[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

It’s Warne again after the drinks break. It’s tossed up outside, there’s a bit of turn and bounce – Gower’s in no position to play that shot and he feathers it through to Gilchrist. You could hear that click at the tube station and he doesn’t review. Remember the adage – one brings two.

England 105-2 (Gower c Gilchrist b Warne 4)

 

[Gwylan]

Compton’s in and he flicks it away for a single. Hobbs scores a single to long leg.

England 107-2 (Hobbs 47 Compton 1, overs 34)

 

[Gwylan]

Miller to Hobbs, that’s more like it, Hobbs uses his feet superbly and it’s driven between mid-off and extra cover – that’s Hobb’s 50. And he helps the ball round the corner for two more.
Warne to Compton – this has the makings of a fascinating dual. Warne tosses it up and Compton tries to drive and it’s quite there. The next ball spins back sharply and just misses the leg stump. Warne now strikes the pad and there’s a stifled appeal. Compton’s had enough; he’s down on one knee and sweeps fine for four.

England 117-2 (Hobbs 53 Compton 5, overs 36)

 

[jakarta]

Hey ho that is Gower for you...

 

[Gwylan]

Miller in again and the first few balls are bang on the money. That’s got some extra bounce and Hobbs isn’t quite in line, it’s snicked through to Gilchrist and Hobbs walks off, shaking his head. That was a good ball, a bit of late movement but Hobbs could have left that alone.

England 117-3 Hobbs c Gilchrist b Miller 53

 

[Gwylan]

This isn’t how England planned on the morning turning out – however, don’t forget that England are already 216 ahead, that’s something to bowl at. Hammond sees out the rest of the over and walks down for a chat with Compton, telling him not to do anything stupid, I expect.
And Compton doesn’t, that’s played carefully for a maiden.

England 117-3 (Compton 5 Hammond 0, overs 38)

 

[Gwylan]

Hammond faces Miller and squeezes him away for a single That’s slightly short to Compton and is paddled away for two more,
Hammond plays out another maiden from Warne, it’s time for a bit of caution.

England 120-3 (Compton 7 Hammond 1, overs 40)

 

[Gwylan]

Miller again to Compton and there’s a bit of banter between the two as Compton blocks stoutly, this is not his natural game. He pushes at that one and it’s timed to perfection – two runs. He flicks down to long leg for a single.
Can he resist giving Warne the charge; he does for four balls and then comes down the wicket and chips to the vacant long on area, Lillee gives chase and that’s three runs.

England 126-3 (Compton 13 Hammond 1, overs 42)

 

[Gwylan]

Miller to Compton again and, once more, he shows his defensive skills. There’s a bit more chat from Miller, who’s swinging his arms to demonstrate how to drive. They’re both laughing but Compton blocks the next ball – a bit more verbal from the bowler. Compton’s had enough: the next ball is very full and Compton steps out to drive – there’s a bit of late movement and that’s straight into the hands of Chappell at slip. Miller laughs with delight and Hammond raises his eyes to the heavens.

England 126-4 (Compton c Chappell b Miller 13)

 

[Gwylan]

The scorecard should read “Compton psyched out b Miller” – he fell for that: hook, line and sinker. If I were Compton, I’d stay out of Hammond’s way over lunch.
Stokes is in now. He’s normally a slow starter anyway but he’ll relish this challenge.
But it’s Warne bowling to Hammond. He has all his tricks: the fast leg break, the googly, the top spinner – Hammond is in control and plays out a maiden.

England 126-4 (Hammond 1 Stokes 0, overs 46)

 

[Gwylan]

Miller bowls short to Stokes – he won’t block that, it’s asking to be hit and he hammers it to cow corner for four. He runs that down to third man for a single and Hammond takes one to long leg.
Warne to Hammond again and this time he does score – slightly too long and it’s effortlessly cover driven for two. That’s all off the over though.

England 134-4 (Hammond 4 Stokes 5, overs 48)

 

[Gwylan]

Miller to bowl the last over before lunch. They’re going through the motions here – there’s a single backward of point but that’s the lot. Time to put the nosebag on.

England 135-4 (Hammond 4 Stokes 6, overs 49)

 

[jakarta]

Good Old England, making it exciting...

 

[Gwylan]

That’s not the session that England wanted, none of the wickets was down to unplayable deliveries but mental pressure undoubtedly got to Cook and Compton. There’s still nothing much in the wicket – Warne is getting some turn and bounce, but it’s not a raging bunsen.
There’s still batting to come and England do have a lead of 235 already – that’s a useful cushion.

 

[Gwylan]

We’re back and it’s Thomson getting us under way from the Nursery End, Stokes is solidly in line and there’s nothing from the over.
Lillee resumes from the Pavilion End and he plays out a maiden to Hammond – no risks being taken at the moment.
Thomson over pitches slightly and Stokes drives for two, he then scores one to long leg.
Lillee to Stokes, that’s a single. He then bowls a jaffa to Hammond, that flies through the slips for four. Thomson is bowling fast to Stokes but that’s too short and is helped to the fine leg boundary.

England 147-4 (Hammond 8 Stokes 14, overs 54)

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee still to Hammond, that’s clubbed to square leg for a single. Lillee pitches the next one up and it’s driven between mid-off and bowler for four. The next ball looks similar but it’s a fraction shorter and swings late – Stokes drives but the big edge and Gilchrist takes a diving catch in front of Chappell.
England 152-5 Stokes c Gilchrist b Lillee 18)
Botham is in – let’s hope he has his sensible head on – he plays out the rest of the over. Hammond takes a single off Thomson’s over.

England 153-5 (Hammond 10 Botham 0, overs 56)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s Lillee to Hammond, who blocks a couple of straight ones. Hammond strolls a single to third man and Botham shovels two to deep square leg.
Thomson to Hammond: he’s just short of a length but is hard to get away and Hammond plays out a a maiden. England do have a bit of a dilemma here – they don’t want to lose any more wickets but it’s no good just plodding along at one or two an over – they need to set a target tonight.

England 156-5 (Hammond 11 Botham 2, overs 58)

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee in to Botham and again, he plays sensibly and sees out the maiden. The batsmen are having a chat, maybe it’s time to get into second gear.
Not at the moment, Hammond pushes at Thomson for a single and Botham does the same.

England 158-5 (Hammond 12, Botham 3, overs 60)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s time for another chat. England are stuck in a rut here. Botham has a swing at Lillee and nearly edges to the keeper. He tries again and can’t time it and that’s fielded smartly in the covers by Trumper. He can’t get Lillee away, although he does with a scoop into midwicket – that could have gone anywhere but he gets two.
Thomson to Hammond and that’s class – that’s broken the deadlock- lovely movement from Hammond, a superb cover drive, four from the second it left the bat.

England 164-5 (Hammond 16 Botham 5, overs 62)

 

[Gwylan]

It’s a change of bowling from the Pavilion End. And it’s Chappell rather than Warne. Maybe he’s there to keep it tight. Not like that though, it’s over-pitched and it’s marmalised by Botham through mid-off, that went like a tracer bullet. Chappell is on the money for the rest of the over though.
It’s Warne at the other end and Hammond is using his feet well, steering him into the gap at wide mid-off for a couple. He pushes a single off the last ball of the over.

England 171-5 (Hammond 19 Botham 9, overs 64)