[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Miller again and there’s just the two off the over. Chappell to Gower… and that’s over-pitched and stroked through the covers for a sweet four and that’s over-pitched too, another four through mid-wicket. Gower doesn’t quite time the last ball but he still gets two.
Compton has his mind on lunch now and plays out a maiden from Miller.

England 84-2 (Gower 45, Compton 18, overs 27)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s spinning time. Warne has the ball in his hands and that’s a googly first off – Gower reads it and dabs it to third man for a single. Warne’s on the money for the next few balls but you can’t bowl there to Compton – he sweeps for four off the last ball.
And this is going to be last over before lunch. Gower plays a couple carefully before running to third man. The fielders come in to see off the over but Compton has other ideas and chips the ball like a sweet 5 iron into the gap at mid-on for two. And that’s lunch.

England 92-2 (Gower 47, Compton 24 overs 29)

 

[Gwylan]

Lunch scorecard

England
Cook lbw b Lillee 0
Hobbs c Chappell b Lillee 21
Gower not out 47
Compton not out 24
Extras 0
Total 92-2

Bowling
Lillee 8 3 29 2
Thomson 9 2 19 0
Miller 7 1 20 0
Chappell 4 0 19 0
Warne 1 0 5 0

 

[Gwylan]

It’s all quiet after lunch as England look to build on a useful start. Lillee is back from the Pavilion end and after an over from Warne, in which Gower scores a single, he’s bowling to the left-hander and beats him with one that goes down the slope. He does it again for good measure, Gower is nearing his 50 but he won’t get if he keeps groping outside his off-stump. Lillee starts with a maiden.
And Warne bowls a maiden too – Compton having a good look early on in the session.

England 93-2 (Gower 48, Compton 24, overs 32)

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee bowls a lifter to Gower and that flies through the slip area to third man – he’s one away from 50 now. Compton pushes the final ball through mid-wicket for two.
Warne to Gower… and that’s the 50 as Warne bowls wide of the off-stump, that’s cut away and Thomson picks it up on the point boundary. It’s not the fastest 50 that Gower has scored but it’s a valuable one for England.

Lillee to Compton and he’s bang on the money for another maiden. Warne to Gower has the makings of a fascinating duel, the batsman tries to use his feet but that’s a quicker one that has Gower tied up. He’s then beaten by a googly that fizzed off the pitch but when Warne bowls short, Gower dabs away past slip for an elegant two – that’s the hundred up.

England 100-2 (Gower 53 Compton 26, overs 36)

 

[Gwylan]

Compton pushes Lillee for a single but now that Gower has his 50, he’s quiet for a bit and sees out the over. Compton is anxious to get on with it though and comes down the wicket to Warne and lofts him to long-off for first boundary since lunch, he then sweeps for a single.
And he pulls the first ball of Lillee’s over for a crashing four through square leg. Lillee beats him with the next, however and he sees out the rest of the over.
Gower tries to use his feet to Warne but that’s not for driving and he’s lucky not to be stumped. He middles that though and it’s a fine stop by Ponting at cover – he’s still making amends for his earlier drop. And that’s a beauty, it whizzes past Gower’s bat and Gilchrist too – four byes, the first extras of the innings.

England 114-2 (Gower 53 Compton 36, overs 40)

 

[Gwylan]

The runs are beginning come now as they run singles here and twos there. They’re not trying anything fancy but neither Lillee nor Warne is causing problems.

England 129-2 (Gower 60, Compton 44 overs 44)

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I did for the last test! It's not quite ball by ball, whole overs go by with little action.

They're mainly written at night just before I go to bed and finished first thing in the morning.

Well your post count will be closing in on the late Bens Grandad if this is gonna be a 6 match series ...

 

[Gwylan]

Thomson is on from the Pavilion End for the first time and that’s a shocker, short, wide of the leg stump and Compton swats it to the legside boundary. That’s too short too and it’s flicked for a single. And Thommo has over-compensated here, that’s too much the other way, outside Gower’s leg stump this time and it’s glanced for another four. The bowler has adjusted his radar since lunch.
And Compton has itchy feet against Warne, comes down the wicket and lofts it to the mid-off boundary for four – that’s Compton’s 50 and the hundred partnership too. He sees out the rest of the over and that’s drinks.

England 142-2 (Gower 64, Compton 53 overs 46)

 

[Gwylan]

Nothing happening after drinks, Thomson has fixed his radar and that’s a maiden. Compton sneaks a single off the Warne over.
That’s short from Thomson and it’s pushed away for two. But that’s a snorter – brushes Compton’s shoulder and flies past Gilchrist for four leg byes. Gower uses his feet to Warne and helps himself to a couple.

England 151-2 (Gower 66 Compton 56, overs 50)

 

[Gwylan]

Thomson beats Compton first ball but that’s a single to long leg. And Gower helps the ball round the corner for four, beating the despairing dive from Lillee.
Compton has had enough of being tied down, sweeps the first ball for four. He’s then nearly caught as it’s lofted to long off but it falls just short of Trumper and it’s just two

England 162-2 (Gower 70, Compton 63 overs 52)

 

[Gwylan]

Gower sees out a couple of balls from Thomson – the ball isn’t doing much now and he flicks it away for a single.
Hello, this is an odd move. Warne is coming off and is being replaced by Ponting. Punter does bowl a bit but it’s fair to say he’s not a regular – unless they’re looking to change ends. He’s a sort of military medium and he’s spot on for a couple of balls, Gower’s had enough though and gives him the charge – that’s four through extra cover. He turns the final ball away for a couple.
And it is a change of ends, but it’s no joy for Warne as Compton dances down the pitch and crashes him into the Pavilion for the first six of the day – that’s woken a few members up.
It’s Thomson back from the Nursery End and he’s finding this easier, Gower sees out the over, just scoring the two.

England 177-2 (Gower 79, Compton 69, overs 56)

 

[Gwylan]

Compton facing Warne again and that’s cut away gloriously for four. And he’s down on one knee and swept for another four, Compton’s on fire now and lofts to the vacant long-off area for three. How he’d love to score a ton at HQ – his home ground. And Gower finishes an expensive over for Warne by helping himself to two
Compton is looking to take Thomson on now and that’s a glorious square drive for four – he tries to repeat the shot but that’s quick – 94mph and there’s more bounce, he doesn’t get much bat on it and Gilchrist gleefully accepts the catch.

England 194-3 (Compton c Gilchrist by Thomson 84)

 

[Gwylan]

There’s a generous round of applause for Compton who must be disappointed. Hammond comes in and sees off the over.
Gower takes a single off Warne and Hammond cover drives for four.

England 199-3 (Gower 82, Hammond 4, overs 59)

 

[Gwylan]

Gower flicks Thomson down to long leg for a single, bringing up the 200, and Hammond scores two off the last ball. That’s tea

TEA SCORE England 202-3 (Gower 83, Hammond 6 overs 60)

 

[jakarta]

Now back my Hotel in lovely Wellingborough (as a Fawlty Towers tribute it is a Peach by the way)

Is it possible to see the Teatime Card?

 

[Gwylan]

Nothing much has happened in the overs after tea. Miller is back on, from the Nursery End this time, and apart from one half volley which Hammond cracked through the covers, it’s all been rather sedate. Warne isn’t getting much turn from the Pavilion End, the slope isn’t helping his leg breaks and Gower is picking his googlies.

England 219-3 (Gower 89, Hammond 17, overs 66)

 

[Gwylan]

Now back my Hotel in lovely Wellingborough (as a Fawlty Towers tribute it is a Peach by the way)

Is it possible to see the Teatime Card?

England
Cook lbw b Lillee 0
Hobbs c Chappell b Lillee 21
Gower not out 83
Compton c Gilchrist by Thomson 84
Hammond not out 6
Extras 4
Total 202-3

Haven't worked out the bowling yet

 

[jakarta]

England
Cook lbw b Lillee 0
Hobbs c Chappell b Lillee 21
Gower not out 83
Compton c Gilchrist by Thomson 84
Hammond not out 6
Extras 4
Total 202-3

Haven't worked out the bowling yet

Many thanks, aside from Chefs unfortunate demise is it looking like a batsman's day would you say?

 

[Gwylan]

Miller bowls a rather wild one down the leg side and that’s a majestic on-drive from Hammond, racing along to the below the scoreboard. He’s tidy for the rest of the over, however. Gower wants to get in on the act now and sweeps Warne to roughly the same spot, before a delicate dab for two to third man. He’s in the 90s now

England 229-3 (Gower 95, Hammond 21, overs 68)