[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Hayden blocks the next over from Botham and Warne’s itching to have a go at Underwood. He comes down the pitch, but the Kent maestro spots him, pushes it a bit faster, a bit wider and Prior completes the stumping.
Australia 395-8(Warne st Prior b Underwood 4)
Lillee in next and he scrambles a single, Hayden pushes Underwood for two to see out the over

Australia 398-8 (Hayden 38 Lillee 1, overs 108)

 

[Gwylan]

England have had enough of this nonsense and have brought Larwood back, Lillee has a thick edge that flies to third man for a single. Hayden plays out a couple of balls and pushes for one. Lillee has three balls to face – and that’s the 400 up as he smashes it through mid-wicket for four. He tries to repeat the shot but that’s not short enough and his leg stump is knocked out the ground.

Australia 404-9 Lillee b Larwood 6

 

[Gwylan]

Thomson in with one ball to face. He pushes forward nervously but he’s rapped on the pads –that looked pretty straight and umpire Dar raises his finger. Thomson’s going to appeal – because he can – but that looked pretty plumb.

 

[Gwylan]

And it is plumb, that’s the end of the innings with England 99 ahead.

 

[Gwylan]

Scorecard

Australia
Hayden not out 39
Trumper b Larwood 25
Bradman c Prior b Anderson 151
Ponting lbw b Larwood 5
Smith c Prior b Larwood 108
Chappell c Hammond b Larwood 0
Gilchrist b Larwood 8
Miller c Prior b Botham 52
Warne st Prior b Underwood 4
Lillee b Larwood 6
Thomson lbw b Larwood 0
Extras 6

Total 404

Bowling to follow

EDIT: Worked these out

Larwood 25 5 86 7
Anderson 22 4 70 1
Botham 27 4 84 1
Stokes 16 2 68 0
Underwood 16 3 72 1
Hammond 3 0 10 0

 

[jakarta]

Obviously we should have had Larwood in for the First Test!

 

[Gwylan]

Obviously that’s a sterling effort from Larwood – he caused problems to all the batsmen. I’m not he bowled much better than Lillee and Thomson did but he had a couple of things in his favour. First of all, the Australian almost bowled too well – they had the batsmen playing and missing while Larwood got enough to get a touch. He’s also much skiddier, the ball didn’t have so much bounce and batsmen found it harder to pick the length. And don't forget luck, Lillee in particular found the edge but the ball landing safely.

I think the figures slightly flatter Larwood as well as he bowled while Lillee's don't do him justice.

That's cricket ...

 

[jakarta]

Chef on a Pair, he is going to be a nervous chap...

 

[Gwylan]

It’s Lillee with the new ball in his hand from the Pavilion End – a minimum of 17 overs remaining. Cook got a first baller in the first innings but no worries this time as he meets it firmly in the middle of the bat. And those are the first runs, he smartly clips it away for four past square leg.
Thomson from the other end and he beats Hobbs with a beauty, that had pace and bounce. And the next one is even quicker, it catches Hobbs on the shoulder and flies down to fine leg for four leg byes. Hobbs is right behind the next balls however and pushes a single into the covers off the last ball.

England 9-0 (Cook 4 Hobbs 1, overs 2)

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee’s getting up a head of steam now but Hobbs plays him calmly, two runs off the over. Thomson is fast to Cook but the line is awry and the batsman can let too many balls through. Hobbs scores a single off the first ball of Lillee’s next over – oh, that’s a beaut – catches the edge of Cook’s bat and flies through the vacant slip areas for four. Thomson looks just as threatening and Hobbs just about keep the ball out – that’s a maiden.

England 16-0 (Cook 8 Hobbs 4, overs 6)

 

[Gwylan]

Cook’s turn to play out a maiden to a Lillee over that is full of sound and fury but does little damage. And now Hobbs takes on Thomson and hooks him fearlessly for four. The next one is totally mistimed and is lobbed up in the air – fortunately for him, it falls safely between Miller and Trumper and they run one.

England 21-0 Cook 8 Hobbs 9, overs 8)

 

[Gwylan]

That’s a nasty one from Lillee and Hobbs is rubbing his elbow, that’s nastier and it flies over Ponting’s head in the gully. I think he got fingertips to that as it hasn’t raced to the boundary, two to Hobbs.
And Thomson bowls short to Cook who swivels round and helps it on its way for four more.

England 27-0 (Cook 12 Hobbs 11, overs 10)

 

[Gwylan]

The game seems to have gone into a lull, the ball is not doing anything untoward and the batsmen aren’t looking to move the score along – a one there, a two there. Cooks got a top edge from Thomson that went over slips, and that was all the excitement.

England 38-0 (Cook 19 Hobbs 15, overs 14)

 

[jakarta]

Effectively137-0 and can bat all day tomorrow, I'm not surprised they have shut up shop.

 

[Gwylan]

Hello, a bit of spin before the close. Warne is coming on from the Pavilion End – that’s the googly to Cook but it’s too short and it’s clattered to the point boundary. That’s better, a classic leg break, a bit of turn and it went between bat and pad. And that one catches the edge and trickles to the boundary, it’s a chase for Smith but not before the batsmen run three. Hobbs helps himself to a single.
It’s still Thomson from the Nursery End and Hobbs takes a single to long leg, Cook is on his toes to push it for two through mid-wicket.

England 49-0 (Cook 28 Hobbs 17, overs 16)

 

[Gwylan]

Hobbs and Cook meet for a chat to make sure this is the last over of the day. Warne bowls a sharp leg break that beats Hobbs coming forward – that was close. Hobbs steps back and plays this one wide of square leg to bring up the 50.
Oh, Chef, what are you doing? He pushes at wide one from Warne – it slides between Chappell and Smith and glides to the third man boundary. Cook had no need to play at that and it could easily have gone to hand – Hobbs has a word. He gets the message and sees out the rest of the over.

Close: England 54-0 (Cook 32 Hobbs 18, overs 17)

 

[jakarta]

Well that didn't pan out the way I thought it would when Bradman and Smith were cruising. Larwood will no doubt have a few beers tonight.

 

[Gwylan]

So, England 153 runs ahead, 10 wickets in hand and two days to play – they couldn’t have wished for a much better position before play began. This is still a decent batting wicket so they should be looking to bat until after tea and set Australia around about 410/420. I don’t think the wicket’s showing much sign of wear but Underwood’s not a big spinner of the ball anyway. You’d certainly rather be in England’s shoes tonight

 

[jakarta]

Highlights on Channel 5 later tonight I believe, a Bradman Century at Lord's will be well worth watching...

 

[Gwylan]

Highlights on Channel 5 later tonight I believe, a Bradman Century at Lord's will be well worth watching...

Ah, if only ...

This whole game has raised so many questions: how would old time players cope with DRS? Would they wear helmets (I've already commented that Hobbs doesn't)? Even when helmets were the norm, some players (Richards and Richardson) didn't wear them. I couldn't see Bradman, Trumper or Miller in a helmet.

How would they cope with new lbw? I've already mentioned that Hobbs found it hard? Their fielding and running between the wickets would be found wanting.

It's a good game though, isn't it?