Ali Martin’s report from Old Trafford
That’s the end of our coverage of a bonkers day at Old Trafford. Please join Geoff in the morning (BST)/evening (AEST) for the start of day three. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight.
I’d like to make a public apology to my nephew Aidan, who texted me yesterday morning to ask whether he should pick Pat Cummins or Zak Crawley as captain in his fantasy team. You can imagine my response.
A last word from Zak Crawley
I was trying to hit the ball a bit too hard early on, but after lunch and especially after tea I was timing it much better. I was hitting it more smoothly and that worked much better.
I’d still rather err on the side of hitting the ball too hard. I’ve had a lot of nicks over the slips in the series but I don’t think that’s lucky – you earn that luck by going harder at the ball. I’d rather do that than be too negative.
I was trying to hit it a bit too hard early on, but after lunch and especially after tea I was timing the ball much better. I was hitting it more smoothly and that worked much better.
It’s left to individuals to decide their own approach [against a bouncer barrage]. You’re encouraged to play exactly how you want to play. Most guys will take it on, but if you want to duck it that’s fine. I’m better at pulling down, so I prefer to do that unless it’s howling and there’s a short boundary!
[On hitting the first ball of the series for four] It was in the back of my mind that I wanted to get off to a good start. I thought it would be pretty cool if I could get the first one away. Everyone talks about the roar but I didn’t hear it – I was in my bubble. I’ve watched it back a few times.
[On his dismissal today] The ball definitely went soft, which made it two-paced. It kept a bit low but I was aiming too straight. The crowd were amazing – I hadn’t scored a hundred in England apart frm during Covid. To have some great [Australian] players come and shake my hand, that was pretty cool. You have some tough times and bad from along the way. Days like today make it all worth it.
Mo batted so well; he took a lot of pressure off me and put it back on the bowlers. And Rooty played unbelievably well.
[On England’s approach tomorrow] The boss is up there so I don’t know, but if we can get another 130-140 that’d be really good. It looks like it’s getting a bit trickier out there with the uneven bounce. That might be the old ball but hopefully it’s the wicket.
"I enjoyed it a lot it was good fun" 😍
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2023
Zak Crawley joins Ian Ward and Dinesh Karthik to reflect on a brilliant day for himself and England 🔊 pic.twitter.com/VMNIlBlwgh
More from Zak Crawley
I think I’ve shown that at my best I’m good enough for this level. I think that’s what the coach and captain see in me; thankfully I could repay them today. Luckily I’m not on social media, I’m sure I cop it on there!
It was a conscious effort to take them down [change bowlers like Marsh and Head]. They have great bowlers who want to have a rest, so it’s important to put [the change bowlers] under pressure. We want bowlers like Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc to rest for as short a time as possible.
When I tried to be consistent, I was trying to bat time and build an innings like Joe Root. I’m much better when I put the bowler under pressure, before they can get me. Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t.
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Zak Crawley speaks
Yeah I enjoyed that a lot, it was good fun. I rode my luck at times – quite a lot of the time – but I hit some good shots along the way and I was very pleased.
I do doubt myself sometimes but I tell myself that that’s the way I play – I can be streaky, I ride my luck at times, and other times I go through good patches when I score really quickly. I have to keep backing myself. That’s what [Ben and Baz] tell me to do – try to make an impact at the top of the order. Thankfully today it came off.
If I tried to be more consistent, maybe I wouldn’t have had a day like today. I’m cool with that. I’ve tried to be consistent and it hasn’t worked for me. I’d much rather this where you get a few low scores and one big one, or however it goes; that’s more my template.
Stumps: England lead by 67 runs
It will take a while – days, maybe years – before we fully appreciate the events of 20 July 2023. I’ll shut up now, because the main man is about to be interviewed: Zak Crawley, who stroked a glorious 189 off 182 balls.
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72nd over: England 384-4 (Brook 14, Stokes 24) The occasional legspinner Marnus Labuschagne will bowl the last over. He took a vital wicket when Australia retained the Ashes on this ground four years ago, albeit in entirely different circumstances.
Stokes helps himself to three more runs, which takes us past 400 on a remarkable day. And Zak Crawley scored almost half of them. That’s stumps.
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71st over: England 381-4 (Brook 14, Stokes 21) Brook and Stokes continue to get ‘em in singles. There’s almost an element of cruelty to this partnership, like Michael Madsen strutting around to Stealer’s Wheel in Reservoir Dogs. Like the cop in that scene, Australia know what’s coming; they’re just not sure when and how it will happen.
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70th over: England 377-4 (Brook 12, Stokes 19) A couple of deliveries from Cummins get up more than expected, one each to Brook and Stokes. It’s not exactly the Waca 1997 but they are still worrying signs for Australia.
As this extraordinary day’s play winds down, why not read Simon Burnton’s Ashes diary?
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69th over: England 374-4 (Brook 9, Stokes 19) Stuart Broad has his pads on, ready to became the first nighthawk in Ashes history.
This is an odd passage of play, almost a warmdown for both teams. Harry Brook, the man who reached 1,000 Test runs faster than anyone in the game’s history, has 9 from 34 balls.
68th over: England 372-4 (Brook 8, Stokes 18) Play will finish at 6.30pm BST/3.30am AEST, so there are just over 15 minutes to go. Just a single from Cummins’ over, which makes it 15 from the last six. It’s a quiet end to a tinittic day. Is that a word? It is now!
“For anyone who grew up watching Border, Taylor, Waugh and Ponting’s teams stamping on our faces (not quite forever, though it sometimes felt like it), this is a moment of giddy delight,” writes Rob Knap. “I started going to watch Test cricket in 1989, the year Steve Waugh started specialising in unbeaten hundreds, and since then have endured some grim spectacles (from an England perspective), even if there has been the odd great spell or session. Today I’ve just sat for six hours beaming and shouting at the TV screen.”
That was my first Ashes series too. As most readers will know, England picked 29 players in six Tests and lost the series 4-0. But for rain it would have been 6-0. Do you ever wonder, as I have one or two times, why the hell we came back for more?
67th over: England 371-4 (Brook 8, Stokes 17) Starc leaves the field again after realising his shoulder isn’t right. Never mind this Test, Australia will need him at the Oval next week if they lose this game.
Stokes pulls the new bowler Marsh for four, a wristy and well-placed stroke. He has 17 from 21 balls, Brook 8 from 27. I'm not entirely sure what Brook’s up to here, but given his Test record we should trust him.
“Hi Rob, this is live and exclusive from Paddy Murphy’s in Rotterdam,” writes Rob Steen, whose writing for Wisden Cricket Monthly in the early 1990s was one of the reasons I wanted to do this thing of ours. “Just caught your mention of Not Clinton’s Match - I woz there, Patterson’s match neither. Ian Greig’s 291 vies with Neil Fairbrother’s 366 as the most improbable Big Daddy hundreds I’ve ever seen.
“Just so’s you know, this is now officially the greatest Test series I’ve ever seen, so ta muchliest for helping me follow it when this pub is shut, ie for the first two sessions every weekday.”
Well that’s lovely, thanks. I’ve still got 2005 in front. But hopefully we can have that discussion during a decider at the Oval.
66th over: England 364-4 (Brook 8, Stokes 10) Pat Cummins, who has barely believable figures of 13-0-87-0, replaces Josh Hazlewood. Brook edges just short of Carey, and there’s good news for Australia when Mitchell Starc returns to the field at the end of the over. He’s still feeling his shoulder, mind.
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65th over: England 361-4 (Brook 7, Stokes 8) Uh-oh. Mitchell Starc has injured his left shoulder while making a diving stop at mid-on. This doesn’t look too good. He was already struggling with his hamstring and now he’s leaving the field. He’s able to walk off without assistance, but he looks pretty disconsolate.
Green, meanwhile, rams in a lovely yorker that Brook does well to keep out. Australia have bowled really well in the last half hour.
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64th over: England 361-4 (Brook 8, Stokes 8) Batting suddenly looks a bit tricky. Stokes, hit by a short one from Hazlewood, then takes an ill-conceived single to mid-off. Cummins’ throw whistles past the stumps with Stokes not even in the frame.
Since the wicket of Crawley, England have scored 25 in seven overs for the loss of Joe Root. Is this… Test cricket?
“G’day from Sydney,” writes Neil Bailey. “Absolutely loving this! 2.45am now so why bother going to bed! Why wouldn’t we put as many runs on the board as possible today and tomorrow instead of declaring? Don’t get that at all. A lead of 250 would be great. Bat once and have a couple of days to get at them. Why are some people saying declare after the morning session tomorrow? Let’s keep our foot on their throat.”
It’s mainly because of the weather forecast. If they aren’t bowled out I suspect England will bat until around lunch tomorrow, aiming for a lead for 200 or so.
63rd over: England 359-4 (Brook 7, Stokes 7) A delivery from Green kicks more than expected at Stokes, who drops it on the leg side. In a situation like this, uneven bounce is England’s friend.
“Hi,” writes Michael Comac. “I am a Lancashire lad, and his is my 25th year living in the land that knows nothing about cricket and where it is impossible to watch the Ashes (Norway). In all these years I have never wanted to be back in Manchester so much as now.”
62nd over: England 357-4 (Brook 6, Stokes 6) Ben Stokes gets off the mark with a thick edge for two. He walks down the track once again to Hazlewood, who rams in a beautiful short ball that hits the bat handle and lands safely.
An eventful over ends with a sizzling square drive for four. England lead by 40. Maybe an Australian win isn’t off the table just yet. I haven’t a clue anymore.
“I think Ben Stokes at Headingly in 2019 might have a better call for silliest split in an innings?” says Andy Bradshaw. “Or KPs against India at Lord’s in 2011 where his first 150 took 300 balls, the next 50 took 25. (My favourite KP knock because of the conditions he came in to on the first day.)”
Those are good shouts. I suppose I was talking about more about quality and authority than speed of scoring. Even when Stokes was 3 off 70-odd balls at Heaidngley, he looked in control. You’re right about that Pietersen innings; it’s a forgotten classic.
WICKET! England 351-4 (Root b Hazlewood 84)
A wicket to celebrate – for England and Australia. Root is bowled by an unplayable grubber from Hazlewood, the fourth or fifth such delivery we’ve seen today, to end a charming knock of 84 from 95 balls. “Almost a Nasser Hussain special,” says Mark Butcher on commentary.
If the bounce is this uneven on day two, England, and particularly the tall Stuart Broad, will fancy their chances later in the game.
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61st over: England 351-3 (Root 84, Brook 6) No fireworks yet from Harry Brook, who is taking the opportunity to get his eye in. A work off the hip takes him to 6 from 11 balls, then Root clips sweetly through midwicket for three. One of England’s greatest-ever cricketers has made 84 from 94 balls, and he’s been playing second fiddle. I have no idea what we’re watching.
“Hey Rob,” says Geoff Wignall. “I’m looking forward to the bit where Mark Wood gets into the driving seat and presses the accelerator.”
60th over: England 347-3 (Root 81, Brook 5) Root is beaten by a ball from Hazlewood that keeps very low. England will enjoy that more than Australia.
Root, who has played Richie Richardson to Crawley’s Brian Lara, works a couple to move into the eighties. England lead by 30. A few of you have asked whether England will declare tonight; I’ll be astonished if they do. Their best chance of winning this game is to practice what Australia have preached for so long: mental disintegration.
“While all this mayhem is going on,” begins J Dallimore, “could a thought be spared for Ben Duckett.”
If you think that’s bad, look at poor old Grahame Clinton in this game.
59th over: England 343-3 (Root 79, Brook 4) Green continues to bowl short and shorter from round the wicket. It led to Crawley’s wicket, when he bottom-edged a pull stroke, but Root and Brook help themselves to five singles in that over.
“Congratulations to Zak Crawley,” says Marcus Abdullahi, “on making the second-best 189 to be scored at Old Trafford.”
Collaborations are all the rage these days. Imagine Viv x Bazball!
58th over: England 338-3 (Root 77, Brook 1) Hazlewood, on for Starc, has an LBW appeal against Root turned down. Root was well outside the line, and Cummins again does well not to waste a review. I mean that: if I was in his position I’d be reviewing wides on the off chance the batter nicked it.
“Mid-air to Vietnam and forked out $20 for wifi to follow the Ashes with you,” writes Tom Walter. “Fabulous stuff. Do I get an honorary mention?”
You do now! On that note, I think the only time I’ve paid top dollar for mid-air wifi was to follow this grudge match between Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor. I wish I was joking.
57th over: England 336-3 (Root 76, Brook 0) The Australians all made a point of congratulating Crawley. Smith and Warner were among those who ran a long way to pat him on the back; Green said “well played” as soon as the ball hit the stumps.
That was a very classy response. It’s extremely hard to earn the respect of an Australian cricketer, especially if you play for England; but if you do, they’ll make sure you know about it. In that department, as in many others, Shane Warne was the king.
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WICKET! England 336-3 (Crawley b Green 189)
The end of an astonishing innings. Crawley drags the new bowler Cameron Green back onto his stumps and walks off to a standing ovation. It was and will forever be the definitive Zak attack: 189 from 182 balls with 21 fours and three sixes. The way he made the last 80-odd runs verged on awesome.
Old Trafford rises to applaud Zak Crawley 👏
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2023
189 off 182 balls, what an innings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bO8gSXCzp9
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56th over: England 329-2 (Crawley 188, Root 70) Nathan Lyon is having a fantastic match; Todd Murphy’s having a pretty good one too.
Starc tries going round the wicket to Root, who survives an optimistic LBW appeal. It was missing leg on the angle, and Pat Cummins rightly decides not to review. That’s easier said than done when you are as desperate for a wicket as Australia.
“Saw you said that you could be moved to singing the National Anthem Rob,” writes my colleague Jim Wallace. “Reckon you could improve on this?”
You watch Arctic Monkeys 2023 Glastonbury headline set once... pic.twitter.com/2zuB9yXlYu
— The Glasto Thingy (@TheGlastoThingy) July 9, 2023
I’m sorry I assumed that was a rhetorical question.
55th over: England 323-2 (Crawley 185, Root 69) Four more to Crawley, pumped through extra cover off Marsh.
Six more to Crawley, driven magnificently over wide long-on. Just another six, blah blah blah. That shot also puts England into the lead, already.
I’m struggling to recall an innings of two halves to compare with Crawley’s today. Forget Ilford 2nds and a world XI; this has been Ilford 3rds and an all-time world XI.
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54th over: England 310-2 (Crawley 174, Root 66) Khawaja tries unsuccessfully to get the ball changed. Australia have slowed the scoring rate since tea, yet England have still gone at almost six an over. That sentence is so ridiculous, so unfathomable, that by rights it should blow up the entire internet. But it’s true.
“A few people showing signs of Bazball gloat,” writes James Hopkin. “But we’re 2-1 down in the series...”
I bet you’re great company at orgies. (I jest – you’re absolutely right, and Australia know that if they bat competently in the second innings they should save the game. If. Should.)
53rd over: England 306-2 (Crawley 174, Root 65) It’s like the middle overs of a one-day game, with England collecting ones and twos almost at will. We have no idea how much time is left in this game, but England’s performance today must give them a serious chance of victory. Australia will need so much mental strength to clear their heads when they bat again.
52nd over: England 300-2 (Crawley 174, Root 60) Australia look a broken team, or at least a broken fielding team. Crawley slices Starc for two to bring up the 300, which prompts the latest standing ovation of the day. I hope somebody is keeping count. Crawley, I should have said, is now the leading runscorer in the series. I wonder how Twitter’s finest like those apples.
“I know Crawley has batted really well, but 290/2 in 50 overs is no longer the matchwinning ODI score it was in the 1990s,” sniffs Tom Bowtell. “This feels like the 2015 World Cup all over again! Disappointing.”
Well if you will keep picking Broad and Anderson.
51st over: England 296-2 (Crawley 171, Root 59) There’s a sniff of a run-out chance when Root is sent back by Crawley, but he’s quick enough to make his ground.
Crawley has gone into what comes after overdrive. He charges Marsh and smashes the ball back over his head for four. Crawley didn’t middle it, and for a second it looked like he had holed out, but it eventually bounced a few yards inside the boundary. Crawley’s last 145 runs have come off 117 balls. England trail by 21 runs.
“I’m even more convinced now that Bazball is a system not a tactic,” says Gary Naylor. “You don’t get this attitude, this freedom, this contempt for normative behaviour without the crazy declarations, the stubborn selections, the bucket hats.
“The genius is, of course, not in the play nor even in the techniques, it’s in the buy-in. Ask Joe Root.”
What fascinates me is how they achieved such emphatic, instant buy-in. The stuff they talk about – fun, freedom, self-expression – is in a million self-help books, and something we all crave, but 99.94 per cent of human beings never get to have their epiphany. Oh to have been a fly on the wall in those first few days last summer.
50th over: England 290-2 (Crawley 166, Root 58) Crawley survives a run-out referral after stealing a second run off Starc. He had a lot of luck during his first hundred runs, but he’s batting like a lord now. He laces Starc through extra cover for four, then hammers another straight drive to the boundary.
Crawley has 166 from 160 balls. I think we can safely call it a daddy hundred now. A run-a-ball daddy hundred, against a great (if weary) Australian attack. Baz knows.
49th over: England 278-2 (Crawley 154, Root 58) In case you haven’t been gawping at a weather app for the last week, the forecast for the last three days of this match is poor, so England may have to declare at some stage. I think they’ll try to crush Australia’s morale, keep scoring at a run a ball and, if they are still batting, pull out with a lead of around 200. Edgbaston 1985 is the template here.
As for Australia, they need to remember that, even though this has been a humbling day, the match is still eminently saveable. The pitch looks fine, bar a little bit of uneven bounce. Unlike the forecast is completely wrong, they will probably only need to bat for around 100 overs in the second innings to save the game.
Zak Crawley reaches 150 from 152 balls!
48th over: England 276-2 (Crawley 153, Root 58) Nobody in the England team plays Cummins as well as Crawley, and he has just to raced to 150 in style with two magnificent drives. The first was to the left of mid-on, the second to the right of mid-off. This is bewildering stuff. Zak Crawley, Twitter’s most wanted two months ago, is 153 not out from 153 balls. Baz knows.
“I just wanted to email to say, Moeen Ali’s contribution shouldn’t be understated,” writes James Crozier. “Losing an opener early in means the No3 needs to be the one to stick around and get the shine off the ball whilst keeping the scoreboard ticking over. What a time for Moeen to play a blinder, so when Root came in he can play his shots comfortably and he and Zac could turn the scoring up to 11.”
I’ll second that for a dollar. It was an excellent innings; had Root and maybe Brook been exposed to Cummins with a newer ball, the story could be very different. Moeen’s move to No3 sums up his entire Test career: side before self, every time.
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47th over: England 265-2 (Crawley 143, Root 57) Whether through delicacy or impudence, Root is peppering the third man boundary. He opens the face to steer Hazlewood for four – “the shot of a genius” coos Dinesh Karthik on Sky – and then misses another reverse scoop.
After a frustrating mid-series lull – scores of 10, 18, 19 and 21 – Root has gone back to being the carefree funster who made that wonderful hundred on the first day of the series.
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45th over: England 260-2 (Crawley 142, Root 53) Root reverse ramps Cummins (!) for four to reach a brilliant half-century from only 45 balls. It’s been a fascinating innings, both mischievous and merciless.
Pat Cummins, a strong contender for an all-time Australian XI*, has figures of 12-0-75-0.
Thanks to Chris Bloomer and others for sending in the TMS overseas link, which you can find here. “It can always be found on the BBC live page,” writes Chris. “It is not listed on YouTube.”
* Trumper, Morris, Bradman, Smith, Border, Miller, Gilchrist, Warne, Cummins, Lillee, McGrath?
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Erm, as you were: it’s a no-ball from Cummins! Wouldn’t have been out anyway as there was an inside-edge onto the pad, but it was a very good ball which jagged back and kept a bit low. That no-ball call saved a review for Australia.
Australia review for LBW against Root! This is close, though I reckon it might be umpire’s call.
45th over: England 249-2 (Crawley 138, Root 47) Apologies, I missed that over from Hazlewood (nothing happened) as I was trying to find the Test Match Special overseas link. And I failed. Can anyone help?
In other news, Crawley is now the second highest runscorer in this series: 328 at an average of 55. He needs 32 more to overtake Usman Khawaja. Two very similar openers I’m sure you’ll agree.
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44th over: England 249-2 (Crawley 138, Root 47) Crawley hits the first boundary of the session, flicking a poor ball from Cummins to fine leg. That’s the 31st boundary of the England innings: 28 fours and three sixes. Truly, I just don’t know what’s going off out there.
43rd over: England 242-2 (Crawley 132, Root 46) Hazlewood also returns after tea, and concedes just a couple of runs.
42nd over: England 240-2 (Crawley 132, Root 45) There will be plenty of criticism of Cummins’ captaincy but none, surely, of his moral courage. He brought himself back on straight after tea and started with an excellent over that went for just one run. It’s too early to call it a tone-setter, but it’s the first step towards Australian restoring a bit of order.
Root is not out!
That was an unusual incident. Root was hit high on the pad by Cummins, with the ball deflecting to second slip. There were two noises so most of us assumed there had been an inside-edge.
The umpires went upstairs to check the validity of the catch, without actually giving Root out. Replays showed the ball hit both pads but not the inside-edge, so Root survives.
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Root has been caught at slip off Cummins. Or has he?
“Wow!” says Will Juba. “Bloody wow!!!! Agree with the comment about pressure on Cummins. And there in is the beauty of Bazball; It looks absolutely ridiculous when not going well, but my word when it does it puts levels of pressure surely never seen before on the opposition.
“I guess you could argue bowling pressure from the great West Indies teams or the same for Oz with Warne and McGrath, but surely no other Test team has been able to scramble minds so effectively with the bat. My mind is blown so I dread to think how Cummins must be feeling.”
How Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald feel right now
(NB: clip contains adult language)
“Just wondering what the verdict is on Cummins’ captaincy from a tactical point of view?” says Dan Spicer. “I don’t have Sky so don’t get to see long spells of play very often, but went to day four at Headingley and was really surprised at what felt like a lack of intent - there were loads of easy singles on offer at the start of the day that allowed some (relatively) risk free scoring, and quite often it felt like he had a plan for a batsman and just stuck to it regardless. Is that unfair? Am I missing something?”
The Sky commentators have been critical of certain decisions but also empathic. It’s hard to be a bowling captain at the best of times, never mind against the most attacking batting line-up in Test history, in front of a home crowd high on schadenfreude, when you’re playing your fifth Test in seven weeks. He looked extremely tired in that last session. There’s an argument for making Steve Smith should the de facto captain for the rest of this innings.
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England’s run rate of 5.82 per over is the highest ever against Australia in a Test innings of at least five overs. The second best? Yep, the one where Brendon McCullum smashed the fastest century in Test history. To call him a visionary feels indequate.
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Tea
41st over: England 239-2 (Crawley 132, Root 44) Crawley slog-sweeps Head for six to bring up the hundred partnership in – and you’ll like this – 82 balls.
Cummins slows things down to ensure this is the last over before tea. A few easy singles conclude an afternoon session that will be fast-tracked into Ashes folklore. It was savage, surreal, glorious and entirely exhilarating.
England scored 178 runs from just 25 overs, with Zak Crawley – who is getting a stanading ovation – smashing 106 off 82 balls. Statgasms are all I’ve got, I’m afraid, because that was astonishing.
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40th over: England 228-2 (Crawley 121, Root 41) Marsh loosens the Australian wheels some more by bowling two no-balls in three deliveries. A few easy singles makes it six from the over.
“One of the (many) interesting things here is they’re playing like the ball is 60-70 overs old - but incredibly it’s only 40,” says Luke Dealtry. “The vibe is 5pm with tired bowlers and batsmen cashing in at the end of the day - but it’s only 3.30. They’re front-loading the innings’ vibes and it’s glorious.”
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39th over: England 222-2 (Crawley 121, Root 40) With the field back, England milk Head for five low-risk singles. Just as some football teams really need to hear the half-time whistle, Australia desperately need the tea break. It’s nine minutes away.
“Currently on Loch Ness of all places but the real monster here is England’s run rate...” honks Max Williams. “You mentioned the weather - how bad is it looking? And how unspeakably awful if rain denied England a win and the world an Ashes decider? Appreciate England left themselves 2-0 down but it would be terrible for Test cricket for an all-timer of a series to be ruined by the weather.”
The weather? As that notorious cricket badger Paulie Walnuts would say, “Not good. Not good.” But England have given themselves a helluva chance with this performance. If they go past Australia with only two or three wickets down, they need to think about mental disintegration, Edgbaston 85-style.
38th over: England 217-2 (Crawley 118, Root 38) The reverse ramp is back! Root jauntily scoops Marsh high over the slips for six, another thrilling statement of intent. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an Australian team go round the park like this. England have scored 127 off the last 17 overs!
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37th over: England 206-2 (Crawley 115, Root 30) Crawley is stealing the show to such an extent that Root has scampered almost unnoticed to 30 from 24 balls. He sweeps Head for four more, with the sliding Starc just failing to stop the boundary. Starc, who seemed to tweak something during his last spell, was again grimacing as he got to his feet.
36th over: England 200-2 (Crawley 114, Root 25) Mitch Marsh finally comes into the attack. I say ‘finally’; it’s only the 36th over, but it feels like England have been batting for about twice that. He dismissed Crawley twice at Headingley, and starts with a tight over of wicket-to-wicket hustle to the aforementioned ersatz Slats. That feels like a set up for the wider ball in the next over.
“Is there a difference between being lucky and making your own luck?” says Tom Bennett. “If so, where does Crawley sit?”
That’s a very good point. It feel like there’s a fairly consistent correlation between positivity and luck in sport, and Crawley has been bloody lucky today.
35th over: England 198-2 (Crawley 112, Root 25) What Australia would give now to have Todd Murphy in their team. The first ball of Travis Head’s second spell is walloped down the ground for four more by Crawley. Since lunch England have scored 137 runs in 19 overs, and I don’t know what else to tell you.
“No England team in my lifetime (and possibly, no international team) would have taken this situation on as fearlessly as England have today,” says Phil Harrison. “If they somehow manipulate a victory out of this game, with this weather forecast, on this pitch, against this opposition, it will be the crowning achievement of Bazball.”
Well, they would hope that if they win this game, the crowning achievement will follow at the Oval. I know what you mean though; I didn’t give them a prayer this morning because of the weather forecast. Four hours later, I can’t stop singing God Save The King
34th over: England 191-2 (Crawley 106, Root 24) I’d need to double check, but I’m pretty sure Crawley’s 93-ball hundred is the second fastest by an opener in an Ashes Test. Joe Darling took only 85 balls at Sydney in 1898.
Starc is okay to continue. Crawley is teeing off almost every ball. He carves another boundary over the slips, nails a straight drive that is brilliantly stopped by Starc, misses another windy woof outside off stump, edges another drive over the slips that drops exactly where Mitchell Marsh was until Cummins moved him two balls ago. This is Test cricket you know.
“Not at all convinced by Pat,” says Brendan Murphy. “He’s passive and unimaginative. He looked spooked by England’s aggression at Headingley, said Aus would ‘shrug it off’. Now England are scoring at seven an over.”
He looks shattered, physically and especially mentally. I suppose a couple of wickets would do wonders for his clarity and energy levels, but at the moment he’s under almost unbearable pressure.
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A CENTURY FOR ZAK CRAWLEY!
33rd over: England 185-2 (Crawley 100, Root 22) That’ll do! Crawley clunks Cummins over cover for two to reach an extraordinary century, his first against Australia, from just 93 balls. It’s been a unique Crawleyan mixture of majestic strokeplay, fearless tone-setting and comical luck. Oh, and the last 74 runs came off off just 47 deliveries.
Australia are going round the park here. Root pulls Cummins for four more, and since lunch England have scored 124 off 17 overs. What crazy hell kinda Test cricket is this?
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32nd over: England 177-2 (Crawley 98, Root 18) Crawley rides his luck into the nineties, carving Starc high over the slips for four. Giddy up! Ricky Ponting, whose micro-analysis is extraordinarily good, had just suggested a fly slip for Crawley.
The next ball is wide again, a bit fuller – and Crawley leathers it to the extra-cover boundary. That’s a magnificent shot! A single takes England’s ersatz Slats to within two of a first Ashes century.
Starc could be struggling. He stretches his right leg between deliveries, grimacing slightly, though he’s able to finish the over. If he’s injured Australia will be in abundant bog.
“I think Bazball would have been great for Robin Smith and Devon Malcolm,” says Ben Dunn. “Not so much for Boycott or Atherton. Botham would have loved it. Phil Tufnell too.”
The Judge would have loved it. He played by far his best cricket when people pumped his tyres up, to use one of his favourite phrases, and when he concentrated on scoring runs rather than surviving.
I think Athers would have loved it as well. There was a spell, at the start of 1995, when he started expanding his game; I think he hit Curtly Ambrose over extra cover for six during that ODI century at Lord’s. But his back, and his teams lack of spine, started to wear him down again. I suspect there are very few human beings, never mind cricketers, who wouldn’t enjoy working under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
31st over: England 168-2 (Crawley 89, Root 18) To the surprise of nobody who has done their data homework, Pat Cummins replaces Josh Hazlewood. Joe Root’s head-to-head average against Cummins is actually lower than David Warner’s against Stuart Broad.
Cummins has bounced Root out a couple of times in the last two Tests, so it’s no surprise to see him set a field for short-pitched bowling. Root takes it on, swivel-pulling round the corner for four with superb placement. That leads to a change of approach – in come slip and gully – but not of tempo. Root square drives exquisitely for four more. He has raced to 18 from 13 balls, and England have scored 78 off the last 10 overs. I say!
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30th over: England 157-2 (Crawley 88, Root 9) Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. Mitchell Starc continues to England’s Michael Slater tribute act, a tall chap by the name of Zak Crawley.
His strokeplay is a mix of the sublime and the vaguely ridiculous. He gets another streaky boundary, inside-edging past off stump, and then misses a lusty slap outside off stump. Lucky or not, he is scoring at a time-saving rate: 88 from 86 balls, including 62 off the last 40.
That is the drinks break, and time to catch your breath. From Old Trafford, it’s time for me to wave you off for the day, and hand you over to the warm embrace of Rob Smyth.
29th over: England 151-2 (Crawley 83, Root 8) Two midwickets come in for Crawley. So Hazlewood is going to target his pads? He’s been strong through the leg side today. And he remains so, finding a gap despite that field for two, then standing up and pulling a not very short ball for four! Between the two mids. Then steps across and plays an outrageous shot! Angled in at the stumps, but Crawley has come a Smith-like distance across, then played with a Pietersen-like flamingo flourish, but striking the ball through fine leg off the full face for four. He’s playing what might be an Ashes-shaping innings here. The Australians are uneasy, a long conference before the fourth ball of the over. Eventually Hazlewood pitches up and Crawley drives three through cover! He’s taken 13 from the over and he’s on to 83.
28th over: England 138-2 (Crawley 70, Root 8) The former skipper comes to the middle, having a wonderful summer already, and he carries it on right away! First ball, picks the length, short-arm pull shot just behind square, timed along the carpet for four! Then to end the over, when he sees some width, he steers it fine through deep third for the same result. That is next-level timing.
WICKET! Moeen c Khawaja b Starc 54, England 130-2
Oh! That dropped catch has cost Australia exactly one run. New over, different bowler, same shot, same fielding position, different fielder. Moeen gets more of it, hits it flatter, and Khawaja takes a hell of a snare while diving to his right and falling to the ground.
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27th over: England 130-1 (Crawley 70, Moeen 54) Hazlewood back on, the Head experiment has been short lived. Crawley keeps picking up twos, does it three times in a row, the last of them from an outside edge. Eventually gets Moeen back on strike, and… he’s dropped! Moeen is put down by Australia’s captain. Straightforward chance. They’ve got three in the deep for the short ball but Moeen loops it to the closer midwicket fielder, and Cummins moving across is hit on the wrist rather than the palms and spills it.
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26th over: England 122-1 (Crawley 63, Moeen 53) Starc comes on for Cummins, and immediately there’s more streak for Crawley, another edge past his leg stump! Must have been four or five of those in his innings? Cleaner contact for Moeen, a nice flick through midwicket for two.
Australia’s lead is down to 195.
Half century! Moeen Ali 51 from 73 balls
25th over: England 119-1 (Crawley 62, Moeen 51) The milestone men! Moeen at No3 for this Test was, says Vic Marks on TMS, “rather more in hope than expectation. But it has worked, and that’s rather wonderful.” It is. The fifty comes thanks to a full toss lumped over mid on’s head, then two more runs chipped in the air past Cummins again in that position.
24th over: England 111-1 (Crawley 61, Moeen 44) Hundred partnership as Crawley equals his top score for the series with a single to deep point. Cummins goes short at Moeen, with three out on the leg side and one out at deep backward point, but Moeen leaves alone five in a row. That’s better!
A late no-ball at the end of the over, he gets a sixth ball to face, and pulls a single.
Half century! Zak Crawley 53 from 67 balls
23rd over: England 108-1 (Crawley 60, Moeen 43) No frontline spinner for Australia, so Travis head gets the ball. Bowling in his knitted vest and his shades. But it’s Crawley stitching him up immediately: reverse sweep first ball for four, then a hit over midwicket for six! Booming cut shot goes to the cover sweeper for one.
England supporters have been waiting a long time for Crawley to deliver. I would suggest that scores this series of 61, 48, 33, 44 and now 60 not out means that he has done.
22nd over: England 97-1 (Crawley 49, Moeen 43) This is a serious partnership now, it’s 81 runs. Bigger than any that Australia managed yesterday. Not without some luck, and there’s some more! Inside edge from Crawley for four. The ball misses off stump by an inch, and misses being caught by another inch. Carey is full length on the dive to his left – did that flick the webbing of the glove? Crawley adds a couple more, gets off strike, then Cummins takes the edge and it falls short of slip, Moeen Ali the lucky one this time. Cummins can’t take a trick.
21st over: England 90-1 (Crawley 42, Moeen 43) They do go shorter when Green bowls to Moeen, but the batter handles it fine, twice knocking the ball away for a run. The slips come back for Crawley, and he races back to get two runs off his pads.
20th over: England 84-1 (Crawley 38, Moeen 41) England’s new/old No3 keeps scoring behind point, a couple, then a single. They haven’t bounced him as much as you might have expected.
19th over: England 81-1 (Crawley 38, Moeen 38) Beaten again, Crawley, but that ball from Green is far enough back of a length that it’s not very close to the edge. Not so the next time, when Crawley throws the bat and slashes it over gully for four! Green might have caught that, but Green is bowling, and Khawaja in his place is about a foot shorter. Mitchell Marsh there would be a better bet, no? With luck still his way, Crawley revels in it by belting four down the ground! The next ball hits his pad as he leaves, the Australians appeal but it’s high and probably missing off stump on line.
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18th over: England 73-1 (Crawley 30, Moeen 38) Another scorcher from Moeen! His cover driving has always been the highlight of his play, and it’s been the highlight of this innings. Such easy placement facing Cummins, who isn’t happy about it, and comes around the wicket to bounce Moeen. But a couple of balls later he’s able to get off strike towards point. That gives Crawley a chance for another drive, again uncontrolled, off the edge towards deep third where Head fields. The next ball is an inside edge into pad. Yet Crawley remains.
17th over: England 64-1 (Crawley 27, Moeen 33) Green starts after lunch, and the England batters have picked off the singles well today, kept the runs going. Moeen lays into a cut shot but only gets one for it.
Lunch has ticked by. Let’s resume.
“As an Irishman, I will cede the Aussies a win against our heroic gals in green – indeed, they can have the World Cup itself, as long as England win these Ashes. Confusing isn’t it?”
Deeply, Dean Kinsella. Can’t tell you how many ways I’ve got in trouble for missteps on the finer points of social and national distinction in this particular group of islands.
@GeoffLemonSport Given they must get another 10 wickets to win this match - presumably once England get vaguely close to the Aussie total, Stokes will declare, or otherwise they'll start playing Bazball +++. A big lead not a requisite really given the weather forecast
— Richard Morris (@richardmorrisuk) July 20, 2023
They wouldn’t need a big lead, but getting 50-100 in front would be hugely helpful. All that’s very much theoretical as yet.
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And they had a crowd of 75,000 at Stadium Australia in Sydney for that match. Awesome. Women’s sport these days is such a buzz.
This is a dynamite penalty kick, too.
"It's a shame because Ireland did really well to keep Australia out..."
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 20, 2023
"You've got to give credit to Catley, it's a big moment..."@emmsb30 and Karen Carney have no complaints about the game defining moment...#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/hnARGZD0LO
In the meantime, Australia got past Ireland in their football World Cup opener – just. Thrown out of whack by losing Sam Kerr so late in the piece, but a Steph Catley penalty was enough.
🇦🇺 @TheMatildas get their #FIFAWWC campaign underway with a victory! 🤩 #BeyondGreatness
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 20, 2023
“On the subject of pre-Jerusalem wickets, Root himself was bowled before Jerusalem was finished on day 2 at Headingley in the last Test,” writes John Culkin. “Boy, we could use a big score from Joe today, but meanwhile, what a pleasure it is to see Mo out there...”
Looks like a Joe Root kind of surface, and a Joe Root kind of day. Sun beaming down here at Old Trafford.
Lunch - England 61 for 1, trail Australia on the first innings by 256
So far, so good for England. They would have been annoyed at the extra 17 runs added for the last wicket thanks to the no ball decision against Woakes that was marginal, but they’ve come out and scored quickly with the bat, got that deficit down to the mid 200s, and they can reset for the middle session from here. The Moeen move has just about broken even, strange as that sounds, given that expectations weren’t high – anything he can add after lunch will be a bonus. Australia need to find a foothold.
16th over: England 61-1 (Crawley 26, Moeen 31) Finally Crawley middles one of those lavish drives, out through the covers. Then tries to yank a pull shot from a length outside off stump, slamming it into his own thigh instead. That’s how Crawley plays for lunch. Good bouncer from Cummins in response, past the ear as the batter ducks. And that’s lunch.
We’ve had two Guys, now we have two Withingtons. This is the John variety.
“While trying to keep up on weak signals in the Austrian Alps I was reminded yesterday of a conversation with my often quoted brother. It struck me halfway through the 2nd test that we might be seeing Jimmy for the last time. One of the big problems for England has been the quick and regular runs scored by Head and Marsh and that perhaps Sam Curran should be brought in ahead of Jimmy to prise one or both out. Fire with fire, sword with sword etc. I think Sam’s white-ball nouse could be decisive. Plus he can bat a bit with lower middle orders being crucial in every Test so far. With another frugal but fruitless performance from Anderson perhaps it’s time … if a test match too late?”
Jimmy gets another innings to make his case, and having a bowler who keeps the runs down must have an influence on the wickets that others take.
15th over: England 53-1 (Crawley 22, Moeen 31) A sharp bouncer for Moeen to dodge from Green, then another play and miss for Crawley outside the off stump. Not sure why they only have two slips and a gully for him, and why they don’t consistently bowl that line. He’s promising to nick, and most of the runs he’s making are into the leg side.
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14th over: England 53-1 (Crawley 20, Moeen 29) There’s the milestone for Moeen, he goes past 3000 Test runs to go with his 200 wickets. Becomes the 16th player to do it. And does it in true Moeen style, slicing Cummins over the top of Green at gully. Four more next ball, laced through cover, and another run on the back cut. The pinch-hitting No3 trick is working so far.
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Wicket overturned!
13th over: England 44-1 (Crawley 20, Moeen 20) Cameron Green into the attack, and for a few minutes he has what he wants. In-ducker, at pace, smashes Crawley on the pad in front of middle and leg. Umpire Wilson gives it out, but the review shows it missing leg stump by a couple of millimetres. Green light, Zak. Proceed.
12th over: England 43-1 (Crawley 20, Moeen 19) Pat Cummins into the fray, replacing Hazlewood from the Anderson End. Gets the ball to do a bit immediately, including one that cuts back savagely towards Crawley, and one nicked past the leg stump. There’s another cover drive piled straight into Labuschagne’s hands, on the bounce, and another massive swishing drive to a ball that is miles too short for the shot, missing by a distance. Crawley has been all over the shop, to be honest, but he’s still scoring.
11th over: England 41-1 (Crawley 19, Moeen 18) Again, down the leg side from Starc in his sixth over. Crawley doesn’t catch up with it. Smacks a cover drive, but straight at the field. In between all that, three singles.
Guy Hornsby is our second Guy of the day.
“Morning Geoff, as they say in golf (yes, golf) this day feels like ‘moving day’. Given the weather forecast, this Test may be as little and 2 and a half days long, or at a push, 4. So England have to go big, but risk by going big(ger) and fast(er) we could fall in a heap. But given we need to win this, I am actually on board as Stokes won’t want to tie the series 2-2. The series deserves better than that. Loved your and Jonathan Liew’s pieces. Smith is still a staggering batter, but seems slightly adrift, and Green now suffering in comparison to Mitch, who looks a much better bet right now. I know England are obsessed with all-rounders, but are Australia pinning too much of their hopes to Green’s expected success? He’s still so young.”
Golf? Ridiculous sport. Hitting balls with sticks. It’ll never catch on.
10th over: England 38-1 (Crawley 17, Moeen 17) A little momentum into this Moeen Ali innings! Hits the non-striker’s stumps first with a drive. Then he gets the line to glance Hazlewood for four, before resting on the front foot and driving superbly on the up through cover to the rope! Picturesque.
9th over: England 30-1 (Crawley 17, Moeen 9) Whooshka, goes Crawley, booming the bat at a length that is absolutely not there to drive. Starc’s scrambled seam takes the ball away from the bat and so nearly an edge. Goes in at the hip and Crawley gets two extras off the body to fine leg. He finishes the over as he started, another huge drive that again is a rollie paper away from giving up an edge to the keeper. Starc is left rolling his eyes.
8th over: England 26-1 (Crawley 17, Moeen 8) Edged by Crawley and safe! Goes to Warner on the half-volley at first slip. Surprising lack of carry from this surface, where the next ball from Hazlewood flies through to Carey. Really takes off, from a length, left alone. Parry, thrust, as Crawley times the pants off the next ball through midwicket for four! Deep square leg out there, beaten on the dive into the ropes.
7th over: England 20-1 (Crawley 12, Moeen 7) Sizzling delivery from Starc, squares up Crawley and just beats him outside off stump. Perfect line, movement back in to the right-hander. Crawley finds a single next ball, leaving Moeen to face the music. The latter does well enough.
“Was Jimmy’s Cummins wicket the first ‘pre-Jerusalem’ wicket in history?” asks Ben Warren.
I wouldn’t think so – they sing the song second ball of the day, and there must have been first-ball dismissals before. I remember Joe Root at Adelaide Oval in 2017 was caught behind off Hazlewood before Jersualem had finished. That might have been second or third ball of the morning.
6th over: England 18-1 (Crawley 11, Moeen 6) Crawley is doing well, again clips a single first ball of the over. Moeen blocks a single to cover. Crawley finds another to the leg side.
@GeoffLemonSport just want to say how much I am enjoying your coverage all the way over here in Oz so I can follow the cricket and watch the Matildas at the same time. I fear rain may end up delivering a draw which would be an unworthy end to a great competition. #cmonAussies!
— Stephen Yolland (@yolly1234) July 20, 2023
5th over: England 15-1 (Crawley 9, Moeen 5) Crawley turns over the strike. Starc has three slips and a gully, backward point, mid off, mid on, deep backward square, fine leg. Over the wicket to Moeen Ali… who nicks him for four! Past Green in the gully, which is a feat in itself. Well wide of him in the end. Gets better contact and no runs afterwards, driving it square to point where Travis Head is stationed.
“As well as registering on the Valuable Runs Index, Nasser on Sky was suggesting that the extended Starc-Hazelwood stand was also featuring on the Valuable Time Index, in view of the weekend weather forecast,” writes Brian Withington. “It certainly made an indelible entry on my Keep Your Foot Behind the Bloody Line Index (other versions are available).”
4th over: England 10-1 (Crawley 8, Moeen 1) Trying to work out how to approach his innings, Moeen plays Test-style in this over against Hazlewood, defending the ball as best he can, only looking to score once when he clips to midwicket and can’t beat the field.
3rd over: England 10-1 (Crawley 8, Moeen 1) One attacking left-hander replaces another, Moeen Ali in for Duckett. Chest height down the leg side, Moeen plays at it but doesn’t get close to it. Defends the line on off stump well, but has a huge swish at nothing when he gets width. Finds his first run to fine leg.
Australia 0-0 with Ireland at half time in the World Cup football.
WICKET! Duckett c Carey b Starc 1, England 9-1
There he goes, there he goes again. Ben Duckett never leaves the ball, so the left-hander plays a defensive push at a ball outside off stump from a left-armer, over the wicket, that is swinging further away from him. Just no need to play that ball, even though it has nice shape on it. Takes a feather through to Carey.
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2nd over: England 9-0 (Crawley 8, Duckett 1) Cummins making himself first change, Hazlewood to take the new ball from the James Anderson End. Duckett chops into the ground and has to kick the ball away from his stumps as it rolls back. Gets a run fifth ball, Crawley flicks two more.
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1st over: England 6-0 (Crawley 6, Duckett 0) Four first ball of the innings! Crawley likes that. This time it’s not a smash through cover, it’s a glove past the wicketkeeper. No mind. He glances two runs to follow. Starc corrects his line with a very good delivery that goes close to Crawley’s off stump. Left-arm, over the wicket, landing it in the channel for the latter half of the over, Crawley going after one with an angled bat and getting a bottom edge into the ground.
Change of innings is done, brace yerself.
Perplexing question from Tone White. “I must know, is Stu Broad the Ryan Gosling of cricket?”
In as much as he started out in the 2000s with roles of serious pathos but has latterly graduated to masterful comic performances while seeming to have the time of his life? Yes.
The Test Match Special overseas link is now here, for those who like listening to the BBC but don’t like finding links on BBC websites.
Australia all out for 317 in the first innings
There we are, the last partnership adds a useful 18 runs after Pat Cummins was out first ball of the day. England will get into their batting work under bright sunshine wanting to make something north of Australia’s score by stumps. That will be a challenge, but it’s quite an Englandy sort of challenge.
Gosh, there are some pessimists in this joint. Guy Simpson: “Is it just me, or does anyone else have the terrible presentiment that VAR has just cost England the Ashes? That the extra runs added by the 10th wicket will prove too many and that England will fall just short? Just horrible.”
As soon as the wicket falls, “I take it back! Well done, Woakesy!”
You could still be right, Guy. Tests have been decided by fewer than 16 runs…
WICKET! Hazlewood c Duckett b Woakes 4, Australia 317-10
Now Chris Woakes has his first five-wicket Ashes haul. Gets Hazlewood second time around, this time the edge to third slip where Ben Duckett reaches above his head to take a catch that most slippers would have held near their midriff.
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90th over: Australia 317-9 (Starc 36, Hazlewood 4) Ok, now we crank up the gears. Mark Wood is on to bowl, and Starc doesn’t want Hazlewood to face him. Starc ducks a bouncer, plays the ribcage ball well, and declines a single when he hits out to cover. Two balls to come in the over, everyone goes back to the fence except a gully and the wicketkeeper. Starc still doesn’t want the run. One ball to come, and England leave almost everyone back. Wood bowls a good bumper around an off stump line and Starc leaves it alone.
89th over: Australia 317-9 (Starc 36, Hazlewood 4) There’s an addition to Hazlewood’s score, throwing the bat at Woakes and getting three through cover. Starc knocks a single to the leg side. Hazlewood defends well enough, gets out of the way when he can.
88th over: Australia 313-9 (Starc 35, Hazlewood 1) We’re deep into the Useful Runs Index™, as Starc steers four runs past gully, then opens his stance and belts two runs back past Anderson in the air. Can’t rotate the strike though so Hazlewood will face Woakes. Hazlewood’s batting has dipped at Test level after he did some competent work in his early years.
87th over: Australia 307-9 (Starc 29, Hazlewood 1) Boundary for Starc! Gets back and pulls Woakes behind square. The replay on that no ball is extremely tight. The foot isn’t obviously over the line, but perhaps there is nothing clearly behind it. Starc adds another single to cover, Hazlewood does him proud for the last two balls.
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86th over: Australia 302-9 (Starc 24, Hazlewood 1) Anderson to Starc, who sweats on most of the over before pushing a single to cover. Hazlewood plays and misses the one ball he faces.
Jono Haylen is curating his playlist.
“If the timeline of this series was ‘Hamilton’ the musical we are now at the part where all of the upbeat songs and the feeling of just ‘how good is it to be here’ is over. We’ve had bubbles during intermission, enjoyed Thomas Jefferson’s upbeat homecoming and witnessed Alexander Hamilton own him during two rap battles.
”Now, Hamilton’s brilliant run of wins is over and things start to get heavy. Each decision and action is much more serious than bragging rights after a cabinet meeting and breaking out into song to celebrate. The Reynolds Pamphlet has just been released. From here on I’m sure people will be feeling their Ashes dreams are going to burn and that the final couple of bullets are close to being fired. What team today will not waste their shot?”
85th over: Australia 301-9 (Starc 23, Hazlewood 1) Chris Woakes has his first five-wicket bag against Australia… and then he doesn’t. Has Hazlewood edging to Crawley at second slip, but Woakes has overstepped! Starc has already sprinted off the ground by the time the third umpire sends word, so he has to turn and run all the way back to the non-striker’s end. Has only got to face one ball so far today. Hazlewood gets in behind the line for the rest of the over.
No, I don’t have the TMS overseas link. The BBC haven’t posted it yet.
84th over: Australia 300-9 (Starc 23, Hazlewood 1) The left-handed Hazlewood comes out. Wears a short ball on the body. Reaches outside off stump and steers a run past gully.
Ali Martin next to me observes that James Anderson has broken James Anderson’s record for the most wickets for England. What was 688 becomes 689.
WICKET! Cummins c Stokes b Anderson 1, Australia 299-9
Jimmy Anderson gets in the book! With a wicket first ball of the day, no less. Regulation sort of delivery, Cummins doesn’t have his timing sorted yet, pushes at it too early and hits it low to cover for a comfortable catch.
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On the players come…
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Tane Aikman has written in. “You going to be splitting your attention between Manchester and Sydney Geoff? Big blow for the Matildas, with Sam Kerr out. On my side of the Tasman it’s been a great night, with the Football Ferns upsetting Norway for their first ever World Cup win. Now more Ashes fun to watch. Sport. It’s bloody good.”
Devastating about Sam Kerr, the worst possible timing. Last training session!
Finally, Barney Ronay switched modes from Wimbledon to look at how England’s embrace of the new is all about embracing the old. “For a few moments England’s wicketkeeper just sat there like a very happy life-sized gingerbread man, emitting an extended roar of triumph.”
I have been watching Steve Smith for a very long time, and yesterday was a strange day within an observable pattern of strange days. “Instead Smith heaved at it, a circular dragging movement like he was halfway down the Amazon and trying to sling a large python over the side of a small boat.”
And there’s the Final Word Daily podcast as usual from stumps last night.
Jonathan Liew had some fun writing about Australia’s two all-rounders. “The Ashes are afoot, England are rampant and the only thing standing in their way is just under four metres of prime Perth flesh.”
Simon also has the lines from Broad’s press conference last night.
Then there’s Simon Burnton’s diary.
Catching up? Start with Ali Martin and the match report.
Preamble
Greetings, comrades. Day one is done, day two is new. On into the future we go together. It was one of those days of back and forth yesterday: England win the toss and bowl, make early inroads, Australia pull it back, gain the upper hand at times, formed a partnership for almost every wicket, which England then found a way to break. Both teams would consider themselves to be in a reasonable position, with Australia about to pass 300 and having a couple of wickets left with which to do so.
Once England get to bat, which might be very shortly, they will want to score at a fast rate, which will also give Australia opportunities to knock over players. This is all with an eye to forecast rain on the weekend. The idea is to get as much of this match as possible done with in the next two days.
Sound like fun?
