***Official*** 1st Test at The Gabba

[oz_fan]

Australia finish the day on 181/1. Langer unbeaten on 88. Hopefully Langer will get his century early tomorrow. Dominant performance by Australia yet again, McGrath and Clark bowled magnificently and then Australia made the pitch look easy to bat on.

 

[Nate]

Too easy really. Ponting will declare as soon as Langer reaches his ton IMO, and perhaps go the bash himself. I can see the Poms fighting a lot harder on other grounds, but this match is surely dead.

 

[Craig]

What has gone wrong for England?

I know Australia have been playing brilliantly, Harmison has been shocking in the 1st innings, but still. Or on the other hand England haven't done a great deal wrong except they were just simply never in it and it was one of those Test matches?

 

[Laurrz]

Ooh Aah Glenn McGrath



Australia finish the day on 1/181
geez that was quick
Lead of 626 runs

so i calculated... if Australia bat lets just say all of the first session [which they won't but i'll just say worse case scenario] Australia will have approximately 150 overs to bowl at them... which is similar amount to what Australia faced in the first innings!!

 

[Matt79]

Ponting on course to give Bradman's "most-runs-in-an-Ashes series" a nudge!

 

[Matt79]

As much success as Oz has had over the years and as good a position as they're in in this match, this is why I hate 4 man attacks.

You'd think only rain could save Eng but they could strike psychological blows against some batsmen, Harmy could bowl his way into form etc

And all because we've only got 4 bowlers and it's deemed necessary to give them a rest

5 man attacks are generally no better than 4, unless its to include 2 spinners on a spinning deck. Seriously, Watson would have bowled maybe 6 overs in England's innings, and having him available wouldn't have altered Ponting's decision to bat again - he wouldn't be relying on Watson to run through the English.

 

[Nate]

From the CricInfo bulletin. First two on McGrath.

"...an unconvincing performance on the flat tracks of India last month"

"...two cheap scalps last night"

"...with a full 45 overs of the day's play remaining, a three-day finish was a very real possibility."

Give me his job for goodness sake.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

From the CricInfo bulletin. First two on McGrath.

"...an unconvincing performance on the flat tracks of India last month"

"...two cheap scalps last night"

"...with a full 45 overs of the day's play remaining, a three-day finish was a very real possibility."

Give me his job for goodness sake.

Haha, dire. "Unconvincing", averaging less than 20? And that Cook wicket was from a rubbish delivery last night.

 

[social]

This is an absolute flogging that England are copping now. If Australia declare at 1/250 or something tomorrow and bowl England out before stumps, it'll end up as one of the most one-sided tests between quality test nations in recent years. It'd be next to impossible to come back from that to win the series, IMO.

This evening was some of the easiest runs that Langer and Ponting will ever make. Fielders on the fence, singles and twos for the taking every ball, and utterly pedestrian bowling on a pitch that seemed like a minefield this morning. It's only going to be harder to face McGrath and Clark on tomorrow, let alone Warne, and England will have to bat well just to avoid a 500 run defeat.

This is an absolute slaughter

It's obvious that Aus wanted to make a statement in this game after losing the Ashes but FFS, we're 3 days in and it's got 5-0 written all over it - that doesn't do anyone any good

I never thought I'd say this but "C'mon Engurrland".

Even though we lost last year, it was the best thing for cricket

 

[social]

5 man attacks are generally no better than 4, unless its to include 2 spinners on a spinning deck. Seriously, Watson would have bowled maybe 6 overs in England's innings, and having him available wouldn't have altered Ponting's decision to bat again - he wouldn't be relying on Watson to run through the English.

No but he could take the pressure off.

I agree with SS - McGrath is as good as it gets

Warne is the best leg-spinner ever

Clark and Lee are quality

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective) they cant bowl forever.

455 is more than enough to bowl any side out and the excuse that the bowlers need a rest is lame even for a rabid Oz supporter.

 

[Matt79]

Its only lame, or an excuse, if it affects the outcome of the game. If Ponting can afford to give McGrath and co an afternoon off, and a night to recover, and still have two whole days to bowl out an opposition that only lasted 60 overs in their first dig, on a pitch that is only going to become harder to bat on, why not do it?

People are talking like there's a realistic chance that England are now going to somehow produce a draw out of this, because Ponting wasted a session and a half. In reality this game is going to be over by stumps tomorrow in all probability.

 

[marc71178]

the pietersen one was a horrible one to be honest. Gotta love David Lloyd talking about how it looked like it was hitting middle stump on real time. Anyone who isnt blind would have enough doubts about that decision, in real time i was saying to myself thats clearly not out. It didnt even hit the seam, it was just a straight ball outside the off stump

Only got radio coverage, but Boycott immediately said "that's out"

 

[Nate]

EDIT: Argh!

I agree with Matt.

 

[R_D]

From the CricInfo bulletin. First two on McGrath.

"...an unconvincing performance on the flat tracks of India last month"

"...two cheap scalps last night"

"...with a full 45 overs of the day's play remaining, a three-day finish was a very real possibility."

Give me his job for goodness sake.

hahaha looks like they've started to hire comedians for the commentary gig at cricinfo

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I personally now hope England draw, if for nothing just to prove my point.

Anyway, if Ponting bats 'till lunch I'd say it's very possible providing a couple of batsmen get in.

 

[Matt79]

I'd declare after around 40 minutes tomorrow morning - just long enough for the English to have to get all sweaty and narked off again.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I wasn't surprised to see Oz batting when I woke up this morning, but when I saw the score I was a bit. I don't think it's the worst decison ever, understandable even with an all-over 30 attack (we're great, us old blokes ), but Sky was talking about Punter batting on til near lunch tomorrow. Why? How many does he think he needs? It'd be nice to give Langer his ton, but the only issue now is time. We aren't going to score anywhere near 600. Realistically the chances of us batting 5+ sessions are as next to nothing as really makes no odds, but why leave yourself open as a slave to fortune anymore than you have to? It might rain or something....

Anyway, pretty awful stuff really. Depressing too, because we've rarely been involved in any clunkers (bar last year's Bangla floggings) since the last Ashes tour, regardless of winning or losing. I was disappointed to see us lose in Pakistan, but the first two tests were really top value. This is just no fun.

 

[mavric41]

I'm sorry but it has taken only 3 days for the most anticipated series of all time to turn into a farce. The last session today was the least competitive test cricket I've seen for a long, long time. Even Bangladesh have shown more ticker. Its obvious that the English players didn't want to be there. It seems a trend for English teams to rest on their laurels for the next 20 or so years after they have a major success. (Soccer & rugby world cups any one). Only Flintoff bowling and Bell batting have shown anything like pride in their performance.

If things don't improve, its going to be a long and boring summer.

 

[pasag]

Hahaha wtf? Just checked the scores. Haha

 

[Son Of Coco]

Only got radio coverage, but Boycott immediately said "that's out"

I agree...were you even watching it TEC? If you think it was a straight ball outside off then I have no doubt you would have suffered the same fate as KP.