a wide delivery from Woakes and edges to slip, where Cook takes a good tumbling catch. Cummins played superbly to make 42 from 120 balls.
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113th over: Australia 275-7 (Smith 103, Cummins 42) Anderson beats Cummins outside off stump. There’s no reaction from the cordon but Joe Root runs in like a man who has heard an edge, OR DESPERATELY NEEDS TO HEAR AN EDGE, RIGHT NOW. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Eventually he decides not to review.
“Explaining Test cricket to an American,” begins Colum Farrelly. “A Test Match is like a novel: the characters and plot unfold chapter by chapter and at halfway through you cannot predict the ending.”
You’re not familiar with the work of Jilly Cooper, then?
112th over: Australia 274-7 (Smith 103, Cummins 41) During the 2001 Ashes, England’s list of bowling plans included the memorable entry: ‘Adam Gilchrist: ?’. Nobody could accuse this England team of not having a plan to Smith. They’ve tried Plans A, B, C, D, E and now they are on to plan FFS. I’m not sure how you get him out when there is no lateral movement.
111th over: Australia 273-7 (Smith 103, Cummins 40) It’s not easy to combine furious patriotism with restraint and patience, yet that’s what Smith has done.
“What happens to this England attack,” says David Bertram, “when time catches up with Jimmy Anderson?”
They get on first-name terms with the third new ball?
110th over: Australia 273-7 (Smith 103, Cummins 36) Chris Woakes, who has had a really disappointing Test so far, replaces Stuart Broad. There are mitigating circumstances, I realise, but it’s an uncomfortable truth that Woakes average 24 with the ball in home Tests and 70 away from home. England need him now. A wide half-volley is driven superbly for four by Cummins. This has been a seriously good innings for a No9, both in its judgement and execution. We’ve been here before with Australian lower-order batsmen: Lawson, Hughes, Fleming, Reiffel, Johnson, Warne, Julian, Starc, Harris and Agar have all made Test fifties against England.
“The one person who was not intimidated by bowling a first ball to Viv Richards (80th over) was trainee vicar Andrew Wingfield Digby who got him out first ball in a West Indies match against the Combined Universities in 1976,” says David Godman. “Since that was the only ball he ever bowled at him in a first class game, he has a 100% record of getting him out first ball.”
Is that true? Tremendous stuff. We should do a Joy of Six: unlikely nemeses. See also: Dr Julian Thompson.
109th over: Australia 269-7 (Smith 103, Cummins 36) Cummins squirts Anderson past backward point for four more, which makes this his highest Test score. These are really dangerous times for England.
“I’m still up, Rob (apologies for the unsettling images that engenders at this delicate time of the morning), but having watched the entire night’s play so far I’ve moved on from matchsticks to that contraption used to hold Alex’s eyes open at the end of A Clockwork Orange,” says Phil Sawyer. “It does help that this is such a gripping match. Every time I think I’m going to call it a night I keep thinking oh, go on, another 15 minutes...”
The addict always thinks he’ll be okay to have just a little bit more.
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STEVE SMITH REACHES AN IMMENSE HUNDRED!
108th over: Australia 264-7 (Smith 103, Cummins 31) Broad goes around the wicket to Smith, who thrashes a boundary through extra cover to reach a century of almost spine-tingling excellence. It’s taken 415 minutes and 261 balls, and the slowness of the innings makes it even more virtuous. He has set quite a tone with this knock. In many ways, it’s just average brilliance from Smith: since the end of the last Ashes in Australia, he averages 92 in home Tests. Just let that marinate for a bit.
“Morning, sport,” says Rob Wright. “In response to Mac Millings Ashes/Smiths XI, can I offer an optimistic “A rush and a push and the Test is ours”? As a nervous England fan, I’m just grateful that it hasn’t been eleven helpings of “Panic!”.”
Last night I dreamt that Steve Smith played a false stroke. No hope, no harm, just another false alarm.
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107th over: Australia 257-7 (Smith 97, Cummins 30) A maiden from Anderson to Smith. This is terrific batting from Smith and Cummins, who are playing England at their own waiting game by leaving everything they can from Broad and Anderson. They know they will cash in against the other bowlers if they see off this spell. Smith has played with monumental patience and has 97 from 258 balls.
106th over: Australia 257-7 (Smith 97, Cummins 30) Many England cricket fans remain Steve Smith-deniers, unable to leave behind the memories of the clown they perceived in 2010-11. If this innings doesn’t change their mind, nothing will. He is the best Test batsman in the world, and by a long way.
Broad gets through another over to the defensive Cummins, who is batting like Chris Woakes was supposed to yesterday. Broad and Anderson have combined figures of five for 71 from 44 overs; the rest have two for 185 from 62.
105th over: Australia 256-7 (Smith 96, Cummins 30) Anderson looked okay in his first over, though there must be something going on because he would surely have bowled more with the new ball if he was 100.00 per cent fit. Cummins, who has played responsibly, drives a couple through the covers to move into the thirties before being beaten by a good one. Australia trail by 46.
104th over: Australia 254-7 (Smith 96, Cummins 28) Smith swishes his bat in irritation after playing and missing at Broad. Anderson and Broad have been pretty wonderful in this innings; Woakes and Ball less so.
Cheers Adam, hello everyone. It’s 3.40am in England, yet I have nothing but pity those who are enjoying sweet, happy sleep, feeling the soft, soothing caress of their Luxury Hungarian Goose Down. They are missing a tremendous match. There’s a sentence that has become a shortcut for Test cricket’s kookiness: ‘try explaining to an American that you can play five days and not have a winner’. Here’s one that might be a shortcut for its greatness: try explaining to an American that you can play two-and-a-half days and still have no idea who’s on top.
You could interrogate me under lights and shove pins in my nipples and I still wouldn’t be able to tell you. I have not a solitary scooby. These are dangerous times for England, because of the worries over Jimmy Anderson’s fitness, yet they could still take a first-innings lead on a pitch that is likely to become even more awkward to score runs on.
In other news, this is entirely adorable.
Captain @imVkohli's love-affair with dogs continues. pic.twitter.com/uTJJwmTmoh
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 25, 2017
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And that’s me. Thanks for your friendly company over these excellent hours of Test Match cricket. I hand the baton to the doyen of the genre, Rob Smyth. Till next time.
103rd over: Australia 252-7 (Smith 94, Cummins 28) Jimmy! He’s back for one before drinks. Has Cummins playing with a very straight bat, that makes solid contact to begin but then is beaten by one that hoops decks away! Haven’t seen that much in the first hour after lunch. Third maiden on the bounce. They grab a drink.
Another absorbing hour at Brisbane, and it belonged to Australia: now 252 for 7, just 50 behind England. Smith 94, Cummins 28
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) November 25, 2017
102nd over: Australia 252-7 (Smith 94, Cummins 28) 250 was the score England were on when they lost their seventh wicket. Right, Broad is back on. Bit late, for mine. To Smith, who is one (big) strike from 100. That won’t be coming this over though, the Australian leader very happy to leave the first half of the over, then defend the rest. Over the wicket then around then over again. Maiden.
Talent, skill and smarts. Pat Cummins has it all. Shows ticker as well #ashes
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) November 25, 2017
101st over: Australia 252-7 (Smith 94, Cummins 28) Moeen gives plenty of air to Smith, but he’s happy to just take one to midwicket. Clarke on TV says as soon as he has a ton, that will be the sort of ball he climbs into in search of quicker runs. We’ll see. Oh, Pat Cummins is after those quick runs! Gets another flighted ball, comes down and whacks it for six! Lovely strike over long-on. In doing so, the deficit is down to 50 and Australia pass 250.
100th over: Australia 245-7 (Smith 93, Cummins 22) Cummins absorbs five dots from Woakes, once again the quick banging into his ribs. Judges the duck well when deciding to get the bat out of the way. Doesn’t seem worried by it. Goes full and straight to finish, but a bit too straight, and he gets enough on it to tickle a rare boundary. Into the 20s. One or two more than they will take a drink.
99th over: Australia 241-7 (Smith 93, Cummins 18) Mexican Wave going gangbusters around the Gabba. This is the time of day this joint gets properly rowdy. Especially in this part down near the pool deck. Singles for both as it was to his previous over, Smith through midwicket, Cummins pushing to cover. Good running.
“I have a feeling this session is going to set the tone for the rest of the series,” emails Sankaran Krishna. “England may routinely knock down the top 6 of the Aussie batting order - but will struggle to finish off the bottom 5. In a close fought series that could be the difference. And morale does tend to sag when that happens time and again - not to mention your bowlers getting more and more knackered as the series wears on.”
Not so sure about that. But I’m surpised we haven’t seen Broad and Anderson since the break. This is definitely now an annoying little partnership in the context of a low(ish) scoring game.
98th over: Australia 239-7 (Smith 92, Cummins 17) Woakes gets another. Short, full, short, short. So then, a change of tactics from England to Cummins. Try and blast him out. But he’s organised, in shouldering arms, ducking then defending. Up to 63 balls faced for him now. Even if he fell now, he’s done his bit making sure England’s second new ball didn’t completely go through the Australian lower order.
97th over: Australia 239-7 (Smith 92, Cummins 17) Moeen rolling through his second of the spell from the Stanley Street End. Short leg and slip his two catching men. Around the wicket to Smith, bowling a straight line. Tucks past the man under the lid to rotate the strike. Cummins presents the full face of the bat for another down the ground.
Mac Millings has presented me with pretty much my ideal OBO crossover topic. If I was back on the blog tomorrow I’d shelve till then with only a few overs until I hand the baton to Rob, but let’s throw it out there.
“I was in the middle of drunk-grading some English Lit essays last night, when it occurred to me that the Ashes was on (wonderful) and Morrissey had a new record out (dubious). In honour, therefore, of the occasion, please allow me to present my All-Time Ashes & Smiths XI:
- The Boy with the Vaughan in His Side
- Some Girls Are Bigger than Athers
- There is a Nick Knight That Often Goes Out
- Michael Bevan Knows I’m Miserable Now
- William, it was Brearley Nothing
- Dave Boon Is Now?
- That Stokes Isn’t Funny Anymore
- Moeen is Dead
- Last Night I Dreamt that Tom Moody Loved Me
- Girlfriend in a Lohmann
- Stop Me if You’ve Heard Imran Before”
Wrote a piece many moons ago about Steve Smith titled ‘From Half a Person to This Charming Man.’ Consider this my tangential contribution to your side, Mac.
96th over: Australia 237-7 (Smith 91, Cummins 16) “I think he is nearly all-rounder status,” says Michael Clarke of Pat Cummins after the Australian lashes a glorious drive past point from a Woakes delivery a fraction too full. Certainly looked the part with the bat in Dhaka in August, facing the better part of 100 balls in the first dig (if I recall correctly) and nearly slapped Australia to victory from nowhere in the second. Doing a fine job here supporting Smith.
95th over: Australia 232-7 (Smith 90, Cummins 12) Moeen back for the 15th over with this second new ball. Not so new anymore, to be fair. Three singles added without much fuss, pushing Smith into the 90s. At long last. What a fight he has put up today. Hasn’t registered a ton for Australia since March. Now, that isn’t a very long time ago, but in the context of Smith’s incredible run over the last four years, it sort of it.
England have reiterated that Anderson is fine and he might just have been rearranging his body tape rather than holding his side. He's out there and when he next bowls it will be clear how he is. 232-7
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) November 25, 2017
94th over: Australia 229-7 (Smith 88, Cummins 11) Cummins dealing with Woakes more convincingly this time around. Strokes nicely into cover when the length is fuller. Growing in confidence, by the looks, the Australian no. 9. Maiden.
Nine off two balls lifts things, but rare Australia held to such a run-rate at home (this is since 2000) https://t.co/GkGqsswMro #ashes
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) November 25, 2017
93rd over: Australia 229-7 (Smith 88, Cummins 11) There is is, a scrumptious Steve Smith on-drive off Ball. Close to shot of the day. Better still: it came the ball after a rare FIVE for Pat Cummins, the throw hitting his bat coming in from gully after he took a single. Had it not ran away to the rope they wouldn’t have taken the runs, but nothing can be done about it when it does. “Sorry,” he says. Ian Chappell notes that he probably didn’t mean it. Ten off the over. By some margin the biggest of the day.
Updated
92nd over: Australia 219-7 (Smith 83, Cummins 6) Woakes zips through another maiden, back to back. This is a very good one, too. Beats Cummins with one that really takes off from the seam. Has him leaving close to the stumps. Finding some rhythm.
Speculation here that Anderson has a niggle. We're told he's fine.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) November 25, 2017
91st over: Australia 219-7 (Smith 83, Cummins 6) Ball looking the man most likely after lunch so far, generating movement off the seam towards Smith, who is happily planted on the back foot defending for the most part. Maiden.
Some chat about Anderson and a side strain. Reports online that the ECB are saying he is fine. But I might grab one of their officials when I have a tic to confirm that.
On Keiran Betteley’s poster, Tom Bowell has a nomination. “Looking at Pakistan’s history of batsmen longevity, how about Sami Aslam still playing Tests in 2037?
90th over: Australia 219-7 (Smith 83, Cummins 6) Mark Nicholas observes that Woakes picked up a side strain at the worst possible time in the northern summer, missing the Champions Trophy and having a far more modest home season than he did in 2016. Then, he was absolutely brilliant. So far in this Test, not so penetrative. But has another chance here. Smith takes one first ball to cover, creeping slowly through the 80s. Cummins’ turn. Oh, leaves one on length that only just clears the off-stump. He’s more convincing later in the set.
Brian Withington has dropped me a line. “Match (and perhaps the series?) in the balance, world number one ranked batsman versus bowler, innovative captaincy, no quarter asked or given - what a session/match/game.” That was certainly the consensus in the lunch room. This has the potential to be a very special Test Match.
89th over: Australia 218-7 (Smith 82, Cummins 6) Brilliant fielding from Broad at mid-off racing around to his left to deny Smith a boundary the first over back. Well struck, it required a perfect drive, and he was up to it. Ball beats Cummins on the inside edge! That’s the first time Cummins has unfurled any sort of drive, but the bat and pad are well apart and the ball jags through the gate. Lucky to miss both the edge and the off-stump, looking at the replay. But a perfect response from him to end the over, timing a tasty on-drive through wide mid-on for his first boundary.
Anderson and Broad have 899 Test wickets. Five very handy ones in this innings. Both will be back soon enough, but Woakes to continue from the Vulture Street End.
Combined figures of Anderson and Broad at lunch: 39-16-66-5
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) November 25, 2017
The players... are back... on the field! (Imagine it with Christopher Walken’s voice)
Session two begins with Jake Ball from the Stanley Street End. He’s bowling to Steve Smith. Let’s hope another two hours like those we had before lunch. PLAY!
Great email from earlier. From Keiran Betteley. I’ll leave it to him to set the challenge.
“Was discussing with my brother Steve the other day after someone posted an interesting little stat below the line. You can get from the start of test cricket to almost the present day in 6 overlapping careers
- WG Grace (Sep 1880-Jun 1899)
- Wilfred Rhodes (Jun 1899 - Apr 1930)
- George Headley (Jan 1930 - Jan 1954)
- Brian Close (Jul 1946 - Jul 1976)
- Graham Gooch (Jul1975 - Feb 1995)
- Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Mar 1994 - 3 May 2015)
The question was which current player who started before Chanderpaul’s retirement is the one who will take us furthest into the future? Steve went for Rooty, believing beyond hope that the young scamp will last forever. I trust the poisoned chalice of England captaincy to do for Root (probably before the end of this series) and was leaning towards Quinton De Cock (for various complicated reasons) Any advances on that? Thought it was one for the faithful to ponder into the wee hours...”
OBOers, start your engines.
Updated
LUNCH - Australia 213-7
88th over: Australia 213-7 (Smith 81, Cummins 2) Well played Patrick Cummins, leaving and defending Broad both competently and confidently. And that’s lunch. What a session. Three wickets and 48 runs from it in 26 overs. Lucky they started two minutes early. But I’m quibbling: that was brilliant cricket.
The Smith/Marsh union was broken on 99 when the latter was defeated by a brilliantly executed Broad plan, picking out mid-off from an accurate leg-cutter. Paine joined and looked sturdy enough through the middle hour, but Anderson only needed the second new ball for four overs to find his edge with a beauty.
Minutes later, Broad was whacked over his head for six by the new man Starc, only to return a catch two balls later. Two wickets in two overs. But Pat Cummins saw it out well, surviving half an hour and helping take the shine off the new missile.
For Smith’s part, he had to survive the Yorkshire Wall approach taken by the English, a series of catchers in the deep egging him on to hook or pull. But Smith isn’t for concentration lapses. All told, two hours of brilliant, engrossing Test Match cricket.
Updated
87th over: Australia 213-7 (Smith 81, Cummins 2) Jake Ball to replace Anderson. After three overs? After the previous set? Is there something wrong with the attack leader? Questions for the lunch break. Last over from the Stanley Street End, I suspect, before the interval. Cummins forward in defence easily enough to begin the over. But wait - what’s wrong with the ball? They’re taking a look, the umpires review the situation and pop it through the hoops. It’s good to go. Not sure why they wanted to change it. “The only ball that has swung all match,” BBC’s Dan Norcross whispers to me walking past my desk. Nice drive from Cummins later in the over, Ball doing well to get a hand down to it in his follow through, saving four. He’s faced 18 balls now, Cummins. On strike for what will probably be the final one before lunch.
“I would love to see a general knowledge quiz between Shane Warne and Ian Botham!” writes David Brown. I suspect it would end with one or both of them throwing a kettle over a pub.
86th over: Australia 212-7 (Smith 81, Cummins 1) We’re about 12 minutes away from lunch. Broad will get a couple more of those. Smith and Cummins both grab singles into the leg side, the latter off the mark. I don’t think they have had the chance to leave a single delivery since the second new ball was taken.
Jimmy Anderson v Steve Smith in that 85th over: one for the purists.
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) November 25, 2017
85th over: Australia 210-7 (Smith 80, Cummins 0) Shout for leg before! Smith hit by Anderson, but denied. It’s high, he isn’t offering a shot, but Aleem Dar isn’t convinced and England aren’t reviewing. Another shout later in the over, but it is well down leg, they rotate the strike for the first time since Cummins arrived in the middle.
“I didn’t learn much off John Buchanan,” starts Shane Warne. Goodness me, how sad. He then rattles off a stat that if there are three maidens on the trot you are 85 percent more likely to take a wicket in the next over. It follows on from Warne saying the other day that he heard that in multiple choice questions, 85 percent of the time the answer is ‘B’. What a ~coincidence~.
84th over: Australia 209-7 (Smith 80, Cummins 0) Three maidens on the trot. Cummins in defence throughout. Broad, like Anderson, targetting the stumps rather than fishing for the edge.
Say what you like about Ian Chappell but who else in the commentary box would have read Stan McCabe’s book?
— Rob Harris (@rharris334) November 25, 2017
83rd over: Australia 209-7 (Smith 80, Cummins 0) Very straight line from Anderson to Smith, who has to play at every delivery. A couple ended up on his pads, but nothing made of it.
We have an update from Phil Rawlinson, who had his flight to Brisbane cancelled earlier today. “To be honest I’m in a far from pleasant pub, but couldn’t care less with this, it is absolutely brilliant to watch this. Told the barman my predicament and he shrugged and charged me $11 dollars for a pint.” A qualified success, in the circumstances.
How good is this Test match! So many interesting passages of play. Brilliant @englandcricket with the new ball so far #Ashes
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) November 25, 2017
82nd over: Australia 209-7 (Smith 80, Cummins 0) Cummins leaves then defends to finish off the over. Spent a lot of time in the nets batting when out of action with the ball over the last few years. Has a huge job ahead of him now to support his captain. Ian Chappell is talking to Ian Healy about Stan McCabe on the telly. Probably the wrong colleagues to do that with - he didn’t know who Wally Hammond was yesterday.
(And thanks to the many people who picked up my score typo a couple of overs ago. Keeping me honest. Fair play to you.)
Starc goes bang, but then Broad gets his revenge a short time later! https://t.co/P6sH6ROa7L #Ashes pic.twitter.com/vcpzi2XOHA
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
Updated
WICKET! Starc c & b Broad 6 (Australia 209-7)
SCENES! Starc smacks Broad over his head for six - a mighty wallop from nowhere. Two balls later, he’s given a return catch! Leading edge, moves to his right and takes it low. Huge smile on Broad’s face as the Australian quick walks by and back to the sheds. Two wickets in two overs with the second new ball. What a pulsating session! Half an hour to go, as well.
81st over: Australia 202-6 (Smith 79, Starc 0) Starc sees out the first couple, using his bat both times. Can play, big Mitch, with nine Test half-centuries to his name in 37 Tests, averaging 25.
Quality from Anderson and Bairstow takes the one-handed grab! https://t.co/P6sH6ROa7L #Ashes pic.twitter.com/epuKGVh5Rv
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
WICKET! Paine c Bairstow b Anderson 13 (Australia 202-6)
Oh Jimmy, Jimmy! Second new ball takes four balls to work for England, the master of the craft squaring up the Australian ‘keeper with a beauty. It kisses the edge and YJB is up to the task moving to his right with the one mitt. Gorgeous! Australia still trail by 100 and England are into the bowlers. Whoa!
80th over: Australia 200-5 (Smith 79, Paine 11) Moeen’s last over for now. Lovely clip from Smith gets him a couple, Australia to 200 in the process. It’s slow going, but you wouldn’t want Test cricket any other way than this. I was about to say “sets the scene for the series” but then I remembered how that would cut across what I said earlier. Bob Wilson had some views on that from Paris, and I’m grateful for them.
“That whole First Ball of Ashes palaver gets on my diddies. There’s only been one truly totemic single-ball starting signifier in the last half century of Test cricket and that was always the first ball of a Viv Richards innings. After the prolonged, dawdling torture of his arrogant, casual lope to the wicket, the leisurely taking of the guard and joco-serious flicker of pec and deltoid-flexing, all eyes turned to the poor bugger with the pill in his hand while Viv settled yawningly into his stance.
The poor bowler would vary from over-confident neophyte with his head full of ‘plans’, the martyred spinner ruing the wicket he had just taken, to the experienced old nag of a quick who felt the hope draining out of him as he ran up. But what never changed was the unholy laugh it always provoked. Imagine winning that victory before a ball was bowled. I miss a lot of things about Lord VIv but not least among them is what a titanic git he was.”
Mel Farrell just walked past to advise me that Glenn Maxwell is out for 278. Bowled by Steve O’Keefe. Boo! “But what are the chances Australia don’t get past 278?” she adds.
Updated
79th over: Australia 197-5 (Smith 76, Paine 11) Joe Root brings himself on for a little pre-second new ball trundle. Good shout, keep those quicks fresh. Smith grabs one to midwicket, but Paine isn’t going to be sucked in.
England getting Timpaintient in search for another wicket.#doesthatwork? #notreally #Ashes
— Henry Moeran (@henrymoeranBBC) November 25, 2017
78th over: Australia 197-5 (Smith 76, Paine 11) We are three overs from the new ball, so this will be Moeen’s second of three overs in this spell. It’s a sedate one, Paine forward in defence throughout.
“Listening to TMS,” is Ben Hall, “I can’t help but note that boycott’s voice hasn’t changed a bit over the last thirty years; there’s no vocal fry. He sounds timeless. Like Odelay by Beck, you can’t put an age on him.” Speaking of TMS, a craaaaacking fact here from the best statto in the show, Andrew Samson.
Great stat from @AWSStats.
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) November 25, 2017
This is the first @englandcricket XI with all players born in England since 2003.
It's only the 3rd Test since 1989 when England had an eleven all born in England. #Ashes #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/Vbkp1qL7te
77th over: Australia 197-5 (Smith 76, Paine 11) Very short leg-slip in play now, under a helmet. James Vince in there, I think. Incredible field for Ball’s first over after drinks, the aforementioned catcher joined by the ring of three men 20 metres off the rope at fine leg, backward square and forward square. Then two more to make six on that side of the wicket: a catching midwicket and a conventional mid-on. This is just fantastic stuff. And he’s into it straight away the catcher! Smith off the hip, but on the bounce.
So much going on here, leg slip is moved away and into silly point for the last ball, about 2 metres from the bat. Why has a silly point to a seamer? Who stands that close? Mind games! What does Smith do? Flicks to exactly where he moved from, of course, collecting a boundary to very-fine leg.
Meanwhile, some interesting Peter Handscomb comments on ABC this morning before play, discussing his dismissal. “I try not to worry about it too much bcause I faced 17 balls and I stuffed up one, and it just happened to be my dismisssal. The 16 before that I felt really good, my back foot was moving really nicely - I felt really good. My back foot was moving really nicely, played a couple of nice back-foot cover drives and cut shots. Everything was feeling good and I try not to worry too much about it. Move on and I know their game plan was to come at me, and now it’s just about combatting that and making a few runs.”
I’m sure Jimmy will be happy to hear this too. An early call, but I reckon that could be one of the contests of this series.
When was the last time you had this much fun looking at field placings? #Ashes
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 25, 2017
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) November 25, 2017
Just been informed that the strange field setting last night with the fielders lined up in front of the batsman is known as The Wall, comes from Yorkshire in the Championship. Can we call it The Yorkshire Wall?
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) November 25, 2017
Updated
76th over: Australia 192-5 (Smith 72, Paine 11) Shoooot. Moeen Ali is into the attack for a quick one before drinks. Paine says ‘I’ll have a bit of that’, leaping onto his front dog to slay the second ball to the cover rope. Very pretty. He’s into double figures. Pats the rest away to end the opening hour, worth 27 runs and losing Shaun Marsh along the way. Fantastic Test cricket, this. Find a TV and stick with me.
Saw this sign on the walk to the Gabba today. It raises at least two questions that I can think of... pic.twitter.com/ReaVAwUmSd
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) November 25, 2017
Updated
75th over: Australia 188-5 (Smith 72, Paine 7) Paine gets another into the legside. He’s looking very comfortable out there for a bloke who was nowhere to be seen at domesic level a few weeks ago. What a story. Ball night need a blow here. A lot of effort banging in all those short balls early in his spell. Quite hot outside.
“I’d just like to second your ‘just do it’ suggestion to Dave Adams,” writes John Matthews. “Ignore the prices quoted by travel companies, buy your own tickets where you can and stay in backpackers hostels. £40 a day for a ticket at most, £20-30 living expenses/day. Cheap airlines will get you here-Norwegian to Singapore cheaply, and Scoot from there to Australia. And then you’re in to enjoy smiling stewards welcoming you to the grounds and friendly Aussies barracking Broad and Marsh with equal noise.”
Couldn’t agree more. I do the Australia-UK route about three times a year. If anything, it is getting cheaper. So yes, Dave, get yourself on a flight. I’ll buy you a beer in Adelaide.
Paul Billington is doing it right. “It’s a joy to have a Friday night to finally enjoy the OBO after a couple of evenings of waking up for work in the morning expecting the worst. I’m not sure if my optimism is borne of a healthyish evening on the ale or some genuinely good English cricket. Either way my wife is currently asleep on the sofa so I don’t have to explain Geoff Boycott to her again.”
74th over: Australia 187-5 (Smith 72, Paine 6) Chris Woakes. “It’s a modern-era Bodyline” says Mark Nicholas on the commentary. Pretty strong words. Suspect this will blow up into a fairly big story. But Smith isn’t tempted when getting on strike after Paine picks up another single to square leg. “He’s changed his technique a lot,” Clarke says of Tim Paine. Notes that he has a higher back lift and makes a more pronounced movement back and across before the ball is bowled. The former Aussie skipper is very good when talking about the technical side of the game.
73rd over: Australia 186-5 (Smith 72, Paine 5)
Uppercut! Well, Smith has attempted it but made no contact to yet another Ball bouncer. Gee, this is good stuff. Three out at square, backward square and fine leg, but all 20-30m in from the rope, encouraging the Australian captain to take them on. He’s happy to get under the next short one, then defend on the back foot to see the over out. Maiden.
Paul on twitter is moulding his life around the cricket. “I’m a teacher adjusting to the tradition (est 2010) of going to bed early/waking at 3am for Ashes tours. I’ve always found these hours quite productive for marking, etc. Wondered if any other OBOers adopt peculiar work patterns for away series.”
That makes sense. You always read that one trait of hyper-successful people is that they get up early, right? Expect a promotion by the midle of January. I bet Glenn Maxwell gets up early, he’s 261 having just hit a square drive for six at North Sydney.
72nd over: Australia 186-5 (Smith 72, Paine 5) They are really going to give Smith a work out here with the short stuff, multiple catchers in and around the bat on the leg side. But he controls a pull first ball, off strike with one to backward square. He’s back on strike later in the over, and on the back foot throughout.
Get to your television and check out England bowling to Smith. Touch of body line in the field settings?
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) November 25, 2017
Updated
71st over: Australia 183-5 (Smith 70, Paine 4) Jake Ball on for his first jam roll today. Good bouncer at Smith from the first change. Really hit the deck hard and nearly won a chance. High on the bat, the skipper just gets it down in front the cordon. They’ve going upstairs to Smith quite a bit here. Great contest. Paine’s turn later in the over and he’s off the mark with a cut past backward point. That’ll feel good.
Big Show update. Yesssss.
Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell 250 not in the Shield #ashes
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) November 25, 2017
70th over: Australia 177-5 (Smith 69, Paine 0) “Despite what Kevin Pietersen says, we love being here!” says Michael Slater on the telly about Brisbane. KP called it a “shithole” in the local tabloid the other day, in case you missed it. Woakes is on, replacing Broad. Smith off-strike first ball of the set, around the corner again with a flick. Again, Paine looking alright in defence.
Rhys Cooper has dropped me a line. “I’m moving my life, and few possessions, from Melbourne to Brisbane via a three-day toad trip. Just happened upon Cootamundra (Bradman’s birthplace), and took a stop to amble along their “Captain’s Walk”. Clarke has a sculpture but no plaque. I’m hoping that today Smith bolsters the statistics that will one day be immortalised in Cootamundra. Whose bust do you think will follow Smith’s? No obvious contenders for me.”
Jason Sangha. Or Will Pucovski. I do like cricket sculptures.
69th over: Australia 176-5 (Smith 68, Paine 0) Smith gets the first run for four overs, helping Anderson around the corner for a single to fine leg after getting well inside the line of the delivery. Paine leaves the remainder. Looking alright to begin.
Phil Rawlinson is living a nightmare, his flight to Brisbane cancelled by Tiger Air, so he’s missed out on a day at the Gabba. “Any recommendations for a decent place to watch in Sydney would be well received!” he asks. Maybe the Courty in Newtown?
Insted, let’s help him out. Who has a couch for Phil to sit on and enjoy the cricket and chat? This could be a nice thing to do. Let’s forge a lifetime friendship through the OBO.
Updated
68th over: Australia 175-5 (Smith 67, Paine 0) Great fact from Mark Taylor on Nine, noting that Tim Paine - the new man in, and what a story - batted in front of Steve Smith when they debuted together at Lord’s in 2010 against Pakistan. They have a job to do now after Marsh gave it away. Such a good bit of bowling, setting Marsh up the over before with a series of cutters, including one that collected an inside edge. Wicket maiden.
Paine to the crease after the dismissal of Marsh.
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 25, 2017
You can't look away from this Test... https://t.co/P6sH6ROa7L #Ashes pic.twitter.com/QlM6ls0r64
Updated
WICKET! Marsh c Anderson b Broad (Australia 175-5)
Gone! Caught at mid-off! Marsh has been done by some cagey bowling there, enticed into a drive but the pace is taken off the ball. The miscue lands in the hands of Broad’s old mate at mid-off. Once again, England have been rewarded for sticking to a plan.
67th over: Australia 175-4 (Smith 67, Marsh 51) Anderson back of a length to Smith, which has been his approach all morning. But it is all part of his plan, Smith lured into a very loose stroke outside the off-stump. Beats his bat. That would have been a dreadful way to go after doing all the hard work yesterday. Back to back maidens.
Adam Gilchrist seems like a good egg. I imagine he's the kind of mate who'd drive you to the airport. #Ashes
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) November 25, 2017
66th over: Australia 175-4 (Smith 67, Marsh 51) Tidy maiden. Best over of the morning so far. Marsh forced to use his bat to each delivery, Broad trying to deck the older ball away from the the left-hander.
65th over: Australia 175-4 (Smith 67, Marsh 51) Marsh doing everything right, and has deserved his half-century, brought up with three more through the off side, driven past point. 158 minutes and 133 balls to reach the milestone, with eight boundaries along the way. His eighth Test 50 and first in Ashes contests. Nice job.
“Just got in from a noisy musical fund raising night in our local hall,” writes Gareth Davies. “Ah, the balm of cricket. No BT Sport so straight on to you. Reading cricket is the new watching.” It sure is. Great to have your company. Tell ur m8s, as they say.
Meanwhile at North Sydney, Glenn Maxwell is up to 232 for Victoria. I know that because Geoff Lemon is sitting next to me watching that on his phone rather than the game in the middle. Good life decision. He’ll break Lara’s 501 by tea. Go you good thing.
Updated
64th over: Australia 171-4 (Smith 66, Marsh 48) Broad from the Vulture Street End. Sprays one down leg to Marsh in loosening up, then back on his spot. The Channel Nine cameras zoom in on his wife. Oh, they’ll like that: on the back foot, Marsh leans back and strikes a crisp cut behind point for four. Super timing, the TV technology showing that it hit the very middle of his blade. Later in the over, Smith at the non-strikers’ end stops Broad from delivering when he noticed the fielder at backward point shuffling backwards during the bowler’s approach. Can’t do that. “Great game awareness,” says KP. Adding that Broad’s chilled out response would have been a bit different if this were his fifth over and not his fifth ball.
@collinsadam Ashes wizardry of a different kind... https://t.co/jXf0B0KJLG
— Michael Jelley (@Michaeljelley) November 25, 2017
63rd over: Australia 167-4 (Smith 66, Marsh 44) Smith immediately away with a couple through cover. Anderson is back of a length and Boycott is getting stuck into him on the BT Sport commentary. Might flick my earpiece over to Channel Nine for the duration of his stint. Yep, good idea.
A bit muggier today with more favourable overheads, for what it’s worth. #ashes
— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) November 24, 2017
“I AM SO EFFING EXCITED!” The email subject from Richard Williams. “Evening from Berlin. Is there a better feeling than an Ashes Test down under knowing you don’t have to get up for work tomorrow?! Seriously though, for all the hype, I am genuinely enjoying a proper Test Match. No chance the bar I’m in will show it so I’m I’m resigned to being the unsociable wanker in the corner following the OBO trying to explain to the locals the glorious game.”
I’m tipping we’d get on very well in real life, Rich. Lovely sentiment. Enjoy it.
You know what, I’m effing excited too. The players are OUT ON THE FIELD and we can get this party started. Will Shaun Marsh survive? Is Steve Smith on autopilot for a big one? Can Jimmy bowl as well as he did yesterday and get into the home side’s soft underbelly? PLAY!
How do they do it?
“Evening Mr C,” Andy Palin, good evening to you. “Pray tell. How the hell do they play Aussie rules and rugby league in the ground without trashing the hallowed (curiously dead) wicket? After my most recent 4:30am early mornings with both OBO and TMS, I’ve had a few hours to mull this over and frankly can’t be arsed to Google..... Have not got a Scoobie. Please enlighten! With thanks from under my duvet, (typing that, that sounds quite wrong).”
As it happens, the Gabba is one of a couple of Test grounds with that problem in 2017. Most venues now rely on drop-in wickets including, sadly, both the MCG and Adelaide Oval. I don’t have a specific answer for you, but I’m tipping we have someone within our vast readership here who can detail how they turn the squares around so quickly between footy and cricket? Only takes a few weeks at local level.
“Going to Australia for the Ashes has been a dream for me since watching highlights of the 90-91 series,” dreams Dave Adams on the email. “It just looks a fabulous place to see cricket, even if you’re English/losing. Problem is, at the current rate of ‘saving’ I’ll have enough money by about 2050, when I’ll be in my 70s. More importantly, I can’t see test cricket lasting that long. Do you think the Ashes will endure long after other countries have given up? Or will the powers that be go for some mixed format monstrosity like they have in the women’s game? If that’s the future I’d not bother.”
Now, now. The multiformat Women’s Ashes has been a huge success. But the difference is that the squads tend to be relatively similar between the three formats. That’s definitely not the case in the blokes, so don’t worry about that. As for your financial issue. As a very broke 20-year-old backpacker in 2005 I decided it was a good decision to go $800 deeper into debt to attend day one at Lord’s. No regrets. Just come, mate.
I promise, they need no encouragement. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/lU0sOitaoW
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 24, 2017
20 minutes away from the re-start. So let’s slowly start pivoting to the cricket. Very slowly, as I’m enjoying your emails about Brisbane music ever so much. A lot of ‘right click / listen to that later’ going on at my desk. Crowd slowly coming in. There are clouds, but the very bright sun is burning through them at a decent clip.
“Deeply concerned about the OBO’s current sub-head: ‘Root’s meticulous approach pays Ashes dividends for England’, writes Paul Harrison. “If Smith goes on to make a double hundred, I know who to blame. Hubris.”
Well, given that when Smith gets to 50 he averages about 1000, a fair chance that’s exactly what’ll happen. Had a long chat to him for Wisden Cricket Monthly a few weeks back, an extract running in last Sunday’s Observer. If that’s your kind of thing.
OBO regular Johnny Starbuck has popped his head in. “Not sure if I can take a load of philosophy chat, as we had a fair bit in the last series in 2017. Maybe if we restricted it to Australian philosophers (not from the University of Woolomoloo)?” Sir Les Patterson, say?
Probably should give you a look at what I wrote overnight as well. On the short ball. Sure, it got Australia going yesterday, but they missed a trick when failing to put it away.
Correlation, causation, etc.
“First balls of the Ashes are like new managers winning their first games,” tweets Dennis Johns at me. “Players scoring against their old clubs and the singles post-1995-REM released to hide the album dross to come: you only remember the memorable ones.”
Very good. Although I’ve been guilty of wanting to see coaches of football teams I support given the boot in order to get the sugar hit of a win the next week.
“I’ve got a fridge named after The Go-Betweens,” says 4Boat, also on the tweet.
I want to get two dogs and name them Shane and Angel. I wonder if anyone has done that with fraternal twins? Or Kylie and Jason? Or Brenda and Brandon? I shouldn’t devote actual time to thinking about this stuff, but I do.
Tim Grey has another Brisbane band for us. “I can thoroughly recommend this mob, Some Jerks.” Never say no to a recommendation issued thoroughly. Let’s give it a spin.
Weather.
Question about the forecast in from Francis Frears who is a bit worried we might not start on time (9:58am local time, that is). “A cynic might suggest it does look promising for a supposedly weak England team looking to get out of the gabba without losing the First Test.” Frankie. Don’t be like that. They’re going great.
It’s steaming hot outside. Sweat-through-your-shirt stuff. But you’re right to say that there are storms in our future, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, so we’ll back them in. But after lunch at the earliest, by my reading of the radar.
A lot better than local knowledge on these matters. Living somewhere for a long time, I strongly believe, does not mean you can predict the weather. Speaking of, my colleague Daniel Norcross from BBC Test Match Special was told by an old boy before yesterday’s play that “it never spins at the Gabba on day two.” Clearly nobody told Nathan Lyon.
First email of the morning. For that you get into the OBO word for word, Andy Battershill. I’m loyal like that.
“I got a rare shout out yesterday and predicted that an early wicket would see England out for below 300,” he recalls. “Well, there was an early-ish wicket and it was 302 so close enough. So now happily installed at Delphi, I am predicting that the runout by Nathan Lyon on day one was the decider in this Test and series: England will be around 30 short of a match-winning score and Oz will take the Ashes 2-1. But can I predict based on a previous event or is that extrapolating?”
Nice philosophical poser to get us going. I vaguely touched on this with what I wrote on night one about the mythology around opening days/balls of Ashes series. We like to think they define the series-at-large. Sometimes they are, but mostly they aren’t.
“Whilst that is bouncing my brain,” Andy continues, “I found this earlier which I would like to share any readers unfamiliar.” Motörhead covering Bowie? In you go, sir.
Standing room only on this bus.
There’s a bloke wearing a 1994-95 Australian ODI shirt down. I might ask to buy it off his back (I’ve done this before). A point of minor obsession for me, that summer.
Realise it looks like I’m being a bit mean about Brisbane in the rambling preamble. I’m actually very fond of the joint. Not least their music: they have a bridge named after The Go-Betweens, for instance. I neglected to give you a song off the top, but mainline some of this into you to get up and about for the day we have ahead with locals Violent Soho.
Preamble
Gooooood morning from Brisbane for day three at the Gabba. Adam Collins with you here to steer the OBO through the first half of it. I’ve been reading on the last couple of days very much looking forward to my little frolic with you all. I’ll play my shots if you play yours, so hit me up throughout at the usual places: email in the old money, twitter the new.
Given we have an hour and a half from going live to the first ball (well, 88 minutes technically due to the day one rain) we should be able to get through plenty. For my part, I’m going to jump on a public bus to the ground and document that very-Brisbane experience for you. On this corresponding day at last year’s Gabba Test people were removing their shoes, pouring their beers into them, and skolling. Couldn’t make it up.
I hope they have voted before coming in, for it is State Election Day in the Sunshine State of Queensland. And if you don’t think that isn’t going to feature throughout our journey together this morning, then you haven’t been reading my OBOs. Check out the Ashes Diary to get more a taste of the loosest cricket ground going around.
On the field, you ask? Well, as Morrissey might sing if he were commenting on the state of play (humour me): Some Sessions Are Bigger Than Others. The hosts are 137 behind England’s 302. They had an excellent last couple of hours with Steve Smith joined by Shaun Marsh for some old-fashioned digging in after falling to 76 for 4 just after tea. The very definition of perfectly poised. We could have ourselves a classic coming up.
Righto, I better nip to the bus stop. To get us going, Ali has written about Joe Root’s plan for the Aussie top order coming together perfectly, which I recommend for him getting Alf Stewart and Usman Khawaja into the same sentence. Talk to you in a bit. Can’t wait.
Adam will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Ali Martin on the English captaincy.
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