1st Test England vs Australia

[Adelaide Hawk]

I didn't watch the 3rd session, but from 3/90 to recover to 7/336 at stumps, you'd have to say England are in command of this Test match, especially if their tail can rattle on a further 50 runs or so. Cricinfo says honours are even, but the momentum is with England.

I thought Australia had them early, but our tactics (or lack of them) in the second session just allowed Pietersen and Collingwood to play themselves in and roll along with a minimum of fuss. In years gone by, you wouldn't see Warne and May bowling in tandem in the 2nd session of Day 1, but there it was .. Hauritz and Clarke!!! What has the cricket world become????

Apart from the three pacemen, our attack looked decidely popgun. Every time I start to give Ponting credit for his captaincy, he turns around does stupid things like opening with Hauritz in the 2nd session and bowling him all the way through. You got it wrong Ricky ... again.

This pitch is no featherbed (although it looked that way when Hauritz was bowling), and runs won't be easy to come by. England playing 2 spinners may be the deciding factor.

[the joker]

to have them 7 wickets down on day one was a good effort, get the tail quickly tonight and bat very well and maybe only have to bat once... it looks a very flat and slow pitch but its gunna spin. For England to get every batsman get a start and not go on with it was very disapointing for them. if you think the aussies will win they are paying 3.40 on Tab

[smac]

AH, I agree with most of your assessment of the day except that England are in command. It was pretty clear watching the last hour of play that England should have the upper hand but they didn't know what to do with it and handed it to Australia by losing 2 wickets late in the day. Their position should be almost unassailable right now but instead it is teetering on the edge.

I enjoyed the days play, and the sleep-in this morning!

[silicone skyline]

Thought Siddle's bowling was great yesterday. Expensive but with fire, always troubling the batsman.

Match evenly poised, 350 was a good score on this deck but anything above that is a good position for England.

Looking forward to seeing how the English bowlers fare.

[wycbloods]

I didn't watch the 3rd session, but from 3/90 to recover to 7/336 at stumps, you'd have to say England are in command of this Test match, especially if their tail can rattle on a further 50 runs or so. Cricinfo says honours are even, but the momentum is with England.
I thought Australia had them early, but our tactics (or lack of them) in the second session just allowed Pietersen and Collingwood to play themselves in and roll along with a minimum of fuss. In years gone by, you wouldn't see Warne and May bowling in tandem in the 2nd session of Day 1, but there it was .. Hauritz and Clarke!!! What has the cricket world become????

Apart from the three pacemen, our attack looked decidely popgun. Every time I start to give Ponting credit for his captaincy, he turns around does stupid things like opening with Hauritz in the 2nd session and bowling him all the way through. You got it wrong Ricky ... again.

This pitch is no featherbed (although it looked that way when Hauritz was bowling), and runs won't be easy to come by. England playing 2 spinners may be the deciding factor.

England had the momentum AH until Flintoff and Prior were dismissed because they were going at just about a run a ball with not much risk but we definately have the momentum now and need to make sure their tail doesn't wag.

Ponting in the third session got it right with Hauritz when he brought him back into the attack when Siddle and Hilf had tied him down for 6-8 overs and he knew he would want to get after him and he did and it cost him his wicket. I thought Hauritz actually bowled quite well. Siddle was disappointing for most of the day to me but he did well to remove Freddy and Prior just before the close of play to put us in a position to win the game if we bat well teh first time around.

[wycbloods]

They're saying 400 is about par so at 7/336...you decide.

Englands day no doubt
England has 3 quicks
and more importantly 2 spinners
Australia to bat last

Australia go in with 3 bowlers and a serial straight breaker and part time tweakers

The turning point of this game was the toss

I don't think the Aussies would mind having them 7/336 Mal. I haven't seen much of Swann but he and Panesar should get some good turn out of this pitch because Hauritz got some to really turn and bounce on day one so i would think it will be hard to bat last on this pitch. We will need a lead of 75 after the first innings to be in with a shot i think.

[Adelaide Hawk]

The reason I feel England are in command is because although over the past 15-20 years Australia have been a great 5 day Test team, they've also been arguably the worst 4th Innings team in Test cricket. Our inability to chase down runs in the 4th Innings (large or otherwise) is horrendous.

[Thiele]

need early wickets tonight

[blink]

Our inability to chase down runs in the 4th Innings (large or otherwise) is horrendous.

How about @ Adelaide Oval in the 2006-07 Series?

Actually, now I think about it, we would have never been in a position to win that match if it wasn't for SK Warne's heroics with the ball during England's second dig.

[blink]

need early wickets tonight

The three wickets tonight need to be picked up as quickly as possible for no more than 20-25 runs. The whole Test match (more from Australia's chances of a positive result, than England's) will be riding on those wickets.

[silicone skyline]

8: J Anderson ave: 13.6
9: S Broad ave: 31.35
10: G Swann ave: 35
11: M Panesar ave: 5.33

Swann only played a handful of tests to have good average, but yeah, doesn't look like an easy gig.

[Gingernuts]

Our inability to chase down runs in the 4th Innings (large or otherwise) is horrendous.

How about @ Adelaide Oval in the 2006-07 Series?

Actually, now I think about it, we would have never been in a position to win that match if it wasn't for SK Warne's heroics with the ball during England's second dig.

Ah yes, went to the first four days of that test and was duly back at work for the one day full of awesomness. NOT HAPPY JAN!

Thanks for reminding me blink. lol

[Adelaide Hawk]

Our inability to chase down runs in the 4th Innings (large or otherwise) is horrendous.

How about @ Adelaide Oval in the 2006-07 Series?

Actually, now I think about it, we would have never been in a position to win that match if it wasn't for SK Warne's heroics with the ball during England's second dig.

Exactly. It was bowling that won that Test, the batting saved it.

[Ron Burgundy]

In many ways I see the first session of day 2 as similar to the crucial first session of Day 3 in Melbourne v SAfrica.

Overnight that test, the Saffers were 7/198 and the aussies with an attack containing;

-Lee
-Siddle
-Johnson
-Hauritz
-Clarke

leaked an extra 261 runs for the last three wickets. Similar names are in the current attack. I believe that session went a long way to costing us the home series.

I guess the difference this time is that, although the English have an extra 100-odd runs, the English dont have a recognised batsman at the crease, so they shouldnt pile on the runs in the same fashion.

My prediction, All out for 360. Ponting to make a ton.

[cyclops]

cmon u ozzies,lets bak our young bowlers to finish of the poms.they done a great job in sa i rekn they can do the same here.i rekn also hughes and the kat will get us of to a flyer.cmon boys.

[brod]

"He's a clever bowler, and he's no fool. He's a good bowler that guy."

Any guesses as to who the quote is from and who it is about??

[Ron Burgundy]

Was that KP talking about Hauritz. My bet is they think he bowls shite too and want him to continue being selected!!!

[brod]

Was that KP talking about Hauritz. My bet is they think he bowls shite too and want him to continue being selected!!!

It was KP, and I had the same thought about him wanting to keep Hauritz in the side

[Sorry Dude]

cmon u ozzies,lets bak our young bowlers to finish of the poms.they done a great job in sa i rekn they can do the same here.i rekn also hughes and the kat will get us of to a flyer.cmon boys.

especially with no harmison in the england side. hughes had a lot of trouble with the short ball. the pom bowlers will bowl that length but do any of them have the speed to match harmison??

[Pup]

England had the momentum AH until Flintoff and Prior were dismissed because they were going at just about a run a ball with not much risk but we definately have the momentum now and need to make sure their tail doesn't wag.

No we dont. England still have the momentum for me, anyone who scores 336 in a day has the momentum even with 7 down. Nearly all batsmen got a start and the only one who looked really uncomfortable was Bopara. Worrying signs for the series IMO. I thought Johnson was back to his old tricks and i did not think he was that great, Hilfenhaus and Siddle were solid without being great and Hauritz is just no good.

25 more runs (Which they should get) will put England in a position to well and truly control this test match especially with Panesar and Swann having a 4th innings pitch to bowl on.