England v Australia, Old Trafford, Day Two

BBC commentators said (as Hoggard walked in to bat) that he would have done his job if he hangs around and gets out to the last ball of the match so that Freddie can have a go first thing in the morning. I dont believe that, though. I wont want him to face a relatively fresh McG and Lee with a new ball in hand, during the first half hour. If Hoggards, like Gillespie, had been around for this period, now that would have been perfect. Atleast thats how the Aussies plan.

Jonathan Agnew from the BBC also commented at the end of play, refering to Warne:

This will increase as the pitch wears during the game, so he might be a real handful if he bowls on the final day.

Warne bowling on the final day? Can any one please explain to me what he means by that?

I suppose it’s possible for Warne to be bowling on the last day if England make Australia follow on?

That’s a conundrum. If you were England captain and you could enforce the follow-on, would you avoid doing so because of the threat of Warne bowling on a really old wicket?

agree they should make australia follow on if in a position to do so, but australia can and have played for draws. Remember some time back Australia looked like having no hope of winning, but could draw quite easily, then Gilchrist came in and starting smashing it to all corners, then after a while steve waugh must have given him the message to give up when really Gilchrist could have one it for them (although it was a long shot). I was very annoyed that day.

Harry…don’t remember this one…which match was this ? Anyway, point was that its really difficult for this Aus team to bat out a draw. Ofcourse they’ve done it a few time – Sydney test against Ind was one recently.

Both teams should be thanked for the great show they have put on so far.

I am really set up 2nite!! I have the T.V sitting in front of the bed with a laptop next o me!

And straight away! Lee does it again! YAY
Comon Aussie Comon!

Worma, just indulging in a thought experiment prompted by a possible scenario of Warne bowling on the last day. Certainly not counting any chickens or letting any horses go!

On the radio they are saying that Clarke can not bat until 7 due to some rule about being off the field a whole day.I don´tknow this law.

I think they said it was a rule specific to this series or somesuch.

I can´t see any serious problems with Clarke at 7 but if he bats at 7 today…

Alan, u mean there is an ICC rule specifically for this series ! Or is it an ‘agreement’ between the captains ?

I HATE RAIN!!!!

Its the middle of winter over here and we have just had our three coldest days! And rain has been stopping me from getting my cricket training done!

It was about 5.45am my time, so I wasn’t entirely rapt with attention because play hadn’t started, but I believe they said that rules of this kind are sometimes tweaked for different series, and they had Graham Gooch poring through the relevant volume….or I was hallucinating the whole thing in my sleep-deprived state.

Originally from Bristol, but presently based outside Washington DC…

Really? Bleedin hell, we’re in Sterling now, but moved from Annandale in April. The reason for our move was not, I repeat not to be only 5 mins from the Old Dominion brewpub in Ashburn.

These little breaks must help the Aussies, bowlers get a nice rest and the batsmen lose a bit momentum.

Yes, ever since 1776 I had a feeling they might be back Well off to work. Enjoy the day folks.

Have a good one yourself.

Well it looks like i am the sole Australian here tonight/today (watever) Born and bread in the land down under! Best place in the world! (best cricket team as well!)

Chris, Jones just smashed a Lee full toss for four
straight after the rain break. Maybe Lee’s radar was disturbed.

Alan As I said I have to get to work ..I did play in Aust. One of my teamates was Tim Nielsen who I think is a coach on the Aust team.

Yeah i thought you were Austrlaian Harry after wat you were saying last night. Its good to know i’m not completly alone.
I’m down on the north-west coast of Tassie in Wynyard, the town where Jamie Cox comes from. He sometimes comes up from hobart about once a season and does training with our club. He reckons he might come bacl one day and play for us agian. Imagine that!!! Batting with Jamie Cox!

Listening for me.

TV? HA!! You jest.

Listening to TMS on the Beeb by Internet.

No chance of actual TV, could shell out for the Willow broadband for $100, but I’ll make do with the radio.

Should record it, Robert.

What do you guys think about having katich open, dropping Hayden and bring in Hodge into the middle order?

Did Freddie and Jonesy have a chat during the break, and decide to up the tempo?

Another Aussie here – Geelong, a couple of hours closer to Melbourne than Harry.

Single, single, long hop-Flintoff 4,…sounds like a fairly defensive field, too.

Did any of you get a good look at the Bell dismissal?

OUT!!!! Warne gets his man. Very important wicket and could be a huge factor in the result of this test

Ah, Flintoff gone.

Flintoff gone – that mishit would’ve been six last week. The Australian batting has a lot to proove in this innings. Are they up to it? The frame of mind of the whole side has to change ALOT.

YES!

That is amazing. That will help Gilliespie’s confidence after Lunch.

I was just calling for Dizzy’s head at The Ashes blog, and he goes and takes a wicket. Typical.

I think that Gillespie’s decline is a bit too serious for the odd wicket here and there to mean keeps his place for the 4th test. I’d be very happy if he did.

Will,
I know there are no sure weather forcast but how right do they get it there? The chance of rain that is.

Thats the thing with criket Stu, anything can happen, and it only takes a couple of hours for the game to turn around completly.

then another couple of hours to turn back in the other way. I’ll be praying the rain stays away because i don’t want know draws

I tend to prepare myself for the worst, then am happy to be surprised. This is part of my learning to support an Australian team that is not thumping it’s opposition..it’s been about 15 – 16 years you know

Thank God for that hey. I’ve been looking foward to seeing us bat!

it’s that old Nelson got us again.

Own up – who had their feet on the floor? Huh?

Mark Waugh on Fox trying to claim some sort of minor victory because England should’ve scored more, and they looked pleased with their efforts. I’ve never heard so much crap. England can be very pleased with that score. You don’t lose many matches after making 400 in the first innings. (Now before I get labelled defeatist , I’m just saying I’d rather have 444 than be chasing it).

It’s a great test for Aus to chase this down. If we lose less that 4 wickets today we’re a big chance, but we need to bat better than we have been this series.

Yeah Mark Waugh is talking crap isn’t he. Him and jules are better than the sbs guys though.

Yeah i didn’t think of that.
Well Done!

Lots of claims Hayden should’ve been out LBW – NONSENSE – missing leg, even “tigger finger” – I mean “hawkeye” says just clipping leg. Billy Bowden = great umpire!

Welcome to the party Nick!
I think it is about time Australia get some of the luck. Its all gone englands way so far this winter(summer). And we havn’t seen a big partnership from Langer and Hayden yet and they are about due!

But Will is a Pom so he is never going to admit that there is an Australian that is better;)

i just want to be number 100!!

In the style of the C4 commentators – afternoon Elliott, afternoon everybody.

Aussies had their luck at Lord’s when England had their dropsy day. So I guess it’s 1-1 in that respect…

Looks like they’re going for it. Not sure if this is the right tactic? Sure, it’s the way they play, but I don’t think they can dominate England in the way they’d be hoping to. Or perhaps they’re just targetting Hoggard?

Sh*te, sorry about that! Didn’t mean to get the 100. Perhaps not deserved, now I’ll have to go on and make a big 200…

i think i must have two more coments than everyone else becasue here nick is 102 and i am 100. And the reponse counter at the top of the page is two behind the number on the bottom comment.

Yes will i was meaning the best australian batsman. KP has been better and trescothic would go close too.

My comments total has just gone up now too, by 6!

When’s the best time for me to go to lunch? It’ll probably precipitate a fall of wickets, much like lighting a fag brings the certain arrival of the bus…

well mine has fixed itself. check who was number 100 now?

I’m heading off for the night. Got a big soccer game tomorrow, and a bit of work to do as well.

My prediction (or wild guess) for stumps: Australia 250 for 4.

Well it all comes down to weather the Australian batting line up can find there old form, lets be honest none of then are really batting at there best so far this series. Then they will be able to really test the English bowlers.

Well the first 50 seemed to come up quite easily! Hayden looks to be batting beter that at edgebaston and Langer is looking like that 80 odd he made last week.
Good signs for Australia!
Yes and i agree about Vaughan, but he has been inconsistant like that ever since he got the captincy.

Giles on. Could be interesting. I may be being overly-pessimistic, but I reckon the best we can hope is the odd Katich-style wicket.

Superb catch!

It certainly was interesting. But not in a good way.
So much for Ponting coming in at 1 for 200 hey Harry?

oh well, hopefully martyn won’t be in until 300 is up.

Welcome to Saturday everyone!
And you know wat that meens……
SLEEP IN!

Good stuff El!

Doesn’t always work though – remember last year I had a day off planned so stayed up all night with a few beers watching the deciding test of Australia v India at Sydney on Sky… only to be called at 6am to go into work because someone was ill.

Funnily enough, they didn’t believe I’d not been on an all-night bender.

If the Test Aus V Ind you are talking about was Steve Waughs last game then i was there. i went to all five days. India got 700 in ther first innings and the game was a draw.

Well no school on weekends so i can sleep. Gotta go to this part 2morrow night though so i wont be here till a bit later on like 11:00 AUS time.

when i wrote part it was actulla *party*

Had any of you guys picked that i was still a teenager before i mentioned school, or did u just think i was an adult?

This also explains the amount of typos i tend to make

Very Funny!

Extra long last session coming up. Time to test the…

DAMN!!

Not a good start. Hate to see a fello Tasmanian. Tea break strikes again!

Wow, what a start! And doubly great news for England, with their change bowlers doing well – Simon Jones looking solid, Giles probing away, and Harmison and Flintoff can be saved a bit. Hopefully Hoggard can get some swing too later and he can start pulling his weight. Looking good for England, this.

Now wasn’t that weird?
He was trying to do a Brett Lee

YESSSS!!!!!

Ooh, all going England’s way. Did look outside the line at first, confirmed by replays – plumb as you like otherwise though.

Good thing is, is that Vaughan – and Giles – can afford to be attacking. Especially with Clarke crocked. Wonder if he’ll be ready tomorrow morning?

I dunno! Not much use if he can’t walk?!?
About now you would be calling for the Super Sub

Then again maby not, i didn’t like those rules very much.

The second 50 certaintly didn’t come with the ease and the painlessness of the first one.

Will, so it was the time Clarke was off while the Aussies were fielding? Or does it count the time he’s in hospital?

What’s the rule re: McGrath – and bowlers in general – being off the field and not being allowed to bowl until a certain time?

Looked, and was, plumb – but only a small appeal. Funny – when he hit Martyn outside the line earlier, it wasn’t turning enough; then when he hits him in line, plumb, it’s going down leg. Hmmm…

Still, I guess it’s still only 1-1 in that respect

This is fantastic! And now Freddie on fire vs Gilly – gonna be explosive!

They have called for reinfourcments from the hotel! Clarke is on his way! acorrding to the sky comentators.

YEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!

I’m not sure that England would want Australia to follow on – going by the amount of turn Giles is getting out of the rough, they wouldn’t want to be playing Warne in the fourth innings at all. Get Australia out for 275 and set them a 350-400 target!!
Oh Lordy, Flintoff should have had Gilchrist yet again!

As a relative cricket newcomer, can anyone tell me if it’s ever *not* a brilliant atmosphere for cricket?

and pigs fly

Channel 4 have just produced an interesting statistic, which is that Australia haven’t been forced to follow on for 17 years (1988, Karachi v Pakistan for those anoraks among you).

From the Guardian OBO

you know i reckon warne could have been an alrounder if he really wanted to be.

they forgot the centenary Ashes series in 1977, 4th Test at Headingley.

England 436 all out. Aus first innings 103 all out 333 (that Nelson again). Second innings 248 all out. Mike Brierly was captain and we regained the Ashes.

Lets see what clarke can do?

wouldn’t it be great if these two can make it to the end of play, then michael stay out there tomorrow while warnie brings up his 1st ever test century?…in the same test that he brings up 600…and just as i say that clarke goes.

Nicely done Harry, fancy Lee and Warne to repeat their (almost) heroics of Edgbaston? Please say yes!

I’m actually hoping we fall 3 runs short again, our best chance i think is batting again, trying to get to 400, then bowl england out for under 200. Not impossible and warne will be a real handful on this pitch.

Reckon we’d put the Aussies in?

Well i know what i’d be doing if i was Vaughan. Batting, make at least 300, and then you’ve at the least got a draw.

It’s still the safest option. With a lead of 200, even making 150 keeps you in the drivers seat. Although, Vaughan might want to put the aussies back in just because he can for once. You know, be cheeky, rub it in.

I would make them follow-on, another hit to Aussie pride.

Dunno, you can’t guarantee anything – I thought I was the centurion!

well hang on, thats both the centurion and the double!

Forecast is for rain to-morrow and Monday…

Gogg night everyone. I just dozed off for a bit there. I hope Harry flew the aussie flag in my absense.

See everyone 2morrow!!