[Cricket] World Test XI

[Gwylan]

Here’s a change in the order: Gilchrist is marching in and immediately swings Underwood away for four. Smith faces Botham and runs the ball to long leg for one. And Gilchrist helps himself to two more more fours

Australia 131-3 (Smith 18 Gilchrist 12) overs 30

 

[Gwylan]

Smith looks to get after Underwood but he’s tied down by some accurate bowling. He does drive into the covers but that’s brilliantly fielded by Randall. He turns the ball away for a single and that’s the over.
It’s Stokes replacing Botham and Smith hammers him to mid-on for four and then cover drives him for one. Gilchrist turns him to leg for two more

Australia 139-3 (Smith 24 Gilchrist 14) overs 32

 

[Gwylan]

It’s Underwood again and Smith slices him away for four through the slips region. And then turns the ball for a single to deep mid-wicket. Gilchrist goes large and brings up the 150 with an enormous six over cow corner.
Smith takes a two off Stokes and plays it to long off for another single. And Gilchrist takes two more, just behind square

Australia 155-3 (Smith 32 Gilchrist 22) overs 34

 

[jakarta]

You don't need to be Mike Brearley to figure out the Aussie tactics from here on in!

 

[Gwylan]

Australia still trying to get the score motoring along – Smith comes dancing down the wicket and smashes it through extra cover for four. He then tries to cut Underwood but that’s not the ball to do it, that’s not short enough and Prior claims the catch.

Australia 159-4 Smith c Prior b Underwood 36

 

[Gwylan]

It’s another change in the order as Miller comes in and shovels the ball away for a single.
There’s nothing spectacular from Stokes however – Miller just takes the two off it

Australia 160-4 (Gilchrist 22 Miller 3) overs 36

 

[Gwylan]

This is some carnage now: Gilchrist has just struck Underwood for three fours in one over and nicked the strike with a single.
Stokes is bowling the last over before tea and Gilchrist is certainly not playing for the break, he hits into the stands for a six before taking a single. Miller finishes off with a four and that’s tea

Australia 184-4 (Gilchrist 42 Miller 7) overs 38

 

[jakarta]

363 lead, another 50 runs and get England in for an 'orrible session before Stumps?

 

[Gwylan]

Sorry for the late posting. There was more of the same from Gilchrist, he quickly went past 50 but came down the wicket to Underwood and was stumped for 53
Australia reached 202-5 and declared, Miller not out 12 Chappell not out 2

We’re in the break between innings now: England need 382 to win

 

[Gwylan]

As expected, Lillee and Thomson have opened the bowling. England only need to score at just over three an over to win, so there’s no rush. Hobbs and Hutton have played very steadily, the ball’s doing nothing untoward

England 21-0 (Hobbs 10 Hutton 9) overs 8

 

[Gwylan]

And there’s the first four of the innings as Hobbs drives Lillee through the covers. He runs one down to long leg for a single and Hutton takes one from a push in the covers
Thomson gets one to rear up – there was a bit of extra bounce there and then one keeps low – Hutton just got his bat on that. He drives to long off but doesn’t quite time it, they run three. And Thomson catches the edge of Hobbs’ bat and that flies over Gilchrist for four

England 34-0 (Hobbs 19 Hutton 13) overs 10

 

[Gwylan]

Miller’s on for Lillee and Hutton smashes the loosener for four but the next ball really keeps low – that’s similar to the one Hammond got in the first innings. Hutton can’t get his bat down in time and he’s bowled – that’s the first wicket down

England 38-1 Hutton b Miller 17

 

[Gwylan]

Gower gets off the mark straight away with a single.
He gets the reward of facing Warne He does nothing risky for the first three balls but when Warne drops short it’s smashed away for four. He then takes two to mid-wicket

England 45-1 (Hobbs 19 Gower 7 ) overs 12

 

[Gwylan]

Hobbs also takes two off Miller’s over and it’s Gower against Warne he plays out a maiden this time round

England 47-1 (Hobbs 21 Gower 7) overs 14

 

[Gwylan]

It’s still Miller and Hobbs runs it down to third man for a single and Gower off drives for two
Hobbs drives off the back foot off Warne and they run two. He plays back to Warne again but that’s turned and bounced, really bounced, and he can only glove it to Gilchrist

England 52-2 Hobbs c Gilchrist b Warne 24

 

[Gwylan]

Poor Hobbs, he’s had two brutal deliveries – he’s got out to the best two balls of the match. Compton needs to make a score here, he’s in Hammond’s bad books right now. There’s a single to long leg and that’s the over

England 53-2 (Gower 7 Compton 1) overs 16

 

[jakarta]

Amazed Bradman didn't push the lead past 400, presumably a blonde haired leggie got in his earhole?

 

[Gwylan]

There’s a bowling change and it’s Border coming on. That’s a rank bad ball that Compton smashes through mid-wicket but he’s beaten by that one – that genuinely turned past the bat He gets a single down to third man but he didn’t play that convincingly. Gower gets a more confidently played single.
And Gower’s beaten by a snorter from Warne, that lifted and spun sharply, Gilchrist can’t stop it and it’s four byes. Gower plays the next ball more conventionally, that’s two more and ends the over with a single

England 66-2 (Gower 11 Compton 6) overs 18

 

[Gwylan]

Amazed Bradman didn't push the lead past 400, presumably a blonde haired leggie got in his earhole?

There's also some more rain about. And the highest score to win a test at OT is 294

This is not easy for England

 

[Gwylan]

Gower sweeps Border confidently for four and drives him to the deep for three more. Compton plays a dab past gully for another single.
Warne gets the Middlesex man in some trouble with a ball that lifts sharply and he gets off strike with a streaky single. Gower blocks out the rest of the over

England 75-2 (Gower 18 Compton 8) overs 20