Otherwise, that’s us – join us on Friday for the final match – then again on Sunday and every other day, for there’s a World Cup afoot! Peace.
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And here’s Simon Burnton’s report.
That was a really enjoyable little go-around. The batting pretty much every team has means we’ll hopefully get much more of this kind of thing when we get properly under way – it’s so hard to put a match out of reach – and the run-up the teams are giving themselves means they should all be in decent nick too.
Buttler is chuffed his team won after losing the toss and he praises Malan and Curran in particular. Malan, player of the match for his 82, gives us the usual platitudes about his pleasure in the team winning and his individual performance, having already done his talking out in the middle.
“Sloppy,” says Finch when describing his team’s fielding – he thinks that decided the game. He does, though, praise Tim David who he thinks is growing into international cricket while acknowledging that the guys up front gave the lower-order too much to do. On the bowlers, he reckons he’s lucky to have so many world-class options, and more or less says the attack today is his first choice.
“He’s an amazing guy,” Jonny retorts. “He’s so calm …. and a real sounding-board for everyone in the team,” noting that he’s always in the circle and his presence, along with his experience doing so many different job, means Buttler can focus on keeping.
Moeen, who batted really nicely today, tells BT that he and Malan agreed to “stay in the moment” and play with a bit of patience. He praises Malan as the only batter who timed it nicely from ball one, and is gratified that England pulled off the win despite facing Australia’s first-choice attack. Pakistan was big for the side, he says, and notes that they’ve still got Livingstone to come back in before shouting out Bairstow who he knows is in the studio. That’s a nice thing to do – imagine how Jonny feels hearing that, and what a sound bloke he must be for one of mates to remember him in the immediate aftermath of a big win.
“Is Stokes really that good?” wonders Nick Butler. “Agree about Curran but Stokes? Not sure – he’s just got one wicket - not sure that equals amazingness does it? His stop on the boundary should probably have been a catch shouldn’t it, if he was actually standing back on the rope as he should have been.”
Ha, that is very harsh – you love to see it. I think he was in the right place because he was walking in, and my opinion of his amazingness isn’t predicated on individual events. It’s true that today, he got just one wicket, but it was that of Mitch Marsh, Australia’s top scorer, and it coming when it did settled the match. I’m not even saying he’s an automatic pick, but I am saying that these things don’t keep happening by chance – in mine, obviously.
Two superb performances from England tonight, Dawid Malan with the bat and Sam Curran with the ball and in the field. They look really strong, but Australia are also decent which is to say I’ve not a clue who’s going to win the World Cup because the standard and format are such that it’s unknowable.
For your reading pleasure.
England beat Australia by eight runs and clinch the series 2-0 with one match still to play!
19.6 over: Australia 170-6 (Wade 10, Cummins 18) Target 179 Wade turns two off his legs, and that is that!
19.5 over: Australia 167-6 (Wade 8, Cummins 18) Target 179 Cummins forces down the ground for one, and England are going to win match and series!
19.4 over: Australia 167-6 (Wade 8, Cummins 17) Target 179 Wade tries to but with the splice and they run one. Australia need consecutive sixes to win…
19.3 over: Australia 166-6 (Wade 7, Cummins 17) Target 179 Cummins smashes down the ground, there’s a mix-up, and they can only manage one. Australia need 13 off three.
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19.2 over: Australia 165-6 (Wade 7, Cummins 16) Target 179 Cummins pulls for two. Australia need 14 from four…
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19.1 over: Australia 163-6 (Wade 7, Cummins 14) Target 179 England are down on time so have an extra man outside the circle …and Cummins monsters a full toss over deep backward square for six!
19th over: Australia 157-6 (Wade 7, Cummins 8) Target 179 Topley mixes it up well, his first four balls ceding two ones and two twos as he takes pace off. Three runs come from the final two balls, and Australia are going to need something insane from the last over – to be bowled by Curran I expect. Australia need 22 off six.
“I feel the need to point out,” emails Geoff Wignall, “that the greatest ever screen-drunk performance was that of Pete Postlethwaite alone in a broom cupboard in The Sins. Fact, not opinion.”
I’ve not seen this but now I must, and I wish we’d happened upon this riff with more of the match to go.
18th over: Australia 148-6 (Wade 4, Cummins 2) Target 179 I said timing and I meant it, but I think what I really meant was intelligence; he predicted what David would do, and was calm enough to execute. That, you’d think, settles the match – all the more so when the remaining four balls cede just two singles and a leg bye. Curran has 3-12 off three and Australia need 31 off 12.
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WICKET! David b Curran 40 (Australia 145-6)
Sam Curran is a joke! David moves across to off but Curran was ready for him, an inswinging yorker bowling him around his legs! Timing!
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18th over: Australia 145-5 (David 40, Wade 4) Target 179 Here comes Curran again….
17th over: Australia 145-5 (David 40, Wade 4) Target 179 Jordan returns, not just to try and finish this but to make a case for his inclusion when we get going with the serious stuff. He starts well too, his first three deliveries taken for a one and a two; Australia badly need a boundary … and they get one when David whacks to deep square, Willey diving to stop but, after various replays, is shown to have caught the rope and the ball catches his thigh. AND HAVE A LOOK NOW! David has some serious levers, and he steps down the tracks to annihilate a flat six over cover and into the hands of a diving spectator! This match is not over, and Jordan has to respond … which he does, an off-side bouncer keeping David to one, muscled to cover. Australia need 38 off 18.
“Our Friends in the North,” says Dave Brown. “I forgot how good it is after catching it again. And surely Daniel Craig plays the best drunk ever. Steve McFadden comes a close second.”
Ha! I didn’t love Craig’s performance, but I loved the ambition of it all – BBC spent half their budget for the year getting it made.
16th over: Australia 131-5 (David 27, Wade 1) Target 179 Topley returns but I can’t stop thinking about Stokes and Curran: what is is about those two that makes them so good? Stokes is an easier one to grasp – he’s just good at everything – but even so, that doesn’t explain why he’s so effective when his team really need to be. Curran, meanwhile, isn’t as good, yet somehow every team, even one you’re not sure he’s good enough to be in, is better with him in it. Their mentality – the desperation for the ball to come to them, then their furious composure when it does, is a rare and precious thing. Anyway, back in the middle, after two single sand a wide, David cleanses a full one for four through extra, and though three follow, at this point that doesn’t feel like enough. Australia need 48 0ff 24.
15th over: Australia 120-5 (David 19, Wade 1) Target 179 Wade gets away with one, then David hauls a poor delivery around the corner for a badly-needed four. Stokes, though, responds as well as you’d expect, his final two balls ceding just a single. Australia need 59 off 30.
WICKET! Marsh c Curran b Stokes 45 (Australia 114-5)
You just cannot argue with golden arms! Buttler brings back Stokes and Marsh gets after his loosener, carting to deep square … when Curran waits, diving forward to snaffle! These two are rrrridiculous – their timing and temperament is just a joke – and England are heavy favourites now, the difference their superior fielding! I know!
14th over: Australia 114-4 (Marsh 45, David 14) Target 179 This is getting really tight, the rate of 11 one England would definitely fancy themselves to hit. Ceej returns, and Marsh forces his first delivery to point for two; the throw comes in and there’s an appeal for a run out, but it’s nowhere near. A single follows, then a no ball … which we see is in fact a ball; David winds up so severely when facing the free hit you half expect to see his shoulder disappear over long off, but doesn’t get all of it and Jordan fields off his own bowling, testing his fingers’ recovery by punishing them with pain. Marsh, though, inflicts a pan far worse, creaming a poor delivery down the ground for a four that even a Stokes dive can’t cut off. Australia need 65 off 36.
13th over: Australia 104-4 (Marsh 37, David 13) Target 179 David has no tie to waste, so has a look at one delivery, then eases back to cream Rashid to the cover fence before punishing him down the ground for for more! Two twos follows, though the second is a near thing, the ball dropping just short of Willey at deep midwicket. Rashid is finished, his four overs yielding 0-38 and his last walloped for 12.
“For people who don’t know about the CJ reference,” emails John Starbuck, “David Nobbs’sThe Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is currently being shown on Freeview’s That’s UK TV. Nostalgia, eh?”
Also, Our Friends in the North is on BBC4 currently; it’s still really moving and bang-on in its social nalysis.
12th over: Australia 92-4 (Marsh 37, David 1) Target 179 I wonder if that wicket will be the difference in this match. Sam Curran can sometimes be hard to insert into a team, yet remains essential to a team/
WICKET! Stoinis c Brook b Curran 22 (Australia 91-4)
Sam Curran does it again! Stoinis gives a short one the treatment it deserves, except whacks straight at Brook, coming in off the deep square fence, and he makes a tester look simple, diving forward. Might England’s superior catching settle this match? What words those are to type!
12th over: Australia 91-3 (Marsh 37, Stoinis 22) Target 179 Oh my days, you cannot keep Benjamin Andrew Stokes out of the game! Fielding at long off, he’s under a hump from Marsh off Curran that looks a certain six … but he dives backwards, grabs, and as he falls over the fence, releases past his leg to limit the batters to two. That is sheer ridiculousness, from a ridiculous cricketer and ridiculous man.
11th over: Australia 88-3 (Marsh 34, Stoinis 22) Target 179 I’d wondered if England might bring back Stokes’ golden arm to try and break this partnership before it gets properly going – though it’s already 26 off 2.1 – but Rashid continues. That’s fair enough, given how brilliant he’s been in the middle overs, and over how many years. But after his first two deliveries yield two singles, Marsh gets down on one knee and absolutely astonishes a slog-seep over deep square for six! Three singles follow, meaning 11 off the over, and this is on a rolling boil now!
10th over: Australia 77-3 (Marsh 25, Stoinis 20) Target 179 CJ into the attack, a name of unparalleled resonance to 90s’ kids. And after his first two deliveries yield a one and a two, Stoinis nails a cut for four through backward point and things are warming up here; is this the partnership that Australia need? Well, Jordan sends down two wides, both waaay down leg, and receives due punishment when Stoinis again cuts four through backward point – with a little less violence, but nevertheless. Fifteen off the over, and Ceej needs to grow into this, quickly. At the halfway stage, the required rate is 10.20 or, put another way, Australia need 102 off 60.
“Loving the OBO,” begins Richard Stant. “I work just up the road in Kingston and it’s Mah-ner-ka. Manooookah is the honey. Incidentally, about 11x more Manooookah honey is sold each year than is made. Fishy.”
Manuka honey is the only substance on the face of the earth more expensive than guacamole in a burrito takeaway.
9th over: Australia 62-3 (Marsh 23, Stoinis 9) Target 179 Australia have no choice but to get after things now, and have a look! Marsh takes Rashid for one, then Stoinis slog-sweeps a leg-break hard and flat over midwicket for six! He absolutely clattered that, then shows his range by reverse-tickling three around the corner; Topley does really well to hurtle after it and save one with a boundary-dive. On which point, I wonder if captains would prefer their quicks to do that, or lozz the run and make sure not to get injured being heroic. The required rate is now 10.63.
8th over: Australia 51-3 (Marsh 21, Stoinis 0) Target 179 England were 54-4 so there’s plenty of mileage left in this match – in theory. For Australia to win, someone is going to have to do something very special.
WICKET!! Maxwell c Hales b Curran 8 (Australia 51-3)
Curran makes things happen! A bouncer has bit more nip than Maxwell’s expecting, so he gets under it and top-edges to deep square! Is timing a gift or a skill? Either way, Sam Curran has it!
8th over: Australia 51-2 (Marsh 21, Maxwell 8) Target 179 Curran replaces Willey and surely Australia will go at him? Yup, after Maxwell takes one to midwicket, a full toss – that’s a poor delivery is that, that is – is smoked through cover four four. A single follows…
7th over: Australia 45-2 (Marsh 16, Maxwell 7) Target 179 Two singles from Rashid’s first four balls – he’s settled quickly – and if Australia can’t get at him and Moeen, they’ll lose this match, I think, the rate already up at 10.25. Two more singles follow, and though England were only two runs better off at this stage, the pressure of chasing with the series on the line makes things harder.
6th over: Australia 41-2 (Marsh 14, Maxwell 5) Target 179 Is it Mar-neh-kar or Ma-noo-ker? I’d always assumed the latter but in comms they’re going with the former. Anyroad up, Maxwell turns two away into the on side, then a leg bye and a single follow before Willey hits Maxwell on the pad and appeals before deciding the ball pitched outside leg. So Maxi tries to take advantage, going over mid off with a booming drive, but he was through the shot early and, in the end, will be relieved to run two rather than plop a catch to mid on. A dot follows and that’s the end of the powerplay; I daresay we’ll see Rashid next.
5th over: Australia 35-2 (Marsh 13, Maxwell 1) Target 179 This is now a big chance for Maxwell, who begins with a Red-Bull single tapped to cover; he makes it, just. Marsh then relaxes into things, easing two to mid off, then stroking six over midwicket! That was effortless, likewise the drive that follows, the full face kissing four through cover; it’s taken a while, but Australia are away now, losing a wicket to the first ball of the over then crafting 13 runs from the five remaining.
WICKET! Warner c Brook b Topley 4 (Australia 22-2)
Trying to force something to happen, Warner goes back and tries to haul from outside off over midwicket, only to impart a leading edge that soars high before dropping into the grateful embrace of cover. Australia have a problem.
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4th over: Australia 22-1 (Warner 4, Marsh 1) Target 179 Two singles end an over which yields 10, and Australia are already in trouble.
WICKET! Finch c Stokes b Willey 13 (Australia 20-1)
Finch will be furious with that, moving leg and looking to drive over the top. But he gets his feet stuck so has to play with no base, and ends up tapping a catch to mid off, whacking pad with bat as he departs.
4th over: Australia 20-0 (Warner 3, Finch 13) Target 179 Finch gloves a planned pull and runs two, then two wides follow; can he punish Willey’s carelessness? He can, leaping to get above the bounce and cut four through backward point!
3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Warner 3, Finch 7) Target 179 Topley replaces Stokes and Finch comes down to his loosener. inciting a leg-side wide. But Topley responds well, cramping Warner then beating him outside off and provoking an edge that drops just short of short third! Warner was seeking to turn into the on side but the extra pace got him in a tangle and he’s relieved to still be in the match. England have started well.
2nd over: Australia 10-0 (Warner 3, Finch 6) Target 179 If there’s one thing I’ve learnt in nearly 40 years of watching cricket, it’s that medium pace gets whacked in Oz. But I bet these batters would prefer it if Willey was just a little bit sharper, so they could ease him away more easily. And shonuff his first four deliveries yield but a single, Warner edging a mow to fine leg … before Finch toes four over cover! That’s more like it, and a single makes it six from the over.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Warner 2, Finch 1) Target 179 Warner takes Stokes’ loosener for one which brings Finch onto strike; he’s not opened for some time, but will be gratified to know I prefer him at the top of the order. Anyhow, he edges one to third man so Stokes goes around to Warner seeking away-swing; he forces a single to point. A wide follows, then a dot, and England will be happy with that start.
Off we go again, Ben Stokes to open…
I’m going to have a quick break, and I can’t wait to see how Australia go at this target; stick with me for I’ll be back in a few for more fun and games.
England will have wanted more than that, but from 54-4, 178-7 is a serious recovery. Dawid Malan batted beautifully and he’ll be hard to shift from the line-up now, while Moeen was also excellent, the common factor of their two innings the way timing generated power.
As for Australia, Zampa was the pick of the bowlers with 2-26 off three, though Stoinis, who finished with 3-34 off four, contributed two key wickets early on.
Australia need 179 to beat England and save the series!
20th over: England 178-7 (Jordan 8, Willey 0) A leg bye allows Jordan to face the final delivery, and he flips a half-volley off his toes for six over square leg! This has the makings of a very fun chase.
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WICKET! Malan c sub (Smith) 82 (England 171-7)
This one gets big on Malan, who tries to force over midwicket only for Smith to watch it all the way and take the catch a few yards in front of the fence. It was a brilliant innings, though.
20th over: England 171-6 (Malan 82, Jordan 1) It’s Stoinis not Zampa to bowl the final over and Jordan immediately gets down the other end end via leg bye; a wide follows, then Malan thwacks overpitched muck to the fence where Starc should cut-off. But he gets his feet all wrong and has to let the ball go for four when they end up stuck on the rope.
19th over: England 165-6 (Malan 78, Jordan 1) This is a fine over, as fine an over as we’ve come to expect from this absolute expert … and of course, as I type that, Starc drops short and Malan dematerialises him over midwicket and into the upper tier for six! This is a serious knock and a serious statement.
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WICKET! Curran b Starc 8 (England 158-6)
Regular wickets! Curran again shuffles to off, Starc again discharges an inswinging yorker, and when the batter misses the bowler hits!
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19th over: England 158-5 (Malan 72, Curran 8) David Warner has passed his concussion test, so will open the batting as arranged; Mitchell Starc will bowl the penultimate over. His first ball, an inswinging yorker, has Malan evacuating tootsies, then a drive over the top drops just fine of long on and they run two. A single follows…
18th over: England 155-5 (Malan 69, Curran 8) The most noticeable thing about this England innings has been how well Malan and Moeen have timed the ball. I guess I’m used to watching T20 in England and India, where ball-manipulation is more important; in Australia, you can trust the bounce, so those batters confident driving on the up are in big business. Anyhow, Hazlewood returns and cedes just two from his first five balls … then S-Cuzz shuffles across to off and plays a lovely pick-up that has just enough on it to elude Starc’s dive on the square leg fence! Six more!
17th over: England 147-5 (Malan 68, Curran 1) That was a really good knock from Moeen, his 44 coming off 27, but Curran can hit too and he takes his first ball for one to long on.
Ali c David b Zampa 48 (England 146-5)
The wrongun does it! Looking to stop Moeen going over the leg side, Zampa incites the slice and David judges this one nicely at cover.
17th over: England 146 -4 (Malan 68, Ali 44) Zampa has two overs left and returns now to bowl one of them; after two dots, Moeen, loses patience, thrashing straight back at the bowler, who can’t hang on. That was a really difficult chance, and perhaps sets up what happens next, Moeen hammering down the ground and Zampa jumping to save his ankles from obliteration.
16th over: England 140 -4 (Malan 68, Ali 38) Australia have dropped three catches now, none of them especially taxing – not the kind of thing we traditionally expect from Australia, and not in the least bit side-splittingly hilarious for those whose childhoods were blighted by their terrifying competence. Cummins returns and after a dot, a two and a wide, Malan crashes four more through cover then, after a further single, Moeen top-edges and watches the ball drop safe. Thing is, though England have rebounded well, Australia would’ve taken this at this stage.
“I bet Malan would rather have had a renewed full contract rather than a special cap for his 50th,” says rob Lewis. “Is there an element of ‘I’ll show em’ in this innings?”
I like to think there’s that in every innings every batter ever plays, but yes, that won’t have pleased him I’m sure; I wonder if his status as an Australia specialist has counted against him.
15th over: England 131-4 (Malan 61, Ali 37) Malan pumps to long off, David is underneath it … and he’s come in too far! Desperately, he throws hands behind head … and tips over the fence for six! That should’ve been out!
REVIEW! NOT OUT!
Moeen backed away, smashed an edge, and that’s as poor an appeal as you’ll see.
15th over: England 130-4 (Malan 54, Ali 37) Starc returns and Malan pokes a yorker for one, then Moeen flays one over point and Warner is there! But, in the spirit of Paula Abdul, he takes three steps forward then, realising the shot is better than he thought, two steps back … and dives misses the ball over his shoulder, which flies for six! Warner lands awkwardly too – it never rains – hurting neck, back and ankle. He goes off immediately, though I think he’ll be OK, then Starc raps Moeen on the pad as they run one, and reviews…
14th over: England 116-4 (Malan 53, Ali 30) Hazlewood returns and Moeen bumps to mid on to raise the fifty partnership, then Malan adds a two and a one to raise his own fifty, in his fiftieth international. He’s batted – and I can’t stress this enough – absolutely beautifully here, and we see tape of him receiving his special cap from … ME Hussey! What a state of affairs that is! A single, a three and a wide follow, then Moeen edges to finest leg for four, and that’s 13 off what felt like an inexpensive over. The sprint is on!
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13th over: England 103-4 (Malan 47, Ali 24) Moeen Ali is insensible! He moves away from Stoinis’ first ball, then yanks the resultant drag-down away for four, before annihilating the next over deep backward square for six! That’s a brilliant shot, the easy swing and melodic knuck telling us the connection is perfect, and from nowhere the partnership is 45 from 26 … with four balls of the over remaining. A pair of singles and a wide follow, then another single – as it goes, that’s a decent comeback from Stoinis – but still 14 off the over and 43 off the last four. Seeing that six again too, it really was sweet as a nut; Maxwell will be rueing that drop.
12th over: England 89-4 (Malan 46, Ali 12) Cummins returns to exude gravitas and after Moeen takes a single he deceives Malan with a slower one; the resultant splice doesn’t carry. They run one, then following a dot, Ian Copestake’s Moeen leathers a similar delivery straight back past the bowler for his first boundary of the innings. He’s now 11 off 10; might that spark him? He has to make do with a single from the final ball of the over, and won’t want to consume too many more balls with circumspection.
11th over: England 82-4 (Malan 45, Ali 6) Back to Stokes, I do wonder if he’s binned the wrong limited-overs format. I guess it’s not just an aptitude issue – T20 is a lot less stressful, both mentally and physically – but the 50-over gig gives him a lot more scope whereas in t20, England have loads of options. That said, we do need to give him time to settle, and it’s pointless getting excited over a couple of failures when we know he’s a big-moments type. Anyhow, Malan is batting in outrageous fashion here and with exhibition timing; Zampa returns and his first ball is power-caressed over extra for four, then after two dots he hoists six over midwicket! His 45 has come off 27, and England need him farming as much of the strike as he can; 12 off the over.
“I hope we see sensible Moeen for all of one over,” emails Ian Copestake.
10th over: England 70-4 (Malan 34, Ali 5) Starc returns, perhaps to attack Moeen, and singles and wides follow before Malan absolutely clatters a short brute to square leg for four!
“I don’t want to be responsible for the stereotypical overreaction of the Englishman,” emails Matthew Hobbs, “but picking Ben Stokes for this World Cup feels, to borrow from another sport, a little Wayne Rooney in 2006. I appreciate Stokes isn’t injured but is there any need to pick him? Yes, he has ‘class”’ as Jonny Bairstow has pointed out in commentary, but a lot of that pertains to Test cricket. He averages 19.60 in T20is, and has never hit a half century in this format, while these are his first T20s for England in 19 months. It just feels like such an unnecessary risk when the likes of Salt and Duckett are in excellent form. Surely this series is for fine tuning, not stone-cold recovery?”
Funny you say that, I was just pondering my own overreaction. I too baulked at what Jonny said, and wonder if his status will cloud the selectors’ judgment. I’d expect Livingstone to come back in though, and Stokes’ spot is the most obvious one for him to take … but at the same time, when England need a wicket, to whom are you tossing the sphere?
9th over: England 59-4 (Malan 27, Ali 2) Questions for England now: do they consolidate to make sure they post something, or do they plough on? Does Malan anchor, or blaze? Meantime, Moeen takes a single, then after a two and a one to Malan, he cuts hard to point … where Maxwell drops him! It came quick, but he’s there for those, and what an oversight that is!
WICKET! Brook c Wade b Maxwell 1 (England 54-4)
Huge wicket for Australia! The deadly Stoinis sends down another nondescript delivery for which Brook waits, feet stock-still; he looks to run down, but instead feathers an edge, and England are in trouble!
8th over: England 54-3 (Malan 19, Brook 1) Brook forces a drive to mid on to get away, and he’ll be relishing this chance to bat time; I can’t wait to see how he goes.
WICKET1 Stokes b Zampa 7 (England 53-3)
Well bowled Adam Zampa! He tries a flatter one that Stokes isn’t expecting, trying a humungous mow to leg side. But the ball doesn’t have the height he’s expecting and is also sent down quicker, so by the time he’s hammered o2 into the stands, he’s walking off with the rattle of his stumps in his ears.
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8th over: England 53-2 (Malan 24, Stokes 7) Spin from the other end too, Zampa into the attack and Stokes takes one to long on, then Malan times another, the ball rushing to the cover fence in response to the merest tickle; he’s England’s Australia specialist.
7th over: England 47-2 (Malan 19, Stokes 6) Maxwell comes on to fiddle – England have batting to come, but this is a key partnership, and tempting one of their lefties into a false shot would tilt what’s currently an even contest in Australia’s favour. Six singles follow, which will displease neither side.
6th over: England 41-2 (Malan 16, Stokes 3) I was about to wonder when we’d see Starc, but the answer is, as MC Conrad is wont to say, the sound of now. I already like him in this slot – mainly because I think Cummins first up makes sense, but also, he’s the last thing anyone needs turning up when they’re meant to be in stride. His first three balls go for one, to Stokes, but then after a wide, Malan pushes at a drive and somehow imparts topspin that sends it hurtling to the fence for four through cover. This is boiling up really nicely.
5th over: England 34-2 (Malan 11, Stokes 2) England, just as they were looking to accelerate, will now need to be a little bit careful; regular wickets have killed many an enormo-total. I’m not sure Ben Stokes will wait too long before throwing hands, but he gets away with two singles, sandwiching another to Malan.
WICKET! Hales c Warner b Stoinis 4 (England 31-2)
Stoinis strikes with his loosener! It’s a genuine half-volley is this, this, and Hales’ eyes light up like a metaphor I’m not going to deploy. But he picks out Warner at mid off, who eases right to take a decent tumbling grab.
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Stoinis into the attack…
4th over: England 31-1 (Hales 4, Malan 10) Malan has a look at two, then waits for the third and times it through cover to the fence. AND HAVE A LOOK! Another single, then he yanks the final ball of the over from outside off over square for six!
“@DanielHarris: @GregHerbert @danbrettig Most of the best catches originate from classic misjudgment #heartinmouth boundary catches
— Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) November 14, 2014
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WICKET! Buttler c Zampa b Cummins 17 (England 21-1)
This is a brilliant catch, invention the mother of necessity. Buttler gives himself room, shuffling leg side, chucks everything as he looks to go over the on side, but a top edge sends the ball steepling to short third man, where Zampa misjudges then, at the last second, dives full-length and forward to hold just off the ground!
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3rd over: England 21-0 (Buttler 17, Hales 4) In the studio, Jonny Bairstow comes in to note that, as we discussed, Australia’s openers will be looking to hit their Test lines and lengths. That’s a nasty proposition, though if batters know what’s coming, they might find it easier to free their arms – especially in Australia, where the bounce is true. And, as I type that, Buttler trusts it, picking a cross-seamer and turning over mid on for four. He doesn’t actually get all of it nor does he the next one, a sweep/leading-edge mash-up that bursts through the hand of the diving Marsh for four more! A single follows, then Hales stands and delivers, slicing inside-out over for the four that sees him away! Thirteen off the over, and England are away!
2nd over: England 8-0 (Buttler 8, Hales 0) Buttler forces a drive past mid on for three, the only runs from the over. Good start from Cummins.
NOT OUT!
Great review from Buttler – that was actually tighter than I thought, hitting punkt in front. But though it was a terrific delivery, the swing took it away.
WICKET! Buttler lbw b Cummins 5 (England 5-1)
Buttler looks to turn into the on side, misses, and wears it on the pad. I’m not sure that wasn’t going down, and England review…
2nd over: England 5-0 (Buttler 5, Hales 0) It’s Cummins not Starc to open from t’other end, which makes sense, I think: Starc, perhaps, has more to offer in the middle overs, and is more likely to offer width with the field up, while Cummins' is more likely to cramp batters at that point. He starts with two dots…
1st over: England 5-0 (Buttler 5, Hales 0) Oooh yeah! Hazlewood goes full to begin, and Buttler flows him on the up and for four through cover! That’s a terrific shot, hands absolutely speeding through the ball, and after a dot a shove into the off side earns a single which brings Hales ono strike. And he’s beaten first up, nip off the pitch defeating his outside edge, which is what you can get when you deploy a Test opener in this format.
Hazlewood has the ball, Buttler will face, and here we go!
Both teams are wearing black armbands to mark the 20-year anniversary of the Bali bombings. Long life to all affected.
Here come the teams…
I said below that neither side’s attack is quite as good as once; I think I might be revising that hot take already, never mind in a few weeks. Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins, in Australian conditions, could go, but could just as easily devastate, while for England, Wood and Topley is the same kind of thing. I think, though, that England’s success will depend significantly on how well their spinners do. If Adil Rashid is on the money, they’re in business, but if not, they might find the’ve to fiddle overs.
Buttler, meanwhile, would also have fielded, and confirms Wood is absent because he’s being “wrapped in cotton wool” to ensure he’s fit for the World Cup. I can’t say I’m not disappointed, as I was looking forward to enjoying him, but it’s an investment.
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We’re finally allowed to see the toss and Finch, back at the top, says his team did well to restrict England in the first match – a big total might’ve been a monster – and they then got into position to win, just couldn’t finish off.
Chris Jordan is back from injury, saying fielding is the discipline of which he’s most trepidatious – that’s how he hurt his finger so there’s a mental leap to be made. He’s expecting to bowl at the death, and England will be delighted to have him back.
Teams!
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (c), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.
England: 1 Jos Buttler (c/wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 David Willey, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Reece Topley.
Back to those Australia changes, out go Cameron Green, Daniel Sams, Nathan Ellis, Kane Richardson and Mitchell Swepson; in come Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood. So it’s a Test attack, which I’m excited to see – that pace is nasty, but also, that pace can fly without a bunch of catchers behind the wicket.
Mark Butcher reckons there are loads of runs out there, and Aaron Finch says the quality of the track is why his team are chasing.
Australia make five changes, details to follow, while England replace Mark Wood – gah! But yeah! – and Chris Woakes with Chris Jordan and David Willey.
Updated
It’s a bit overcast in Canberra. But it’s sunny in north Lahndan; you pays yer money etc.
Australia win the toss and will field
We’ve not actually been allowed to watch that as yet, but it remains true.
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More from Cricinfo, who report that David Willey is out with the paint, so probably playing.
Green, Smith and Woakes have a hit. Perhaps all sitting out tonight #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/doHsX8IBqq
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) October 12, 2022
Preamble
Elite-level sport is all very well – and a contest like this, at this kind of hour whether in Australia or in England feels like a ridiculous bonus – but what elevates things onto a different plain is the sacred state of needle. And, thanks to Matthew Wade’s intervention in Sunday’s series opener, we might be on our way to establishing a fresh aspect in a rivalry that is already one of sport’s most historically needleacious.
Let’s hope so, but even if not, the standard of competition we’re seeing at the moment augurs extremely well for the World Cup. England’s series in Pakistan was an absolute classic, Australia’s in India’s wasn’t far off either, and the first match between these two advised us that there’s plenty more in store.
Arguably. neither side’s attack is quite as tasty as has previously been the case. But the batters are every bit as outrageous as we’d like, and the nature of the tracks we’ll see over the next month will extract from them every last bit of dynamite. So gird yourselves well: this is going to be great.
Play: 7.10pm local, 9.10am BST
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