England v Australia - Test 1, Cardiff 8th - 12th July

First topic message reminder :

England

Lyth
Cook
Ballance
Bell
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Ali
Broad
Wood
Anderson


Australia

Warner
Rogers
Smith
Clarke
Voges
Watson
Haddin
Johnson
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood



Officials

Umpires - HDPK Dharmasena and M Erasmus
TV umpire - CB Gaffaney
Match referee - RS Madugalle
Reserve umpire - NGB Cook



Toss

Won by England who choose to bat.

I think England will be 320/6 or 7 at stumps. The in-form players are either on their way or at the crease, plus the day is supposed to brighten up with the cloud abating somewhat.

Could have been better, could have been worse. Australia on top, but not by as much as they would have liked when Bell got out. These two have batted nicely to stage a mini-recovery, but the Australians will feel they haven't bowled particularly well at them...

Duty281 wrote:and Bell was the victim of a good ball.

While it was a good ball, was the victim of poor technique early in his innings. Go back and watch Bell over a period of time and you'll see two things early on. 1) The bat is away from the body when playing, criminal early on. 2) His front foot goes too far across and that is exactly what happened today, if you can get the ball moving back in to him early doors you're always in with a shout.

Quite a modest road map there Craig

Probably reasonable in the circumstances. Yes Australia's session ; but apart from the wickets there was some encouragement to be had from the batting ...nothing wrong with the run rate.
England need a good session now though : I am not sure Duty's 400 pitch is quite right , given I understand we are likely to have some cloud around throughout the match ; but we'll see as we go on...

alfie wrote:Quite a modest road map there Craig

I am Scottish what do you expect.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

alfie wrote:Quite a modest road map there Craig

I am Scottish what do you expect.

Confident about Andy though , once it stops raining in London ?

alfie wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

alfie wrote:Quite a modest road map there Craig

I am Scottish what do you expect.

Confident about Andy though , once it stops raining in London ?

Oh yes I have no doubts on that front today.

The Australians are a bit slow bless, can't realise that if you bowl short and wide to Root he'll hit you for 4. Bit like England couldn't figure out why New Zealand scored so many through 3rd man.

Actually think it's reasonably even. Three wickets for about 90 is alright, especially if you're line up bats as long as England's allegedly does. It's one of those scorecards where you think it's even, but the team which won the toss will be a little disappointed (whether batting or bowling)

kingraf wrote:Actually think it's reasonably even. Three wickets for about 90 is alright, especially if you're line up bats as long as England's allegedly does. It's one of those scorecards where you think it's even, but the team which won the toss will be a little disappointed (whether batting or bowling)

It is getting that way now I'd say. Australia will be happy they got early wickets and know a couple more quickly and they will feel right on top. England will also be happy to be where they are after their start and will still hold out hopes of posting a score in excess of 300 which I think will be key here.

Bell has got to go I am afraid. He is a walking wicket at the moment. Something I never thought I would ever say but get Bairstow in!

VTR wrote:Bell has got to go I am afraid. He is a walking wicket at the moment. Something I never thought I would ever say but get Bairstow in!

It won't happen. Well not during this series. He could have failures in the first three tests and not be axed but Lyth may not get that many chances. Crazy really but it is how selectors minds work.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

VTR wrote:Bell has got to go I am afraid. He is a walking wicket at the moment. Something I never thought I would ever say but get Bairstow in!

It won't happen. Well not during this series. He could have failures in the first three tests and not be axed but Lyth may not get that many chances. Crazy really but it is how selectors minds work.

I would have agreed in the past, but I think he has got one more Test to get some runs when you have someone like Bairstow who is pretty much kicking the door down to be selected. Lyth is a bit more secure as there are no openers really demanding selection in CC

Great half century from Root. He came in at a tough time and is amidst bringing England back into this.

Balance looking like a rabbit in the headlights against Johnson now.

PaulHv2 wrote:Balance looking like a rabbit in the headlights against Johnson now.

Still battling away tho

Olly wrote:

PaulHv2 wrote:Balance looking like a rabbit in the headlights against Johnson now.

Still battling away tho

Yup, honestly expected him to chuck it away.

I do think England should be looking to go after Lyon a lot more.

England now 143 for 3 and the century partnership is up. Suddenly, things look brighter at Cardiff both weather-wise and from England's point of view.

VTR wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

VTR wrote:Bell has got to go I am afraid. He is a walking wicket at the moment. Something I never thought I would ever say but get Bairstow in!

It won't happen. Well not during this series. He could have failures in the first three tests and not be axed but Lyth may not get that many chances. Crazy really but it is how selectors minds work.

I would have agreed in the past, but I think he has got one more Test to get some runs when you have someone like Bairstow who is pretty much kicking the door down to be selected. Lyth is a bit more secure as there are no openers really demanding selection in CC

I am always reluctant to make snap judgements after one innings in a series ...they look silly if the man gets a hundred in the second innings. Bell has had a string of outs ; and his confidence appears low - but I think he has a little credit left in the bank. Depends a bit how the rest of the team is going , I suspect.
I won't say "runs at Lord's or out" ; but I think he'd be sweating on the selection for the third match if he didn't get a score there . Or here , of course.
Bairstow is indeed making a strong case. And Root , although he is having a wonderful time at five , looks well capable of moving up one spot if need be.
Lyth has to have a few Tests to prove himself one way or the other ...can't keep that revolving door policy on the opening spot going !

CaledonianCraig wrote:I do think England should be looking to go after Lyon a lot more.

Definitely, even Ravi Bopara managed to tear him apart. We always seem to sit in against the spinner in Tests, which pretty much cost us the last Test vs New Zealand as the very average Mark Craig was allowed to just bowl away which meant we didn't get enough runs before the second new ball in the first innings

PaulHv2 wrote:

Olly wrote:

PaulHv2 wrote:Balance looking like a rabbit in the headlights against Johnson now.

Still battling away tho

Yup, honestly expected him to chuck it away.

I don't have much concern about Ballance's temperament ; just his technique. Certainly Johnson working him over there ; but he has indeed battled through that spell , and deserves some credit for it.
Still a bit to prove against top line pace , I think. But I have hopes that he will find a method that works for him , given the determination he's displayed.
We'll all be wiser on that score by the end of this series I fancy.

Bumper 16 Tests coming up. Aus, Pak, SA. If Ballance is still averaging 50+ after that, he'd have certainly proven himself.

an important 50 by Ballance, for the team of course, but also for himself, after a poor run of form

Haddin's drop when Root had yet to score looking worse by the minute...

Great fightback by Ballance and Root (hope I haven't just jinxed them by writing this).

England were desperately in need of some backbone and these two have done a fantastic rescue job.

Here's hoping they can push on and get England to 300 or thereabouts.

Can't blame the bowlers.................It's a.. make sure we get 5 days worth of takings wicket...

Just like the last Ashes test there....

Pitch is a complete pudding but well played to these two

Dare I say it....England now at with the slight upperhand?

10 scores of above 50 in 24 test innings for Ballance now - and people wanted him dropped #headsgone

there will come a time at which the heartiest of trolls will have trouble sustaining the argument that root isnt anything special

Its still hard to say if 190/3 as it stands now is a good position or not. The way these two are going it could quickly e 250/3 which certainly would be, ad the depth to englands batting shouldnt be forgotten
1 all in sessions

Certainly England's session - or Yorkshire's

Evening session to decide honours for the day...

CaledonianCraig wrote:Dare I say it....England now at with the slight upperhand?

Well they are comfortably ahead of your road map at tea

English batsman now looking settled. Aussies will hopefully get another wicket by the end of the day

Grit by Ballance, when less patient players would have succumbed, aided by the flamboyance and everlasting class of Root = a good session for England.

Australia's bowling has been too inconsistent. The odd moment of threat, yes, but not enough pressure or accuracy to stifle England's scoring. The scoreboard has constantly ticked over.

Keep bowling short, Australia, and England will march beyond 400.

It's about honours even, but England are slowly gaining ground in this battle.

alfie wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:Dare I say it....England now at with the slight upperhand?

Well they are comfortably ahead of your road map at tea

To be fair to me I did say at worst.

Well that's the perfect session for England - c.100 runs without losing a wicket

Steffan wrote:English batsman now looking settled. Aussies will hopefully get another wicket by the end of the day

Just the one, Steffan? If it is just the one, England will be ahead at the end of the day!

Duty281 wrote:

Steffan wrote:English batsman now looking settled. Aussies will hopefully get another wicket by the end of the day

Just the one, Steffan? If it is just the one, England will be ahead at the end of the day!

Well more than one but no wicket at all would be a disaster. Out of my two Aussie mates watching it one is still quite optimistic

England's session, and they are pulling away a bit now. Ideally, they would like another 90-100 session for no worse than one wicket. For Aus, two wickets at 80-90 puts the game at 275ish/5, which would an even day make. Would need a bit of an inspired session for this to definitely be their day.

That more like it

Nice ball by Hazlewood; pretty poor stroke, though.

Tough innings from Ballance.

England could do with another 50+ partnership now to consolidate and cement what could be a fair-sized innings. This session could be key to the whole test.

kingraf wrote:England's session, and they are pulling away a bit now. Ideally, they would like another 90-100 session for no worse than one wicket. For Aus, two wickets at 80-90 puts the game at 275ish/5, which would an even day make. Would need a bit of an inspired session for this to definitely be their day.

With 38 overs they'd want a few more than 90 I think , but generally agreed.

But Ballance has fallen quickly after tea now so things are back in the melting pot...

Came a bit out of the blue , that. Just missed it ...and stone dead lbw. Did a good job for his team ; but he will be disappointed to get out then with a big score seemingly at his mercy. Hazelwood the pick of the bowlers so far.

Hundred for Joe Root

Has been an excellent innings , after that rather fortunate first few balls.

Congrats Rooty!

Fine century just when England needed it.

Shame about Ballance, but he did a good job considering he wasn't in the best form.

Interesting to see how Stokes approaches his innings.

Don't know about you guys, but in my opinion there's no better shot than the on drive for four. Such a great shot to play and watch.

PaulHv2 wrote:Don't know about you guys, but in my opinion there's no better shot than the on drive for four. Such a great shot to play and watch.

better than the stokes top edge for 6 ?

Gooseberry wrote:

PaulHv2 wrote:Don't know about you guys, but in my opinion there's no better shot than the on drive for four. Such a great shot to play and watch.

better than the stokes top edge for 6 ?

So much better  From a technical point of view of course.

If only theyd scored this fast at the world cup