It’s Dennis Lillee to start from the Pavilion End. Umpire Aleem Dar hands him the new ball and we’re away. It’s a good attacking field to start – three slips, two gullies, a cover, a long leg, a mid-off and a square leg.
It’s the first ball … and it’s a beauty. It looked to be drifting outside off, but came up the slope and Cook was a bit slow moving his feet. It hits his pads and there’s a big appeal. And he’s given out – first ball. What a dramatic start.
Cook has a word with Hobbs and reviews. Let’s wait and see.
The ball is good, no bat, impact in line and …. It’s hitting the top of middle. Cook has to go. That was a peach of a delivery, but it wasn’t the start that England wanted.
Gower in next. He got off the mark with a four at Trent Bridge and he tries to repeat the shot but it just misses the bat – he was so close to getting a touch on that. He lets the next one go but is beaten again by one that bounces and jags away. And next ball, he’s struck on the pads – this looks similar to the Cook dismissal. There’s a huge appeal but umpire Dar shakes his head but Australia review.
It’s not a no ball, no bat, impact in line …. and it’s slightly clipping the top, a fraction too high. Umpire’s call. Gower can breathe a sigh of relief. But this has been a fine over. To celebrate Gower strokes the ball to the cover boundary for the first runs of the game.
It’s Thomson from the Nursery End. He hands his sweater to Billy Bowden and marks out his run. Hobbs waits nervously, it wasn’t the start that England wanted and it’s fast but harmlessly wide. As it the second. Hobbs pushes the third ball away in the gap in the covers and gets off the mark with a two. But that’s a beauty, beats Hobbs all ends up. He sees out the over without any alarms.
Lillee is itching to get his hands on the ball again and that’s a jaffa – jags back into Gower and nearly cuts him in two. The next one goes the other way and Gower is groping for it . Oh, that’s a lazy shot by Gower – he scarcely moves his feet and the balls flies to Ponting in the gully … and straight out again. That really wasn’t a hard chance.
Lillee is looking daggers at Ponting right now. Gilchrist claps him and Warne has run across from mid-off to have a word with the bowler: Ponting just stares at the ground. The final ball of the cover is quick but that’s an exquisite shot. Gower just leans into it and it’s four through mid-wicket
Thomson’s bowling too short to Hobbs, who’s playing him with ease. Hobbs turns one away to long leg and it’s Gower facing Thomson. He tries to pull him and gets in a mess – he’s hit on the shoulder but not hurt.
Lillee versus Hobbs and it’s the bowler with the upper hand, as he beats Hobbs with a fizzer that leaves him off the pitch. Lillee is pitching the ball up to Hobbs and he’s noticeably less comfortable on the front foot. That strikes him on the pad – there’s a strangled appeal from Lillee – that was outside off stump. Oh, he’s beaten again, the ball coming down the slope and Hobbs gropes for the ball like a man looking for his spectacles. What a fine maiden.
Thomson to Gower – who’s beaten first ball. And then, oh David, that wasn’t there to cut. He’s cramped up and the ball flies inches over the outstretched fingers of Chappell – that’s a streaky four.
Thomson has a few words for Gower – he’s probably not asking for recommendations for wine for dinner tonight – the batsman grins.
And the next ball’s really nasty, Gower tries to play it but only flicks it up in the air towards long leg but it falls just short of Thomson – that’s one and Gower has the safety of the other end. Hobbs sees out the fiery over.
After the fireworks of the first few overs, this is calmer. Gower is beginning to move his feet better and gets well into line – it’s a second successive maiden off Lillee.
That’s fast and short from Thomson – too short and Hobbs confidently pulls it to mid-wicket for four. He on drives for two – he looks quite confident against this bowling.
Gower is middling the ball against Lillee now – he can’t get him away until the last ball when it’s a push through the covers for two.
Thomson is getting up a head of steam and fires one past Hobbs’s nose – he’s not wearing a helmet, which is probably a red rag to the bowler. It’s another head high ball and Hobbs hooks confidently to long leg.
That’s the first really loose ball that Lillee has bowled and Hobbs cover drives it for four. That’s better from the bowler, he beats the bat, there’s a half-hearted appeal for a catch but Gilchrist doesn’t join in. There’s a single off the last ball.
Thomson over-pitches now and it’s driven firmly past mid-off. And that’s a three down to cow corner as Hobbs pushes off his toes – runs beginning to come now. And that’s more as Gower drives, catches a thick edge over Hayden in the gully for another four.
Lillee is bowling superbly though, he beats Hobbs as that seams away, and that’s an edge but flies in between Smith and Chappell in the slips – they glare at each other but it wasn’t a chance, it bounced well before them. But he doesn’t get away this time; it’s another edge and pouched by Chappell at second slip at a comfortable height - that's a straightforward catch. Compton sees out the last ball of the over.
England 40-2 (Hobbs c Chappell b Lillee 21) overs 12
Gower plays out a maiden – England don’t want to lose a wicket here. Lillee bowls an absolute snorter at Compton who’s beaten all ends up, he then digs out a fast Yorkers. It’s another maiden – two in a row. And that’s drinks
The cloud cover has gone now but Lillee is continuing for his eighth over and there are some signs of weariness now as that’s short and crashed through mid-wicket by Compton, who drives the final ball for four more.
Thomson’s on the money though and there’s just one off the over.
It’s a bowling change and Miller’s on. He has a word with his chum Compton at the non-striker’s end, the pair of them are laughing. But this no laughing matter, it’s a horrible half volley that Gower gleefully drives through mid-off, bringing up the 50. That’s another - a four through the covers off the back foot – it’s a shot that Gower plays so well, with such grace - it's almost nonchalant.
Thomson keeping it tight for Compton and it’s another maiden. And this is better from Miller, just the two as Gower turns it through mid-wicket.
It’s a change of bowling at the Nursery End but it’s not Warne. Chappell is coming on with his medium pacers, there may still be a bit in the pitch for him. And that’s a bit of swing straight up and Compton is beaten, he plays the over carefully and steals a single.
Miller to Compton, who crashes the ball through extra cover and grins at the bowler. Miller doesn’t grin back, that’s a vicious bouncer that Compton ducks. He finishes with an edge past slips but there’s a third man now and Warne throws it in.
Chappell is still keeping it tight, Compton drives for two and that’s all there is. Miller bowls to Gower and there’s just one from it.
Chappell over-pitches this one though and it’s four through mid-off, nicely timed by Gower, he’s beginning to time the ball sweetly.