[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Hammond looks equally comfortable against Warne, he scores two past that danger man Miller at short third man and then flicks for four more through mid-wicket and then a single wide of mid-off.

Stokes gets off the mark with a crashing square cut for four.

And then Hammond comes down the wicket to Chappell and sweetly drives him through mid-on for four more. He runs one to third man, Stokes scores one to long leg

England 219-4 (Hammond 25 Stokes 5) overs 56

 

[Gwylan]

This looks plain sailing from here, no demons in the pitch and plenty of batting to come.

Stokes is bit more circumspect against Warne and scores just a single off the over.

That's the end of Chappell, Lillee has been brought back and immediately has Stokes groping for one and then beats him again. And that's an edge that flies down to third man, another slip would have snaffled that. Hammond calmly blocks the rest of the over.

England 221-4 (Hammond 25 Stokes 7) overs 58

 

[Gwylan]

Stokes is looking to crack on agains Warne but that's good bowling, he can't get him away. He's beaten by the googly - I don't think he picked that,

He's down the wicket now, trying to drive him, but he's at the pitch and he just scoops into Ponting's hands at mid-off.

England 221-5 Stokes c Ponting b Warne 7

 

[Gwylan]

There was no need for that shot, England have plenty of time.

That was the end of the over, Hammond faces Lillee and scores two past square on the off side. And runs a single down past mid-on. England need fewer than 50 now.

England 224-5 (Hammond 28 Botham 0) overs 60

 

[Gwylan]

That's the way to do it, Ben,

Hammond plays the shot that Stokes was attempting, he's down the pitch and, crucially, keeps it along the ground, just wide of Trumper at mid-off. They run three,

Botham facing Warne and that's the googly ... and he doesn't pick it. There's a huge appeal but umpire Dar says not out,
Warne's convinced and they're going upstairs for this

 

[Gwylan]

It's Australia's mate, Billy Bowden making the decision.

The ball's good and the impact is in line. There's no bat on it.

What does ball tracker say?

 

[Gwylan]

Ball tracker says ....clipping leg-stump. Umpire's call, Botham can breathe a sigh of relief

 

[jakarta]

Can we assume it is Lunch. I for one need a drink!

 

[Gwylan]

Hammond plays out a maiden from Lillee - no more excitement needed this morning. It's nosebag time

Lunch score: England 227-5 (Hammond 31 Botham 0) overs 62

 

[Gwylan]

Botham gets the scoreboard ticking after lunch with a single off Warne. Hammond seizes on a loose delivery and hammers it away for three.

Thomson has replaced Lillee at the Birmingham end and Hammond pushes a single to long leg. Botham then scores two through mid-wicket

England 233-5 (Hammond 35 Botham 3) overs 64

 

[Gwylan]

Hammond plays Warne delicately for a single behind square and Botham hammers him over the top for his first boundary.

Thomson is building up some pace to Hammond, he hasn't given up and Hammond flicks him nonchalantly for two. But that's nasty: Thomson pitches just short of a length, the ball does doesn't get up at all and Hammond is caught bang in front.

England 240-6 (Hammond lbw b Thomson 38)

 

[Gwylan]

That was unlucky for Hammond - that was the first ball that's behaved badly. But if there's uneven bounce now, that may be trickier for England.

Prior's off the mark straight away with a nudge past gully for a single

England 241-6 (Botham 7 Prior 1) overs 66

 

[Gwylan]

Prior looks to get on with things and pushes into the covers for a single - he looks for two, but that would be risky.

Botham has got his eye in now and cracks Warne over the top for four more.

And Prior square drives Thomson - that's a cracking shot and another four - that's the 250 up

He nudges it down to long leg and that's one more

England 251-6 (Botham 11 Prior 6) overs 68 22 runs to win

 

[DJ NOBO]

Prior and Both is a good combination. Not world class batters but dangerous if they get in.

 

[Gwylan]

Six fours will do it now and Prior aims for the first one but misses the ball.
He tries again ... and that's the top spinner and he didn't pick it - his middle stump is flat on the ground

That really wasn't the shot to play

England 251-7 Prior b Warne 6

 

[Gwylan]

Larwood looks like he's trying to get them in sixes - he aims a wild swing, it flies up in the air to third man and bounces just short of Thomson.

Botham has a chat and tells him to calm down, before steering the ball backwards of square on the on side for a single

England 253-7 (Botham 12 Larwood 1) 20 to win

 

[jakarta]

You just bloody knew it didn't you? Brain Fade...

 

[Gwylan]

The field has spread for Botham, he can get a single anywhere but he declines the option. Oh, that's clever, he places the ball neatly on the fourth ball and sprints for two - he just makes it home

Two balls left and the field comes in. The next ball is a yorker that he does well to keep out and the final ball nearly takes his head off

England 255-7 (Botham 14 Larwood 1) overs 70 18 to win

 

[Gwylan]

Warne to Larwood - he pokes nervously and just misses the bat. And that's a beauty, it spits off the pitch and somehow just misses Larwood's gloves. Larwood prods forward to that, it's bat and pad and it loops into short mid-wicket - no-one's there.
Larwood's not enjoying this.

He decides he's going to live or die by the sword and executes the perfect slog sweep - straight into the Eric Hollies stand., The crowd over there love that.

He goes for the shot again and there's too much top edge - that's Trumper on the boundary and he takes it cleanly. Another wicket down and that's five-fer for Warne.

Anderson faces the last ball of the over and just about gets his bat down

England 261-8 (Larwood c Trumper b Warne 7)

 

[Gwylan]

The field is spread out for Botham and once again he declines to take the single. The field comes in for the fifth ball and he tries to run down to third man but nearly gives a catch to Gilchrist. He changes his approach off the last ball, it's short but he doesn't duck, it's smacked over square leg for four

England 265-8 (Botham 18 Anderson 0) overs 72 Eight to win