Hughes wasn't intimidated or bounced out like some are suggesting. Flintoff did bowl well but I thought Hughes played him fairly comfortably. I always feel as if you're a tad unlucky if you get out to an inside edge. His dismissal today didn't demonstrate being 'bounced out' like he was when he faced Harmison. Although it was pretty funny when Flintoff started sledging him after his first ball and Hughes turned around and almost burst into laughter.
Yes it seemed very nervous laughter though tbf. Hughes was clearly unsettled against Flintoff, he ran in at him, bowler aggressively, and Hughes played more loose shots than normal. That's what Freddie makes you do, takes the batsman out of their comfort zone and brings the whole crowd to life. He was all over the youngster.
However, Fred needs much better support tomorrow, thought the plans for Ponting and Katich were a little strange at times. Setting an on-side heavy field to a man notoriously strong, as Ponting is, off his legs. We generally seemed to bowl too straight, imo. Ponting can walk across his stumps, overbalance, but not too often when he's set. As for bowling there to Katich, well he'll work you off his legs all day, and he did for the majority of today.
Clear heads needed for England tomorrow, on the positive side, Ponting and Katich have to start again, we need to rattle through one of them before the new ball arrives. Credit to these two today, they batted very sensibly and it was a decent demonstration of constructing big innings and a big partnership. What worries me is that neither look like they're going to settle for what they have!
Maybe not being able to watch this Test is a good thing.
