TEA DAY 2. Welcome back to the thread of a thousand headlines. Australia is 5/168 after England’s good bowling finally reaped rewards. Mike Hussey, who most of us consider over the hill, is showing that experience is exactly what’s required against good bowling. And Marcus North continues to demonstrate his mediocrity. And by mediocrity, I mean utter rubbish.
And remember, you can follow news updates of the match here.
Lunch Day 2 update. England, especially Stuart Broad and James Anderson, have been keeping a tight line. So far, their only reward is the wicket of Watson, a great comeback by Anderson after he had an LBW overturned on referral the previous ball. I’m in fear of both Broad and Anderson. These guys have improved so much since the last Ashes in Australia. Should be a great middle session. Keep posting all your cricket thoughts here and we’ll have a fresh thread over the weekend.
6PM update. England all out for 260. Six for Siddle and the last two scalps for a deserving Doherty. More cricket tomorrow on The Punch (plus lots of other goodies). I’ve got a feeling 260 may not be such a bad tally at a swinging Gabba…
4.50PM update. Peter Siddle has just taken a fantastic hat-trick. I’m excited. All off great balls too. Share your excitement below!!!
In recent Ashes clashes, the first over, and sometimes even the very first ball, has set the tone for the entire series.
Who’ll forget Harmy’s shocking wide at Brisbane last time?
Or Justin Langer being de-helmeted in 2005?
So in charges Ben Hilfenhaus for the over of the 2010/11 Ashes and whammo! Some South African dude (might’ve been Andrew Strauss) is out third ball, caught in the gully by Mike Hussey, who quite possibly can’t bat anymore but who sure can take a gully catch.
England then didn’t so much fight back as hang around for a while without doing too much damage.
The increasingly impressive Shane Watson removed another one of the South Africans (might’ve been Trott) with a beautiful late off cutter, but Cook and the silly South African with the bad Movember mo (might’ve been Pietsersen) then dug in to see England to 2/81 at lunch.
Honours even. For Australia, Hilfy and Watson looked dangerous, and moved the ball the most, while Siddle left everyone wondering what D Bollinger was doing on the sidelines.
Xav Doherty looked un-Hauritzlike by spinning the ball in his first over, though sadly, he later grassed a catch he’d seemed held for about a minute before the fumble.
For England, the silly South African with the mo looked as silly as ever. Especially when he hit a four and fell over at the same time. Funny stuff.
Enough from us. Over to you. Who’s flying? Who’s flailing? Who else is doing something else that starts with fl-? Comment often and comment hard.
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