Bull on Burns ...
Lemon on Siddle ...
That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with a match report from Lord’s. Goodnight!
That’s an excellent day’s work for Australia. Tim Paine took a risk by choosing to field, but his bowlers delivered again to dismiss England for an under-par 258. And although Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner cheaply during a fiery opening spell, Australia will be happy enough to finish on 30 for 1.
They have a great chance to bat England out of the match - and perhaps the series - tomorrow. England will hope the forecast for a gloomy day is correct, and that they get a few hours in helpful conditions before it pours down.
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13th over: Australia 30-1 (Bancroft 5, Khawaja 18) Khawaja flicks Archer breezily through midwicket for an all-run four. He has played him comfortable so far, and it’s a bit of a surprise that Archer hasn’t tried from over the wicket.
Bancroft, meanwhile, gets solidly in line to the last ball of the day. He had a difficult hour but the sun will come up tomorrow and he’ll be not out.
12th over: Australia 23-1 (Bancroft 5, Khawaja 11) A lucky escape for Khawaja, who tries to pull Woakes and contrives to toe-end the ball towards the slips. It bounces short and squirts through for a single, which is a blessing for England as it gives Woakes four balls at Bancroft. He edges the third on the bounce to third slip - but he survives another over, and you have to admire his determination to get through such a torrid spell. He has 5 from 34 balls.
Broad has dismissed Warner 3 times for 11 runs in 29 balls this series. In the two Ashes series played in 2015 & 2017/18 Broad bowled 309 balls to Warner without dismissing him once (for 139 runs). #bbccricket
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) August 15, 2019
11th over: Australia 22-1 (Bancroft 5, Khawaja 10) Archer replaces Broad, who bowled a cracking spell of 5-0-13-1. This is the end from which Archer prefers to bowl at Lord’s, and he shows why with a majestic, scrambled-seam delivery that beats Bancroft all ends up. Another maiden from Archer, who has slightly flattering figures of 5-3-3-0.
“I like how Root has spoken in the media the past couple of weeks but his management of his bowlers here is awful, and may cost England the Ashes (yes!),” says Andrew Hurley. “This hour could have yielded 4 wickets with Broad and Woakes... he’s like a Sun reader believing the hype. Archer has big potential at this level, but that’s it for now, and to chuck him in with the new ball and waste this hour is criminal.”
I wouldn’t go that far but I know what you mean. I would definitely have started with Woakes. I suspect it was something they decided before the lights went on, and Root didn’t have the nerve to change plan.
10th over: Australia 22-1 (Bancroft 5, Khawaja 10) Woakes replaces Archer. After a few looseners, he produced a lovely nipbacker that hits Khawaja high on the leg. It was too high for an LBW appeal but it was superbly bowled.
9th over: Australia 20-1 (Bancroft 5, Khawaja 8) Bancroft, who looks in terrible form, is fighting so hard to get through to the close. Batting looks a lot more serene for Khawaja, who works Broad for a couple of singles in that over.
“Hi Rob,” says Ian Copestake. “England’s World Cup win seems to have taken a lot out of David Warner.”
8th over: Australia 17-1 (Bancroft 4, Khawaja 6) Archer continues, which for my money is a mistake; 180s for show, doubles for dough and all that. He’s still bowling some cracking deliveries, because he is a magnificent bowler, and Bancroft struggles through another maiden that includes a big inside edge and a play-and-miss outside off stump.
7th over: Australia 17-1 (Bancroft 4, Khawaja 6) Broad is bowling masterfully to the left-handers from round the wicket. Khawaja pushes a full-length delivery that snaps off the seam to beat the outside edge. The next ball turns him round and thumps into the back leg, but the height negates Broad’s enthusiastic LBW appeal.
When Broad goes a bit too straight, Khawaja puts him away through square leg with the minimum of fuss. Gorgeous shot.
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6th over: Australia 13-1 (Bancroft 4, Khawaja 2) These are very tough batting conditions, with the lights on and the ball nipping around. Bancroft is beaten by another fine delivery from Archer, who bowled his first maiden in Test cricket. He has produced some beauties in this spell, but he has also been a bit too wide at times. Bancroft only had to play at two of the six deliveries in that over. I’d get Woakes on at this end for the last half hour. The conditions are perfect, and he has a bowling average of 9.75 on this ground. I’d fancy him to take care of Bancroft tonight.
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5th over: Australia 13-1 (Bancroft 4, Khawaja 2) This is the first time since 2013 that Warner has been out in single figures in three consecutive innings. England will be encouraged not just by his scores but the way he is batting. I can’t remember him looking so obviously out of nick at any point in his career.
WICKET! Australia 11-1 (Warner b Broad 3)
He’s gone now! Warner gets his third single-figure score of this series, and Broad had dismissed him every time. It was a beautiful delivery from Broad, which roared back through the gate to thump into the bails. Brilliant bowling.
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4th over: Australia 10-0 (Bancroft 3, Warner 3) Warner is beaten twice outside off stump by Archer. The first was a beauty, which straightened from round the wicket; the second was a short one that Warner tried to uppercut. Hang on, the Ultra-Edge technology suggests Warner edged that first delivery from Archer! There was no appeal from England, not even an enquiry.
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3rd over: Australia 9-0 (Bancroft 2, Warner 3) Warner edges a fine delivery from Broad a fraction short of Roy in the slips. He doesn’t look in great touch, with his head falling over to the off side, and England need to make him play as much as possible tonight.
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2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Bancroft 2, Warner 1) It’s gloomy and the lights are on; perfect bowling conditions for Chris Woakes, really. But Archer’s charisma is irresistible. His second ball is a big nipbacker that goes through the gate of Bancroft and flies to the left of Bairstow for four. I’m pretty sure there was a thin inside-edge but it was given as byes. That aside it was no more than a reasonable over, as the batsmen only had to play at three of the six deliveries.
“Not only has Dale Steyn been a terrific fast bowler and a great bloke,” says Rod Lyall, “he proved in Amsterdam in 2013 that he’s a world-class barman as well.”
To be fair to England, it's extremely hard to get back up mentally after winning a World Cup, which is why Australia famously didn't win a single Test between 1999 and 2007. #Ashes
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) August 15, 2019
Jofra Archer, not Chris Woakes, will share the new ball. That decision impresses the crowd much.
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1st over: Australia 1-0 (Bancroft 1, Warner 0) Stuart Broad’s first over is an uneventful affair. Warner, who struggled against Broad at Edgbaston, offers no stroke to the wide balls and defends the straight ones.
You still have a chance to get hold of this beauty. It has been signed by every player and is currently being auctioned with all of the proceeds going to the @RuthStraussFdn Please bid generously to support a great cause.. 👉🏻👉🏻 https://t.co/qEkHfY0zVv pic.twitter.com/xVQur0BOHm
— Eoin Morgan (@Eoin16) August 15, 2019
There are 18 overs remaining tonight, though we won’t get them all as play is scheduled to finish at 7pm.
KP had a point (part 1 in an ongoing series)
Most Test wickets for Australia
— Samuel Ferris (@samuelfez) August 15, 2019
708 - Shane Warne
563 - Glenn McGrath
355 - Dennis Lillee
355 - NATHAN LYON#Ashes
WICKET! England 258 all out (Bairstow c Khawaja b Lyon 52)
Bairstow sacrifices himself for the team. He tried to slog-sweep Lyon for six but top-edged it high towards deep midwicket, where Khawaja took a comfortable catch. It was a fine innings though, his best in Test cricket for a while.
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77th over: England 258-9 (Bairstow 52, Leach 6) Bairstow gives Leach two balls from Cummins to survive. He does that and more, jumping across his stumps to work a short ball to the fine-leg boundary.
“Àpropos of nothing, a little mention for the greatest bowler of my lifetime, Dale Steyn, who is retiring from Tests this week,” says Andrew Hurley. “When you look at his average, it’s obscene, as he played mostly in an era with greater batsmen/greater application than today. An absolute animal (you’ll know what I mean!), and the harder the challenge, the better he was. I still feel he’s a little underappreciated outside the purists but a true great of the game (and that is applying that word strictly).”
I agree. He was an awesome bowler in all conditions, and his record in Asia is exhibit A in the case for his all-time greatness. A brilliant bloke, too. I’ll always remember the only time I met him, when I was allowed my yearly trip out of the OBO dungeon to do a South African press day at Canterbury in 2012. There were a few rubbish round-table interviews, but Steyn’s was a great advert for doing absolutely no media training.
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76th over: England 253-9 (Bairstow 51, Leach 2)
75th over: England 251-9 (Bairstow 51, Leach 0) A maiden from Cummins to Bairstow, who survives a big LBW appeal off the last delivery. It was missing leg.
“I can’t imagine England would be too upset with their work today,” says James Lane. “They were sent in and were six down for not many, yet they’re only 60-odd short of the average Lord’s first innings score of 312. Plus they don’t have to face Lyon in the last innings.”
74th over: England 251-9 (Bairstow 51, Leach 0) “Afternoon, Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “John Starbuck (66th over) informs us that one of the questions in the concussion test is ‘Who’s on the throne?’ The answer, presumably, is whichever bat is next in to face Hazlewood and Cummins.”
WICKET! England 251-9 (Broad b Lyon 11)
Nathan Lyon, left-hander; you know the rest. Broad inside-edges a quicker delivery onto the leg bail to end a jaunty innings of 11 from 15 balls, and Australia are one wicket away from wrapping things up.
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73rd over: England 246-8 (Bairstow 50, Broad 7) Jonny Bairstow pushes Cummins for a single to reach a commendable half-century, his 21st in Tests, and then Broad is dropped by Warner! He top-edged a heave at Cummins that flew high over the slips. Warner ran back, dived forward ... and palmed the ball to the boundary for four runs. The next ball, a short one down the leg side, runs away for four byes. Every little helps, especially when you’re trying to recover from 138 for six.
72nd over: England 235-8 (Bairstow 49, Broad 1) Lyon tosses up a series of deliveries outside off stump to Broad, who manages to resist the considerable temptation to plonk his front knee and slog across the line for Queen and country. A maiden.
71st over: England 235-8 (Bairstow 49, Broad 1) The new batsman is Stuart Broad, which means Jack Leach - who made 92 on this ground in his last Test innings- is demoted to No11 after making 92 in his previous Test innings. Cummins immediately sticks one under his armpit, and Broad does really well to drop it down in front of short leg. This is nasty stuff from Cummins, which I’m sure will be reciprocated by Jofra Archer when Australia’s lower order come to bat.
Broad takes a single to get off strike, and then Bairstow plays a superb pull stroke behind square for four. He’s batted really admirably today.
WICKET! England 230-8 (Archer c Khawaja b Cummins 12)
Cummins has bounced out another one. Archer, trying to flick a well-well-directed short ball to leg, got a leading edge that looped over gully and was nicely taken on the run by Khawaja.
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70th over: England 229-7 (Bairstow 44, Archer 12) Lyon replaces Hazlewood, presumably with the intention of making Archer an offer he can’t refuse. Not in that over, which is played sensibly by both batsmen.
69th over: England 225-7 (Bairstow 41, Archer 11) Archer ducks under yet another bouncer from Cummins, who is now being lightly booed every time he bowls a short ball. The next delivery is very full - but it’s also too straight, and Archer flicks it off his pads for four. Another wristy, this time from a short ball, loops up before landing safely wide of square leg.
“Totally agree re: Bairstow maybe not knowing how good he could be,” says Simon Yates. “And how good could he be if he didn’t keep? Might we end up with a Stewart/Sangakkara situation where loads more runs come without the gloves? If you’re Gilchrist coming in behind that Aussie top order then you don’t care about that potential loss as you’ve got plenty of runs anyway. Likewise if playing your best keeper would mean promoting Andy Caddick to No7 and Alan Mullally to No8 then other priorities are in play. But where none of your middle order is making enough runs and you’ve got a better keeper in the wings who is a very decent bat, why not give it a go even though we know YJB values the gloves maybe too much?”
One thing that’s interesting about Sangakkara, who averaged 40 as a wicketkeeper and 67 when he played solely as a batsman, was that he didn’t want to give up the gloves either.
68th over: England 220-7 (Bairstow 41, Archer 6) Archer is beaten, wafting loosely outside off stump at Hazlewood. But he gets his first boundary with a flashing back cut off the next ball. Excellent shot.
“Dear Rob,” says Boris Starling. “Re concussion tests, I don’t know about cricket, but I ghosted a recently-retired rugby player’s autobiography earlier this year and learned that the rugby one is pretty stringent. Among other things they make the player:
- repeat strings of words and numbers (sometimes backwards)
- perform a tandem gait test (walk heel to toe over a predetermined distance)
- and answer questions about the match in progress (who’s playing, where they are, what the score is, who scored last, and so on.)”
In that case, I’ve played cricket with people who were confused before a ball was bowled.
67th over: England 215-7 (Bairstow 41, Archer 1) He’s yet to show it in international cricket, where he averages 3.25, but Archer is a useful lower-order batsman. He has a first-class average of 31, including six fifties. But he won’t have faced many bowlers like Pat Cummins.
The first ball Archer receives is a beautiful bouncer that whistles past his helmet, and the next time zip over his shoulder. Cummins has clearly decided to bomb England’s lower order, an approach that worked so well for Australia in the Ashes series of 2013-14 and 2017-18. Archer fences another short ball that just evades Bancroft at short leg and runs away for a single.
66th over: England 214-7 (Bairstow 41, Archer 0) Bairstow toe-ends Hazlewood through the slips for four. England need plenty more boundaries where that came from.
“Traditionally, concussion tests start by asking, ‘How many fingers am I holding up?’” says John Starbuck. ‘Are you feeling sick?’ Then things like, ‘Who is on the throne?’ ‘Who are your opponents today?’ ‘What did you have for lunch?’ The question, ‘Who is the prime minister?’ is no longer asked for fear of provoking a relapse.”
65th over: England 210-7 (Bairstow 37, Archer 0) Jofra Archer is the new batsman.
WICKET! England 210-7 (Woakes c Paine b Cummins 32)
He’s out! Cummins’ short ball shaved the glove of Woakes and was taken down the leg side by Paine. That’s brilliant bowling from Cummins, who gave Woakes a ferocious working-over with the short ball. He is so good at roughing people up.
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Woakes is given out caught behind - but he has reviewed!
Australia seemed convinced, but then so did Woakes. My instinct is that it’s out.
64.4 overs: England 210-6 (Bairstow 37, Woakes 32) Woakes misses a hook at a bouncer from Cummins. “He’s a little bit of a happy hooker,” says Nasser on Sky - and Woakes proves the point by top-edging the next ball over fine leg for six! He had no control over the stroke, which should give Cummins sufficient encouragement to persist with this line - or rather, length - of attack.
That’s precisely what he does, and two balls later Woakes ducks into a short delivery that keeps a bit low and slams into the back of his helmet. The Australian players are straight over to see if he’s okay. He seems to be, though there will be a break in play while he has a concussion test. Does anyone know what those tests actually entail?
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64th over: England 203-6 (Bairstow 37, Woakes 26) England have started watchfully after tea, as much as anything because of the quality of the Australian bowling. They give you so little.
The Ruth Strauss Foundation Day has been a triumph. Not that it was ever going to be anything else, but there have been some lovely touches, like her sons Samuel and Luca ringing the five-minute bell at the start of play.
An incredible £230,247 has been raised so far on #RuthStraussFoundationDay.
— Ruth Strauss Foundation (@RuthStraussFdn) August 15, 2019
The third and final session @HomeOfCricket has started and you can still donate here: https://t.co/CKBkVbtyTr #RedForRuth pic.twitter.com/EOWIgUSUj2
63rd over: England 202-6 (Bairstow 37, Woakes 25) Australia are 9/4 to win this match, which is mildly discombobulating. I would make them strongish favourites at this stage. Cummins starts from the other end to Bairstow, who is content to play out a maiden. It’s so good to see him playing with such focus and determination. I’m not sure he realises how good a Test-match batsman he can be.
62nd over: England 202-6 (Bairstow 37, Woakes 25) Josh Hazlewood will start after tea to Jonny Bairstow. He, like Woakes, has played some of his best Test innings on this ground, including that immense, heartbreaking 95 against South Africa in 2012. Man, that feels a long time ago.
It’s a quiet over to start the session. Bairstow shovels Hazlewood off the hip for a single, and that’s your lot.
“I’m thrilled to make my debut as an OBOer smugly messaging from an exotic location, sitting as I am by Lake Titicaca,” says David Hopkins. “Sounds as if that location also ends with a neat description of where England’s top order have left the team, right in the caca.”
The players are back out on the field. This will be a long evening session; there are still 37 overs remaining, and two and a half hours in which to bowl them.
Tea
61st over: England 201-6 (Bairstow 36, Woakes 25) That’s tea. England recovered quite well after a desperate start to the afternoon session, when they slipped from 92-2 to 138-6. After a nervous start, Jonny Bairstow started to look like himself for the first time in this summer’s Tests, while Chris Woakes played with his usual shrewdness. Australia were excellent, especially Josh Hazlewood. See you in 20 minutes for the evening session.
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60th over: England 198-6 (Bairstow 34, Woakes 24) Smith produces a superb legbreak to Woakes, who edges it just wide of the man at slip. That’s why Smith is a threat, because there are usually jaffas amid the filth.
59th over: England 193-6 (Bairstow 32, Woakes 21) Woakes, who has again batted admirably, works Lyon into the leg side for a single. He really does love playing here.
58th over: England 191-6 (Bairstow 31, Woakes 20) “Given that keeping (in its good or bad forms) can have such an impact on a result, why do we put runs pressure on a specialist skill anyway?” says Matt Wyatt. “(Did Broad get dropped for a five-year dip in form with the bat?) How many runs/wickets are saved/snaffled by having the best (Foakes) in the job versus how well they fit into into a misfiring middle order? How many wickets did James Foster contribute to at Essex just by the batter knowing who was standing behind him? In keeping terms YJB and Jos are a bit tat, aren’t they. Sarah Taylor is miles better but we’re probably a generation away from that conversation. Plus Foakes’ contained batting style might just be the ticket here. Damn the heck Gilchrist, you ruined everything.”
It was happening even before Gilchrist, though he took it to another level. It’s just the established culture; doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong. I suspect it might change slightly when wicketkeeping data becomes widespread.
BAIRSTOW IS NOT OUT!
Yes, Bairstow survives. It was missing off stump by a distance. That was a poor decision from Australia, who have no reviews remaining.
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AUSTRALIA REVIEW FOR LBW AGAINST BAIRSTOW! Steve Smith is the bowler, as well. I think it’s missing off stump.
57th over: England 190-6 (Bairstow 31, Woakes 19) Bairstow brings up the fifty partnership with consecutive boundaries off Lyon. The first was a drive through the covers, the second a frisky reverse sweep. These are encouraging signs for England, who are a much better side when Bairstow is in punishing form with the bat.
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56th over: England 179-6 (Bairstow 21, Woakes 19) A sensational maiden from Hazlewood, an homage to the Lord’s bogeyman. He rips a leg-cutter past the outside edge of Woakes, who edges the next ball a fraction short of Warner. That’s the second time an edge has fallen short of Warner in this Hazlewood spell, and the chaps on Sky think he’s too deep. The over ends with another one beating Woakes’ outside edge.
55th over: England 179-6 (Bairstow 21, Woakes 19) Lyon changes ends to replace Siddle, and Bairstow drags consecutive sweeps for two and then four. He looks much more focussed today than he did in the first two Tests of the summer, and has played his part in a useful partnership of 42 from 9.4 overs.
“Some possible companions for Kim Thonger’s team,” begins Brian Withington. “Jason RoyoftheArgonauts, James Anderson-Shelter, Stuart Broadsword, Jonathan Barsteward, Josiah Gentleman’sGentleman. I can’t go on.”
54th over: England 172-6 (Bairstow 14, Woakes 18) Things always feel a little calmer when Chris Woakes is at the crease. It’s not that he gets hundreds of runs, but there’s an order and commonsense to his batting. And, occasionally, a flamboyant flick-pull throughy midwicket for four off Josh Hazlewood. Shot!
“It’s a paradox (at least I think it is) that England’s World Cup heroes have played both too little and too much cricket,” says Gary Naylor. “Between 30 May and 14 July, they played a maximum of 11 days cricket, which shouldn’t tax a professional sportsman... except mentally, the burden of being hosts and favourites not to be underestimated. That’s left Jason Roy, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali both undercooked and exhausted. They don’t look like they have a century amongst them - or even between them - and there’s no time to work through the horrendous technical issues they’re exhibiting, most obviously in the complete lack of balance, forward or back and across the crease. 1989 might look like a picnic before this series is out.”
England could lose this five-Test series 12-0, and it still wouldn’t be as big a shambles as 1989.
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53rd over: England 167-6 (Bairstow 13, Woakes 14) One thing that will irritate England is that, with the exception of Jason Roy, every batsman has faced at least 20 balls. I don’t think they’ve batted terribly. It’s been a combination of relentless bowling and some iffy shot selection.
“The thing about the middle order,” says Pete Salmon, “is that each one of them, Stokes down to Woakes, is a really terrific number 7, who you would expect to average about what they do, and score centuries about as often. But having them bat 5-9 or 3-8 or whatever doesn’t work. Especially coming in at 3 or 4 for not many. With a functioning top order, Stokes at 6 and Bairstow (or Foakes or Butter) at 7 seems right. So can this stupid experiment end and we pick five batsmen, then the middle order mob? And then revisit the idea of Total Crickball with 11 allrounders in about 2032?”
I can’t believe you’ve dropped Butter.
52nd over: England 165-6 (Bairstow 12, Woakes 13) Bairstow edges the new bowler Hazlewood just short of Lyon at first slip - and then Woakes thick-edges an attempted yorker for three. That almost cleaned him up. Hazlewood has been quite majestic today.
“So why is it that the World Cup appears to have shattered England’s Test team, but Australia appear fresh as daisies?” says Mike Jakeman. “Was it the final? The effect of winning the thing or the pressure of having it on your own doorstep? There are similar numbers of WC players in each team...”
As a former elite tiddlywinker, I can confirm it takes a lot more out of you when you win a World Cup – especially if it’s at home and/or feels like the holy grail. That said, I don’t think it has been a huge factor. Buttler looks shattered mentally, Bairstow did in the first two Tests but looks more focussed today. Stokes and Woakes seem fine.
51st over: England 161-6 (Bairstow 11, Woakes 10) “Afternoon Rob,” says Kim Thonger. “I’m becoming a bit obsessed with some of the earliest England Test cricketers. Wonderful names. Ivo Bligh, 8th Earl of Darnley. Billy Midwinter. Mordecai Sherwin. Perhaps some of our current team should change their names by deed poll to something more exotic? Rory Burnsnight? Joseph Rootvegetable? I could go on.”
I’ve always liked Sandford Schultz, who could have been a dastardly swine in an Agatha Christie novel.
50th over: England 160-6 (Bairstow 10, Woakes 10) This is a really entertaining little spell; every over seems to contain a boundary and a near miss. Lyon has an unsuccessful LBW shout against Woakes – it turned too much – before Woakes dances down the track to drive through extra cover for four.
“If England can make 200+ today they’ll think they’ve done well,” says John Starbuck. “About two-thirds less than they should, but circumstances change expectations.”
49th over: England 156-6 (Bairstow 10, Woakes 6) Bairstow survives an optimistic LBW appeal from Siddle; it was missing leg. Four leg byes take extras onto a dogged 18 not out.
“So,” says Geoff Wignall, “do you think Foakes is unable to get into the team because of his 40+ batting average or because he’s the best male keeper in the country by a wide margin (probably best on the planet).”
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48th over: England 151-6 (Bairstow 10, Woakes 5) Good batting from Woakes, who dances down the track to clip Lyon through midwicket for four. Woakes averages 70 with the bat on this ground, which doubtless means he’s due a failure.
“Was the World Cup win worth it for this?” says Ian Copestake. “This note comes to you from rhetorical.questions.com.”
47th over: England 146-6 (Bairstow 10, Woakes 0) Bairstow thumps Siddle wide of mid-on for his first boundary, an excellent stroke which he repeats through mid-off later in the over. It looks like he’s going to counter-attack. England were 131 for five when Bairstow and Woakes came together against India on this ground a year ago; they added 189. England would take half that partnership now, even if it would leave them on the slightly unusual score of 232.5 for seven.
“Oh god, I hope you’re wrong about 1989 Rob, but it’s a pretty good shout,” says Guy Hornsby. “The Oval Test in that series was my first live international and Ashes experience. What a day that wasn’t. Yes, the glory of Test cricket, but a dead rubber, a Dean Jones ton and watching Gooch lbw to Alderman third ball just before the close. Finished off by David Boon telling 14-year old me to bugger off when I asked for his autograph after play. Halcyon days.”
46th over: England 138-6 (Bairstow 2, Woakes 0) This isn’t good, you know. If you’re an England fan, that is. If you’re an Australian fan, the prospect of a first series win in England for 18 years is growing by the minute.
“On the plus side, England are still two wickets better off than Australia were in the first Test,” says Matt Dony. “On the downside, they’re exactly one Steve Smith worse off.”
WICKET! England 138-6 (Stokes LBW b Lyon 13)
Uh-oh. Stokes tries to sweep Lyon round the corner, misses and is plumb LBW. Lyon adds another to his collection of left-handers; he’s dismissed 132 in his Test career.
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45th over: England 138-5 (Stokes 13, Bairstow 2) Now Bairstow is beaten, pushing at a textbook delivery from Siddle that straightens sharply off the seam. A maiden. This is a seriously good bowling attack, you know.
44th over: England 138-5 (Stokes 13, Bairstow 2) Stokes is beaten, groping hopefully at a delicious offbreak from Lyon, who beats the outside edge again with a quicker one later in the over. That was a beautiful over. He is in his element bowling to left-handers, no matter how good they are.
43rd over: England 137-5 (Stokes 13, Bairstow 1) Bairstow offers no stroke to his first ball, which whistles this far past the off bail, and then gets a last-gasp inside edge to negate what would have been a very good LBW appeal.
“If I have had a pound for every pundit that said England’s strength was the middle order...” says Simon Yates. “Nobody batting from 4-8 in this side has an average over 35. We’re distracted by their destructive potential (and ODI form), and by their all being handy No7s, but the stats say we’re wrong. Not one of them has an average that demands selection in a Test match. (Not that alternatives are obvious!)”
This is an excellent point. I’d argue the lower middle order was England’s strength, certainly in the summers of 2016 and 2017, but they have struggled since then for various reasons. As you say, they are all so good to watch when playing well – like Stokes at the moment – that it feels like they score more runs than is actually the case. (Gary Ballance had the opposite problem.) In fact, since the end of the 2017 season, England have only one batsman averaging over 40 in any position, and he can’t get in the team.
Thanks Adam, hello everyone. Tonight, Australia are gonna party like it’s 1989. This Ashes is starting to bear a strong resemblance to that never-to-be-forgotten shellacking, and if England don’t get their act together very quickly they could be facing a similar scoreline. They are really struggling.
WICKET! Buttler c Paine b Siddle 12 (England 136-5)
Buttler brought forward by Siddle, his tiny edge landing safely in the gloves of Paine. He really earned that, two earlier chances off his bowling going down behind the wicket. Another unconvincing innings from the England bruiser. They’re in some strife now.
With that, it is drinks. Over to Rob Smyth. Thanks for your company!
BUTTLER GOES
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
Bad to worse for England as Jos Buttler edges Siddle behind and his struggles continue
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42nd over: England 136-4 (Buttler 12, Stokes 13) Lyon to Stokes is the match-up that Australia want and it so nearly gets them the wicket they know they will need early, an edge not far away from Smith’s diving left hand. Stokes was cutting rather than pushing, getting four for it. Gosh, there’s nothing wrong with the shot to end the over though, getting down low to hammer the spinner in front of the square leg umpire for four. Have that.
41st over: England 128-4 (Buttler 12, Stokes 5) Cummins to Buttler, who gets one behind square; Stokes giving him the strike right back with a single to cover. Buttler deals better with the bouncer this time around, then defending another short ball deep in the crease.
“Now that CrickViz have real data on every ball, can they tell us if there really is a significant effect of the ball deviating down the slope?” asks Stephen Barnes. “Yup, I’m a data nut.”
Good shout. I’ll ask them at the tea break.
“So on the plus side Joe Denly managed to improve his average today,” notes Geoff Wignall. “Rather less encouragingly, he now has one half century in 9 innings - exactly the same as Jack Leach at a near identical average (and well below Chris Woakes’s: 22 compared with 30). Time for Sibley and Roy at number four?”
I thought Denly was better today? Undone by some excellent fast bowling. But at his age, he will need bulk runs and soon.
40th over: England 126-4 (Buttler 11, Stokes 4) Lyon is back for Siddle, whipped by Butter to wide long-on for one to begin. Stokes, who fell twice to the tweaker at Edgbaston, plays the rest defensively off the front foot. Lyon slips one straight ball past the left-hander’s inside edge but it was going well down the legside.
39th over: England 125-4 (Buttler 10, Stokes 4) The focus is on the catch but Cummins has done everything right since lunch, especially with his relentless short-pitched attack. Whoa, now I’ve written that, he sprays a short and loose ball at Stokes, who watches five wides get added to the total. Paine had no chance there. He gets off the mark himself with a boundary too, rocking back to pull a ball that isn’t that short. The England all-rounder is in superb touch at the moment.
“How many times in the history of test cricket has a batsman scored 5 runs from his first ball faced?” asks Kip Wilckens re Buttler’s first shot today. I have also been asked this on twitter. Anyone?
What a catch! 😱
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
Third time lucky for Australia as Bancroft makes a stunning grab to dismiss Burns!
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WICKET! Burns c Bancroft c Cummins 53 (England 116-4)
WHAT A CATCH!!! One of the best I’ve seen at short leg, diving with his non-preferred left-hand. They check upstairs that Bancroft’s fingers are under the ball and Joel Wilson confirms that they are.
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38th over: England 116-3 (Burns 53, Buttler 10) Buttler into double figures, pushing a Siddle half-volley through cover with ease. The delivery before found a leading edge but didn’t go to hand.
37th over: England 112-3 (Burns 53, Buttler 6) Sorry about the delay, playing catch-up after a wifi drop-out. Cummins whacked Burns with a short one on the arm and then did it again. That’s where he’s so effective, aiming time and again for the area between the hip and shoulder. Nasty. But Burns is brave, getting inside the line to clip a couple down behind square to finish the over.
Burns to 50!
36th over: England 109-3 (Burns 51, Buttler 5) Good grief. PAINE HAS DROPPED BURNS from Pete Siddle’s first ball back. That’s the second bad drop off his bowling today. It is difficult to understand why the captain was going with one hand; so out of character. Sure enough, runs come for the opener later in the over, a second push past point for two raising his half-century. Sure, he’s been dropped twice along the way but he’s still there. “He’s an old-fashioned opener,” says Kumar Sangakkara. “ There for the hard graft.”
Updated
35th over: England 105-3 (Burns 47, Buttler 5) Maiden from Cummins to the new man Buttler and a good one too, prompting a waft that could easily have ended up with a catch behind the wicket. Hazlewood might be the man with the wickets but Cummins has also been right on the money today across all of his spells.
“Unless we have hard stats,” suggests Luke Baxter, “couldn’t it also be the perception that Broad is dropped more often because he always makes a bit of a song and a dance about it all. Gives his guilty teammate a really nasty stare!”
Quite possibly. I acknowledge that this could all be in my head.
“Is this a world record for the most amount of first names starting with J in a cricket team?” asks Pete Duffy from the mighty Mentone Cricket Club.
England bring up their 100
34th over: England 105-3 (Burns 47, Buttler 5) Four overthrows via a deflection! Of course it is! Not quite as dramatic as on Sunday 14 July, but Lyon’s throw from mid-on at Buttler’s end flicks his pad, enough to confuse the man backing up. Two more boundaries in the over too, the first in the byes column when Hazlewood sprays too wide for Paine down the legside then Burns gets four off his edge through about fourth slip. He made a lot of his runs at Edgbaston right there. In fairness to the opener, he’s playing with soft hands - it wouldn’t have carried to a catcher had there been one in there.
33rd over: England 92-3 (Burns 43, Buttler 0) What an important Burns plays now as the senior player, coming off a ton in his last start. He does as he must, defending then leaving. Cummins goes short to finish and he’s up to the task there too with a timely sway.
“Good afternoon and a happy birthday, Adam.” Cheers, Phil Sawyer. “This was the lunch at Lord’s today. I’d dearly love to know if anyone has taken to the field for the afternoon with a belly full of treacle sponge.”
Mitch Johnson’s recollection was that the fast bowlers here spent ten minutes anihilating as much food as possible - main and dessert - before retiring to the dressing room for half an hour of recovery.
OUT
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
Denly played well but he is no match for the destructive Hazlewood as he gets his third of the day.
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WICKET! Denly c Paine b Hazlewood 30 (England 92-3)
The plan works! Cummins worked Denly over in the previous over and Hazlewood set him up perfectly for the outside edge. The No4 wafted at a delivery earlier in the set, then got under another brisk bouncer. Next up: right in the channel, he had to play. Gone.
32nd over: England 92-3 (Burns 43)
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31st over: England 91-2 (Burns 42, Denly 30) Stinger! Denly can’t get out the way of Cummins’ short ball, whacked on the arm. He gives is a shake and gets on with it. Next up, the fast bowler did as he must with a follow-up bumper, jumping sharply over Denly and Tim Paine for four byes. Nothing wrong with that. Top Test Match cricket, this.
30th over: England 87-2 (Burns 42, Denly 30) That’s back to the pre-lunch Hazlewood, dropping an accurate maiden on Burns. Chatting to Ben Jones from CricViz during the break, he threw a bunch of stats at me that told one overarching story: Hazlewood was tip top earlier.
“Rory Burns could easily be Wilfred Owen’s and Seigfried Sassoon’s love child,” David Brown believes. “Well not easily but certainly a likeness.” I’ll take that as a comment.
This toss decision looking very 2005-esque, if we're honest. #Ashes19
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) August 15, 2019
29th over: England 87-2 (Burns 42, Denly 30) Denly picks a couple off Cummins to fine leg to start his afternoon as well. The attack-leader is back where he needs to be soon enough, the Austalians up for a big leg before shout... turned down by Aleem Dar. Paine isn’t interested on the basis that he thinks it is high, and he’s right. Umpire’s Call the TV finds after the fact.
Dave Voss has questions. “Is the number of dropped catches off broad more of an indication of a) him being quite good, so generates a lot of chances and b) he’s had a long career and hasn’t been dropped (from the team) or injured that much so he’s had a long time to rack them up?”
Yep, definitely both of those too. But in my time watching this team, he has been the guy who has the most go down per Test - surely? Or maybe this is some sort of confirmation bias and it’s all in my head.
Good point too, Gary Naylor.
I reckon Jacques Kallis must have had a relatively high proportion of catches dropped off his bowling @collinsadam - mainly because he didn't have Jacques Kallis standing at slip, where he was pretty good.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) August 15, 2019
28th over: England 85-2 (Burns 42, Denly 28) Shot. Burns is straight back on it with a lovely push off the back foot out to cover for four. He grabs two more behind point with soft hands then another couple tucked around the corner out to long leg. On reflection, that might have been off the inside edge. Nine off it, though - by far the most expensive Hazlewood has sent down today.
“I have previously wondered about Langer’s query re surrendering the toss (over 23),” says Brian Withington. “Of course there’s always the option for the winning captain to toss the coin again and let chance dictate the decision. Feels a little un-Australian, though.”
I like the market solution. It’s really very good.
The players are back on the field. Strap in for a 150-minute middle session. Hazlewood is starting us off from beneath me at the nursery end, Denly facing the first ball after the long interval. PLAY!
@collinsadam There's a priceless interview with David Steele, c. 2015, in Cricket Monthly: "T20, it's rounders isn't it? ... Don't they have music playing as batters go in to bat? My theme tune would be "Onward Christian Soldiers". I'm a Methodist." https://t.co/3HBeQwKc4D
— Edmund King (@dmndkng) August 15, 2019
Lunch time chat. “Are there any stats (or perhaps better still grossly misleading/unsubstantiated/anecdotal hunches) on which batsmen get dropped (eg catches) the most?” asks Dan Thomas. “I have a feeling some players are just luckier than others.”
I know they keep it for bowlers and that Broad went past 100 drops last week. I wonder what makes a seamer like him unlucky, so to speak? Is there something about the angle Broad bowls at making it more difficult for the cordon to take his chances? Any logic for me?
“Afternoon Adam.” Hi, Kim Thonger. “The dog and I are putting ourselves outside a plate of ham, egg and chips and a pint of Holy Grail at The Free Press in Cambridge, and the dog thinks the reason England bat so randomly these days is they probably don’t have proper lunch anymore, but just isotonic drinks and a bunch of radishes. I can’t argue with him, can you?”
I spoke to Mitch Johnson about the Lord’s lunches yesterday, prompted by an OBO question last week about what the players eat to maintain peak performance. Evidently, in our quaint old game, that means nothing: they tuck in and go hard. Cricket. Love it.
Nice fightback from England. Hazlewood was superb with two early scalps but the track was true, Denly and Burns growing in confidence towards the break. The latter was dropped by Khawaja at gully but they remained calm, earning their fancy Lord’s lunch. I’m off to grab a marginally less posh feed from the back of the press box - I’ll be back with you in about 20 minutes for some chit-chat.
LUNCH: England 76-2
27th over: England 76-2 (Burns 34, Denly 27) Cummins to bowl the final over before lunch, banging into Burns’ thigh pad to begin - an area he targets to soften up players. But Burns is made of tough stuff, the opener leaning into a beautiful square drive that motors away towards Father Time. His best shot this morning. That’s the 50 partnership too, put on in 105 balls. Cummins has two more opportunities before the break, beating Burns with a beauty with the penultimate delivery. A great comeback after the boundary. Burns then finishes as he has played the majority of the session: in defence.
Updated
26th over: England 72-2 (Burns 30, Denly 27) Huuuuge shout for lbw, Hazlewood again darting by the inside edge as he has so cannily from this end this morning. Denly is struck on the back leg, albeit just above the knee, which is why they elect not to refer it. The technology on TV shows that to be a good call from Paine, the ball going just above the bails - it would have been a second review blown. Hazlewood then goes the other way, Denly electing to throw his hands at a ball that seams away, beating his bat. “Sometimes your strength can be your weakness,” observes Mikey Holding. Another top over from Hazlewood, who has been the pick of the bowlers.
25th over: England 72-2 (Burns 30, Denly 27) Cummins is rushing in and giving it his all at Burns. Twice he beats the outside edge along the way with deliveries that seam down the slope. But the opener keeps his cool, getting his bat out of the way of the tempter to finish.
Here are the details for Ruth Strauss Day. They’ve done a great job.
❤️ This is what today means.
— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 15, 2019
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24th over: England 72-2 (Burns 30, Denly 27) Hazlewood returns, now from the Nursery End where he picked up both of the wickets so far. Burns defends and watches carefully, grabbing the one on offer to cover. Denly does the same. Good batting as we near lunch.
23rd over: England 71-2 (Burns 29, Denly 27) Cummins’ turn for a quick blast before the break but Denly is seeing it well, watching a bouncer then deflecting off the outside part of his part with soft hands through the cordon for four. Nothing wrong with that.
“Is it just me,” begins Jack Jorgensen, “or has the word ‘kidology’ been in use about 1000x more than normal over the past two weeks of the Ashes? Michael Vaughan has just used it on TMS, and I’m sure I’ve seen it in the cricket press at least 4 or 5 times in writings about the test (not yours mind...). Maybe it’s just an example of recency bias on my behalf (having not seen the word used for a long while beforehand.”
I haven’t, but you can be sure that now you’ve raised it, I will a dozen times before stumps and I’ll accidentally use it in my copy.
“On the topic of the actual cricket, I have a creeping dread that Tim Paine has made an error based more on a perceived weakness (batting) rather than perceived strength (bowling) here.”
It’s certainly a fantastic batting track. It was interesting at Langer’s press conference last night that he asked during the rain delays whether it would be allowable for Paine to win the toss and get Root to decide what England what to do first. He was told no.
22nd over: England 67-2 (Burns 29, Denly 23) Exchanging singles forward of square to begin the Lyon over, Burns makes amends for the short/wide ball he missed out on a few minutes earlier, carving the off-spinner away behind point for his fourth boundary. If England get to the interval two down, they’ve nearly broken even.
There has been 0.49° of swing so far today. That's the least swing in the first 20 overs of a Lord's Test in our database, which dates back to 2006. #Ashes
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) August 15, 2019
21st over: England 61-2 (Burns 24, Denly 22) Shot, Joe. That’s the second cover drive that Denly has played this morning that suggests he has the skillz to pay the billz at this level. He deals nicely with the rest of the Hazlewood set too, ducking a bouncer to finish.
“Sorry to cast a cloud on Ian Forth’s recollection,” says John Starbuck, “but surely David Steele was the bank clerk who went to war, in the famous phrase? Mind you, in those days bank managers were well trained in refusals, a highly suitable temperament for a cautious defensive batsman.”
Am I right in remembering that he released a book last year, documenting the summer of his life and the career either side?
More on SPOTY Steele/Denly from David Seare: “From what I remember, he was promised a steak per run by a local Northants butcher. To my knowledge Denly doesn’t have the same incentive and that might be the difference in the end.”
20th over: England 57-2 (Burns 24, Denly 18) Burns misses out on hammering a poor Lyon delivery early in the over - they don’t come around too often. Sure enough, the next is right on the money and finds his inside edge. In an effort to transfer some pressure back the other way, the opener jumps down the track at Lyon, flicking a couple. Nice work. His sweep to finish was struck well but stopped.
“Surprised that Robin Hazlehurst is interested in using Hazlewood’s ancestry to ‘get Smith out’, when Smudge already had the ancestral goods to play for England (his mum was a Pom!),” notes Sarah Bacon. “But he only ever wanted to wear the Baggy Green. While many Aussies say they ‘wanna be a Wallaby’, Smith’s efforts playing English county cricket and working his way into the team, was a dream come true for Australia, despite his recent fall from grace. He’s in at number four today, isn’t he? Can’t wait.”
19th over: England 55-2 (Burns 22, Denly 18) Hazlewood is back from the pavilion end, a change from his earlier outstanding efforts running away from us at the nursery. Denly watches carefully to begin before pushing confidently through backward point for a couple. Good batting. More of it too, the right-hander grabbing a quick single to cover then Burns tucking one to backward square.
“Happy birthday!” says Peter Salmon. Thanks kindly for all the emails on this topic. I’ll reply at lunch! “Just in and have just watched the Joe Root dismissal. Apart from a stump cartwheeling, is there any more satisfying dismissal than an LBW where the batsman ends up jumping and landing with both feet facing down the pitch, bang to rights? Always feels like they have just finished a dance number and should walk off whistling and goose stepping with their bat over their shoulder, while lifting their hat on and off. Why didn’t Root do that, the joyless bastard?”
Oooh yes. As an opener bowler who can’t bowl anymore (any shoulder experts?), that’s the stuff occupying my dreams too often.
18th over: England 51-2 (Burns 21, Denly 15) “That’s interesting,” says David Gower as Burns sweeps Lyon just over midwicket, running away to the Mound Stand for four. The 50 is up with the shot. Earlier in the set, Lyon also found his inside edge. He isn’t far away here.
Updated
17th over: England 47-2 (Burns 17, Denly 15) Another edge won by Siddle but nothing coming from it other than four runs to Denly through about fourth slip. The 34-year-old has bounced back well.
“Joe Denly as a late blossoming 33 year old emulating David Steele of 40 years ago?” hopes Ian Forth. “The bank manager who went to war. After England got trashed in the 1st test in 1975 he held off Lillee and Thomson for the remainder of the series for England to emerge with some pride intact. Parallels, one hopes, somewhat optimistically.”
And Sports Personality of the Year. I don’t quite see it, I’m afraid.
DROP!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
Burns gets a life on 16 as Khawaja makes a horlicks of a straightforward chance at gully!
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Updated
NOT OUT! Turning too much! Leg stump is visible when the contact is made with the front pad but Lyon has ragged it beyond the woodwork, so says the ball-tracker. That much spin? Review lost!
16th over: England 42-2 (Burns 16, Denly 11)
HAS LYON GOT DENLY LBW? He’s reviewing! Given not out.
15th over: England 40-2 (Burns 16, Denly 9) DROPPED CATCH! Burns gets a life, Khawaja putting him down in the gully. It’s not a difficult chance as far as those go, moving quick but straight into his chest. Was he too close in there? Siddle the unlucky man... isn’t he always? He created the chance after five high-quality dots. “As a gully fielder,” says David Gower, “that’s as easy as it gets.” Enough said.
Updated
14th over: England 40-2 (Burns 16, Denly 9) Lyon is on, replacing Hazlewood who has 2/5 to his name after six overs this morning. He beat Burns 32 times (by his count) on day two at Edgbaston before finding his outside edge on the third morning at an important time. He does again here with his fourth ball of the morning but it falls just in front of Smith at first slip. He’s found his range straight away.
“I’m with Warne,” says Jack Baker-Merry of Paine’s decision at the toss. “The conditions today are objectively good for bowling, but they are still probably the best conditions the batsmen will have over the four remaining days. I would have batted first and looked to get a total big enough that you would only have to bat once.”
13th over: England 39-2 (Burns 15, Denly 9) Another expensive over, Siddle taken for three by Denly through midwicket to begin, then driven lavishly through cover by the same man to finish. Between times the seamer was on the money but that he’s gone for 22 in three overs won’t be pleasing anyone on the balcony of Team Australia.
“Morning Adam and a very Happy Birthday to ya.” Thank you, Brian Withington. “My brother can’t be seen to be communicating with OBO whilst at work, but has telepathically volunteered the thought that England’s best chance of victory is to be bundled out for 200+ inside the day and then to win a one innings race.” I’m not quite sure how you’ve worked this out, but I’ll trust your judgment.
A note in from Dean Kinsella, too. Probably not the same Dean Kinsella who was the scariest cricketer I ever shared a dressing room with. “I’m struggling to come up with a strong argument for Buttler to come in ahead of Stokes in this first innings,” he says. “Not that either of them will be required any time soon.” Buttler looks... very tired? Might have needed a longer break after the World Cup?
12th over: England 31-2 (Burns 14, Denly 2) Burns has one ball to deal with after the drinks/delay. Two men are out for the hook but he doesn’t go upstairs, aiming at the stumps. He defends well. I saw CricViz’s stat yesterday that Hazlewood’s full-ball percentage in 2015 was higher than in any series he has played as a Test cricketer. He certainly has every right to fancy himself in England. Excellent spell.
Australia are up for this...
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
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Denly hit, drinks taken
11.5 overs: England 31-2 (Burns 14, Denly 2) Ouch! A 90mph Hazlewood bouncer has whacked Denly’s helmet. He was attemping to help it down to fine leg but it got big on him. He appears okay, the leg bye taken before the medical staff race out. With a concussion test now mandatory in these situations, they take drinks.
“In terms of getting Smith out,” writes Robin Hazlehurst, “what are the odds of Hazlewood suddenly discovering some English ancestry? Is swapping sides mid-Test allowed, or is that a bit frowned on?”
James Pattinson might be your best bet there given his parentage and the fact that his brother, you know, played for England.
Updated
11th over: England 29-2 (Burns 13, Denly 2) Better from Siddle, who needs to be back into his groove from Birmingham quickly here or it will get ugly for him in a hurry. Warne has already sacked him, for instance. It’s a very good end to the over, almost going underneath Denly’s blade before jagging the final delivery back a long way. Nice.
“Good to hear Mitchell Johnson on TMS,” says David Seare. “To come back from his form and confidence issues the way he did and take 37 wickets in that series was an admirable turnaround.”
Geoff Lemon and I had Mitch talking at our live pod show the other night at Hampstead CC and he was in outstanding form. Not just with the gags, but talking about anxiety and confidence. Lovely fella.
10th over: England 28-2 (Burns 12, Denly 2) Hazlewood did that so well four years ago, getting the ball to go up the slope. He’s born to bowl here. Denly’s turn, replacing his skipper. Oooh, first ball it’s another off-cutter again, the No4 saved only by his inside edge. Later in the over he’s off the mark, with a couple through midwicket. Nice clip off the middle of the bat. He has a massive job ahead of him.
ROOT GOES!
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
Hazelwood has been sensational so far and he traps the England captain for 14. England 26-2
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WICKET! Root lbw b Hazlewood 14 (England 26-2)
Brilliant again from Hazlewood, going down the slope past Root’s inside edge, striking him on the front knee. No need to review that. The change of ends works a t
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9th over: England 26-1 (Burns 12, Root 14) Siddle is on to replace Cummins, which is an over or two early for mine. Alas, his first delivery is a genuine loosener, cut away with ease by Root behind point for four. Burns’ turn, who takes four even easier runs off his pads down to fine leg. A third four follows, Burns this time hammering Siddle from well outside the off-stump. Poor start.
8th over: England 13-1 (Burns 4, Root 9) Shout for leg before! Turned down. Hazlewood brought it back to the left-hander past his inside edge to prompt the appeal but it was a fraction high. Other than that, Burns is looking a lot more comfortable now.
7th over: England 13-1 (Burns 4, Root 9) Burns gives Root a chance to take a look at Cummins early in the over and he makes the most of it, stroking him up the hill twice in a row with two picture-perfect cover drives. “That’s why he should be batting three,” says Nasser Hussain on the telly. “Soaking up these high-pressure situations.” Warne adds that he would have batted first had he won the toss. He’ll be calling for Paine’s head by the end of the series, nothing more certain.
6th over: England 4-1 (Burns 3, Root 1) Root’s turn again, who is taking the approach that the ball is going to find his edge plenty, so he may as well play every delivery with soft hands. On three occasions this is the result, falling well short of the five catchers behind the wicket. Excellent cricket from both. Another maiden.
Here is the TMS overseas link for the great many people asking for it.
You can listen to @bbctms overseas today (some restrictions)
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) August 15, 2019
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5th over: England 4-1 (Burns 3, Root 1) Burns can’t be flirting well outside the off-stump, even with Cummins angling from around the wicket. He’s beaten. The bumper follows - a rapid one - but he does well to get his head and gloves underneath. Cummins remains on top to the end, twice winning the edge on the bounce to the cordon then beating Burns with a ball he did have to play at with genuine away movement. The Australian quicks couldn’t have started better.
“Good morning.” And to you, John Starbuck. He wants to get Smith out. “Steve Waugh, on his first Ashes tour, at one point had an average of infinity, yet that didn’t last. One way of getting Smith out is the old chestnut of ‘tempting him to have a slash outside off stump’ which would perhaps break his concentration.”
Root said something similar in the build up, noting that they need to be more patient with the traditional forms of breaking Smith’s concentration before digging around for Plan B, C, D, etc.
4th over: England 4-1 (Burns 3, Root 1) Sheeeesh! Hazlewood is hooping this new Dukes ball around expertly, nearly going between Root’s bat and pad with the inducker then beating the outside edge with a gorgeous outswinger. He finishes with the full ball, kept out again via the inside portion the captain’s blade. Outstanding.
3rd over: England 4-1 (Burns 3, Root 1) Cummins is hammering away at Burns, already hitting the radar at 90mph. The opener handles the early part of the over well but full ball that follows the bouncer goes very close to locating his outside edge. The left-hander does well to finish, clipping one out to the grandstand.
“Michael Holding saying ‘Joe Root, earlier than he would have expected to be at the crease’” emails Elliot Carr-Barnsley. “Nah.”
Updated
2nd over: England 2-1 (Burns 1, Root 1) Root is off the mark first ball, keeping out a full delivery with soft hands and scampering down to the non-strikers’ end. Burns does likewise, pushing a quick single to cover to end the outstanding Hazlewood over. A very good selection decision - he did dominate here four years ago up the slope. Fair to say Mikey Holding and Ian Botham are not happy with Jason Roy.
That’s a delightful gift from JP in his sign off. Of course, it was Jason Dunstall’s 55th birthday yesterday. Growing up, I took great pride in the fact that we’re born one day (and 20 years) apart.
WICKET
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 15, 2019
Roy plays at one outside his off-stump and finds the edge - goes for 0
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WICKET! Roy c Paine b Hazlewood 0 (England 0-1)
A truly perfect start from Hazlewood! He beats Roy twice then finds his outside edge, the opener gone for a three-ball blob.
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1st over: England 0-0 (Burns 0, Roy 0) Cummins with four slips, racing down the slope at the left-handed Burns who defends with a nice straight bat to begin the Test Match. It’s a wonderful sight looking out from the media centre, red in every corner of this grand old ground for Ruth Strauss Day. They did a fantastic job before play, the cap presentation with Andrew Strauss really well done. Burns maintains his defensive disposition throughout this first over, defending, leaving then defending again. A tidy start from both.
The players are on the field! Thank you, JP. We are ready to roll here at Lord’s. Roy and Burns to the middle, followed by Paine and his men. Cummins will take the first over, from the pavilion end. PLAY!
Right, with play about to get underway it’s time to hand over to Adam Collins. It’s Adam’s birthday, by the way. Happy birthday!
And here come the players, both teams in red caps that will be auctioned off after the Test has concluded.
Emotional scenes at Lord’s with Andrew Strauss being applauded onto the field before the umpires and players.
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Mathis Bock, however...
“John Bains has a question for the hive mind. “When was the last time the England opening pair batted through to lunch on the opening day of a test match?” Never mind the openers, last time England were sent in here the whole side didn’t make it to lunch.” Quite.
Some statistics for England fans to cling to like life rafts.
England scores batting first after being put in to bat in Lord's Tests since 2007: 553-5 dec, 593-8 dec, 377, 505, 446, 486, 474-8 dec, 575-9 dec and 389
— Simon Wilde (@swildecricket) August 15, 2019
@JPHowcroft Pretty sure that one of the England team last summer (Woakes?) when asked how they planned to get Kohli out said 'We don't have to.' That, surely, is a plan they can execute again to Steve Smith?
— Mr D Johns (@MrJohnsEnglish) August 15, 2019
Indeed. Ensuring Australia don’t form partnerships around their former skipper is a matter of priority.
“Hello,” hi Vigasini Senthil. “Despite being an Indian, Ashes has been my favourite part of the year. So, what’s your Ashes predictions? And also what if Jason Roy doesn’t perform?” My Ashes prediction is Australia will obliterate the next month or so like a Targaryen after a bad night’s sleep. Jason Roy? I think he’s worth persevering with, but not as an opener.
John Bains has a question for the hive mind. “When was the last time the England opening pair batted through to lunch on the opening day of a test match?”
Back on the subject of cap numbers, Boris Starling has done a sporting comparison. “A telling statistic as to how both football and rugby use many more players than cricket. England football cap 693 was Bill Jones in 1950; England rugby cap 693 was Walter Elliot in 1932.”
Excellent point from an excellent sportswriter.
Putting this now, before England are 38-3, but a 4-day Test with 98 overs a day *should* give England a chance to expose Australia's lack of a 5th bowler.
— Tim (@timwig) August 15, 2019
Ian Forth emailing in always brightens my day. “Australia go 1-up in series. Sense of gloom descends on England. Much-heralded debutant foreign-born player is waiting his moment. A key bowler is injured. Buoyed by sense of invincibility Australia win toss and insert opposition in second test. This is all going very much according to the 2005 script so far. 400 on the board by end of play?” Yes please. KP nuts all round!
“Things might be tough for the English team and supporters in the wake of the first test, the Brexit fiasco and Boris,” emails John Phaceas, “but at least they don’t have to put up with the modestly talented ex-tennis player hosting Nine’s coverage here in Australia.” Oooh, I’m a big fan of Todd Woodbridge. I think he’s a safe pair of hands and refreshingly unobtrusive. And 22 doubles grand slams suggests he was than modestly talented.
An email from Eagle-eyed Romeo: “In Sky’s photo line-up of the side, Archer’s wearing a 658 shirt, not his own 693. He’s borrowed one of Stokes’s.” One must presume the publicity shot was taken before he was selected and unaware of his actual cap number at that time. Interesting that it would be Stokes who would offer his kit.
In case you missed it, today is Ruth Strauss Foundation day at Lord’s. The Ruth Strauss Foundation was set up by Andrew Strauss in honour of his wife Ruth, who died of a rare form of lung cancer in December 2018. The foundation provides grants for research into rare forms of lung cancers and provides emotional and wellbeing support to patients and their families.
As part of the charity’s fundraising and awareness-raising effort Lord’s will be decked out in red. Sponsor branding has been changed, Andrew Strauss is doing the media rounds wearing a red suit, and both sides have had their team photos taken in special edition red caps which are now auction items.
Paul, in Kazakhstan, reckons England will score 149 to 229. Jonathan, in Melbourne, is going for 250 to 280, thanks largely to a show-stopping turn from Jos Buttler with the tail.
It’s a record!
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) August 15, 2019
England have named a team containing 7 players with a first team beginning with J.
Archer, Bairstow, Buttler, Denly, Roy, Leach and Root,
And Australia have included Josh Hazlewood. #bbccricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/9S616TOUMR
If you were concerned that the loss of an entire day’s play might lead to the playing out of a pedestrian draw, think again.
The last 7 Tests matches worldwide which had no play on the first day all produced an outright result. #bbccricket
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) August 14, 2019
Although...
260 Tests (out of 2353) have lost at least one day's play. 78 of them (exactly 30%) have had a result. https://t.co/zTua7WNJcn
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) August 15, 2019
Australia XI
No late surprises from Australia. Josh Hazlewood coming in for James Pattinson is the only change from Edgbaston.
One change for the Aussies as Hazlewood returns to the XI #Ashes pic.twitter.com/fY7qZn20EI
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 15, 2019
England XI
England are as expected with Jofra Archer’s debut the headline. There are two changes from the side beaten at Edgbaston with Archer coming in for the injured Anderson and Jack Leach replacing Moeen Ali.
Australia have won the toss and put us in to bat.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 15, 2019
FOLLOW LIVE: https://t.co/YuBj3CLbVG#Ashes pic.twitter.com/HZfHIqAKyx
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Australia have won the toss and will bowl first
Interesting. Very un-Australian call by Tim Paine. Interviewed by Michael Holding by the cut strip the Tasmanian suggests that with the weather that’s been about and the pitch resting under covers for a long time it could be lively early on. Joe Root confirmed he would also have liked to bowl first.
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I think all this Nigel Haig talk has messed with Kim Thonger’s brain. “Jonathan I think this Steve Smith nonsense is barking up the wrong tree,” he emails, adding, questionably, “here’s my strategy: 1. Win the toss in each of the remaining four tests. 2. Bat every time. 3. Bat right through all five days, with a Leachesque approach, thus avoiding the need to bowl at Smith at all. 4. Accept a 1-0 series loss manfully. 5. Justify it by Anderson’s injury in first test. 6. Claim moral drawn series.”
James Anderson update:
This is either exciting vision or worrying vision depending on who you support... #Ashes pic.twitter.com/1uoNBS5dgR
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 15, 2019
Kim Thonger is single-handedly keeping Nigel Haig trending. From Wikipedia, I presume: “Ian Peebles, who played under Haig at Middlesex, said of him: “He had a witty and active mind, with interests ranging from bird watching to music and poetry. He was a wonderful companion and guide to us youngsters, and he had a hot Scots temper which kept us, very properly, in some awe of him.”
Peter Crees has come to the aid of overseas listeners unable to locate the TMS coverage.
@JPHowcroft https://t.co/E51dDtKMKQ
— Peter Crees (@peterdcrees) August 15, 2019
TMS Overseas link, from https://t.co/4B4J84LDJI
Logic > fear.
@JPHowcroft I don’t know why people are so concerned about getting Steve Smith out – England don’t need to! Just get everyone else out.
— Big Al (@ex_tu) August 15, 2019
Graeme Thorn is in on the fun. “Hi Jonathan,” he opens, “we just hope that there is sufficient rotation over the next five to ten years so that cap 909 can play alongside Archer for the full ‘6-0-6’ experience.” Marvellous. 606 was my introduction to David Mellor, back in the day.
Kim Thonger is the first to log on this morning, and his contribution is a beauty, building on the cap number association musings.
“Matching player numbers to radio frequencies is a marvellously nerdy game,” Kim emails., “love it. Nigel Haig was number 198, the Radio 4 Long Wave frequency. I claim my nerdiness medal! 🥇.”
Never mind Brexit, the most challenging task this English summer is to figure out a way to dislodge the immovable Steve Smith. Fortunately, Rob Smyth has put his considerable intellect to the task and arrived at five possible solutions.
Sidenote: does anyone else immediately think of Radio Five when they see 693 (Archer’s cap number) written down?
Here’s Vic Marks’s scene-setter. It was filed to be enjoyed yesterday but continues to flourish despite the weather.
The advent of any Test debutant is a source of excitement. But some are more exciting than others. On Wednesday, if the weather permits, Jofra Archer becomes the 693rd man to play for England.
Despite the lack of play yesterday there was still enough going on for Andy Bull to file this report from the home of cricket.
Some summer’s day was this. After six hours of rain play was abandoned for the day at 4.15pm. There was not so much as a coin toss, let alone a ball bowled.
Weather: North London is forecast to be dry and partly cloudy with temperatures around the 20C mark. It’s probably also worth noting the stiff westerly breeze that will develop during the morning.
☀️ It’s a sunny morning at Lord’s for #RuthStraussFoundationDay @HomeOfCricket is ready to turn red for day two of the second Specsavers Ashes Test.
— Ruth Strauss Foundation (@RuthStraussFdn) August 15, 2019
Send in your photos wearing red today with #RedForRuth pic.twitter.com/PBAyJt2OMl
Preamble
Take two: hello everybody and welcome to the opening day of the second Test from Lord’s. Ok, so we all know it’s really day two of the marquee Test of the summer but yesterday was rained out so we need to gee ourselves up again and recapture those first session butterflies.
The good news is the weather is set fair for the remainder of the day. We should have no rain-related interruptions during the scheduled 90 overs of play, and we should also get to enjoy an extra eight overs for lost time.
We still haven’t witnessed a toss so the playing elevens are yet to be confirmed. However, we can be confident Jofra Archer will make his eagerly anticipated debut after he was presented with a cap by Chris Jordan yesterday, and Josh Hazlewood seems certain to replace James Pattinson in Australia’s attack.
I’ll be with you for the opening hour or so but once play begins the hardest working man in cricket-business, Mr Adam Collins, will take over. If you want to join in this pre-play fun you can drop me an email or a tweet.
