The Australian papers whistling a different tune as they criticise someone other than the Brits, condemning the home teams opening day performance. They printed that George Bailey "saved Australia the embarrassment of yet another collective batting failure but it proved more cameo than killer blow." Ouch!
What could they come up with on day 2?
A tribute to the recently deceased Nelson Mandela was held before a ball had been bowled.
England & Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke: "Nelson Mandela was a truly inspirational statesman for many generations of South Africans as well as many peoples around the world. Under his patronage South African sports, including cricket, emerged from the dark shadow of apartheid.
Slightly overcast at the Adelaide Oval, Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin resume play on 48 and 7 respectively.
The fifty is quick to come up for Clarke but shortly after Broad screams a big appeal to the umpire - too high.
It's a close one when Haddin miss hits a ball from Anderson but it was always dropping short of Monty out at long leg.
A horrible one for Ben Stokes as he thinks he's got his man. Brad Haddin edges the ball into Prior's gloves and England believe they've got their break-through! But it wasn't meant to be as a replay shows Stokes delivered a no-ball and Haddin is called back to the crease. One more thing not going England's way...
Michael Clarke reaches 100 and that brings us up to lunch.
The afternoon session quickly brought up the 400 for Australia with a boundary and the 150-partnership followed with Australia only 5 wickets down.
457-5 and yet another 6 at the hands of the Aussies brings up the 200 partnership breaking their own records as the highest standing 6th wicket partnership for Australia in test cricket and anyone else in this ground.
First ball for Ben Stokes in a new over and his maiden Test wicket finally materialises. It's Jimmy Anderson with the quick hands and Michael Clarke walks off for 148 leaving Australia on 457-6.
Mitchell Johnson comes in to replace Clarke and leaves again shortly after for just 5 runs as Broad takes a catch out at mid-on off Swann's bowling. Australia 474-7.
As Siddle comes in he gets just two runs before Haddin reaches his century. Siddle then returns to the strikers end, only to nick the ball behind to Prior - and that's Stokes's second wicket of the day. Australia 483-8.
Harris comes in and hits a six to bring up the 500 for Australia and ends the same over with another dorothy!
England use up a review as the third umpire gives the original decision the benefit of the doubt as it is too hard to tell if it was bat before pad or not.
Tea: 516-8. Australia very much in control of this second test. Maybe the pitch is just a 500 run pitch? Will Clarke declare and put them in to bat so we can find out? Not yet.
The Evening Session sees Matt Prior diving forward to collect a bottom edge nick off of Harris and he's finally gone for 118. Australia 529-9. Time to declare? It seems not as number 11, Lyon steps up to the crease.
Harris is hitting boundaries all over the pitch and reaches his half-century, leaving Clarke to finally declare on 570-9. It's their highest total at Adelaide against England and an incredible Ashes record-breaking total of 11 sixes in one innings.
The visitors with a lot of work to do!
Cook and Carberry step out to face Johnson and Carberry is off the mark with a boundary on his second ball, Cook takes 3 but nothing further as the England captain fails again to come up with a big score - bowled by Johnson and England are 9-1.
The crowd loving this.
Joe Root in at the much talked about number 3 slot.
Lyon in to bowl and finding there to be a lot of movement leading to a few close calls for Carberry. Finally pushing through, Carberry hits two boundaries off Lyon which will help his confidence against the Aussie spinner.
Last two balls of the day and Root could have run Carberry out on the penultimate one! And had Clarke reviewed their appeal on the last ball, Carberry would not have been walking back out tomorrow morning. Two close calls for Carberry!
England need a few big scores from their batting line up. Will they do it? Who will come through for the Brits?
And that's Ball on Willow.
No comments:
Post a Comment