[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

And that’s a drop. Smith can’t get on top of a fast ball from Larwood, some extra bounce there - it catches the edge of the bat and flies to Gower at third slip – it’s no gimme, he has to dive and it was travelling but he got a hand to it. Smith adds to the insult by scampering one. Bradman flicks Larwood to the midwicket boundary for an effortless four.
Botham is still moving it and Smith is taking no chances and sees out another maiden.

Australia 161-2 (Bradman 69 Smith 49, overs 46)

 

[jakarta]

Patience, the Aussies still a long, long way behind.

 

[Gwylan]

Bradman helps himself to a single off Larwood and Smith blocks the next few but flicks It away to long leg for a single – and that’s his 50 and the hundred partnership to boot.
He’s taking no risks against Botham though, he’s playing off the back foot and watching the swing – that’s a fraction short and it’s a drive through point for two.

Australia 165-2 (Bradman 70 Smith 52, overs 48)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Larwood and he overpitches here and Bradman steps down the wicket and straight drives for four. And that’s a two through mid-on. Smith plays out a maiden from Botham – he’s taking no chances.

Australia 171-2 (Bradman 76 Smith 52, overs 50)

 

[jakarta]

Stokes tends to make things happen - just a suggestion?

 

[Gwylan]

A change of bowling and it’s time for Anderson. He hits the spot straight away and Bradman doesn’t play that comfortably. And the next ball is a beauty, coming back up the slope to beat the bat. That’s not so good though, it drifts down the legside and Bradman clips it to the Tavern Stand. He then pushes into the gap at long off and runs three.
Botham continues from the other end but that’s too short and Bradman swings it away for four and then runs two more. That’s drinks

Australia 184-2 (Bradman 89 Smith 52 overs 52)

 

[Gwylan]

All too often a wicket falls after a drinks break and Smith is ultra-cautious against Anderson – he doesn’t look to score any runs. And there’s a change at the Nursery End, Underwood is having a twirl.
He doesn’t get that right though, it’s outside leg stump and it’s hammered away by Bradman through mid-wicket. He’s right on target for the rest of the over though and there are no more runs.
Anderson again and Smith does score, he clips a two through his favourite mid-on area and then another in the covers.
Underwood maintains his line and length only for Bradman to squeeze a single off the last ball.

Australia 193-2 (Bradman 94 Smith 57, overs 56)

 

[Gwylan]

Bradman likes the look of Anderson and hammers off the back foot through extra cover for four. He’s looking for his 100 now but Anderson beats him with one that cuts away. And that one does the opposite, it jags back into him and he just keeps it down for a single. Smith looks no happier and is beaten outside off-stump.
Underwood keeps it tight but Bradman can resist no more – he dances down the pitch and heaves it to long-on for two. That’s Bradman’s 100 and it brings up the 200 as well – the whole of Lord’s rises to him.

Australia 200-2 (Bradman 100 Smith 57, overs 58)

 

[Gwylan]

Smith now attempts a bit more aggression against Anderson and it’s two through extra cover and a single to long leg. But this is some real aggression against Underwood, that’s a sweep and it’s going for miles – a six into the second tier. He runs it down to third man for another single.

Australia 210-2 (Bradman 100 Smith 67 overs 60)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s time for old Golden Arm: can Stokes make something happen. He certainly can but not what Hammond was expecting, that’s horribly short and Smith cracks another four – that’s the 150 partnership. And that’s a three to long off and he overpitches and Bradman doesn’t miss those – that was very loose from Stokes.
Smith is using his feet to Underwood and squeezes it away for two and that’s a fearsome drive for mid-on, brilliantly half stopped by Gower at mid-on, they still run two though. He nurdles one around the corner, that didn’t look like a run but Bradman is alert and they scamper home. And now Bradman scores two to square leg – a little flurry of runs there.

Australia 228-2 (Bradman 106 Smith 79, overs 62)

 

[Gwylan]

That’s a lot better from Stokes, Smith can only score a single from the over. And he pushes Underwood for one more, Bradman doesn’t hang about though and drives through the covers for four more – it looks like Australia have decided to up the run rate before the new ball is taken.

Australia 234-2 (Bradman 110 Smith 81, overs 64)

 

[Gwylan]

Stokes is spot on and Smith plays out a maiden and it looks Bradman has now decided to play for lunch, there’s just a single off Underwood’s over and one from the first ball of Stokes’ over. Smith fences at that ball from Stokes and it’s between Hammond and Prior for four more, he sees out the rest of the over. Underwood to bowl the last over before lunch, Bradman helps himself to two and it’s scran time.

Australia 242-2 (Bradman 114 Smith 85, overs 68)

 

[Gwylan]

Stokes gets us going for the first over after lunch and it’s loose and hammered through mid-wicket by Smith. The rest of the over is tidy and Smith can’t get him away.
It’s still Underwood from the Nursery End and Bradman scores one of the over – these two are starting slowly. Bradman handles Stokes delicately, turning him away for two and a single off the last ball – that’s the 250 up.

Australia 250-2 (Bradman 118 Smith 89, overs 70)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Stokes and Bradman takes a fancy to him, dances down the pitch and the ball whistles to the long-on boundary. A note from Bill Frindall again: this is now Australia’s highest third wicket partnership at Lord’s, beating Bradman and Kippax in 1930. Bradman repeats the shot, this time a little wider but it’s the same result. Smith is more circumspect against Underwood but does score a single.

Australia 259-2 (Bradman 126 Smith 90, overs 72)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Stokes, who starts with a no ball – I suppose they don’t want another seamer with new ball only a few overs away. Smith is careful against him anyway and just chips two to a vacant long on area – and that’s the 200 partnership. Bradman is itching to get after Underwood and square drives him for four – but that’s all.

Australia 266-2 (Bradman 130 Smith 92, overs 74)

 

[Gwylan]

Hammond is bringing himself on and that’s not a bad effort, Smith struggles to get him away and it’s just the single off the over. And Smith finds it no easier against Underwood and scores one more, Bradman makes a two off the last ball of the over.

Australia 270-2 (Bradman 132 Smith 94, overs 76)

 

[Gwylan]

Smith connects with Hammond and gets an uppish two in the covers, then a single to long leg. Bradman gets a single to long leg. He then hammers a four off Underwood, that’s a fine shot through mid-off.

Australia 278-2 (Bradman 137 Smith 97 overs 78)

 

[Gwylan]

Hammond overpitches and that smashes for four through extra cover by Smith – that’s his 100. He had some sticky moments but has played some fine shots. He scores a single off the final ball. And scores one more off Underwood’s first ball, Bradman looks to get after the spinner and finally succeeds in driving him to the cover boundary.

Australia 287-2 (Bradman 141 Smith 102, overs 80)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s time for Larwood and the new ball and he’s in the groove straight away, he has Smith hopping around in the crease and catches the edge for a single, Bradman plays carefully and pushes a two to mid-wicket. Anderson is also in the groove and hurries Smith into a single, Bradman drives a loose one through the covers for four.

Australia 295-2 (Bradman 147 Smith 104, overs 82)

 

[Gwylan]

Larwood to Smith and that’s a brutal ball, it catches the shoulder of Smith’s bat and clatters into the boundary. But he’s got no answer to this: it rises sharply, it’s quick, it’s lethal, it brushes Smith’s gloves and Prior pouches the catch.

Australia 299-3 Smith c Prior b Larwood 108