[Cricket] World Test XI

[jakarta]

Can anyone comment about the Weather in Nottingham?

Mrs Jakarta has a stack of stuff for me to do in Jakarta Towers garden so I'll have to sneak in every now and then to see what is going on.

As I said previously we need a gorgeous century from Gower that gets replayed on You Tube for years to come.

More likely 150 all out of course...

 

[Gwylan]

Morning Richie, morning all. It’s another belter of a day at Trent Bridge. There’s not a cloud in the sky and it’s already warm enough for jackets off in the commentary box.
It’s all pretty straightforward today – England need 231 to win, Australia need to take all ten wickets. The pitch doesn’t look too bad for a fifth day pitch – England certainly struggled to get much out of it yesterday, but they don’t have a Warne in their ranks. And don’t forget that Australia have a second spinner in Border – not front rank, by any means – but he does have a 10-wicket haul in tests. He’s a very useful back-up.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Sign of a good day when Morning Richie is the opening comment. For me he was the most astute of the TV commentators. He invariably called accurately the number of runs that would be scored from any particular shot Almost as soon as it left the bat!

I’m wondering if you’re a romantic Gwylan and we’re going to get a dramatic England win. If the wicket has anything in it for Warne he’d spin us out if the quicks make early breakthroughs

 

[jakarta]

First sneak back of the day from the Garden, we must have just started, who is opening for the Aussies?

 

[Gwylan]

It’s McGrath who gets us under way. Nothing too strenuous there, the speedometer only just above 80mph but Cook is taking no risks and calmly plays out a maiden – England have plenty of time here, that’s not going to be an issue.
Lillee from the other end – and that’s too short, Hobbs is quickly on to it and cracks it to the cover fence to get the scoreboard moving. And that’s a bit short too – steered to long leg for a single. Cook sees off the other balls apart from a push off his legs wide of mid-on for another single.
McGrath continues to be spot on and has upped the pace now – just a single off the over.

England 24-0 (Cook 11 Hobbs 13) Overs 12

 

[jakarta]

Slow but sure does it today...

 

[Gwylan]

Oh, that’s a snorter from Lillee that has Cook groping a bit. It just misses the edge.
The next ball does catch the edge but drops just short of Miller at third slip. Cook grimaces, that was very close. That’s more like it: Lillee bowls on Cook’s pads – you don’t bowl there to the Chef – and it’s helped away for two. He blocks out the rest of the over with little problem.
McGrath is not as threatening as Lillee but he’s hard to get away. Hobbs is using his feed effectively, but that’s clever bowling from McGrath, altering his length slightly for every delivery. And that’s close, his last ball drifts away a bit and catches the edge – but again, it’s just short of Warne in the gully,

26-0 (Cook 13 Hobbs 13) Overs 14

 

[Gwylan]

Little happens off the next few overs. Lillee’s beginning to build up a head of steam and beats both batsmen with balls that move away sharply. Cook gets a very fast, bouncy delivery that flies over slips for his first boundary of the morning.
At the other end, McGrath is like a metronome and just concedes a few singles.

37-0 (Cook 20 Hobbs 17) Overs 18

 

[jakarta]

Christ this is going to be torture isn't it?

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee smashes one over Cook and over Gilchrist too – that was genuinely quick – over 94mph but only brings up four byes. And that’s a sumptuous shot from Cook, a square drive that bisects cover and gully for another boundary.
And McGrath finally overpitches and Hobbs gleefully drives to the mid-off boundary before pinching single through mid-wicket. That’s the 50 up for England

50-0 (Cook 24 Hobbs 22) Overs 20

 

[A1X]

Warne the difference today. If he gets going we're in big trouble, if we can keep him quiet England should have this.

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Lillee and Hobbs cuts him away for two more, Lillee looks to be tiring a little and drops slightly short, another easy single for Hobbs. And Cook clips him away for two more. Lillee may have back problems still; there was a distinct drop in pace there.
There’s not in this one though – that’s fast, bouncy and moves away just enough for Cook to get a thick edge. This doesn’t drop short, it’s straight into the hands of Miller at third slip. Gower sees off the over

55-1 (Cook c Miller b Lillee 26 Hobbs 25) Overs 21

 

[Gwylan]

Hobbs pushes McGrath for single and it’s Gower facing now and that’s an easy swing to long off – that’s as gentle as a 5 iron onto the final green at St Andrews. Three of the most aesthetically pleasing runs of the day.
I thought Lillee may have been replaced but the wicket in the last over gave him a reprieve. He probably wishes he had been take off though – that’s an elegant cover drive from Gower – four runs the instant it left the bat. And that’s short and fast and swung away for another boundary to square leg. And to finish off the over, a flick of the wrist sending the ball through a space in the slips for another boundary – no third man there.
Now Hobbs is on the act, coming down the wicket and driving McGrath just to the bowler’s left before helping himself to another single. And that’s drinks.

75-1 (Hobbs 30 Gower 15) Overs 24

 

[LlcoolJ]

Steady away boys.

 

[jakarta]

Don't you just know that it will be a pretty 30-40 from Gower and gone...

 

[Gwylan]

Now it is time for Lillee to be rested – it’s Warnie time! This is going to be the crucial part of the innings. If England can master Warne, they have this game sewn up; if not, it’s curtains.
And the Master has the measure of Warne in this over. He uses his feet superbly, smothering the spin and when the spinner drops fractionally short, it’s flicked away for a couple back of square.
Gower hasn’t been distracted by the drinks break either. He confidently steers McGrath wide of mid-off for two and pushes past the bowler for a single.
80-1 (Hobbs 32 Gower 18) Overs 26
Warne to Gower. Oh, that’s a smooth as Swiss chocolate, it’s outside the off-stump and Gower leans back and steers it the boundary. There looked to be no force in that: it’s all in the timing.
But what’s this? It’s a vicious leg break from Warne that jags back into Gower, beats the leg stump and beats Gilchrist too – that’s four byes. England may have added to the score but that will set alarm bells ringing.

88-1 (Hobbs 32 Gower 22) Overs 27

 

[Gwylan]

Still McGrath, and the metronome may be malfunctioning as that’s a long half-volley that Hobbs creams through the covers for four. It’s a single to mid on and Gower shows his class with an absolute peach of a cover drive for another four before he flicks another single off his hips. An expensive over that one.
Warne to Gower again. Gower looks in the mood now. He cuts at Warne’s first ball but it’s not that short and he underedges it to his stumps.

98-2 (Gower b Warne 27 Hobbs 37)

 

[Gwylan]

You have to say that was pure Gower; some shots of the highest class and then cutting a ball that wasn’t there to be cut. Just looked at the replay and I may have been too hard on the batsman. He was playing it as a googly but that was Warne’s ‘zooter’ – it hurried on, a bit quicker than Gower was expecting. It was class bowling.
Compton in now and sweeps the last ball of the over for four – he’s not hanging around

102-2 (Hobbs 37 Compton 4) Overs 29

 

[Gwylan]

Miller on to replace McGrath and Hobbs is taking a careful look at him. It’s a rare maiden. You have a feeling that the fun is at the other end.
Despite that sweep in the previous over, Compton is not looking to get after Warne, just one off the over.
Miller greets his old mate with a bouncer that is hooked for two. Compton grins back at the bowler, who fires a sharp leg cutter past the off stump. No further fireworks.

105-2 (Hobbs 37 Compton 7) Overs 32

 

[Gwylan]

Hobbs is playing carefully. He’s using his feet to the ball and if he’s not quite there – it’s a risky strategy, he has to be able to pick the googly.
It looks like he can. He steps back for that places it down to the vacant long leg area. Anderson hares after it and dives to prevent the boundary – three to Hobbs. Another single ends the over.
Compton helps himself to one in the covers. Hobbs is down the wicket to Miller and cracks to long-off for four. England ticking along nicely.

114-2 (Hobbs 44 Compton 9) Overs 34