A First for FOFC? England's quest to top the new International Cricket League

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:28 PM

(now with new & improved (i.e. legible!) scorecards!)

England & Wales Cricket Board Press Release

In a revolutionary move for the cricket world, the ICC have announced that the top eight Test playing nations will hold a new league competition to determine who is truly the world's best.

The teams chosen to participate are Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies.

Each team will play the other home and away over an fourteen week season, with the champions winning the prestigous ICL trophy.

In another shock move, the ECB has relieved Duncan Fletcher of his duties as England Coach, and appointed hitherto unknown Alex Bennett as his replacement. Given the fact that England's first match is against the favourites Australia, at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) Bennett will certainly find himself thrown in at the deep end, although we have great faith in his abilities.

Brian Lara International Cricket 2005 will be the official sponsors of the tournament: stadiums and ball type will be decided by using randomly generated numbers, as will the pitch state (although those pitch types that would not be seen due to the home country's climate will be excluded from the choices). Although this is a Test tournament, due to the relatively recent emergence of BLIC2005, games will be played to a County standard in this inaugural year.

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:38 PM

Match 1
Australia v. England
Melbourne – normal pitch – Club ball

England Team

Andrew Strauss
Marcus Trescothick
Michael Vaughan (c)
Graham Thorpe
Kevin Pieterson
Andrew Flintoff
Geraint Jones (w)
Ashley Giles
Steve Harmison
Simon Jones
Matthew Hoggard

'Alex, can you explain your first team selection? In particular, the press room was expecting to see Mark Butcher instead of Kevin Pieterson: what was the thinking behind this change?'

'Well, we already have three left handed batsmen in the top four, with Michael Vaughan being the exception, and it can be beneficial to have a right-left combination at the crease. Kevin is a young talent, and I feel that although playing the Australians in your Test debut might daunt some players, Kevin's temperament is sound. And as the pitch is likely to be pretty true throughout the Test match, he should be able to play his way into the game.'

'Otherwise it's as projected, with Harmison, Flintoff, Simon Jones and Hoggy offering a strong seam attack, and Ashley Giles giving us the spin alternative. We could have put in Paul Collingwood as a second all-rounder instead of one of the bowlers to strengthen the batting, but with the pitch not likely to offer much, I wanted to have four specialist bowlers and Freddie Flintoff as the sole all rounder, as the bowlers are likely to have to do a lot of work between them'

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:39 PM

Australia win the toss, and elect to bat, an easy decision given the good weather, likely good batting strip and the fact that in Shane Warne they have a spin bowler who should be most effective when the pitch begins to wear in the later stages of the Test.

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:43 PM

Day 1 – Morning Session

First blood to Australia as they progress to 93-1. Justin Langer was the only casualty, edging a ball from Simon Jones to Marcus Trescothick in the slips, departing for just 4 runs with the score at 23. Jones had been terrorising Langer for an over and a half, and it was just rewards for his efforts.

From this point on however Matthew Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting were comfortable, scoring at a decent rate and rarely getting into any trouble. These are the Aussies’ two best batsmen, along with Adam Gilchrist, and England need a wicket before they set themselves in for a big partnership.

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:46 PM

Day 1 – Afternoon Session

A great response from England after lunch, taking four wickets in the thirty overs. First to go was Matthew Hayden with Australia on 98, who was tricked by a Steve Harmison slower ball into playing too early, and dollied his lofted cover drive to Ashley Giles for a simple catch.

Matthew Hoggard produced a peach of an inswinging inseamer after bowling three or four outseamers, inducing Ricky Ponting to offer a simple return catch, and he went for 30, and Australia moved to 124-3.

Hoggard struck again soon after, finding Damien Martyn’s outside edge, and the ball carried through for a routine Geraint Jones catch behind the stumps. Ashley Giles was in the midst of a brilliantly controlled and varied spell at the other end, going for only one run in 6 overs, and Australia were rocking at 131-4.

Giles got a deserved wicket soon after, clean bowling Darren Lehman for just 2, who never looked comfortable facing the England spinner. At 135-5 Australia really needed someone to step up, and as ever Adam Gilchrist answered the call, scoring a quick 22 before tea helping steer Australia to 174-5 at the break.

Gilchrist and his batting partner Michael Clarke are the last two recognised batsmen, and a lot now rests on them if the Aussies are to post a total befitting an excellent batting pitch, while England must be hoping to restrict Australia to fewer than 250 which would be an excellent bowling performance.

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:50 PM

Day 1 – Evening Session

England carry on their fine bowling to wrap up the innings within 10 more overs. Ashley Giles is again the main man, taking a further four wickets, including one devastating over: a triple wicket maiden. On the first ball Michael Clarke is bowled for 18 after being put under prolonged pressure in the previous Giles over.

Two balls later Shane Warne edges a beauty to Pieterson at slip to go for a duck. Then on the last ball of the over, Brett Lee is as plum lbw (leg before wicket) as you will see, Hawkeye showing the ball would have hit middle stump about two thirds of the way up. Lee departs for zero, and Australia have gone from 183-5 to 183-7 in the space of six brilliant Ashley Giles deliveries.

Now Adam Gilchrist is stranded with the Australian tail, and his plan should surely have been to control the strike and stretch the innings out as long as possible. However, he takes a single off Simon Jones’ first ball and leaves Jason Gillespie to face five. Despite Jones beating the bat four times, Gillespie survives, but the next over, again Gilchrist takes a single off the second ball. Somehow ‘Dizzy’ again makes it through three balls, playing and missing, and surviving a strong lbw shout, but finally Giles produces a delivery that gets its due rewards and clean bowls Gillespie for another duck.

Amazingly Gilchrist does not seem to have learnt his lesson, and Steve Harmison cleverly allows the Aussie keeper to take another single off his first ball. England’s premier strike bowler does not allow Glenn McGrath the same good luck as Gillespie, and removes the leg stump on the next ball sending McGrath back to the pavilion for a golden duck.

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 07:57 PM

Australia 1st Innings Summary

Australia produced a batting collapse more commonly associated with their opponents, losing their last nine wickets for 90 runs, ending at 188 all out. Ashley Giles was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5-26 from 15 overs, while only Matthew Hayden will be anywhere near satisfied with his batting performance.

England have put themselves in a strong position, and it will be up to their batsmen to put them in a position where the bowlers can really attack the Australians in their second innings.

Australia Batting – 1st Innings

Code:

						Runs	Balls Faced
J Langer	c Trescothick	b S Jones	4	41
M Hayden	c Giles		b Harmison	56	100
R Ponting		c &	b Hoggard	30	110
D Martyn	c G Jones	b Hoggard	17	53
D Lehman			b Giles		2	16
M Clarke			b Giles		18	44
A Gilchrist		not out			32	65
S Warne		c Pieterson	b Giles		0	2
B Lee			lbw	b Giles		0	3
J Gillespie			b Giles		0	10
G McGrath			b Harmison	0	1
					Extras	29	

Overs: 69.2				Total	188

England Bowling – 1st Innings

Code:

	      Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy
S Harmison	12.2	1	44	2	3.57
S Jones	        17	4	37	1	2.18
A Flintoff	11	2	6	0	3.27
M Hoggard	14	3	45	2	3.21
A Giles	        15	9	26	5	1.73

Fall of Wickets

Code:

1 - 23    Langer	2 - 98    Hayden	3 - 124   Ponting
4 - 131   Martyn	5 - 135   Lehman	6 - 183   Clarke
7 - 183   Warne		8 - 183   Lee		9 - 187   Gillespie
10 - 188  McGrath

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 08:07 PM

Day 1 – Evening Session (continued) – England 1st Innings

Not the start England were looking for, as Andrew Strauss departs early. After hooking Glenn McGrath twice for four in the previous over, he goes to the well once too often and edges the ball to the wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist, caught for 10 runs and England are quickly 12-1.

However the captain Michael Vaughan comes in, and both he and Marcus Trescothick play very conservatively, guiding England to 34 without further loss at the close.

Even with the loss of Strauss, day 1 is emphatically England’s, and confidence must be high going into the second day. For Australia, early wickets are vital if they are to prevent the match running away from them.

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 08:09 PM

Day 2 – Morning Session

Again an early loss, with Marcus Trescothick being totally bamboozled by a Glenn McGrath yorker, and is plum lbw for 7, taking 74 balls to compile his meagre total. He had been caught behind earlier, but in his defence it was from an attempted slog on a no-ball, so he knew he could have a swing safely. England are 38-2, and a partnership is needed to steady the innings.

Graham Thorpe came to the crease, and he and Vaughan took the score to 102 before Thorpe was dismissed in almost an identikit way to Trescothick: this time the bowler was Brett Lee, but the result was the same: lbw, and Thorpe returned to the pavilion having scored 15 runs.

Vaughan and Kevin Pieterson keep the scoreboard rolling, and at lunch the score stands at 121-3. This was a fairly even session: England scored 87 runs, but lost Trescothick and Thorpe. Michael Vaughan is batting magnificently, playing a captain’s role, and is unbeaten on 74, while for AustraliaBrett Lee is giving nothing away, with figures of 12-5-19-1. However the mighty Shane Warne has been taken out of the attack after bowling a terrible line conceding 33 runs in 4 overs before getting the curly finger. Who gets the better of the afternoon session could well decide the course of this Test match…

AlexB · 08-01-2005, 08:13 PM

Day 2 – Afternoon Session

Despite Michael Vaughan looking imperious in the morning, he’s gone early in the new session. Brett Lee hit Vaughan with a bouncer in the first over after lunch, and in his next over tempted him to flash at a wide overpitched delivery. Vaughan’s timing was a little late, and he only succeeded in edging the ball to his opposite captain, Ricky Ponting, at slip, and the score moves to 127-4. Despite not adding to his morning score, the innings was invaluable to England, as none of his fellow batsmen have put anything on the board, as can be seen by his contribution of 74 to the 127 total.

This wicket really puts the match on a knife edge, but the momentum is with the Aussies. With Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pieterson , making his debut, at the crease, and neither noted for their reserved defensive play, anything could happen.

What did happen is Flintoff and Pieterson put together a very good partnership, and at tea neither had been dismissed, progressing the England score to 213-4. Kevin Pieterson is unbeaten on 66, and has already justified his selection. Andrew Flintoff has 37 off 90, a remarkably slow strike rate for ‘Freddie’, but exactly what is required at this stage of the match: play sensibly, defend the good balls and place the bad balls into the gaps in the field.

Darren Lehman has been the main spinner, and has gone at nearly 4 an over. Shane Warne came back and bowled another 6 overs, again with a number of deliveries on a terrible line, which went for another 33 runs: so while still not particularly impressive, it was nearly twice as good (or half as bad) as his first spell. Jason Gillespie started a new spell, and, like his first spell, bowled very accurate throughout, conceding only 22 runs from 21 overs so far in the innings. Indeed all three of the Australian quickies (Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee) have been very economical, none going for more than 1.5 runs an over. And now the new ball is due, it is expected that the run rate will come down from the already low 2.65 an over overall.

England are definitely on top, but need to remain patient and bat for as long as possible to build up a big score: this is still only the second day. As England have lost a wicket early in each of the three sessions of their innings so far, they must therefore ensure that concentration is at an absolute maximum, especially with the new ball in effect.

bbgunn · 08-02-2005, 05:56 AM

Go Windies! Brian Lara is king.

How many Americans do you know would actually utter those words out loud?

AlexB · 08-02-2005, 03:31 PM

Day 2 – Evening Session

It looked like the session had gone entirely England’s way: but with one over to go before stumps, Kevin Pieterson and Andrew Flintoff were still at the crease, having moved the score on to 295-4: a partnership of 168. Pieterson had got his century on his debut, a magnificent innings, and Flintoff had progressed to 81, including hitting a mighty six off Darren Lehman. However, in the final over of the session, and a Lehman delivery sliding down the legside with an offside field, instead of taking the easy runs, Freddie went for another maximum. Instead of repeating his previous six, he slightly mistimed it and managed to pick out the only fielder on the legside, Glenn McGrath, who held on to break the England stranglehold.

A disappointing end, and down to a relaxation of concentration at the end of the day’s play, but one that will give Australia something to hold on to come the next morning…

There was still time for Kevin Pieterson to hit two more boundaries off the last two loose deliveries, and at the end of play his score was 111 not out, and England are 303-5, a lead of 120.

Despite the late wicket, England are still well in command, and can afford to take their time, and there would be no harm in batting for most of the third day if they could, giving two full days to attack the Aussies with what would be a big score in the bag.

This could be a trifle optimistic though, as only Pieterson and the new man at the crease Geraint Jones have reputations as batsmen: Ashley Giles is reasonable, and Steve Harmison knows which way round to hold the bat, but Jones and Hoggard are true tailenders.

England would probably settle for another hundred runs or so, which would put them in an excellent position. For the Australians, it is simple: they need to get the final five wickets very quickly if they hope to put England under pressure.

AlexB · 08-02-2005, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hermangunn

Go Windies! Brian Lara is king.

How many Americans do you know would actually utter those words out loud?

Nice to know somebody's looked at this at least! I take it you'll be rooting for the Windies when we get to meet them then

AlexB · 08-02-2005, 03:58 PM

Day 3 – Morning Session

Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee begin the day for Australia, and the sheer pace of Lee causes England problems. In his fifth over he gets the wicket the Aussies wanted, beating Kevin Pieterson for sheer pace, trapping him lbw for 119, and England are 314-6. It was a great debut for Pieterson, showing a maturity and unexpected patience to match his widely known strokeplay.

Shane Warne made a third attempt to get his legspin going after 22 overs of pace bowling, and was promptly despatched to the boundary by Ashley Giles. However, the very next ball, Giles caught a leading edge trying to send another bad delivery away, and the ball looped straight back to Warne, who took the catch for a very fortunate wicket that his poor bowling has not derserved. Giles is gone for 10, and England are 340-7.

The wicket seems to galvanise Warne, as for a time he bowls a much better line, but fails to take another wicket, and in the final over before lunch Geraint Jones can find the boundary twice off two more legside deliveries.

Jones and Steve Harmison see England to the break at 362-7.

AlexB · 08-02-2005, 04:00 PM

Day 3 – Afternoon Session

Finally Warne starts bowling as you would expect, and after having Geraint Jones in trouble for an over or two, fools his man with the flipper – Jones doesn’t pick it and is comprehensively bowled. However his 38 runs are a useful contribution, and at 374-8 England are 186 ahead.

Two balls later Jason Gillespie retaliates to having been hit for 4 by bowling a beautiful inswinging full pitched delivery that Steve Harmison simply cannot cope with, and he is bowled for 14, and the England innings is almost over at 378-9. Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones should be little more than target practice for the Australian bowlers.

In a little cameo at the end of the innings, Gillespie and Hoggard have a private duel, started when seeing Gillespie has bowled a no-ball, Hoggy decides to take a swing and it clears the ropes for six. Dizzy is not happy and peppers the England man until finally the slower ball tempts an early shot, the bails go flying, and the England 1st innings is finally over for 388, a lead of exactly 200.

AlexB · 08-02-2005, 04:13 PM

England 1st Innings Summary

England would have taken 388 at the start of the innings, but Australia will be pleased that the score was not even higher once their opponents had reached 295-4. Even so, they will be fighting a rearguard action, and there is surely no way that they can now win the game. If they can bat for a day and a half to two days, Australia stand a chance of salvaging a draw, otherwise England look to be odds on to record an unexpected victory at the MCG.

England Batting - 1st Innings

Code:

						Runs	Balls Faced
A Strauss	c Gilchrist	b McGrath	10	23
M Trescothick		lbw	b McGrath	7	74
M Vaughan	c Ponting	b Lee		74	153
G Thorpe		lbw	b Lee		15	49
K Pieterson		lbw	b Lee		119	215
A Flintoff	c McGrath	b Lehman	81	184
G Jones				b Warne		38	127
A Giles			c &	b Warne		10	32
S Harmison			b Gillespie	14	43
S Jones			not out			1	23
M Hoggard			b Gillespie	7	27
					Extras	12	

Overs: 156.2				Total	388

Australia Bowling 1st Innings

Code:

		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy
G McGrath	36	16	56	2	1.56
J Gillespie	32.2	18	47	2	1.45
B Lee		31	13	47	3	1.52
S Warne		21	7	93	2	4.43
D Lehman	36	4	145	1	4.03

Fall of Wickets

Code:

1 - 12	Strauss		2 - 38	Trescothick	3 - 102	Thorpe
4 - 127	Vaughan		5 - 295	Flintoff	6 - 314	Pieterson
7 - 340	Giles		8 - 374	G Jones		9 - 378	Harmison
10 - 388Hoggard

Australia 1st Innings – 188 all out
Hayden 56
Giles 5-26

England lead by 200 runs

08-01-2005, 07:38 PM	#2
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Match 1 Australia v. England Melbourne – normal pitch – Club ball England Team Andrew Strauss Marcus Trescothick Michael Vaughan (c) Graham Thorpe Kevin Pieterson Andrew Flintoff Geraint Jones (w) Ashley Giles Steve Harmison Simon Jones Matthew Hoggard 'Alex, can you explain your first team selection? In particular, the press room was expecting to see Mark Butcher instead of Kevin Pieterson: what was the thinking behind this change?' 'Well, we already have three left handed batsmen in the top four, with Michael Vaughan being the exception, and it can be beneficial to have a right-left combination at the crease. Kevin is a young talent, and I feel that although playing the Australians in your Test debut might daunt some players, Kevin's temperament is sound. And as the pitch is likely to be pretty true throughout the Test match, he should be able to play his way into the game.' 'Otherwise it's as projected, with Harmison, Flintoff, Simon Jones and Hoggy offering a strong seam attack, and Ashley Giles giving us the spin alternative. We could have put in Paul Collingwood as a second all-rounder instead of one of the bowlers to strengthen the batting, but with the pitch not likely to offer much, I wanted to have four specialist bowlers and Freddie Flintoff as the sole all rounder, as the bowlers are likely to have to do a lot of work between them' __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:32 PM.

08-01-2005, 07:39 PM	#3
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Australia win the toss, and elect to bat, an easy decision given the good weather, likely good batting strip and the fact that in Shane Warne they have a spin bowler who should be most effective when the pitch begins to wear in the later stages of the Test. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:32 PM.

08-01-2005, 07:43 PM	#4
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 1 – Morning Session First blood to Australia as they progress to 93-1. Justin Langer was the only casualty, edging a ball from Simon Jones to Marcus Trescothick in the slips, departing for just 4 runs with the score at 23. Jones had been terrorising Langer for an over and a half, and it was just rewards for his efforts. From this point on however Matthew Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting were comfortable, scoring at a decent rate and rarely getting into any trouble. These are the Aussies’ two best batsmen, along with Adam Gilchrist, and England need a wicket before they set themselves in for a big partnership. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:42 PM.

08-01-2005, 07:46 PM	#5
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 1 – Afternoon Session A great response from England after lunch, taking four wickets in the thirty overs. First to go was Matthew Hayden with Australia on 98, who was tricked by a Steve Harmison slower ball into playing too early, and dollied his lofted cover drive to Ashley Giles for a simple catch. Matthew Hoggard produced a peach of an inswinging inseamer after bowling three or four outseamers, inducing Ricky Ponting to offer a simple return catch, and he went for 30, and Australia moved to 124-3. Hoggard struck again soon after, finding Damien Martyn’s outside edge, and the ball carried through for a routine Geraint Jones catch behind the stumps. Ashley Giles was in the midst of a brilliantly controlled and varied spell at the other end, going for only one run in 6 overs, and Australia were rocking at 131-4. Giles got a deserved wicket soon after, clean bowling Darren Lehman for just 2, who never looked comfortable facing the England spinner. At 135-5 Australia really needed someone to step up, and as ever Adam Gilchrist answered the call, scoring a quick 22 before tea helping steer Australia to 174-5 at the break. Gilchrist and his batting partner Michael Clarke are the last two recognised batsmen, and a lot now rests on them if the Aussies are to post a total befitting an excellent batting pitch, while England must be hoping to restrict Australia to fewer than 250 which would be an excellent bowling performance. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:44 PM.

08-01-2005, 07:50 PM	#6
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 1 – Evening Session England carry on their fine bowling to wrap up the innings within 10 more overs. Ashley Giles is again the main man, taking a further four wickets, including one devastating over: a triple wicket maiden. On the first ball Michael Clarke is bowled for 18 after being put under prolonged pressure in the previous Giles over. Two balls later Shane Warne edges a beauty to Pieterson at slip to go for a duck. Then on the last ball of the over, Brett Lee is as plum lbw (leg before wicket) as you will see, Hawkeye showing the ball would have hit middle stump about two thirds of the way up. Lee departs for zero, and Australia have gone from 183-5 to 183-7 in the space of six brilliant Ashley Giles deliveries. Now Adam Gilchrist is stranded with the Australian tail, and his plan should surely have been to control the strike and stretch the innings out as long as possible. However, he takes a single off Simon Jones’ first ball and leaves Jason Gillespie to face five. Despite Jones beating the bat four times, Gillespie survives, but the next over, again Gilchrist takes a single off the second ball. Somehow ‘Dizzy’ again makes it through three balls, playing and missing, and surviving a strong lbw shout, but finally Giles produces a delivery that gets its due rewards and clean bowls Gillespie for another duck. Amazingly Gilchrist does not seem to have learnt his lesson, and Steve Harmison cleverly allows the Aussie keeper to take another single off his first ball. England’s premier strike bowler does not allow Glenn McGrath the same good luck as Gillespie, and removes the leg stump on the next ball sending McGrath back to the pavilion for a golden duck. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:47 PM.

08-01-2005, 07:57 PM	#7
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Australia 1st Innings Summary Australia produced a batting collapse more commonly associated with their opponents, losing their last nine wickets for 90 runs, ending at 188 all out. Ashley Giles was the pick of the bowlers, taking 5-26 from 15 overs, while only Matthew Hayden will be anywhere near satisfied with his batting performance. England have put themselves in a strong position, and it will be up to their batsmen to put them in a position where the bowlers can really attack the Australians in their second innings. Australia Batting – 1st Innings Code: Runs Balls Faced J Langer c Trescothick b S Jones 4 41 M Hayden c Giles b Harmison 56 100 R Ponting c & b Hoggard 30 110 D Martyn c G Jones b Hoggard 17 53 D Lehman b Giles 2 16 M Clarke b Giles 18 44 A Gilchrist not out 32 65 S Warne c Pieterson b Giles 0 2 B Lee lbw b Giles 0 3 J Gillespie b Giles 0 10 G McGrath b Harmison 0 1 Extras 29 Overs: 69.2 Total 188 England Bowling – 1st Innings Code: Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy S Harmison 12.2 1 44 2 3.57 S Jones 17 4 37 1 2.18 A Flintoff 11 2 6 0 3.27 M Hoggard 14 3 45 2 3.21 A Giles 15 9 26 5 1.73 Fall of Wickets Code: 1 - 23 Langer 2 - 98 Hayden 3 - 124 Ponting 4 - 131 Martyn 5 - 135 Lehman 6 - 183 Clarke 7 - 183 Warne 8 - 183 Lee 9 - 187 Gillespie 10 - 188 McGrath __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 07:25 PM.

08-01-2005, 08:07 PM	#8
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 1 – Evening Session (continued) – England 1st Innings Not the start England were looking for, as Andrew Strauss departs early. After hooking Glenn McGrath twice for four in the previous over, he goes to the well once too often and edges the ball to the wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist, caught for 10 runs and England are quickly 12-1. However the captain Michael Vaughan comes in, and both he and Marcus Trescothick play very conservatively, guiding England to 34 without further loss at the close. Even with the loss of Strauss, day 1 is emphatically England’s, and confidence must be high going into the second day. For Australia, early wickets are vital if they are to prevent the match running away from them. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:49 PM.

08-01-2005, 08:09 PM	#9
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 2 – Morning Session Again an early loss, with Marcus Trescothick being totally bamboozled by a Glenn McGrath yorker, and is plum lbw for 7, taking 74 balls to compile his meagre total. He had been caught behind earlier, but in his defence it was from an attempted slog on a no-ball, so he knew he could have a swing safely. England are 38-2, and a partnership is needed to steady the innings. Graham Thorpe came to the crease, and he and Vaughan took the score to 102 before Thorpe was dismissed in almost an identikit way to Trescothick: this time the bowler was Brett Lee, but the result was the same: lbw, and Thorpe returned to the pavilion having scored 15 runs. Vaughan and Kevin Pieterson keep the scoreboard rolling, and at lunch the score stands at 121-3. This was a fairly even session: England scored 87 runs, but lost Trescothick and Thorpe. Michael Vaughan is batting magnificently, playing a captain’s role, and is unbeaten on 74, while for AustraliaBrett Lee is giving nothing away, with figures of 12-5-19-1. However the mighty Shane Warne has been taken out of the attack after bowling a terrible line conceding 33 runs in 4 overs before getting the curly finger. Who gets the better of the afternoon session could well decide the course of this Test match… __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:51 PM.

08-01-2005, 08:13 PM	#10
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 2 – Afternoon Session Despite Michael Vaughan looking imperious in the morning, he’s gone early in the new session. Brett Lee hit Vaughan with a bouncer in the first over after lunch, and in his next over tempted him to flash at a wide overpitched delivery. Vaughan’s timing was a little late, and he only succeeded in edging the ball to his opposite captain, Ricky Ponting, at slip, and the score moves to 127-4. Despite not adding to his morning score, the innings was invaluable to England, as none of his fellow batsmen have put anything on the board, as can be seen by his contribution of 74 to the 127 total. This wicket really puts the match on a knife edge, but the momentum is with the Aussies. With Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pieterson , making his debut, at the crease, and neither noted for their reserved defensive play, anything could happen. What did happen is Flintoff and Pieterson put together a very good partnership, and at tea neither had been dismissed, progressing the England score to 213-4. Kevin Pieterson is unbeaten on 66, and has already justified his selection. Andrew Flintoff has 37 off 90, a remarkably slow strike rate for ‘Freddie’, but exactly what is required at this stage of the match: play sensibly, defend the good balls and place the bad balls into the gaps in the field. Darren Lehman has been the main spinner, and has gone at nearly 4 an over. Shane Warne came back and bowled another 6 overs, again with a number of deliveries on a terrible line, which went for another 33 runs: so while still not particularly impressive, it was nearly twice as good (or half as bad) as his first spell. Jason Gillespie started a new spell, and, like his first spell, bowled very accurate throughout, conceding only 22 runs from 21 overs so far in the innings. Indeed all three of the Australian quickies (Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee) have been very economical, none going for more than 1.5 runs an over. And now the new ball is due, it is expected that the run rate will come down from the already low 2.65 an over overall. England are definitely on top, but need to remain patient and bat for as long as possible to build up a big score: this is still only the second day. As England have lost a wicket early in each of the three sessions of their innings so far, they must therefore ensure that concentration is at an absolute maximum, especially with the new ball in effect. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:53 PM.

08-02-2005, 05:56 AM	#11
bbgunn College Benchwarmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Osaka, Japan via Honolulu, Hawaii via Birmingham, Alabama	Go Windies! Brian Lara is king. How many Americans do you know would actually utter those words out loud? __________________ U of Hawaii \| U of Alabama \| Montreal Impact \| Montreal Canadiens \| West Ham \| West Indies cricket \| Portland Trail Blazers

08-02-2005, 03:31 PM	#12
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 2 – Evening Session It looked like the session had gone entirely England’s way: but with one over to go before stumps, Kevin Pieterson and Andrew Flintoff were still at the crease, having moved the score on to 295-4: a partnership of 168. Pieterson had got his century on his debut, a magnificent innings, and Flintoff had progressed to 81, including hitting a mighty six off Darren Lehman. However, in the final over of the session, and a Lehman delivery sliding down the legside with an offside field, instead of taking the easy runs, Freddie went for another maximum. Instead of repeating his previous six, he slightly mistimed it and managed to pick out the only fielder on the legside, Glenn McGrath, who held on to break the England stranglehold. A disappointing end, and down to a relaxation of concentration at the end of the day’s play, but one that will give Australia something to hold on to come the next morning… There was still time for Kevin Pieterson to hit two more boundaries off the last two loose deliveries, and at the end of play his score was 111 not out, and England are 303-5, a lead of 120. Despite the late wicket, England are still well in command, and can afford to take their time, and there would be no harm in batting for most of the third day if they could, giving two full days to attack the Aussies with what would be a big score in the bag. This could be a trifle optimistic though, as only Pieterson and the new man at the crease Geraint Jones have reputations as batsmen: Ashley Giles is reasonable, and Steve Harmison knows which way round to hold the bat, but Jones and Hoggard are true tailenders. England would probably settle for another hundred runs or so, which would put them in an excellent position. For the Australians, it is simple: they need to get the final five wickets very quickly if they hope to put England under pressure. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 03:54 PM.

08-02-2005, 03:58 PM	#14
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 3 – Morning Session Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee begin the day for Australia, and the sheer pace of Lee causes England problems. In his fifth over he gets the wicket the Aussies wanted, beating Kevin Pieterson for sheer pace, trapping him lbw for 119, and England are 314-6. It was a great debut for Pieterson, showing a maturity and unexpected patience to match his widely known strokeplay. Shane Warne made a third attempt to get his legspin going after 22 overs of pace bowling, and was promptly despatched to the boundary by Ashley Giles. However, the very next ball, Giles caught a leading edge trying to send another bad delivery away, and the ball looped straight back to Warne, who took the catch for a very fortunate wicket that his poor bowling has not derserved. Giles is gone for 10, and England are 340-7. The wicket seems to galvanise Warne, as for a time he bowls a much better line, but fails to take another wicket, and in the final over before lunch Geraint Jones can find the boundary twice off two more legside deliveries. Jones and Steve Harmison see England to the break at 362-7. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports!

08-02-2005, 04:00 PM	#15
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	Day 3 – Afternoon Session Finally Warne starts bowling as you would expect, and after having Geraint Jones in trouble for an over or two, fools his man with the flipper – Jones doesn’t pick it and is comprehensively bowled. However his 38 runs are a useful contribution, and at 374-8 England are 186 ahead. Two balls later Jason Gillespie retaliates to having been hit for 4 by bowling a beautiful inswinging full pitched delivery that Steve Harmison simply cannot cope with, and he is bowled for 14, and the England innings is almost over at 378-9. Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones should be little more than target practice for the Australian bowlers. In a little cameo at the end of the innings, Gillespie and Hoggard have a private duel, started when seeing Gillespie has bowled a no-ball, Hoggy decides to take a swing and it clears the ropes for six. Dizzy is not happy and peppers the England man until finally the slower ball tempts an early shot, the bails go flying, and the England 1st innings is finally over for 388, a lead of exactly 200. __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports!

08-02-2005, 04:13 PM	#16
AlexB Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Newbury, England	England 1st Innings Summary England would have taken 388 at the start of the innings, but Australia will be pleased that the score was not even higher once their opponents had reached 295-4. Even so, they will be fighting a rearguard action, and there is surely no way that they can now win the game. If they can bat for a day and a half to two days, Australia stand a chance of salvaging a draw, otherwise England look to be odds on to record an unexpected victory at the MCG. England Batting - 1st Innings Code: Runs Balls Faced A Strauss c Gilchrist b McGrath 10 23 M Trescothick lbw b McGrath 7 74 M Vaughan c Ponting b Lee 74 153 G Thorpe lbw b Lee 15 49 K Pieterson lbw b Lee 119 215 A Flintoff c McGrath b Lehman 81 184 G Jones b Warne 38 127 A Giles c & b Warne 10 32 S Harmison b Gillespie 14 43 S Jones not out 1 23 M Hoggard b Gillespie 7 27 Extras 12 Overs: 156.2 Total 388 Australia Bowling 1st Innings Code: Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy G McGrath 36 16 56 2 1.56 J Gillespie 32.2 18 47 2 1.45 B Lee 31 13 47 3 1.52 S Warne 21 7 93 2 4.43 D Lehman 36 4 145 1 4.03 Fall of Wickets Code: 1 - 12 Strauss 2 - 38 Trescothick 3 - 102 Thorpe 4 - 127 Vaughan 5 - 295 Flintoff 6 - 314 Pieterson 7 - 340 Giles 8 - 374 G Jones 9 - 378 Harmison 10 - 388Hoggard Australia 1st Innings – 188 all out Hayden 56 Giles 5-26 England lead by 200 runs __________________ 'A song is a beautiful lie', Idlewild, Self Healer. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. Sports! Last edited by AlexB : 08-02-2005 at 07:43 PM.

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