England v Australia, Old Trafford, Day One

This could be the most important test Australia has played – in terms of the impact of losing it – in 15 years. (Now that’s straight off the top of my head, so I’m sure some with bring up other Tests.)

Will, how can you play slug-a-bed when there’s a Test on, man? Last week, I was lucky to be home for all 4 days, now I’m back in the office, moan groan.

Will post as/when I can – so long as the boss doesn’t catch me out!

Mcgrath and Lee set to play!

mcgrath’s on- and england bats!

No MaGill! probly a good thing the way the pitch has turned out. With McGrath and Lee back, England should be worried batting first!

Just think wat Lee will be like if McGrath could bowl a bouncer like that!

I wonder how serious Clarkes injury is? It didn’t look too bad?

I hate to point out (not really …that I was expecting McGrath to play…check out my comment in that post ! I’ve seen him ‘recover’ surprisingly quickly earlier also. And now I have a stronger feeling that this is part of Aus strategy to throw opponents off-guard.

i want to see a great bowl from Lee that actually gets a wicket. it’s so hard to be annoyed at Gilly, but why did he have to drop that catch?

There’s the ball we are looking for!!!
A good ball from lee that gets a wicket!!!!

Fantastic bit of bowling from Lee – has he been taking lessons from Harmy?

Lee dosn’t need any help from him. Harmison would be up on the balcony now taking notes!!!

Apparently Clarke has gone off with a back spasm. I wonder of Errol is paid by the hour?

I’d like to see Vaughan get forward a bit further. I can see a replay of Lords and Edgbaston at this rate. A question for my antipodean friends…. do you get the channel four feed or the sky one?

he’ll be right, he didnt show signs of annoyance or pain, he just knows its best to get it looked and seen to as quick as possible.

Very much the impression I got Harry. I used to talk to a bloke on Yahoo about five years ago called Michael NSW who said he played cricket for New South Wales and one day he would play for Australia. I never really believed him but I’m beginning to wonder now.

Either way I reckon, with the possible exception of Pietersen, he is the batsman I have enjoyed watching most this series so far. If his back holds out surely he must score thousands of test runs.

Great toss to lose.

Yeah i just checked and Tony Greig is comentating on our free to air channel which is the channel four feed i think. Why do u ask about him?

its sky over here for me. and it nly ok, nothng special

I watch Sky as well cause our pay tv comes via satelite so it has a really clear picture, and there are less adds on the pay tv.

I think Flintoff could probly start on the back foot before Lee even starts his run up!

Slats was my favourite player. I loved the way he was likely to smack the 1st bowl of the day for four, or take on any bowler. More people would take Steve Waugh’s side but i’m with Slater

Well Warney was warming up before…

Vaughan is finally getting some runs. And he does get them fast! Nice to watch when he is in full flow.

Ooh look Will – you have a fifty up before lunch.

Sean, I used to talk to that bloke too and I do think it was Michael Clarke.

am not really an autograph hunter, but have got Slater’s. Met him in Amsterdam last year – really nice bloke, even though he tried to pinch my pen.
Why don’t you all turn the TV commentary down and tune in to that wonderful bunch of overgrown schoolboys at BBC Test Match Special? Better than ANYone else!

saw Sir Viv 10 days ago in London – he still is!

Mmmm, now there’s a guy you had to love to watch, even when he was demolishing your own side.

I once stood about 5 meters away from Steve Waugh while he made a declaration. Then on the news that night they showed him doing it and i was just out of the screen!

I have tickets to two of the Australia V The Rest of The World one dayers in Melbourne. Now they should be good to watch! Imagine watching McGrath and Lee bowling to Brain Lara and Sachin Tendaulkar all at the same time!!!

I have said it so many times on this Blog already! No-balls are not excusable. Why do they have to get so close to the lines? It’s cost us in previous test matches greatly, why won’t they learn!?

Gillespie is once again ineffectual. They may as well bowl Justin Langer! At least get through and over quicker so McGrath can bowl again. BRING ON WARNE FOR GOODNESS SAKE! (Maybe he’s injured too).

Yes stu, seriously, it would have been worth having Tait or McGill (even though it’s sposably not for spinners)than gillespie.

This is SO frustrating. Ponting in not captaining well at all. Just more of the same, over and over again. Nothing is being tried, and how can you possibly have a bowler with 599 test wickets, 100 in England, with the score at 1 for 130 and not have bowled him yet???

Another NO BALL. Take a step back! Hooray – Warne, finally!

And now Vaughan’s trying to run himself out. Really needs to convert this fifty odd to a ton. I can’t believe no one has scored a ton in this series yet.

Oh that’s some shot from Trescothick – lovely shot through mid on

This is good batting positive but not reckless. About 350 runs today?

I remember when Langer came to England to play club cricket at Dover in 1991 I think. He scored something like 1000 league runs, a record which still stands.

At least they’re scoring at a decent rate, gives the match a chance of a result either way.

Goodness – Gilly’s caught one good reactions though. 600 up for Warne

don’t believe it! I missed it! No phone calls all day, they rinnnng rinnng just as Warnie gets 600.

It would be physically so hard for a fast bowler to get 600, unless you are Mcgrath I suppose.

This should be interesting.
It should have been MaGill instead of Gillespie, then you wouldn’t find urself bowling Katich!

It doesn’t really help with Clarke being off the pitch also. I guess he would have bowled before Katich, right?

Bye the way its bloody freezing down here in Tas at the moment. I am sitting inbetween the computer and the t.v in a sleeping bag!

what an innings for vaughan. He did say he felt a big one was coming up, but I doubt if he meant a big chancy one. But heck, luck is as luck does (does that make any sense), and he must conver this to the first tone (!) of the series. England should surely look at reaching a score where they cannot lose from. Early days, I know…but after that first 30min-1hour, the bowling has not troubled them too much has it…..

ugh me and my typos.
that was
*convert*
and first *ton*

[oh, and a ton of comments here too:)]

With the scoring rates so fast it´s very hard to know what an unlosable position is. Perhaps 500+

Aus will be happy if they dismiss Eng for anything less than 400. But the way these sides are playing I don’t think 600 would be insurmountable.

on the contrary – it was well past time Vaughan got his form back – a captain needs to put in a good innings with the bat as well as in the field to inspire his team. How else can he retain their respect?

And how good it must feel to him – against the “Old Enemy”!

I’m refusing to go to bed until Australia get another wicket. I have to be up at 7:30 but oh well

lol, good on ya mate, have a good 1.

thats good spirit harry- cheer em on!
31 balls no run for mr bell.

and, what a statistic- after that exquisite shot, england have a total of 21 sixes in the series. Australia- wait for this- have….2

300 for 3 boring, slow cricket from england again

Finally! Let’s get it around ribs, gentlemen…need some livening up here, at 2:45am!

Not sure how sensible that was 3 overs before stumps but I guess that’s the way he plays. Big result for Aussies and well directed from Lee

McGrath’s bowling in the 72-74mph range – what’s up?

what a great end to the day. last ball, again. great ball, again. wicket,…again. It leaves the aussies on a high, but it is still England’s day…hats off to Lee and Warne. stuck to their task. unecessary shot from KP, irrespective of ‘how he plays’…
more conventional cricket, and still riveting

I’m not too enamoured with KP’s shot but I’m livid with Vaughan. He could have just played normally and been 190 – 200 odd not out at the close. Fancy hitting a full bunger from a part timer straight down long on’s throat. Remember NZ earlier this year – 300 odd for 3 at close of play then ended up losing by 9 wickets. You can’t give these guys anything.

I would say honours even, as far as the match position goes, but I feel (trying not to show too much Pom bias ) that England have some momentum from Vaughan’s return to form and Bell’s determination (I’d say he’s our new Barrington but you’re all too young to remember him ) – McGrath however is a passenger in the field and if either he or Lee were to break down to-morrow or in the 2nd innings would anyone be surprised?

A drastic shift in momentum towards Australia would be great, avinash. But if the luck is with us then, will it disappear when our batsmen walk out to the crease?

Forgot to add that I won’t be in for most of today. I have a job interview this morning and then my wife and I are going to the races this afternoon as it is her birthday. In fact she is watching the harness racing from Wagga as we speak – and they say cricket is boring……….