*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[Uppercut]

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

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.

What Monty might do, as he often does, is pick up the tail and flatter his figures. Which would be pretty useful against this particular "tail".

 

[Richard]

What Monty might do, as he often does, is pick up the tail and flatter his figures. Which would be pretty useful against this particular "tail".

Thing is, though, you said it yourself. MSP is useful at knocking-over genuine tailenders, not decent batsmen who happen to be batting at eight or nine because what's above them is so strong.

I don't expect him to be a sure-run thing to knock-over Johnson or Hauritz if given the chance, not at all. And if Siddle (useful hanger-around) or Hilfenhaus (should be knocked-over if a bowler gets more than 2-3 balls at a time at him) is on strike, I'd still much prefer see Flintoff or Anderson's hooping full-lengthers than MSP.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Could see Johnson smashing MSP all over the park if he gets his eye in.

 

[Uppercut]

Could see Johnson smashing MSP all over the park if he gets his eye in.

Yeah, Johnson's lethal against left-arm spin.

 

[oldmancraigy]

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.

It all depends on the first session for mine.
If England can push on past 400, then the Aussies face an uphill battle the rest of the test. If they can skittle the English for 350-370, then they've got a shot at it if they bat really well.

 

[tooextracool]

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.

I doubt England will go in with 2 spinners at Lords. Quite possibly the only other time we may end up going in with 2 spinners this series again will be at the Oval. However, the real worry is if Panesar by some miracle happens to take more wickets than Swann in this test, he may end up leapfrogging Swann as the sole spinner in the side for the next test.

 

[Daryl Harper]

Tbf we've come to expect centuries from Bopara every time he bats!

No, only when he faces disinterested, understrengthed minnows. Otherwise I expect a duck

 

[howardj]

At the risk of sounding patronising, I would urge all posters this Ashes series, to refrain from being so reactive to a single day's play. Someone is not ordinary if they have a bad day. For instance, I think Bopara and Johnson will warm into the Series, and improve as it goes along - how they went yesterday really means very little in terms of their overall Ashes 2009 contribution.

 

[JBH001]

Agree with Johnson, but not about Bopara. Looked pretty awful for a test no. 3. Then again, I guess, he was pretty nervous.

 

[Burgey]

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.

Interesting to see Siddle move the ball both ways at times. The prodigious inswinger to Prior was a thing of beauty, and at times he was following up with some outswingers, although they moved a fair bit less than his in-ducker.

Hilfy's yorker for the not out LB shout on KP was a thing of beauty too. Great change-up.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Any form of high-sugar food works to improve the shining quality of saliva - which in turn improves the quality of the ball, causing more swing (be it conventional or reverse) and improves the quality of cricket on show because as we all know, swing is an essential ingredient to high-quality cricket.

So in short, mints, jelly-beans and any form of sweet on the cricket field are an unadulterated good thing.

Chocolate could get a bit messy though.

 

[Son Of Coco]

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

That expectation was always going to be a little over the top given who it was against and his start to his test career.

 

[Son Of Coco]

@ 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.

There was a little bit of blame to go his way I think, he set himself up for it by being loose outside off at times. He did play some nice shots in between though so it'll be interesting to see how he goes for the series.

 

[Top_Cat]

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.

I'm guessing that if there's inclement weather around, the pitch won't dry out enough for the spinners to be a massive factor late in the match. Looks it'll start tp keep a bit low perhaps but I think it's going to remain tacky more than anything. Jimmy to come into his own late in the match if he gets his off-cutter moving well.

 

[pup11]

I'm guessing that if there's inclement weather around, the pitch won't dry out enough for the spinners to be a massive factor late in the match. Looks it'll start tp keep a bit low perhaps but I think it's going to remain tacky more than anything. Jimmy to come into his own late in the match if he gets his off-cutter moving well.

The pitch is already pretty dry mate, and its definitely going to deteriorate irrespective of the weather in the upcoming days, so therefore Australia need to wrap up the England innings as quickly as possible, and then look to score a substantial 1st innings score, because they definitely don't want to be chasing too many runs on that pitch batting last.

 

[pup11]

Interesting to see Siddle move the ball both ways at times. The prodigious inswinger to Prior was a thing of beauty, and at times he was following up with some outswingers, although they moved a fair bit less than his in-ducker.

Hilfy's yorker for the not out LB shout on KP was a thing of beauty too. Great change-up.

I think it was a mixed bag sort of a day for Siddle, bowled some very good balls, but also bowled some very ordinary one's, he got more movement than anybody else, but he failed to control it in general, but he redeemed himself by those two very important late strikes at the end of day's play.

Johnson was probably the most disappointing among all the quicks yesterday, I don't think he bowled more than 5 or 6 threatening balls all day, it was almost like I was watching the same Michtell Johnson from the last Indian tour, who used to bowl some wicket-taking balls in a day, and then generally remain ineffective throughout.

Hilfy has so far proved to be an inspired selection, I just love the way the bloke keeps running in bowling over after over, bowling a tight line and length, and showing almost no signs of fatigue, not only did he kept a bowling in the right areas yesterday, his bowling had some extra zip too, which made him the pick of the bowlers yesterday.

 

[heathrf1974]

Swann, Flintoff and Monty

Could anyone inform me of the form of these players because I think they will be key to England's chances.

 

[TT Boy]

Poor that six batsman got in but none went on. And Prior, Strauss aside most of the batsman just gave it away.

Still a chance of 400, I guess.

 

[Redbacks]

Still plenty of work to do, gone are the days when tailenders did the right thing and got out quickly or went for a slog

 

[Jono]

Take away Siddle's debut test against India, and he has an unbelievable record.