3rd Test

[David Morton]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=even><TD>30 July – 03 Aug 2009</TD><TD>



England vs. Australia
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3rd Test Edgbaston


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Any one going ??

Definitely take an umbrella............

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

I hope it doesn't rain too much. Now we are one down a draw is not an option.


Australia captain Ricky Ponting insisted returning to Edgbaston, where the third Ashes Test starts on Thursday, held no bad memories for him after England's dramatic win here in 2005.
Four years go, England won by two runs in one of the most thrilling finishes in Test history to level the series at 1-1.
Victory provided the springboard for their 2-1 Ashes series win - England's first in 18 years.
The morning of the first day four years ago saw Australia lose Glenn McGrath to a freak injury when the fast bowler trod on a stray cricket ball on the outfield.
But despite that Ponting, who won the toss, still decided to field first only for England to score 407 runs on the first day.
Come the last day of the match Australia needed 107 more runs to win with just three wickets standing.
But, thanks mainly to Shane Warne (42) and Brett Lee (43 not out), they got within touching distance before Michael Kasprowicz, McGrath's replacement, was caught behind off the glove.
Ponting, just one of three Australian survivors set to play on Thursday from the 2005 team - the others are fellow batsmen Michael Clarke and Simon Katich - told reporters here on Wednesday. "At the end of the day I don't think we were that disappointed coming away from here last time.
"It was a great Test match and one in which, during the majority of the game we weren't at our best but one in which we almost pulled what would have been one of the great Test wins ever.
"So if anything, I think we've got some fond memories of 2005 here just because it was such a great game of cricket."
But whereas four years ago Australia were 1-0 up, now they find themselves 1-0 down with three to play after their 115-run loss to England at Lord's.
"It's about righting the wrongs from Lord's and making sure you see a better Australian performance than you did last time at Lord's," Ponting said.
England too are much changed from 2005 with only captain Andrew Strauss, recalled batsman Ian Bell and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff set to play this week although fast bowler Stephen Harmison is in the 12-man squad from which their third Test side will be picked.
But weather, not history was uppermost in Ponting's mind as rain lashed down on Edgbaston on Wednesday, causing large puddles to form on the outfield.
"I am a bit more worried about the weather than anything else to tell the truth," said Ponting, whose side are weighing up whether to recall the likes of Stuart Clark and Shane Watson in a bid to bolster their bowling.
Any time lost to bad weather would benefit England as it would reduce Australia's chances of victory and help the home side preserve their lead in the series.

 

[David Morton]

The first batch of rain SHOULD have gone through before play starts but a second batch is just about to coast out in the Irish Sea and should affect Birmingham this mid to late afternoon.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

The first batch of rain SHOULD have gone through before play starts but a second batch is just about to coast out in the Irish Sea and should affect Birmingham this mid to late afternoon.

Well hopefully we will have won the toss, Punter will bat (I doubt he will ever put England in again especially here) and we will have racked up 150 for none in the first session......Easy really.

 

[David Morton]

Dream on.............

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Errr. play delayed because of rain..:cry:

 

[David Morton]

Well - it is England in the Summer. What did you expect?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Not a bad start considering the delay.

 

[David Morton]

Well, your forecast for the first session in terms of runs was almost spot on.
So what will happen today. I predict a batting collapse and all out by tea.
Still no Harmison in the England side - I wonder why?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Ha! I predict Australia 550 for three declared by tea and England 96 for four
at stumps!:thumbsup:

Maybe Harmison doesn't know his Onions?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Weather looks O.K. too.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

not a bad first over!!!!!:furious:

 

[David Morton]

epper:epper:epper:epper:epper:epper:epper:epper:


203-8 at lunch.

Finished first innings well before tea??

:juggle: easy peasy

:bow::bow::bow:
:dead:
Pontings presiding over a Batting collapse ??

:drunk:

I'm so happy........................

 

[Jimmy P]

Easy on lads...but what a start by Englands bowlers....who said all out by tea.....I can't believe what I'm reading on the BBC.

 

[David Morton]

Yes - it's really good Jimmy. Rain in the Bristol Channel south of Swansea at 1430 bst but it won't reach Egbaston before end of play today. We need to get in and get on with it as tomorrow will be almost totally rained off. I can see a really good innings coming up today and Sunday with an impossible task for Australia playing into Monday. Edgbaston has always been good for England..........

 

[Jimmy P]

Thanks for the weather report David. Amazing transformation with the bowlers from yesterday. I see the tabloids were beginning to give England some stick too. But they came through today from the first ball on. I hope its testament to the bowlers and not the wicket. Is the wicket allowing some movement which would mean the Aussies will have that too. Batters beware? Come on ENGLAND! BTW, just to give you a visual image....I live in a small farming village in Florida, @ 12 miles west of Gainesville (home of the Florida Gators) its bloody hot and humid today with a look toward rain later.

 

[David Morton]

I think we had enough cloud cover earlier and the lacquer had probably gone so there was plenty of in swing. That seems to have disappeared now and it should become a pace bowlers wicket.

 

[David Morton]

Looking at the mean line of advance (MLA) of the rain it is about 40 miles SW of Edgbaston now(1715hrs) so it may just start affecting before 1900 hrs which I think is as long as they will play today - though they might offer England the light depending on if it rains or not..........

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

:bigcry::bigcry::bigcry::bigcry::bigcry::bigcry:

 

[David Morton]

News from Edgbaston is that bad light did stop play with England on 116 for 2. Strauss has made an excellent 50 and he and Ian Bell have shared a 50 partnership.
England First Innings

<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2><TBODY><TR><TD>A Strauss</TD><TD>not out</TD><TD></TD><TD>64</TD></TR><TR><TD>A Cook</TD><TD>c Manou</TD><TD>b Siddle </TD><TD>0</TD></TR><TR><TD>R Bopara</TD><TD></TD><TD>b Hilfenhaus</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR><TD>I Bell</TD><TD>not out</TD><TD></TD><TD>26</TD></TR><TR><TD>P Collingwood</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>M Prior</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>A Flintoff</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>S Broad</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>G Swann</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>G Onions</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>J Anderson</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Extras</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>3 </TD></TR><TR><TD>Total</TD><TD></TD><TD>19.2 overs</TD><TD>116 for 2 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Australia Bowling - England First Innings
<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2><TBODY><TR><TD>Bowler</TD><TD>O</TD><TD>M</TD><TD>W</TD><TD>Runs</TD></TR><TR><TD>Hilfenhaus</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>45</TD></TR><TR><TD>Siddle</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>22</TD></TR><TR><TD>Hauritz</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>25</TD></TR><TR><TD>Johnson </TD><TD>6 </TD><TD>0 </TD><TD>0</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Australia First Innings

<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=2><TBODY><TR><TD>S Katich LBW b Swan</TD><TD>46 </TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>S Watson LBW b Onions</TD><TD>62</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>R Ponting c Prior b Onions</TD><TD>38</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>M Hussey b Onions</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>M Clarke LBW b Anderson</TD><TD>29</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>M North c Prior b Anderson</TD><TD>12 </TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>G Manou b Anderson</TD><TD>8</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>M Johnson LBW b Anderson</TD><TD>0</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>N Hauritz not out </TD><TD>20 </TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>P Siddle c Prior b Anderson</TD><TD>13 </TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>B Hilfenhaus c Swann b Onions</TD><TD>20</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Extras</TD><TD>15</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Total</TD><TD>263 All Out</TD><TD>70.4 Overs </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>