[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Play started an hour late after some overnight rain.

There's still some cloud cover about but Lillee and Thomson haven't troubled the batsmen much, they're continuing to make steady progress.

England 80-0 (Hobbs 39 Hutton 33) overs 22

 

[Gwylan]

Lille gets something there, some late swing that has Hobbs groping for the ball and then shapes another one away that catches the edge and goes to third man. But he over-pitches the last ball and Hutton clips to the mid-wicket boundary for four.
Thomson has been bowling much too short this morning and Hobbs can leave most of them as they’re too wide and too high. It’s a maiden but a non-threatening one

England 85-0 (Hobbs 40 Hutton 37) overs 24

 

[Gwylan]

It’s more steady as she goes: Lillee is bowling well, shaping the ball away and then jagging one back, Hobbs just gets an inside edge on a ball that hits him plumb in front.
Thomson continues to bowl too short – he pitches one up and Hobbs drives through mid-off for four. The only scare is a gloved shot by Hobbs that flies in the air towards fine leg but there’s no-one close in to catch

England 94-0 (Hobbs 46 Hutton 40) overs 28

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee is bowling with some real hostility now and Hobbs is well beaten by a ball that leaves him. There’s a less than convincing uppish clip from him. Hutton looks more confident as he drives firmly through the off for two.
Thomson is now pitching it up more and getting the batsmen to play the ball … finally. Hobbs pushes a single as does Hutton.

England 99-0 (Hobbs 48 Hutton 43) overs 30

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Lillee and he beats Hutton with one that leaves him sharply. The next ball’s a lifter that catches the glove and lands at mid-wicket, a short leg would have caught that. That’s England’s 100. Hobbs then gets a single with a push off the back foot into the covers.
We have a bowling change at the Statham End and it’s Miller coming on. His first ball is back of a length and Hobbs plays it comfortably off the back foot for two past square leg – that’s his fifty. He runs the next ball down to third man for one. Hutton drives the final ball of the over for four past mid-off

England 108-0 (Hobbs 52 Hutton 48) overs 32

 

[Gwylan]

It’s another change of bowling as Warne replaces Lillee. Hobbs gets onto the back foot and clips him to mid-wicket for two. He watches the rest of the over carefully but there’s no sign of any great turn.
Miller in to Hutton who turns his sharply to square leg for two – that’s his 50. The next few balls are all back of a length and are played comfortably before running one down to third man for a single.

England 113-0 (Hobbs 54 Hutton 51) overs 34

 

[Gwylan]

Warne continues and the batsmen are watching him carefully. That one is pitched outside leg looking for bowlers’ footmarks but Hutton helps it round the corner for four.
At the other end, it’s still Miller and there’s just one scoring shot off the over as Hobbs plays a back foot on drive past Border at mid-on.

England 119-0 (Hobbs 56 Hutton 55) overs 36

 

[Gwylan]

There’s some real aggression from Hutton as he comes down the wicket and hits Warne over the top for four. He then late cuts him for a single. Hobbs pushes for a single.
This will be the last over before lunch and Hobbs is in no mood to take risks. He flicks it behind square for a single and that’s lunch after a curtailed session

England 126-0 (Hobbs 58 Hutton 60) overs 38

 

[Gwylan]

It’s been a slow start since lunch as England look to consolidate. It’s been Warne and Miller continuing and while Warne has got the odd ball to do a bit, there’s no sharp turn and no real bounce. He’s got a couple in the bowlers’ footmarks but they’ve only given away byes and leg byes. Miller is steady but not threatening

England 141-0 (Hobbs 65 Hutton 65) overs 44

 

[Gwylan]

England have reached 150 – Warne over-pitched and Hobbs drove through mid-off. Hutton has also hit a four when Miller dropped short. The bowlers are toiling with little reward

England 157-0 (Hobbs 74 Hutton 72) overs 48

 

[Gwylan]

Hutton comes down the track to Warne and hammers him through mid-off for four. He's getting a feel for the pitch now.
He steps back to turn him away but it's the top-spinner and catches him plumb in front. Umpire Orchard's finger goes up

Hutton looks at Hobbs, who shakes his head; the opener has to go

England 161-1 Hutton lbw b Warne 76

 

[Gwylan]

The new batsman is Gower and he’s off the mark immediately with a sweet cover drive for four and then a single to third man.
And he’s down the track to Miller and hits him for another four. He then flashes at a wide one that Smith at second slip gets a fingertip to – technically a chance, but a near impossible one. He has slowed it down so it’s just the two. He finishes the over with another single.

England 173-1 (Hobbs 74 Gower 12) overs 50

 

[jakarta]

Assuming Bearders is to hand can I just ask if any Test Side has posted 582 in the First Innings and Lost?

I know it has never happened at Old Trafford (1 win and 2 draws) but in any Test?

 

[Gwylan]

Gower’s in the mood here. He cuts Warne for four – that’s a beautiful shot, so elegant. And then drives lazily to long-on for three – it’s well chased down by Thomson. Hobbs flicks a single off the final ball.
There’s a change of bowling now – Border’s coming on and starts with a full pitch that Hobbs hammers for four. He takes a single and then Gower sweeps for another four and then runs it down to third man for a single

England 191-1 (Hobbs 80 Gower 24) overs 52

 

[Gwylan]

Assuming Bearders is to hand can I just ask if any Test Side has posted 582 in the First Innings and Lost?

I know it has never happened at Old Trafford (1 win and 2 draws) but in any Test?

According to Bill, it's happened once: Australia scored 586 in Sydney in 1894 and lost by ten runs - Bobby Peel took six wickets (he must have been sober that day)

The highest losing score in England was at Leeds when England scored 496 in 1948 and lost to Bradman's Invicibles

 

[jakarta]

Can I just add that Hutton has fully justified his selection?

 

[jakarta]

According to Bill, it's happened once: Australia scored 586 in Sydney in 1894 and lost by ten runs - Bobby Peel took six wickets (he must have been sober that day)

The highest losing score in England was at Leeds when England scored 496 in 1948 and lost to Bradman's Invicibles

Many thanks to Bearders, so England going 3-1 up looks somewhat unlikely?

 

[Gwylan]

Can I just add that Hutton has fully justified his selection?

Yeah, good call.

And Gower looks to have justified the selectors' faith in him

 

[Gwylan]

England are definitely more comfortable now. They’re playing Warne and Border with some ease – Gower’s hit two beautiful fours of Warne and pulled a short ball from Border just short of six. They’ve already seen the 200 up and are looking to press on with more

England 209-1 (Hobbs 84 Gower 40) overs 56

 

[Gwylan]

Gower comes down the wicket to Warne and lofts him over the top – that’s the 50 partnership and Gower has scored 44 of them. He helps the next ball round the corner and that’s three more. Hobbs gets in on the act and dances down the wicket but it’s brilliantly stopped by Hayden diving at extra cover and the batsmen are limited to one.
Hobbs looks to gets off the strike very quickly and turns Border for a quick single. And that’s Gower’s 50 – majestically driven through the covers.

England 221-1 (Hobbs 86 Gower 51) overs 58