*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[Richard]

Jesus, reckon Bopara is getting a bit of unfair stick here. True he did look pretty shabby against Siddle, who bowled well at him, but he is only 24 and this is his 1st Ashes test. The fact that he stuck around, despite clearly not being in good nick showed that he has a pretty good temperament and he didn't even get out as a by-product of being worked over by Siddle. Give him a break.

Yeah plenty of OTT comments from predictable quarters, but Bopara played very poorly indeed today, no doubts over that. It is no indication of how he'll go for the rest of the series, just one bad knock. Whether he plays more bad knocks (presumably scoring rather less than today if he does) or whether he goes on to play some excellent ones remains to be seen.

 

[Woodster]

Jesus, reckon Bopara is getting a bit of unfair stick here. True he did look pretty shabby against Siddle, who bowled well at him, but he is only 24 and this is his 1st Ashes test. The fact that he stuck around, despite clearly not being in good nick showed that he has a pretty good temperament and he didn't even get out as a by-product of being worked over by Siddle. Give him a break.

Bopara's very much on a learning curve as he is still very early into his Test career, don't think that makes him exempt from constructive criticism. I've no doubt he'll have a very good Test career, on the proviso he learns his lessons and does not repeat them on a regular basis. I do agree some folk are being over critical of him,as he will make mistakes, it's how he deals with things after that will decide how far Bopara goes.

 

[Woodster]

Tbf we've come to expect centuries from Bopara every time he bats, so today he only made 35 and deserves everything he gets!!!!

 

[Burgey]

I am a fan of Bopara and have been for a number of years (having followed Essex closely), and always thought he would bat in England's top four, but was thinking more of a number 4 than no. 3. I think the England management like his positive approach, and it is widely acknowledged a no. 3 has to cease the attacking opportunity while being solid in times when a more defensive approach is required.

I think today Bopara was too intent on trying to make a positive/aggressive start in the Ashes, I'm not knocking his logic as such, he wanted to stamp his mark down and say strongly he was not going to be dictated to. However, he should have wound his neck in a touch, his reading of situations will no doubt improve, and I do think he has the game to succeed at three should he improve in this area.

He was far too loose for me today, the way he opens up his stumps does not bode well and is surely a technical issue that needs addressing as soon as possible.

Of course we have not accounted for nerves here, and with that perhaps he slipped back into a few bad habits. He generally looks a very cool customer, but will no doubt have been very nervous today.

Fair nuff. Not doubting his ability myself, he's got a good range of shots.

And on nerves, did anyone see Johnson as he was walking back to bowl his first ball? Siddle was there talking to him and I swear Mitch looked like he said something along the lines of "**** I'm nervous" and Siddle just looked at him and giggled.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Yeah plenty of OTT comments from predictable quarters, but Bopara played very poorly indeed today, no doubts over that. It is no indication of how he'll go for the rest of the series, just one bad knock. Whether he plays more bad knocks (presumably scoring rather less than today if he does) or whether he goes on to play some excellent ones remains to be seen.

TBF, the ball that cracked him on his lid was a pretty awesome delivery, he would have played it very well had it not seamed in quite so much, he dropped his hands and swayed out the way nicely.

 

[NUFAN]

England all out for 375 and Australia close on 240-5 with Hussey and Haddin early into their innings at the crease?

Nah I wouldn't take it at all. 340-5 and we are talking.

 

[Richard]

TBF, the ball that cracked him on his lid was a pretty awesome delivery, he would have played it very well had it not seamed in quite so much, he dropped his hands and swayed out the way nicely.

And what's more to criticise him overtly for the ball that got him out is to fail to recognise a superb piece of bowling. Whatever you might say, it's rare for a batsman to be so well duped by - and actually be caught off - a slower-ball bowled by someone other than Dilhara Fernando.

 

[grecian]

Hey guys. Enjoyed the cricket today. Reasonably content with England finishing on what they did, I think it's a par score but just disappointed that we didn't take full advantage of the starts we made.

My question to all england and aussie fans is- Would you take England all out for 375 and Australia close on 240-5 with Hussey and Haddin early into their innings at the crease?

Welcome to the site mate

Not sure I'd take that to be honest, I rather fear Johnson with the bat.

 

[PhoenixFire]

@ Richard.

Malinga? Yeah the dismissal wasn't really his fault at all. Maybe if he hadn't played away from his body as much there wouldn't have been such a greater chance of getting out, but it was a pretty awesome slower ball.

 

[jive]

Nah I wouldn't take it at all. 340-5 and we are talking.

Er.. no deal.

 

[howardj]

We really need to go large in our first dig. Merely equalling England will make it hard to for us to win; anything more than a 50+ run deficit could be terminal (at least in terms of winning).

 

[Burgey]

Hey guys. Enjoyed the cricket today. Reasonably content with England finishing on what they did, I think it's a par score but just disappointed that we didn't take full advantage of the starts we made.

My question to all england and aussie fans is- Would you take England all out for 375 and Australia close on 240-5 with Hussey and Haddin early into their innings at the crease?

Hey mate, welcome to CW. Hope you enjoy.

As for the question, I'd take the England score but not the Aus one. Think we need to be better than that if we're to get parity or better.

 

[Richard]

@ Richard.

Malinga?

Maybe. Those Lankans seem to be able to bowl indecipherable slower-balls with wonderful regularity.

Actually seem to recall Bopara being caught at extra-cover off a Maaalinga slower-ball in 2007/08. Though pretty sure it was in a ODI, and obviously that form of the game sees maaaaaaaaany more wickets fall to slower-balls for the obvious reason that it's neccessary to go far harder at the ball than in Tests because the run-rate needs to be a decent bit higher.

 

[jive]

Welcome to the site mate

Not sure I'd take that to be honest, I rather fear Johnson with the bat.

So do I but I'd take the par score at the end of day 2 to be honest. Hopefully then get the next two wickets in the morning session cheaply. Could go a whole lot worse tomorrow. I'm worried that the pitch wont deteriorate enough tomorrow and the aussies will take their chance unlike us and post a 450+ score.

 

[Burgey]

So do I but I'd take the par score at the end of day 2 to be honest. Hopefully then get the next two wickets in the morning session cheaply. Could go a whole lot worse tomorrow. I'm worried that the pitch wont deteriorate enough tomorrow and the aussies will take their chance unlike us and post a 450+ score.

I think they have to do that tbh.

I'm expecting Australia to bat at least as well as England, but I think England will also bowl more consistently than we did, given they've had a fair bit more bowling under their belts. Would like to see our blokes really target MSP.

 

[Matt79]

Stating the bleedingly obvious but it's all going to depend on what the pitch does. It was pretty placid yesterday, but wearing alarmingly (the pothole where Johnson's foot lands/Haddin stands for Hauritz was massive - hope Mitch doesn't snap his ankle in it). If it turns into a minefield for Swann and I guess Monty to bowl on, we're ****ed.

The other thing will be what kind of swing Anderson and the ball tampering crew can produce. The Aussies got some, but it wasn't anything truly alarming.

 

[Richard]

The other thing will be what kind of swing Anderson and the ball tampering crew can produce. The Aussies got some, but it wasn't anything truly alarming.

Guess they should've tampered with the ball more TBH. Mind, I thought both Hilfenhaus and Siddle got more than acceptable swing of times with the first ball and Johnson got decent with the second.

Either way I'll say we should leave the assessments of the pitch until both teams have bowled on it.

 

[pskov]

I know it's a bit odd, but I think almost my biggest fear with Panesar is that he will bowl well and takes some wickets, meaning he keeps his place all series on pitches that wont turn and on which he is much less effective.

For the record I don't think his selection here was as much of a shocker as some of you do. I personally would've gone with Onions over him, but I could see the gamble that the pitch would take spin and going with two twirlers and the selectors obviously thought it was worth it. It may just turn out that they were right too after seeing Hauritz get some to go and IIRC both Swann and Panesar are bigger spinners of a ball than he is.

 

[Richard]

I know it's a bit odd, but I think almost my biggest fear with Panesar is that he will bowl well and takes some wickets, meaning he keeps his place all series on pitches that wont turn and on which he is much less effective.

Can't say that thought hasn't crossed my mind.

For the record I don't think his selection here was as much of a shocker as some of you do. I personally would've gone with Onions over him, but I could see the gamble that the pitch would take spin and going with two twirlers and the selectors obviously thought it was worth it. It may just turn out that they were right too after seeing Hauritz get some to go and IIRC both Swann and Panesar are bigger spinners of a ball than he is.

But on many occasions recently MSP has been completely unsuccessful despite extracting fair turn. That's why to pick him just has nothing going for it.

Look, he might bowl better tomorrow than he has for a year, or maybe even in his lifetime. But there's no way on Earth that anyone should have been banking on that happening, because the signs that it was going to were (and as of this post still are) approximately zero.

 

[Uppercut]

I'd be surprised if it comes to Monty and Swann ripping up Australia on a final-day minefield. Particularly with rain forecast, England will struggle to set Australia a target without a first-innings lead to build on. Equally, Australia's best chance of winning the game is to get a lead and bowl England out cheaply next time.

I reckon who has a shot at winning the game will be decided tomorrow. Swann and Monty on a deteriorating pitch will come in handy if England find themselves trying to bowl out Australia while they try to hold on for a draw.