[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Cook's ready to resume and Lillee bowls the final ball of the over
Oh, you don't bowl there to Cook. It's drifting down the leg side at hip height and that's as easy as you like four to Cook

England 11-0 after a very eventful over

 

[Gwylan]

McGrath at the other end and he's into the groove immediately. Hobbs plays forward to three balls, bat perfectly straight. Next one is slightly wider but Hobbs isn't tempted and lets it go. McGrath bowls slightly shorter but Hobbs plays back this time.

The final ball of the over is beauty though, it catches the edge and is taken low down by Smith at second slip. He's jubilant as he claims the catch but McGrath doesn't look full convinced. The umpires are checking this but the soft signal is not out as it didn't look as if it had carried.

 

[Gwylan]

The review is over and it hadn't carried,Smith doesn't look happy but England stay at 11-0
Lillee to resume his duel with Cook

 

[Gwylan]

And Lillee is really fired up now and slams one past Cook's nose. The second ball is vicious, it looks to going down off but jags back just missing the top of the stumps and completely wrong footing Gilchrist - that's four byes. That's not going to improve Lillee's mood.

Nor is this, the extra pace and bounce does for Cooks and he drives into the gully where Miller drops a relatively simple catch. Maybe he's still thinking about that night club.

Lillle is now full-on Incredible Hulk and fires another very speed bouncer but he oversteps by some way and that's another no-ball.

Cook flicks it down to long leg but that's not a convincing shot - it was in the air for some time. But he'll be relieved to be at the other end.

Hobbs sees out the rest of the over, with little problem.

England 17-0 - four more overs tonight

 

[A1X]

Smith doesn't look happy

Shame.

 

[jakarta]

Nice to see Umpires calling No Balls, doesn't seem to happen very often these days...

 

[Gwylan]

Cook looks a lot happier facing McGrath and he negotiates the over with some ease, pushing for two through cover.

The last ball beats him though as McGrath finds some late swing,

Lillee to Hobbs now and the bowler is still finding some pace and lift as he beats the batsman all ends up

Hobbs is getting behind the line though and is meeting most with a straight bat.

Oh, that's a beauty though! A bit of extra lift and it's only just out of reach of Hayden at short leg,

Cook's back on strike for one ball but negotiates it with little problem

20-0 two more overs remaining

 

[jakarta]

Hang in there chaps...

 

[Gwylan]

Here's drama. Hobbs lets the first two go but plays no shot to the third - and he's hit on the pad, It was well outside the off-stump but he was playing no shot and the ball saw swinging back into him. Hobbs, of course, has played all his cricket when you couldn't be given out if you were outside the line so he may not be used to this,

Australia are thinking of reviewing but decide against it - it was well outside the off.

Hobbs pushes the next ball pleasantly through the covers for two.

Here's a thing though - the DRS shows that the ball would have hit. If Australia had reviewed: it would have been out

22-0 one more over tonight

 

[jakarta]

Here's drama. Hobbs lets the first two go but plays no shot to the third - and he's hit on the pad, It was well outside the off-stump but he was playing no shot and the ball saw swinging back into him. Hobbs, of course, has played all his cricket when you couldn't be given out if you were outside the line so he may not be used to this,

Australia are thinking of reviewing but decide against it - it was well outside the off.

Hobbs pushes the next ball pleasantly through the covers for two.

Here's a thing though - the DRS shows that the ball would have hit. If Australia had reviewed: it would have been out

22-0 one more over tonight

Well that IS a shame eh?

 

[Gwylan]

Last over of the day. Lillee to Cook - that flashes harmlessly wide
Cook's right behind the second ball, he's going see this home

Oh, that's a nasty one, it catches the shoulder of the bat and loops over slips - Smith chases it down and they run two.

Lillee has three balls left now is putting everything to them, that's ferociously fast but catches Cook's pad and that's four more leg byes
The fifth ball beats Cook all ends up, had him groping there

Final ball of the day - and it strikes Cook on the pad! The entire Australian team goes up but umpire Bucknor shakes his head.

Australia are going to review this .

It's not a no ball this time. Pitches in line, strikes in line and .... umpire's call. That was close but it was just clipping leg stump. Cook blows out his cheeks in relief. Australia don't look happy but at least it was Umpire's Call so they've not lost a review

England survive and finish the day on 28-0

 

[jakarta]

Amazing, we are normally 13-2 at this point in the day...

 

[Gwylan]

Scorecard

Cook 11
Hobbs 3
Extras 14 (8 lb 4b 2nb)


Lillee 4 0 11 0 (incl 2 nb)
McGrath 3 1 5 0

I think England will be happier with the day - they got Australia out for under 300 and survived a tricky spell at the end.

It could have been better though - they had the visitors on the ropes at 87-4 but Waugh, Gilchrist and, above all, Trumper saw Australia build up a decent score

The hope is that the openers can stick around for a bit and provide a platform for the stroke makers. Gower, Compton and Hammond should be a mouth-watering prospect

 

[jakarta]

Scorecard

Cook 11
Hobbs 3
Extras 14 (8 lb 4b 2nb)


Lillee 4 0 11 0 (incl 2 nb)
McGrath 3 1 5 0

I think England will be happier with the day - they got Australia out for under 300 and survived a tricky spell at the end.

It could have been better though - they had the visitors on the ropes at 87-4 but Waugh, Gilchrist and, above all, Trumper saw Australia build up a decent score

The hope is that the openers can stick around for a bit and provide a platform for the stroke makers. Gower, Compton and Hammond should be a mouth-watering prospect

Need to wear down the Aussie pacemen of course but above all what can Warne do when he gets his hands on the cherry, presumably just before Lunch?

BTW I can't wait to see the highlights on TV tonight!

 

[A1X]

England are nearly at 30 and haven't lost any wickets? I'm starting to question the realistic-ness of this.

 

[jakarta]

England are nearly at 30 and haven't lost any wickets? I'm starting to question the realistic-ness of this.

Haven't seen Hobbs batting in real life so looking forward to a big score from him tomorrow then a big and stylish Century from that fop Gower...

 

[LlcoolJ]

Can see the convicts drafting in Ponting for the second test.

 

[jakarta]

Can see the convicts drafting in Ponting for the second test.

Was actually my thought, can't have failures in the mid order like that.

 

[Gwylan]

Was actually my thought, can't have failures in the mid order like that.

Or Greg Chappell - he has a higher average than both Border and Waugh (and Ponting for that matter)

Jack Ryder is also higher than Border and Waugh.

I reckon Border will be out unless he gets a big score. He's in as a back-up spinner but they'd be better off with Chappell, a far better batter

Hayden needs to score runs too, Morris, who had a good record in England, could be in contention

And I wonder whether they're regretting picking Miller who's not as good a bowler as Lindwall or Thomson,

 

[jakarta]

Or Greg Chappell - he has a higher average than both Border and Waugh (and Ponting for that matter)

Jack Ryder is also higher than Border and Waugh.

I reckon Border will be out unless he gets a big score. He's in as a back-up spinner but they'd be better off with Chappell, a far better batter

Hayden needs to score runs too, Morris, who had a good record in England, could be in contention

And I wonder whether they're regretting picking Miller who's not as good a bowler as Lindwall or Thomson,

Have to say I wondered why Thomo hadn't being selected, quite pleased of course...