Report, reaction and more
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A happy Usman Khawaja has taken his daughter to the press conference.
Khawaja had come to the presser with his daughter. pic.twitter.com/TG0hZy85ql
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) June 17, 2023
Time for me to go but Ali’s report will drop here shortly. A fascinating day. England still on top – just – but a calm, solid Australian fightback to set the scene delightfully. We’ll be back tomorrow, thanks for all the messages and sorry to those I didn’t have time to print. Night all, have a lovely evening.
Talk us through the third ball of what could have been the hat-trick Stuart. “Execution zero.”
“I’d rather be sat in the Australian dressing room right now,” says Eoin Morgan.
“Stuart is right,” says Nasser, “if England can bowl them out on parity, chasing 250 on a fifth day Edgbaston pitch will be some watching.”
Martin Lewis – I hope you’re still here. The OBO hive-mind has answers:
PHil: The TMS link posted on the first page works for me in California
Adrian Goldman: Martin Lewis should do like all the rest of us do: use a VPN. Then he can be anywhere in the world that he wants to!
Annette Buckley: Re Martin’s question about listening in the USA: Wouldn’t he be able to listen to the ABC coverage on the web.
Leon Wylie: Martin can use a VPN (expressvpn I use, there are others) and act like he is in Oz to get a gratis feed.
Alec Downie: Re: Martin Lewis’s question (92nd over) for getting ball-by-ball audio in the US, a link to the TMS commentary for all home England tests (streamed via YouTube) can always be found on the BBC’s website. When you click on the page for the BBC liveblog, right next to the link for the scorecard is a link reading “Listen to TMS overseas.” Clicking that will take you directly to the stream. The link may actually work for most countries outside the main set of cricket-following countries, but it certainly works in the US! Always a godsend to have alongside the OBO.”
Keith Wilson: This message for Martin Lewis: Guerrilla Cricket do a good (if potty-mothed) job of keeping ex-pats in the game.
Stephen Graham: I know I get it from BBC TMS when abroad Here’s a link
Thank you so much everyone! Hope that helps you Keith, and anyone else abroad.
What a cracker! Smashing claw back from Khawaja and Green, then Khawaja and Carey. A super century. England will rue their slip-ups: the missed stumping of Green on 0, the missed catch of Carey on 26. The Broad no-ball when Khawaja was weary post milestone. But they still have the lead, nearer 100 than 50.
“There wasn’t much in that pitch today,” says Broad afterwards. “Ultimately the aim is for Australia to bat last on there with the pitch deteriorating.”
Close - Australia 311-5, trail by 82
94th over: Australia 311-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 52) Moeen, with two wickets to his name – could have been four – fizzes through the final over of the day. Carey lunges forward, Stokes nibbles his thumb nail and puts his hands on his hips. Safely negotiated, Khawaja leads the players off, wooly jumper stuck to his body, to a well deserved standing ovation.
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93rd over: Australia 309-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 50) Robinson’s last weary over, a maiden.
92nd over: Australia 309-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 50) Another half chance off Carey squeezes both through Bairstow and Root. Then Moeen beats him again, real fizz, Bairstow flicks off the bails but the boot is down. In the meantime Carey has reached an essential fifty
“Hi Tanya
”Martin Lewis (not that one... this is the original Martin Lewis! - the ancient producer who with John Cleese co-created & produced the “Secret Policeman’s Ball” shows/films/albums)
”Alive and kicking in L.A. Still an ardent cricket fan - even self-exiled in Hollywood
”Guardian coverage is as good as ever. But it’s now a challenge to get gratis ball-by-ball audio coverage in the USA
”Previously the Australian radio station SEN was the go-to from its website. Now it’s gone paywall outside of Oz/NZ
On YouTube there’s excellent live coverage on the Crictales channel. But if you don’t speak Urdu it’s a bit of a challenge
Do Guardian readers in the US have any tips for URLs that stream live Test commentary in the USA?
90th over: Australia 305-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 46) Steady bowling from Robinson, steading batting. Stuart Broad requests the umpires check the golden handcuffs. No joy – he must press on.
90th over: Australia 304-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 45) Mo drops short and Carey tucks in.
“Tim is entirely right, keeping is very hard and I think Bairstow deserves his place,” taps back Dechlan Brennan. “But as Sangakarra said on coms, for a keeper, it was relatively simple stumping. Carey’s take off Bairstow himself last night was great example of staying low and he made it look easy.
Still…it’s easy from the crowd”
89th over: Australia 298-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 36) Shot of the afternoon from Carey, a thoroughbred of a cover drive. Robinson sighs back to his crease.
“Hi Tanya, hope you’re doing well!” Abjijato Sensarma, hello! It’s been a while.
“It’s been a rather absorbing summer of cricket so far - the IPL (with its regular melodrama and politics), the WTC final, and now, the Ashes. In the first two tournaments, my teams have come out on the wrong side of the result, but the Ashes perfectly coincide with my summer break from college and allow me the opportunity to enjoy Bazball without any of the partisan anxiety. The second day’s been relatively attritional, but all credit to Khawaja for keeping Australia in the contest. I look forward to seeing how England attack in the final hour.”
88th over: Australia 294-5 (Khawaja 126, Carey 36) The deficit drops below three figures. “Australia won’t declare, that’s for sure” writes Peter Gartner. Peter, I think you’re right.
This fella tells me he hadn’t thought through the logistics of weeing. pic.twitter.com/Fee6Lh4OO2
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) June 17, 2023
87th over: Australia 292-5 (Khawaja 124, Carey 36) Two consecutive fours off Broad – a short- armed devilish pull from Khawaja, and an irritating four off the pad. The partnership between the pair is now 71, the new ball not doing what it said on the tin, no-ball wicket notwithstanding.
“Whilst sympathising with the Campaign for Real Wicketkeepers, I’m nonetheless a keen supporter of Justice for Jonny. Of course we want a Test wicketkeeper to take every chance, but ‘butcher the straightforward stumping’, as Geoff Wignall puts it (66th over), is overcooking things. Bairstow missed a ball that spun considerably more than previous deliveries, and that he couldn’t have seen until it emerged from between bat and pad. It looked a bad miss because Green was well out of his crease, but the take itself looked tricky. Whoever has the gloves, we should appreciate that it’s an exposed and difficult role.” The still small voice of calm, Tim Sanders.
86th over: Australia 282-5 (Khawaja 119, Carey 35) An Anderson maiden.
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85th over: Australia 282-5 (Khawaja 119, Carey 35) More vigour suddenly from Broad. Khawaja squared up by a beauty, fairly clueless about what was happening. Carey on drives, so casually, but with such crispness.
You would think that they would know that every ball is checked these days @tjaldred. Always induces a wan smile when they talk about the fine margins of elite sport - it's not that fine a margin if you can plonk a size 13 anywhere between the line and the Bullring.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) June 17, 2023
84th over: Australia 277-5 (Khawaja 119, Carey 31) A chocolatey drive for four by Khawaja.
John Starbuck writes: “I hope someone is calculating the moral victories in this match: Crawley caught but not spotted, a catch taken then dropped, a missed stumping off Moeen, now Broad’s no ball wicket. The number of ghost wickets have the potential to create some kind of record.” John, I think I know just the man.
83rd over: Australia 272-5 (Khawaja 114, Carey 31) A less dramatic second over by Broad.
“Can someone explain to me why Khawaja is wearing a woolly pullover? asks Rob. “I’m roasting in a T-shirt and shorts, but he apparently feels the need to keep the chill off.” I was wondering the same thing. Proper wool though – breathable fabric. Cricketers are strange cookies mind. Mohammad Abbas kept wearing his jumper between overs at Southport against Lancashire earlier this week. It was 29 degrees.
...
82nd over: Australia 270-5 (Khawaja 113, Carey 30) Anderson takes the second new ball at the other end. A typically fine-dining maiden. Tim points out that Australia have now batted through more overs than England – the deficit 123. Robinson returns to the field.
”Not for one second saying it’s the wrong choice to pick him,” types Dechlan Brennan gently stirring the pot, “but you wonder what level of reduction in keeping performance is acceptable for the runs Bairstow brings compared to Foakes. The mistakes today are very basic comparatively.”
So hard to measure, isn’t it. It is not just the extra runs/catches but the momentum each would bring.
The new ball! A wicket! A no ball!
81st over: Australia 270-5 (Khawaja 113, Carey 30) THE NEW BALL! Everything wakes up. Broad readjusts his bandana, stretches to the crease, Khawaja lets it go. He pushes sleepily at the next, misses completely and his stumps are splattered. He starts to walk but hang on – the umpire sticks out his arm, a NO BALL. Broad wrinkles his nose. Carey slaps a half volley to the rope.
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80th over: Australia 264-5 (Khawaja 112, Carey 26) A drop! Carey gets low and pushes at Root, hairs an edge, and Bairstow snatches too early and the ball falls to the ground. Root’s lip barely twitches, Bairstow’s shoulders droop
“Just a quick note to say “Diolch yn Fawr” for your information and updates on the Ashes!” Why thank you Daniel Jones. “Being able to follow such civilised pursuits as cricket while teaching English in Moscow, sure means a lot to this Welshman!
”As a boy growing up in Wales in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams, how comforting and reassuring it would feel, following the cricket back home in Blighty, while teaching behind “Ye Olde Iron Curtain”!
”Heartfelt congratulations to Usman Khawaja on his delightful ton!”
79th over: Australia 264-5 (Khawaja 112, Carey 26) A pinch of a chance, as Carey is sent back by Khawaja but the throw from Anderson doesn’t have the speed to scare them. Brook brings up the twelfth no-ball of the innings.
“At Lee Valley watching GB v Germany hockey.” writes coiled spring.
“Feels like GB have been inspired by Stokes’ Bazball given their speedy and dynamic play. They’re winning 2:0 BTW.”
Enjoy! I last watched hockey at the Olympic stadium in 2012 – a totally different game from the frozen grass pitches of school. They’re taking drinks.
78th over: Australia 260-5 (Khawaja 111, Carey 24) Double Yorkshire as Joe Root replaces Moeen. We’re on countdown here for the new ball. Carey goes up, high but safe.
77th over: Australia 255-5 (Khawaja 110, Carey 20) Stokes calls for the sorcerer’s apprentice, Harry Brook and his allsorts. Khawaja plays out a maiden.
“Khawaja’s century means he has scored 45% of the team’s total,” writes Michael Peel. And Joe Root about a third?
76th over: Australia 255-5 (Khawaja 110, Carey 20) A gorgeous little dab-sweep for four by Carey, next ball a up and at ‘em, one-step, straight six.
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75th over: Australia 243-5 (Khawaja 110, Carey 10) Robinson keeping things tight, just a couple from the over, an edge squeezed past the slips by Khawaja, holding this Australian innings together.
74th over: Australia 243-5 (Khawaja 108, Carey 10) Carey whips Moeen between the bowler and mid off and before they can even think about moving the ball has skipped the rope. A huge appeal by Bairstow behind the stumps, seconded by Root, for a caught behind off an attempted cut by Carey. Moeen gives an almost motionless head shake. The TV commentators don’t think ultra edge shows a nick, but I think maybe there is a tiny wiggle of the line. Probably my dirty glasses.
73rd over: Australia 238-5 (Khawaja 107, Carey 6) Robinson again. Forty year old Jimmy Anderson chases an edge from Carey down to the third man boundary, throws himself on his washboard belly and flaps the ball away from the rope.
72nd over: Australia 230-5 (Khawaja 102, Carey 3) A Mo maiden.
71st over: Australia 230-5 (Khawaja 102, Carey 3) Robinson returns.A super stop at cover by Ollie Pope leaves him ringing his hand, Stokes applauding and Carey without the boundary he felt he deserved.
70th over: Australia 230-5 (Khawaja 102, Carey 3) Khawaja suffers a post-hundred brain fade and plays and misses at Moeen Ali.
“We are staying in Durham tonight,” writes Sandy Fyfe.
”Our room is called the bashing bishop in a place with a monk theme.
Which reminded me of the combative Aussie wicket keeper.
After reading Geoff Wignells piece (66th over) I am guessing bashing wicket keepers may be the order of the day!”
A hundred for Khawaja!
69th over: Australia 221-5 (Khawaja 102, Carey 2) Stokes again, still leaking no balls. Khawaja picks up two for 98, and there’s the hundred – a late cut that he celebrates with a yell of delight, before he’s starts running, before the ball hits the fence. He leaps in the air, throws his bat over his shoulder and acknowledges the standing applause of the crowd. His 15th Test hundred, and his first in England. Beautifully done.
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68th over: Australia 221-5 (Khawaja 96, Carey 1) Such a beauty, drift pulls Green off balance, he misses and can only topple as the ball spins back and hits middle. Green is gutted. Stokes tempts Khawaja by bringing up the field, but Khawaja blocks away.
WICKET! Green b Moeen 38 (Australia 220-5)
Moeen fizzes it through the gate as Green, pecker up, goes for a grand gesture drive.
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67th over: Australia 220-4 (Khawaja 96, Green 38) Another peachy four from Khawaja, twist and pull off Stokes.
66th over: Australia 215-4 (Khawaja 92, Green 37) Moeen rattles through a maiden, the last ball nicely stopped by a diving Pope at cover.
Geoff Wignall has been inspired to write a small essay in his tea break. “I’ve been struck by how of the 12 wickets to fall so far, apart from Pope receiving a shooter and Brooks being plain unlucky all the rest have had a significant contribution from the batter. (And despite - or because of - looking to be in sublime touch and nailed on for something major, Bairstow’s was arguably the worst of the lot.)
“Perhaps that’s the modern way.
“Meanwhile, the top score on each side to date has come from a batter playing (mostly) with an orthodox approach; with which Root still managed a rate of 77.6
“My point is that England might have benefited from another with the orthodox approach, all the better if it was someone who wouldn’t butcher the straightforward stumping of a dangerous opponent.
“Someone like ... ooh, let’s have a think. How’s that chap at Surrey doing?
“I’ve never understood the notion that Bairstow can’t be an option as an opener. He’s familiar enough with facing the new (albeit white) ball and surely at least as likely as Crawley to come off. Or much more so.
“I know Crawley played some lovely shots yesterday but he still managed to get out twice on the first morning of an Ashes series, while batting on a road. I fear his 61 will have cemented his place for the foreseeable though.”
I’m staying purely neutral on this topic, just to observe that Foakes made a divine century in Surrey’s run chase against Kent earlier this week, along with anti-bazball Dom Sibley and next cab off the rank Jamie Smith.
65th over: Australia 215-4 (Khawaja 92, Green 37) A full toss from Stokes is ushered towards to the rope by Khawaja, and well stopped by Moeen on the slide. A leg side pie is pulled for four by Green.
“Tanya,” hello Kim Thonger! “It’s hard to let The Ashes go by without remembering the greatest Aussie of them all, Barry Humphries, who sadly shuffled off the stage earlier this year. His best known character Dame Edna apparently once said “ You mustn’t judge Australia by the Australians”. But was she referring specifically to Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson?”
Very droll.
64rd over: Australia 207-4 (Khawaja 88, Green 33) Cameron Green takes advantage of his giant feet and his giant legs and his giant arms and his giant wrists – attacks a full ball from Moeen and sends the ball flying back over the bowler’s head for six. A couple more through cover as Moeen drops the length back. And Nasser notices that mid-on does drops back to long-on.
63rd over: Australia 198-4 (Khawaja 88, Green 25) It’s Stokes, hair freshly cut in the fashionable way, as if a cabbage leaf has been plonked on the top of the head, with everything shaved around it. A couple of no-balls and Green glances one down to the rope.
An email from Robert Wilson arrives entitled The end of the world. “I’m cravenly crouching under an operatic Parisian thunderstorm right now. Monsoon rain, deafening artillery thunder and almost certainly illegal acrobatic lightning. It’s a full-on Gotterdammerung. My French cats are simply staring at me with the indolent contempt they reserve for all Northern Europeans but it does prove something I’ve always intuited. A particularly desultory passage of Test cricket is almost perfect viewing for the end of the world. It’s beans and toast. It’s bacon and eggs. It just works.
See also for a heartbreaking break up.
Evening session
62nd over: Australia 192-4 (Khawaja 88, Green 21) Here we go again! Nineteen overs to the new ball, one session left of the day. Stokes marches ahead, in front of his team. Moeen’s first ball lands juicily outside leg stump and Khawaja sends it merrily along to the rope. Australia trail by 201.
David Lloyd is exhorting the Hollies stand to donate to the Bob Willis Fund. If you too would like to donate, text TWENTY, THIRTY or FORTY (depending on how many pounds you want to give) to 70843.
Nasser and Wardy are in their lovely pale Blue for Bob blazers. “Moeen didn’t bowl badly,” says Nasser. “They played him very well. But Stokes refused to put the mid-off and mid-on back. “ Are [the bowlers] a bit scared of him?” asks Wardy. “I asked him this in my documentary on leadership, I don’t think any of them are going to question Ben Stokes. He says your're doing this, I’m in charge, it’s worked before and it will work again.”
Is this the new machismo test? Would YOU question Ben Stokes?
61st over: Australia 188-4 (Khawaja 84, Green 21) That’s tea and Australia still trail by 205 runs. Green tucks into a couple of boundaries from some Root dollies . 110 runs in the session, one wicket for England. Khawaja strides off first – the happiest man on the field? Time for a quick cup of tea, back shortly.
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60h over: Australia 180-4 (Khawaja 84, Green 13) The bandana-ed one stretches out his legs and sprints in, icing the over with a last ball bouncer that passes Khawaja safely by on the other side.
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59th over: Australia 178-4 (Khawaja 82, Green 13) Root gets a go at the pavilion end, with just a couple of overs left till sandwiches. Green daps elegantly. A slip and s short leg watch a maiden pan out.
57th over: Australia 178-4 (Khawaja 82, Green 13) Stokes directs the fielders this way and that. Broad and Anderson chat; Root and Stokes chat, Stokes and Broad chat. Ollie Pope runs on with a helmet gets the booby prize of short leg. Khawaja swivel-pulls gloriously past him for four.
57th over: Australia 172-4 (Khawaja 78, Green 12) Another Anderson maiden, though Khawaja doesn’t seem affected by the driyng up of the run bed. In of the corner of the screen, Stuart Broad is warming up.
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56th over: Australia 172-4 (Khawaja 78, Green 12) Australia content to just see this out till tea.
55th over: Australia 171-4 (Khawaja 77, Green 12) A maiden from Anderson.
“Is it do you think, likely,” asks John Starbuck, “that Moeen Ali is being set up as opposite number to Nathan Lyon, in terms of overs bowled per innings? If he takes four wickets it’ll be a successful ploy, if not, a waste?”
I can’t pretend to have a window into Stokes soul but hey, I’ll have a guess anyway. I don’t think so. Moeen got rid of Head, nearly got rid of Green – just what the captain ordered.
54th over: Australia 171-4 (Khawaja 77, Green 12) Moeen takes a break after 18 overs – quite the workload for someone who usually carries a white ball around with him. One precious wicket – could have been two. Joe Root takes over the off-spinning duties.
53rd over: Australia 170-4 (Khawaja 77, Green 11) The cameras pan to the Australian dressing room where Pat Cummins is staring becomingly into the distance surrounded by cartons of… talcum powder? Jeff Thomson, fine mop of hair still, sits in the crowd with a very floral shirt. One off Anderson’s over.
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52nd over: Australia 169-4 (Khawaja 77, Green 10) Moeen, long sleeves, wheels away. Green plumps for a quick single but runs the gauntlet of Stokes’ arm – a dangeous tactic when the force is with him. The Hollies stand are in full voice- suspect its a more tuneful experience through the medium of the television.
51st over: Australia 167-4 (Khawaja 76, Green 9) The cameras can’t keep away from Stokes face as he plots the next twist. Green dabs one into the on side and they pick up a second after an enthusiastic return runs wild.
50th over: Australia 165-4 (Khawaja 76, Green 7) A nicely pulled four by Khawaja off Moeen, whose eyes light up when he sees one drop short; then Green ticks up one one straight down the ground, picked up by a sprawled Stokes who grabs his thigh mid way through but seems ok.
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49th over: Australia 156-4 (Khawaja 71, Green 3) It is Jimmy, pressed and sprayed with some kind of fragrant lavender. Khawaja plays him respectfully, just picking up a couple off the last ball. And the atmosphere drops another notch.
An email arrives from Kim Thonger:
“It has come to my attention that the last line of the poem Pad Pad by the very wonderful Stevie Smith is, presumably unintentionally, appropriately descriptive of Steve Smith’s dismissal today.
“I always remember your beautiful flowers
And the beautiful kimono you wore
When you sat on the couch
With that tigerish crouch
And told me you loved me no more.
:What I cannot remember is how I felt when you were unkind
All I know is, if you were unkind now I should not mind.
Ah me, the power to feel exaggerated, angry and sad
The years have taken from me. Softly I go now, pad pad.”
I wonder if she thought first of calling the poem No Bat Involved?
48th over: Australia 154-4 (Khawaja 69, Green 3) Moeen continues, but is allowed to settle again into his rhythm. Green edges thick wide of slip where a chasing Joe Root loses his hat but saves the boundary. And it looks as if Jimmy Anderson is coming back for a mid-afternoon tester.
47th over: Australia 149-4 (Khawaja 67, Green 0) Thank you Geoff, words as gorgeous as always. Thanks too for ushering Travis Head back to the dressing room, the frantic-ness of his inning was not good for my fragile nerves. Robinson bowls a settler and everyone takes a breath.
46th over: Australia 148-4 (Khawaja 66, Green 0) Fifty and out for Head, bringing Cameron Green to the middle for his first Ashes innings in England. He defends the first ball from Moeen. Then he uses his feet and should have been stumped! A good ball from Moeen, sharp turn inward, beats the inside edge and Bairstow fluffs it. Green wasn’t looking to play a big shot, just to be decisive in defence as he learned in Sri Lanka last year, but he’s done by the speed of the delivery and the turn. Gets a life!
And with that, my time is done for the day. Thanks for your messages, sorry to those I didn’t get to – please direct any further thoughts on the oeuvre of William Blake to Tanya Aldred.
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WICKET! Head c Crawley b Moeen Ali 50, Australia 148-4
Your spinner is getting whacked, you leave him on, that’s Bazball. Or that’s amore. Moeen was always a chance with the tempo that Head prefers, and there it is. Down the pitch, slaps it to the leg side, but flat. Crawley at midwicket can tumble across and claim it. Another big moment for England, as the partnership was starting to sizzle. They lead by 245.
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Half century! Travis Head 50 off 60 balls
45th over: Australia 148-3 (Khawaja 66, Head 50) Robinson, short, Head whacks it for four! Again splits the outfielders behind square, along the ground. Robinson shifts the line, and Head back-cuts twice in a row, to the same spot, beating backward point and running square enough that the deep third fielder has to run around. The first time he gets two, the second time three, and that raises his milestone. An exercise in contrast to Khawaja’s first 50 runs, in terms of balls faced.
44th over: Australia 139-3 (Khawaja 66, Head 41) Now Khawaja drops the hammer on Moeen! First with a lofted cover drive for four, then another straight hit for six. He’s gone for 66 off his 14 overs, nearly a run a ball.
@GeoffLemonSport the music to Jerusalem has a pretty turbulent history too - Parry worried it was too jingoistic, and was on the verge of withdrawing it from public after its premiere. The Elgar orchestration is much more well-known these days, in any case!
— Rob King (@RobKingComposer) June 17, 2023
43rd over: Australia 129-3 (Khawaja 56, Head 41) Short stuff, but the pace of Robinson isn’t bothering Head, defending it comfortably. The short leg is gone, the two boundary riders and the square leg remain for the hook, but Head plays it anyway, along the ground, between deep square and fine leg for four.
“Boa tarde Geoff,” writes Geoff Wignall from presumably either Portugal or Brazil. “Will Wroth is I believe on very much the right track in his interpretation of Jerusalem, though possibly it was the mushrooming Methodist chapels rather than the established church that the dark satanic mills referenced. We’ll never know. But it seems pretty certain he’d have no more set eyes on a factory than Ben Stokes would have watched a Chris Tavare innings. ‘The Tyger’ on the other hand is, in an act of remarkable pre-cognition, a poem clearly inspired by Shane Warne.”
I don’t think anyone ‘watched’ a Tavare innings. The verb might be ‘endured’.
42nd over: Australia 124-3 (Khawaja 55, Head 37) There goes Khawaja, to his highest score in England with a single driven through the covers. Head follows up by smashing six more runs down the ground. Umpire Raza gently hands Moeen back his hat and jumper before signalling the score.
41st over: Australia 117-3 (Khawaja 54, Head 31) Robinson carries on with the short stuff, both batters taking on the pull for singles, Khawaja much more stylishly. Then we have one of the daftest DRS referrals ever seen, as Head is hit on the elbow, off the arm guard, and the ball lobs to gully. Not out says the umpire and Stokes reviews. How did Robinson not see that from front on? It was as far from the glove as any part of the forearm can be.
Both teams are down a review now.
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40th over: Australia 114-3 (Khawaja 52, Head 30) Moeen keeps bowling, Head keeps whacking ‘em. Narrowly past Mark Wood, subbing at midwicket, squeezed off the inside half of the blade for two. Firmly over mid on for four. Hard into the pitch at his feet for none. He’s got 30, when did that happen?
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39th over: Australia 108-3 (Khawaja 52, Head 24) Ollie Robinson replaces Broad. Long angled run to the crease, and he’s also bowling back of a length at the ribs. Khawaja gets off strike. For Head, a short leg in place, set deep ten paces back.
In fact, let’s go through this field. Fine leg. Leg slip. Short leg. Deep square leg, just in front to comply with the Laws. Square leg almost exactly in line with the deep man, but two thirds back. Wide mid on.
Cover. Backward point. Long stop, just to the off side.
Head tries to hook anyway and misses. Plays a ball down behind square and takes one. Khawaja’s field has two slips and a midwicket, and he pulls straight to the latter position, no run.
38th over: Australia 106-3 (Khawaja 51, Head 23) The ton is up, and Travis Head is warming to his task. Looks much more confident against the spin now, and smacks Moeen straight down the ground, before going back and carving a cut shot square. Two boundaries, the deficit is down to 287 runs.
37th over: Australia 98-3 (Khawaja 51, Head 15) Khawaja glides a run. Broad continues the short ploy to Head, who ducks one, plays down another. Another no-ball for an overstep, and Head deflects it for a run. That leaves Broad the chance to get Khawaja on the gloves before blocking a length ball.
“Philip Cornwall’s pedantry was half-hearted,” writes Richard Mansell. “Upon receiving that answer from the stadium a committed pedant would have written to the ECB.”
We are indeed in the Sacred Palace of Pedantry, here at the OBO. Speaking of which, I should correct the record as per Robin Walters earlier that Jerusalem is the name of the music, which the poem ‘And did those feet’ is set to.
Half century! Usman Khawaja 50 off 106 balls
36th over: Australia 95-3 (Khawaja 50, Head 14) A neatly placed cover drive from Moeen brings Khawaja his 50th run. In the past couple of years he has corrected his record in home Ashes matches, then against spin, then in Asia. Now he’s doing it England. A long way yet to make a really influential contribution, but it has been vital for Australia that he held firm through that first session.
Head celebrates by clobbering four over mid on, then tucking two runs square.
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35th over: Australia 88-3 (Khawaja 49, Head 8) The headbanded Broad comes in, Cobra Kai-ing his way to the crease to flykick Usman Khawaja. The cricketing version of a flykick, which is a rising ball at the collarbone that Khawaja fends away for a run off the gloves, behind square. Surprised him. It’s an overstep as well, maybe that’s where the extra pace came from. The tactical no-ball could be a thing, as per Jasprit Bumrah at The Oval last year. Travis Head copes more calmly with similar stuff, jumping up to drop the ball to ground.
34th over: Australia 86-3 (Khawaja 48, Head 8) Khawaja gets closer to fifty with that shot! Skips down and lifts Moeen straight for six. Over long on. Then a single to point. Head still looks dicey against the spin, coming forward with hard hands to defend.
Philip Cornwall, the master of puppets behind the OBO, sends an email titled: “Jerusalem complaint (not one you’re expecting).” Which did have me worried for a moment. Visa revoked?
“It still grates, 14 years later, that when they put Blake’s words on the scoreboard for a triumphant rendition after England won the 2009 Ashes, they put “Oh clouds unfold”, as though Blake was slightly baffled at seeing clouds unfold, instead of the vocative appeal “O clouds unfold”. I did write to the Oval to complain; remarkably, instead of ignoring me as a tedious pedant, someone emailed back blaming the ECB, who had supplied the text.”
That’s entirely reasonable. “Oh clouds unfold” is all very “Oh dear me. Oh, they didn’t, did they?”
33rd over: Australia 79-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 8) Stuart Broad is back, rested and restless. Long-legged lope to the crease. Dabbed away by Khawaja for one. Head is nearly caught down the leg side, chasing a wayward ball, then Broad is getting the ball to jump off a length outside off stump.
For those still playing at home, that’s Khawaja’s second-highest score in England. He has precisely one half-century.
32nd over: Australia 78-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 8) We’re back, fed and satisfied I hope. Moeen Ali starts with a maiden to Travis head, who tries his best to score a couple of times but can’t beat the field.
Enjoying our Blake chat today. Here’s Will Wroth.
“There is a school of thought that, given his very radical social and religious convictions, Blake’s ‘satanic mills’ were more the established church, top-down religious institutions, and the conservatizing moral and political influence they enjoyed, than the actual factories, for all their social and economic disruption. Perhaps it is a fitting anthem for Bazball after all – militating against ingrained, conservative attitudes towards what is right, and how things should be done…?”
Can see it now. Ben Stokes mulls a Declaration (on the Rights of Man).
Andrew James is checking in, and out. “I’m about to get on a plane from Tokyo to Melbourne, which means an enforced 10 hours until I can see the result of the day. Here’s hoping there’s no more batting carnage, Smith bags a double-hundred with Head on 115*.”
Hope you were in the air before that lbw.
Lunch - Australia 78 for 3
An absolutely critical session for England. They will be buzzing as they walk off the field. Australia’s two biggest guns have been spiked, in Labuschagne and Smith, while Warner popped himself back in Broad’s pocket. The home side’s lead is still 315, and somehow this came in a session where Harry Brook had a trundle.
A mass of work to do for Australia: Khawaja and Head have both gone big in recent times, but both of them will need to repeat that today.
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31st over: Australia 78-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 8) You can defy convention, but you can’t resist bringing on a part-time spinner for one over before lunch. Joe Root has the ball, sending it down outside Khawaja’s off stump for the opener to ignore. Stokes performatively brings himself into leg slip for one ball, to no effect, and that is lunch.
30th over: Australia 78-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 8) I lied, the umpires have decided we’ll get more overs in. They started the session five minutes late. Head gets down low and slaps four through cover, then Moeen beats him twice in a row! The crowd groaning as the ball goes past the edge. Head is flummoxed, he goes back and lets the next ball hit him on the pad, angling down leg side, left alone.
29th over: Australia 74-3 (Khawaja 40, Head 4) Nicely driven straight by Khawaja from Stokes, down the ground for a couple more runs.
28th over: Australia 72-3 (Khawaja 38, Head 4) Into it straight away is Travis Head! Down on one knee and clubs his sweep shot over backward square. Moeen finishes his work for the session with 0 for 17 off six overs.
27th over: Australia 67-3 (Khawaja 37) Last ball of the over, after two runs from it, is the biggest wicket of all.
WICKET! Smith lbw Stokes 16, Australia 67-3
It had to be Stokes! It just had to be. Smith gets squared up, ends up with both pads together as the ball smashes into his knee roll. Stokes roars and throws out both arms in an appeal. Umpire Erasmus waits a long, long time, then at last the finger goes up. Smith reviews immediately, because of course he does. On a bouncier pitch that would have been going over, but on this flatter one it’s three red lights, hitting the off bail flush. Smith is gone! A massive moment just before the lunch break. The ball didn’t do too much, it went on straight at the stumps, but Smith got his feet and timing tangled and missed it – the thing he never did in 2019.
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26th over: Australia 65-2 (Khawaja 36, Smith 16) No run from the Moeen over. Smith plays at every ball but doesn’t do anything with them.
25th over: Australia 65-2 (Khawaja 36, Smith 16) Ben Stokes is having a bowl! It’s been a long time coming, but he’s giving it a go. To celebrate, in scenes that will surprise everyone, England succeed in lobbying to get the ball changed. The umpires swap it over. They do call him for a no-ball though. Rusty beard, rusty bowling. Two slips only for Smith now. Cover has been included. So of course he plays off the hip to backward square for a run. Stokes looks to be walking back to his mark freely. Khawaja leaves. Two slips for him as well, with a catching cover and catching midwicket.
@GeoffLemonSport @guardian_sport I can think of no more thrilling atmosphere in British sport than when Broad is having one of his special spells, in a crucial match, backed by a fervent home crowd. Brilliant theatre.
— John Dalby (@snoopjohnd) June 17, 2023
24th over: Australia 63-2 (Khawaja 36, Smith 15) Smacked off the back foot through cover, and a brilliant diving stop saves a boundary. Smith has to content himself with nudging Moeen to leg for a single.
23rd over: Australia 62-2 (Khawaja 36, Smith 14) Stroked by Smith down the ground, lovely off drive from Robinson’s fuller pitch. Broad chases and slides to save to the delight of the crowd.
Robin Walters: “Isn’t the whole point of ‘And did those feet’ that it is saying “‘this country’s a bit crap, let’s make it a place worth living’? That seems to me to exactly fit what you look for in a national anthem.”
Quite agree. That would be the good kind of patriotism, which does exist even if it’s derided by the plastic kind. I’d also say that is not what’s reflected by triumphalist renditions at sporting events. But hey, just one opinion.
22nd over: Australia 59-2 (Khawaja 36, Smith 11) Across the stumps, shovel to leg… the Smith method works against off spin as much as outswing. Gets a run past the short leg. Khawaja tries to do likewise but finds midwicket. So he skips down, tries to loft, and is nearly caught. Stokes loses the ball in the backdrop! Khawaja isn’t to the pitch, hits it too early and so it goes flat towards mid off. In the end it goes to one side of Stokes, and maybe a bit too high to catch, but he can’t even attempt the catch because he doesn’t know where the ball is. Just holds his arms out helplessly. Moeen follows with a ball the keeps low, like Lyon did a few times yesterday, that Khawaja jams out.
21st over: Australia 54-2 (Khawaja 32, Smith 10) More shuffling across for Smith, blocking Robinson with a straight bat, then playing the pull to a rare short ball. One run. That brings Khawaja on strike, and there’s that pull to the length ball again! Played that three times today, nailed all of them. This is already Khawaja’s fourth highest score in England.
If you’re confused by the Smith technique, this might help a bit. Turn down the dial on the headline by about 200% before reading.
20th over: Australia 49-2 (Khawaja 28, Smith 9) Moeen turns the arm over, as the sun comes out for the first time today through high patchy cloud. Khawaja blocks away, then decides he’s had enough and skips down the track, driving stylishly through extra cover for four. Two fielders there for the shot and he goes right between them.
19th over: Australia 45-2 (Khawaja 24, Smith 9) Nice bowling from Robinson, getting that movement away, but Smith gets across so far that he can leave anything outside his pads without concern. He’s soaked up 33 balls now.
18th over: Australia 45-2 (Khawaja 24, Smith 9) Moeen Ali to bowl from the City End. Drops short a couple of times, and Khawaja is going too hard and miscuing. One is a top edge landing safely at 45 for two runs, the other gets none as he underedges hard into the ground to the off side. Interesting.
17th over: Australia 43-2 (Khawaja 22, Smith 9) Ollie Robinson gets over the shock of being bumped behind Brook in the bowling order and begins his day. A bit of swing, making Smith play to the off side more than leg. Smith adds two runs with a straight drive.
Andy Flintoff (not that one, he clarifies) writes: “It’s not that the words of Jerusalem are patriotic, it’s more that the music (by C Hubert H Parry) sounds much more triumphant than the usual dirgey way that God Save The King/Queen is played.”
For sure, not hard to exceed an anthem that rivals Australia’s for drabness. But that’s the point and the problem – the poem despairs of what the nation has become, the despoliation of the earth for a few to profit, in a way that is even more markedly relevant now. But somehow people went, “Well it says England in it,” and decided it’s a patriot’s hymn.
16th over: Australia 41-2 (Khawaja 22, Smith 7) Anderson resumes after his hydration interval, bowls three more balls that Khawaja blocks, and an unusual over comes to an end in this unusual Test match.
We’re taking drinks halfway through an over because Khawaja wanted to trim a loose bit off his bat and called for the runner. That’s a new one.
15th over: Australia 40-2 (Khawaja 22, Smith 6) It’s been an hour without any Stokes-induced madness, so he decides to introduce… Harry Brook to the attack. Five overs from Broad, including two in two, and he gets replaced by a middle-order bat who runs in off a long approach and bowls a twisty frog-footed Virat Kohli kind of stuff that is notionally medium pace but comes out at around 65 miles an hour and seems to loop as though he has an off-spinner’s grip. Smith clips one to midwicket on the bounce, which gets the crowd excited, but more impressive is Bairstow’s take about two metres down the leg side to some proper club-level dross. Smith gets a run to fine leg.
14th over: Australia 39-2 (Khawaja 22, Smith 5) Anderson ticking away. A couple of singles to the leg side, Smith continues to quiet things down after the Broad intervention.
“Totally agree with your reservations about the singing of Jerusalem. It kicks off with a series of contrived questions, the answer to all of which is no,” writes Freddie Simon. “I want to make a plea for poor Dom Bess - best haircuts in the county championship and a pretty decent/lucky international record. He was broken by pre-revolutionary England and if any spinner deserves a second chance, it’s Dom Bess. Such a fan of The Final Word and your OBOing. Thrilled to see you on duty today. All the best from Berlin.”
Thanks Freddie. I should clarify, I’m an admirer of William Blake. The lavishness of language, and that hallucinatory vision burns with the brightness of the true mystics. Less on board with shoehorning his great work into an attempt at a patriotic symbol, especially when the meaning of the text is anything but.
And yes… Simply Dom Bess, better than all the rest? Could have done alright in the current environment.
13th over: Australia 37-2 (Khawaja 21, Smith 4) Very happy to take his time, Smith is almost deadbatting the ball, playing as softly as he can at Broad to bat out a maiden.
12th over: Australia 37-2 (Khawaja 21, Smith 4) With a very open stance, Smith places a full ball from Anderson to midwicket for one run. Three slips, backward point, short cover, mid off for Khawaja… who whacks another pull shot for four! Now, that’s just rude. It wasn’t even slightly short, he’s hit that off a length outside the off stump, angled across him. Not a high-percentage shot, I would suggest. Cue joke about Usball.
Just another quiet little Ashes over for Stuart Broad, then…
11th over: Australia 32-2 (Khawaja 17, Smith 3) Had Stuart Broad got that third wicket, it would have been one of the best hat-tricks ever by calibre of player. Instead he bowls one of the worst hat-trick balls ever, wide down the leg side. Smith half does the splits and watches it pass by. Plays the next similarly, then shovels a ball out through midwicket, making the ageing legs of Moeen Ali chase back to the Hollies Stand boundary to great encouragement to keep the scoring to three.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Bairstow b Broad 0, Australia 29-2
STUART BROAD IS ON A HAT-TRICK. First ball for Marnus Labuschagne, who starts his very slow trudge off the field. Outside off stump, a bit of movement away, a fiddle at the line from Labuschagne when it wasn’t needed, and Jonny Bairstow is off balance but throws out his right glove, folds his knee under his body to get down low enough, and takes it one-handed above the turf.
Updated
WICKET! Warner b Broad 9, Australia 29-1
Ohhhh dear! It’s happening again! Nothing like 2019, no unplayables here. Warner just can’t help himself. Has only added one run to his overnight score. Sees width, throws the bat, and gets the fattest of inside edges back onto his stumps. That’s poor batting, and Broad will take it gleefully.
Updated
10th over: Australia 29-0 (Warner 9, Khawaja 17) Warner starts the over with a single, his first run of the day. Four runs for Khawaja through midwicket, then a couple of braces through cover. Anderson the bowler, erring in line with that boundary ball.
Sam Glover refers back to the point about Australia’s batters setting their own pace.
“England’s bowling is just as aggressive as their batting, it’s just not as obvious… usually once a batter is on top there is a quiet spell where, essentially, the plan hasn’t worked. You don’t get that with England at the moment. They just keep trying to just pick up a wicket in whatever way they can with no consideration given to runs conceded or anything else.”
Conventional for now – four slips is positive but not wild. The point is that however England bowl, the other team can play each ball as they choose, with whatever tempo they prefer. Whereas when the other team bowls to attacking batters, those bowlers do need to take it into account.
Updated
9th over: Australia 19-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 9) A fourth slip in for Broad’s first ball to Khawaja. Substantial swing, but after the bat, going way down leg. Bairstow gets across to it. Cover is up, cordon stacked… and Broad goes short. Khawaja puts it away, pulling from waist height through midwicket even though the line was outside off. Four. Broad corrects, then decides to come over the wicket and scuffs at his landing spot to prepare. Warner at the non-striker’s end is buzzing around him like a bluebottle. The fifth ball crashes off Khawaja’s thigh pad and away to slip, drawing an unsure prod at the sixth that beats the edge.
8th over: Australia 15-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 5) Pearler from Anderson, over the wicket and past the outside edge of Khawaja. The batsman gets moving across his stumps in response, playing to the leg side. First run of the day from the 24th ball, as he manages to create enough room to glance to fine leg.
7th over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 4) Warner isn’t shy about playing at Broad – he aims at point a couple of times when there’s width, but finds the fielder with both. England had 18 off their first 18 balls of the day yesterday, Australia none today.
“Morning Geoff. It’s the old ‘triumph and disaster’ thing, innit? Play as though it means everything, but understand that in the end it means nothing. Who wants it more, or should that be less? Either way, it’s gonna be fun finding out…”
Morning to Simon McMahon. I linked that very quote to Cummins in a piece during the last week. Can’t remember which. A line oft used, which generally means that the original writer was onto something.
6th over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 4) No Jersualem from the crowd. I can’t keep track of the convention any more. Is it only when England bat? The complicated journey of everybody’s favourite song about the ills of the Industrial Revolution, incorporating the vivid religious hallucinations of a poet with some version of psychosis.
Anderson to Khawaja, starting over the wicket to the left-hander despite those warm-ups around. Angles across, bowls in at the hip. Khawaja leaves and defends with some assurance. Doesn’t score.
Morning @GeoffLemonSport. Overcast and damp, England have to hope this juices things up for our quicks because this Aussie line up can really check in for runs. Here's to a monster day for England, before I'm there for Day 3. Also a shout to all the Final Nerds there this week!
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) June 17, 2023
5th over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 8, Khawaja 4) Warner survives! A leading edge first ball, into the ground in front of point. Three slips, no gully but a deeper set backward point for a full-blooded slash. Short cover, Stokes at mid off.
Three on the leg side: mid on, midwicket, long leg set quite square.
Khawaja is in the long-sleeved cricket knit, Warner just a shirt. Well, and some trousers. Shoes. Socks and pants, presumably. Gloves, helmet.
He’s mobile at the crease, getting across his stumps each time, well forward at Broad to get right on top of the ball and smother it. Sees off the over!
Stuart Broad with the ball, David Warner with the bat. A redux of yesterday’s skirmish, that Warner had the better of in the end. Shall we?
Jerusalem on the PA before a ball is bowled? Come on, surely that’s stealing the thunder of the crowd waiting for the second ball.
Here come the players onto the ground. They’re all wearing light blue caps, as part of Blue for Bob, the fundraising campaign for prostate cancer research in honour of former England skipper Bob Willis. The crowd offers a minute of applause rather than silence.
While we’re talking about Australia’s No6: “I’m really looking forward to watching Green this summer but surprised he only had a few overs. Are they saving him or does he have a bit of a niggle?”
Morning, David Brown. No injury, I think they were just happy to lock in Lyon at one end and use the others on rotation. So Green wasn’t much needed.
“I’d love to know what the Aussie batsmen have been told or how they’ve been preparing to face down Bazball,” writes Eric. My guess for the Aussie bowlers was, ‘Your numbers will suffer, just bowl, forget about the score.’ With the top 3 ranked Test batsmen yet to step out and if yesterday was anything to go off of it should be a cracker of a day 2.”
As far as batting goes, they don’t have to think about England’s style at all. I expect they’ll just do their regular thing. Warner, Head, Carey will be more attacking, Labuschagne, Smith and Khawaja will take their time. Green is the unknown given he’s the youngest and trying to adjust from a long IPL campaign.
Mitchell Starc is having a chat to Ricky Ponting on the field before they both stride off, Ponting dressed up in his sports coat for TV, Starc spinning a Sherrin football in his hands.
The rope is going around the outfield strung between two tractors. The covers are long gone, the hovercraft is off the pitch but still in the centre. Anderson bowls another practice delivery, around the wicket, imagining left-handers.
“Lots of us trying to get into the heads of the Australians and how they approaching this whole thing,” writes Peter Salmon. “For me the best insight was from Josh Hazlewood, when he said 400 is still 400, whether it takes 80 overs or 160. Seems the bowlers have been told to ignore strike rates and only look at the total. Seems a good plan to me.”
That’s it. Making 400 in a day doesn’t trump making 600 in two. There is cloud cover for England’s bowlers this morning, as Anderson and Broad warm up on the practice pitches, so the lower light and higher moisture content might make things tricky for Australia. Who knows, they could be knocked over for 200 and everyone will be celebrating England’s boldness. Or Steve Smith might check in for a two-night stay at the Edgbaston Hotel.
Ah, my favourite part of England OBOs – people asking for the TMS overseas link. A tradition that soothes my soul and gives me a sense of stability in a changing world, in much the same way that retaining a monarchy seems to do for others.
Here it is, for Damien and company.
Tim Gilkison is concerned. “Hello Geoff, we’re off to meet my dad for an early pre Father’s Day Father’s Day lunch. Your OBO will be my lifeline (you’re more important than you could ever imagine). I hope someone lends you a nice warm cardie, one that doesn’t cramp your undoubted sartorial style.”
You’re more important than you could ever imagine. Lines that a smiling narcissist might hear in their sleep. Thankfully my colleague Bharat Sundaresan has ferried some layers to the ground. Mine, not his, though borrowing from his wardrobe would make for a vibrant day.
“Amongst all the hoopla, do you think we’ve been underestimating Cummball? The Aussie skipper seems to be quietly confident.”
I’m not having this terminology, Patrick O’Brien. Not having it.
But yes, that’s the general thesis of my article below. The thing that Cummins shares with Stokes is removing the weight placed on results. He seems to genuinely believe it when he says that you want to win, you try as hard as you can, and you also accept that it doesn’t ultimately matter. If you lose, you smile and go on with your life. Enjoyment of a game is the thing.
Robert’s email, I should add, had the subject line “Nobody knows anything.” Which I like as a summary of the didactic efforts of humanity.
Blue ribbon stuff from Robert Ellson to start the day’s mail.
“‘England scored fast enough to win a game yesterday, but they also scored fast enough to lose one, and the delirium surrounding their exhilarating slogathon obscures the fact that, at best, [407] is a par score.’
“Which ‘philosopher’ said that? Some OBO guy at Edgbaston in 2005. Feels a bit like that, doesn’t it? If Josh Hazlewood gloves one down the leg side on Monday morning with one hand off the bat and Australia two runs short, let’s hope they’ve used up all their reviews...”
You might like to know that when we add Australia’s 14 for 0, there were exactly 407 runs scored at Edgbaston yesterday too.
Drop me a line
You know the deal. If you have something to share that other people might enjoy reading hit the email via geoff.lemon@theguardian.com, or the creaking and spluttering tweet machine @GeoffLemonSport.
Lastly, there’ll be this over-by-over report, with me now and Tanya Aldred for the second half of the day. You can’t say we’re not giving Ashes value.
… and ended with the more powerful intoxicant of another artist’s chanceless day.
Then there’s Barney Ronay, whose day started like this…
Classic Ashes scenes as disbelieving man discovers you can’t buy 12 cans of Stella at Euston M&S self scan because “it’s not yet 7am sir”
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) June 16, 2023
… funny that he’s writing in the third person, but you know how creative types can be…
I was tasked with the Australian angle, for some reason. And from that perspective, as entertaining as England’s day was, I reckon the Australians will be very happy with bowling first and ending up conceding less than 400. They have they opportunity to control the match from here if they’re good enough with the bat.
I’m also doing a daily wrap podcast, if you’re audio inclined.
Yesterday, though, Andy knew what he was writing about after the first ball of the day.
And Simon also had the day’s Ashes Diary. Andy Bull will be doing that one today.
Simon Burnton meanwhile was on quotes duty.
Catch-up time! Given we have an entire squadron of Guardian writers at this match, let’s work through it bit by bit. To begin, Birmingham’s own Ali Martin with the match report.
Preamble
Hello all, from the aficionado to the dilettante. It’s that time, it’s Ashes time, when anyone and everyone can plough through the turnstiles and get involved in The Great Game of Cricket™. We’ve had Test cricket for 146 years now, and it has thrown up plenty of twists and variations along the way. Yesterday’s exhibition, with all of the breeziness of England’s new don’t-worry-be-happy style was a lot of fun.
Joe Root played beautifully, Moeen Ali gave some reason for hometown cheers, Harry Brook gave us an immensely replayable moment, and amid all of the claims that Test cricket had been totally reinvented, a humble off-spinner whirled away at one end for most of the day in a display of one of the oldest crafts of all.
England declared shortly before the close last night on 393 for 8, and Australia got through four overs unscathed.
Today, it dawns cool and cloudy. Unexpectedly cool, for those of us on autopilot who arrived at the ground in our shirtsleeves and then had to send out an SOS for more garments. And here’s an early exclusive, given that the press box is mostly empty this long before the scheduled start: a sprinkling of rain out there. The covers are coming on. Presumably they’ll be gone by 11am.
