[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Lillee’s bang on the money here and Prior can only block. He’s itching to unveil that square drive again and when Lillee sends it wide, he has another crack but that’s a bit too wide and Prior can’t keep it down and it’s hit straight to Border at cover

England 375-7 Prior c Border b Lillee 11

 

[jakarta]

So much for a 70-80 stand then...

Should avoid the follow-on but if there was a disaster and we fell short, would Bearders be able to tell us if Bradman usually enforced follow-ons?

Would have thought he would want Warne bowling in the 4th Innings whatever?

 

[Gwylan]

Larwood’s in next. He’s had a few cameos at the tail end of the innings and his aggressive hitting has got England out of trouble. He tries it again but that’s not the ball to do it – it’s quick and swings away and leaves his off- stump lying on the ground.

England 375-8 Larwood b Lillee 0

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee’s on a hat trick but has to wait until next over as it’s Warne to Botham (who’s just be joined by Anderson). Eight to save the follow-on and there’s four of them as Botham cracks Warne through the offside for four. He takes a single off the fourth ball of the over and Anderson blocks the final two balls

England 380-8 (Botham 23 Anderson 0) overs 110

 

[Gwylan]

Lillee to Botham with the hat trick ball – the whole field is in and Botham steps down the track and hammers it away for six: that’s the way to avoid the follow-on. He and Lillee share a laugh and the batsman has to duck the next ball as that’s a vicious bouncer. There’s a single of the fourth ball again and Anderson has to face the final two. He blocks the first and then wafts it over slips’ heads for four – well played by the Burnley Lara
Botham faces Warne and you get the feeling that he’s not going to hang around now. The first ball is crashed over the bowler’s head and that’s nearly six. The third ball is a six though – a slog sweep into the stands – that’s the 400 up. He runs the fourth ball to third man and, once again, Anderson has to face two balls. He blocks the first but doesn’t pick the googly and sees his off-stump pegged back.

England 403-9 (Botham 41 Anderson b Warne 4) overs 112

 

[Gwylan]

It’s Thomson replacing Lillee from the Anderson end and Botham is taking no chances here. He blocks the first two and declines a single off the third and fourth balls: the fielders come in now but that’s a sharp delivery from Thomson that catches the shoulder of the bat and flies over gully – they scamper a single and Underwood has to face just one ball.
But that’s all Thomson needs – it’s a 95mph in-swinging yorker that makes a complete mess of Underwood’s stumps
England all for 404 Botham 42 not out Underwood b Thomson 0

Australia have a lead of 179 and England have to bat the fourth innings. You do wonder whether Bradman would have enforced the follow-on anyway

 

[Gwylan]

Hayden and Trumper open for Australia and they make their intent clear from the outset - Hayden sends Anderson’s fourth ball to the mid-off boundary. Trumper doesn’t wait for the fourth ball, he drives Larwoods first deliver past mid-on for four and pushes to extra cover for three more. Hayden flicks him away for a single

Australia 12-0 (Hayden 5 Trumper 7) overs 2

 

[Gwylan]

Hayden flicks Anderson away for a single and Trumper looks to get after the Lancashire paceman but these are some good balls – Trumper nearly edges behind.
Larwood’s not quite so accurate, he drops short to Hayden and that’s leathered to the point boundary. That’s accurate though – it’s bang on middle stump and Hayden plays all over it and sees the furniture re-arranged

Australia 17-1 Hayden b Larwood 10

 

[Gwylan]

Bradman gets off the mark straight away with a cover drive for two and helps it round the corner for a single to keep the strike. But he can’t get Anderson away and has to play out the maiden,
Larwood is coming in 95mph now and has got Trumper hopping around a bit – a short ball goes for four byes and Trumper gloves one down to long leg

Australia 25-1 Trumper 8 Bradman 3 overs 6

 

[Gwylan]

That’s better from Trumper, it’s launched through the covers for four and he runs a single off the next ball. Bradman nudges to long leg to keep the strike
But Larwood doesn’t give anything away this time. It’s a maiden over and that’s lunch

Australia 31-1 (Trumper 13 Bradman 4) overs 8

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

That Bradman guy is seriously over-rated.

 

[Gwylan]

There’s not been much of note since lunch. Anderson and Larwood have continued bowling and Australia have made steady progress – no boundaries and no chances either

Australia 46-1 (Trumper 20 Bradman 11) overs 14

 

[jakarta]

210-1 then, another 200 surely puts it way out of reach?

 

[Gwylan]

Larwood in to Trumper and that’s turned away for two to leg, Larwood is looking at his boot – he was off in the first innings with a foot injury, remember. If it’s plaguing him, there’s no sign of it as he nearly knocks Trumper flying with a bouncer and then sends down a vicious yorker. That’s’ another nasty delivery, hitting the batsman on the thigh and gets Larwood looking at his foot again. Trumper takes a single off the final ball but that looks like it for Larwood – he’s signalling to Hammond and is going off to sympathetic applause. Trumper gives him a pat on the shoulder but he’s limping badly now – England bring on Derek Randall as a substitute fielder

Australia 55-1 (Trumper 23 Bradman 17) overs 16

 

[jakarta]

Just what is needed!

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Anderson and Trumper comes down the wicket and drills him through mid-on, he hits him out to extra cover for three more and then Bradman glides the ball to fine leg for another boundary. Australia ramping up the pace now.
It’s Botham on to replace Larwood and Trumper cracks him away for two boundaries on the trot – one through point and one through extra cover. He goes for a third but there’s a bit of extra bounce and that’s nicked through to Prior.
Australia 74-2 Trumper c Prior b Botham 38

Smith takes no chances with the rest of the over

Australia 74-2 (Bradman 21 Smith 0) overs 18

 

[Gwylan]

Underwood is on for Anderson and Bradman greets him a straight drive for four. There’s nothing off the rest of the over, however.
Botham into Smith and that’s the trademark drive through mid-wicket for two and a dab to third man for one.

Australia 81-2 (Bradman 25 Smith 3) overs 20

 

[Gwylan]

Things have settled down since Trumper was out and these batsmen are content to keep things chugging along. They’re not taking too many chances – although Bradman hit a lofted drive off Underwood for four,
Australia 99-2 (Bradman 36 Smith 10) overs 26

 

[Gwylan]

That’s the 100 up for Australia as Bradman late cuts Underwood for three. Smith turns it to long leg for one.
It’s still Botham from the Statham end and that’s Smith first boundary – it’s driven wide of mid-on. He runs the ball to third man for a single and Bradman hits a two to long off

Australia 111-2 (Bradman 41 Smith 16) overs 28

 

[Gwylan]

Smith turns Underwood away behind square for a single. And Bradman uses his feet again, that’s four more past cover and that’s another two – also in the covers but a shade squarer.
He’s down the wicket now and drives but that’s stops on him a bit and all he does is drive it back to the bowler

Australia 118-3 Bradman c & b Underwood 47