More then any other contest, the Ashes series tend to be defined by the first over. In 2005, Harmison hit Langer on the head. This year’s opening salvo was a wide that woke up second slip. For England, it was all downhill from there.
There’s been a lot said already about how bad the English bowlers were. I think though that is harsh. The bowling was honest, after the first hour, and Flintoff was incisive. However it is a blissful batting track, and all five of the Australian batsmen on display looked in tip-top form.
Ponting was sublime. He’s scored nine centuries in his last twelve tests, and this was as good as any of them. His treatment of the short ball was as crisp as ever, and his on-driving was spectacular. He’s in such good nick that he made the bowling look ordinary.
It was heartwarming too to see cricket, and I mean real cricket, not that limited overs stuff, or that 20/20 rubbish, being played before a full house. There was plenty of good natured banter and singing, and plenty of English support, and that is the way it should be.
For Australia, they’ll look to cash in. England can charge back into contention in this match, but only if they bowl well this morning. Hussey and Ponting must both be removed before they settle. If either one of them do settle, Australia are set fair for beyond 500. And Pieterson was getting spin, so what Warne will do with it, I leave to your imagination.
Fair enough comments, Will. I think I’ll have to hide on this blog to avoid Aussie triumphalism.
I can’t help thinking of day 4 at the Oval last year when Australia were 300 and something for 2, with Hayden and Langer with centuries under their belts, and a huge score was on the cards. But Hoggard and Flintoff just tore through them (conditions were right for the ball to swing) and had them all out for around 370. It was magic. I have that whole day on tape.
I hope this entire summer will not be spent living on memories.
Much has been made of that first delivery, and going for 9 in the first over, but Harmison could have had Langer twice in the first over (near yorker and edge past gully) then again in his second over (mistimed cut over the slips).
I’ll keep hoping that recent trends continue… England start slowly then improve. And better you start slowly with the ball than the bar. If we were rolled for 200 yesterday, there is no way to come back.
A good morning today, and solid batting through the next day and a half, then we’ll see what happens.
We’re not dead yet… administer the last rites at your peril.
Justcoz – the point is that Harmison could have had Langer twice, but didn’t. The English bowling wasn’t anywhere near as bad as some are saying, but it was fairly negative, and they just didn’t manufacture the luck. It’s basic stuff: the more often you create chances, the more chances you have to capitalise on the luck. Regardless of what happens next, Harmison was crap yesterday, and will never be the outright champion that he could have been. He’s too old now to turn back the clock. Why are so many Poms that little bit (mentally) fragile? Surely that sort of thing should be worked out prior to an Ashes series?
This morning will be huge for both sides. The ball is basically new, so the Poms could make serious inroads if they bowl well – but they can’t afford to just rely on Flintoff again. If they don’t, Hussey and Ponting could settle in for Christmas.
Kathy, I’m pretty sure that Kiwis like you are the reason we only half like NZ!
Coz I support England, slips? My father tended to support Australia in the Ashes because he said us colonials had to stick together. But as far as cricket goes, we’ve been on the wrong end of sneering Aussie condescension for so long, that I’ll always support Australia’s opponents.
Yeah, but we only do that because you lot seem to think that you are actually Poms that just got a bit lost! And because most of you seem to live here, then constantly whine about how much better home is, whilst still being supported by Aussie taxpayers.
I’ll just have to repeat the comment of our former Prime Minister Rob Muldoon, who said the great migration of Kiwis to Australia “raised the IQ on both sides of the Tasman”.
Harmison got a raw deal I think, as someone else posted.
I would have left him on if I were captaining. Taking him off was just demoralizing, you could see it in his stance.
He should have had a more aggressive field set, which was a constant problem throughout the day. As one of the commentators on Channel Nine said, don’t set fields for bad bowling…
Pietersen was a revelation for me. I had no idea he could get such turn out of the ball… he was looking distinctly threatening, but again, had the wrong fields set.
It does look like an extraordinarily consistent bounce. Let’s hope the English batsmen perform a bit better today, I want a contest damnit!
It seems Kiwis feel the same way about our alleged condescension as we feel about the Poms. I’d always been brought up to consider Kiwis our closest friends, but I’m sick of hearing about New Zealanders moaning incessantly about us. It seems that we dominate the region, and NZ is alittle miffed about it all. The fact is, few Australians really want to increase our engagement in the Pacific – we’re busy enough elsewhere – but NZ is failing to step up. You talk the talk, but we have to come in and support you all the time. Something happens in the region, you start squawking, then we pay for it. You can’t take the primary position regionally, so just accept it and move on – we’d rather not, but I stuffed if I’m going to apologise because we are strong and rich enough to influence ‘your’ backyard. Make up your collective mind – are you our friend and ally, or are you an enemy? It’s not that hard. If you genuinely don’t like us, that’s fine – but if so, stay on your side of the Tasman. I, for one, would appreciate the drop in tax I’d be paying if I didn’t have to support shiftless Kiwis and other Islanders.
Oh, come on slips, I was just razzing you, not making deep political statements… I have no political problems with Australia and didn’t ask you to apologise for anything, despite your fairly insulting comments about Kiwis…
And Scott, I’m only Aussie baiting to cheer myself up! ; -)
Fair enough Kathy – it really is a problem with written comments rather than face to face. All nuance is lost. I do stand by feeling regarding Kiwis – you have been getting so aggro over the last few years, and it’s pointless. Many of your compatriots seem to have developed a real inferiority complex – which we don’t really get most of the time. Except for in sport, most of us don’t really have much to say either way about NZ, yet Kiwis tend to fall over themselves coparing – favourably or not – the two of us. It seems incredibly pointless and unnecessary.
Now of this were a Union forum….
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