I’m going to wrap the blog up, so I’ll leave you with Simon Burnton’s Ashes diary. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight!
Stumps
Play has been abandoned for the day at Edgbaston. Only 32.4 overs were possible, but seven wickets fell in that time and the match remains beautifully poised. England will resume on 28 for two, a lead of 35, after a torrid spell under the lights against Pat Cummins and Scott Boland.
The forecast for tomorrow is pretty good, though the pitch may have some residual juice after all today’s rainfall. Today’s rain has added another element to the game: the possibility of an even funkier declaration from Ben Stokes.
“As a long-suffering England supporter, I assumed that Smith et al would go huge in their first innings, piling on 600,” writes Geoff Savage. “But I started to assume this well before the declaration, when YJB charged Lyon, just as he was looking like the imperious attack destroyer of last year.
“When Stokes did declare I actually thought it was brilliant. Not for any logical reason to do with strategy or tactics or weather or mind games, but just because it’s exciting to have England captained by someone who would do that against Australia on day one of the Ashes, apparently just because he fancied a few overs that night and is confident enough that any runs missed wouldn’t matter.
“Sure, another 40-50 runs might prove vital after all, but then Root might have been out next ball - he was starting to throw the bat a bit, which is not his best game - or Smith et al might have gone big, or England might have taken their chances better, or any of the other things could have happened which make test cricket such a joyous, terrifying rollercoaster for fans.
“Win or lose, I can’t imagine Stokes is going to give that decision much thought ever again. Whether it proves a masterstroke, a calamity, an offence against the purity of Test cricket, or irrelevant in the event of a washout, I’m very glad England have a captain who would do it because he thought it was a good move and then be totally fine with whatever the consequences.”
Hard to argue with any of that. We really are so blessed to be England cricket fans in 2023. But I do think the declaration reduced England’s chances of victory, and and that, for all the fun we’ve had in the past year, is still what it’s all about. I think.
“Wishing everyone a good day from Singapore,” writes Abhay Shah. “I’ve been closely following Bazball since its inception. I think many folk are missing the point. Bazball is simple in its concept; score as many runs as possible in the shortest period of time, put pressure, and take wickets. The strategy is about winning, not playing safe. My feeling about naysayers is that their mindset is risk-averse. That mindset doesn’t have a place in Bazball. I’m all for it, bold decisions with the aim to win and entertain, whether win or lose. That’s the essence. Let’s not over-complicate it.”
Indeed. I’m really intrigued about McCullum’s man-management; I can’t think of many people in life, never mind sport, who have his ability to quieten the negative voice in everyone’s head. Hopefully when he’s done with cricket he’ll become an editor who specalises in niche longreads about football and cricket in the 1980s and 1990s.
The umpires are inspecting – and some of the covers have been taken off. We may yet get some play, though it remains highly unlikely.
There will be a further inspection at 6pm. They need to be back on the field before 7pm, with play possible untll 7.30pm.
“Forgive the ignorance here, but what exactly are the superduper, revolutionary principles of Bazball?” asks Joe Johnson. “To me it just looks like treating a Test match as if it’s really a set of one-day games and hoping for the best. What am I missing?”
Belinda Carlisle understands Bazball.
“Bazball is only ‘risky’ if you want cricket as played in 1954!!!!!” says Tony White. “The WHOLE point of Bazball is not to worry about, ‘Oh dear, we might lose, we might have to bat harder, we might have to bore the spectators to death’!!! There are OBOers who need clinical psychology!”
Well, that last bit is a fair cop.
Updated
“Gotta say I disagree with all the naysayers and hindsighters on the declaration,” says Rob Coates. “1) pitch was a road, give your bowlers max time and opportunities; 2) how many more were they likely to get with two wickets left? Not enough to make a difference; 3) protect your bowlers from batting injuries; 4) psychological impact cannot be understated in what should be a tight series. “Great decision on the balance of probabilities, displays authenticity of leadership and courage and belief in the team.
“Sure, we didn’t get a wicket on day one and sure we lost two openers in a difficult patch but could easily make the case if Australia had been bold and declared at their sixth wicket they could have had us five down now. So I’m all for the bold, brave declarations.”
I understand that argument, even if I strongly disagree. One thing, though: it’s not fair to sneer about ‘hindsighters’. I can assure you I’ve been boring people to tears in WhatsApp groups since Friday evening.
Also, on point 2, with the way Root was batting England could easily have got 40 runs in the six overs before the close, then brought Australia back out on the third morning. Those runs would be handy now. Personally – and I appreciate I’m in a minority, and may well be totally wrong – I think it was a poor decision made for the wrong reasons.
“On the radio this morning,” writes my colleague Daniel Harris, “Aggers (I think) asked Baz if he asked for this pitch and he said ‘What do you think?’ i.e. did i eff.”
The story so far
It’s been a three-faced Test match, with each day bearing little resemblance to the others.
Day 1 82 overs, 407 runs, eight wickets
Day 2 90 overs, 297 runs, five wickets
Day 3 32.4 overs, 103 runs, seven wickets
“People want Bairstow,” says Chris Seymour. “People want Foakes. I’ve figured out how to get them both in the same team: drop Stokes, making him 12th man.
“His batting hasn’t been much to write home about of late and he can barely bowl, so we wouldn’t miss that and we can get him on in place of Bairstow when England are in the field.
“The ultimate funky selection. OBE in the post, please.”
The next inspection will be at 5.30pm. But the rain is getting heavier.
“Stokes’ declaration doesn’t look too clever right now,” says Brendan Moore. “Bazball is risky enough without reckless punts on stormy weather. If England had finished their innings, they probably wouldn’t even be batting in these conditions.”
I refer you to my colleague Geoff Lemon: if you change one occurrence in a temporal sequence, you can’t retain the subsequent occurrences that followed it. But I still didn’t like the declaration, and will feel the same even if England win. Maybe not if they win with two balls to spare; should that happen, I’ll bury my happy face in humble pie.
Updated
“Watching the 1997 game on Sky, interesting to note the sound of school kids singing,” says Vic Rushton. “As the first two days of the game were school days, they must have given away tickets. Considering the number of empty seats, they evidently were having difficulty filling the ground. Interesting in light of the debate we’ve been having about pricing and cricket crowds.”
I hadn’t picked up on that. I’m very surprised it didn’t sell out, especially as there was so much excitement and anticipation after England’s Hollioake-inspired 3-0 win in the ODI series.
The umpires are strolling round the ground. The outfield is still very wet, and there’s a bit of light rain falling.
“To my way of thinking (which is probably overstating it) the issue with the wicket isn’t that it’s true and flat but that it lacks the pace Stokes had asked for and, most crucially, the bounce,” says Geoff Wignall. “With bounce and some pace on a true pitch you get the very best contest between bat and ball with opportunity for all types of bowler. If the mission is to entertain, surely that’s what is needed?”
Indeed. And I think – though you can never be sure with these things – that those are the pitches they wanted.
Weather update It has stopped raining, and the groundstaff are doing their stuff. The umpires will inspect at 5pm. We may yet get some more cricket tonight.
“Hi Rob,” writes Ben Mimmack. “Just realised I’ve been emailing you for over 15 years now, so we’ve been in a (correspondence) relationship longer than I’ve known my wife (you can have the Wisdens in the divorce). Anyway I thought given your Relentless phase some years back, you might enjoy these drinks my sons bought me for Father’s Day.”
The picture, which I can’t upload for reasons too boring to explain, is of two vulgar-looking energy drinks: Bob Ross and Liquid Rage. I’m glad to say I’ve been clean for about 16 years now.
“Afternoon Rob. Matt and Louise, Aussies touring Italy here noting that Ben Stokes seems to have some shaman-like ability to control the weather as he sees fit! Has there been another Test in recent memory when rain has come in handy as an offensive weapon (day two) and a defensive one right now?”
I’m sure there have been more recently examples but the Ashes decider at the Oval in 2005 comes to mind. It took loads of time out of the game, which helped England, and also juiced up the pitch to facilitate Australia’s collapse on day four.
“If the Bazball approach gets England in the clear rather than deep in the mire,” begins Ian Copestake, “then we can safely conclude that, like Grandma’s dressing gown, it covers everything.”
“Really enjoying this first Ashes Test and its twists and turns,” writes Colum Fordham. “Brilliantly aggressive captaincy from Stokes helped to make amends for his rather reckless declaration and even rasher shot. But never a dull moment with Bazball or our captain.
“Could you wish my father Richard a happy Father’s Day? He’s an unconventional cricket fan, preferring to read about the cricket the day after. But it’s in the blood. His father Arthur William was an excellent cricketer and captain of the London School of Economics team in 1929.”
Of course. Happy Father’s Day Richard! (Or perhaps I should say, in view of his reading habits, ‘happy day after Father’s Day, Richard!’)
“I’ve done some digging,” says Louise Henry. “When England are batting and play is called off on the third day of a five day match, they have never gone on to win (timeless Tests a different story). I wonder if Stokes is thinking of this or of Bazball means all history and reverence is out the door.”
I believe ‘history’ and ‘precedent’ are the two options on the England team’s breakfast menu.
“Quite right, England will not want to come back out and bat tonight,” says Jeremy Boyce. “But will it be any better for them tomorrow with a moist wicket and maybe some hot sun? How’s the long-term forecast ? What they need now is some mind-boggling Bazball batting and then, while the wicket’s still dodgy, plenty of scuff marks, etc, bring on their killer bowler, Derek Under..... Ahhh. Ok. Harry Brook to bowl, right arm over...”
It’s a bit better tomorrow, then not so good on Tuesday. Batting won’t be easy tomorrow but I’ll be surprised if it’s quite as tough as it was during those 22 balls of hurt this afternoon.
“The answer to the Foakes/Bairstow dilemma is pretty simple really,” says Kim Thonger. “ECB hire the best make up artist the British Film and TV industry can offer. Disguise Foakes as Bairstow when we are fielding. They could easily accomplish that. Some might call this cheating but I prefer the Alan Clark turn of phrase ‘economical with the actualité’.”
“The problem I have with that passage of play isn’t that they carried on in gloomy conditions,” says Andrew Moore, “but I didn’t see the umpires take a light reading. This could be controversial if light intervenes on Monday in better conditions than they just played in. Hopefully won’t come to that.”
I didn’t see it either but they will surely have done so. Right?
“Besides the walking comment, would Crawley be the most in danger IF anyone in this side were to be dropped?” wonders Dechlan Brennan. “I wondered if Bairstow’s keeping would facilitate a change eventually to a pure batsman (despite his desires). Baz doesn’t seem like one to drop players but Foakes would disagree and Crawley seems to either go big or nothing (Hussain’s words).”
I’ve been watching England since 1988 and I can’t recall a tougher selection decision than the one they had at the start of the summer. There was just no satisfactory solution. Dropping Crawley is fine in theory but it would mean moving somebody else to open, and none of them are even close to being a natural fit. I feel so sorry for Foakes but I don’t think we’ll see him this summer unless Bairstow gets injured.
Updated
“On England’s dilemma, I just think flatter truer wickets suit Australia more who have the quicker bowlers and the superior spinner,” says Digvijay Yadav. “They’ll always get more out of the pitches. But also batters’ frailties are masked. Green top might suit England more even if you can’t bat ultra aggressively.”
I understand that argument but I don’t agree. England want to play to their strengths, which I think is the right idea. In 2015 that strength was Anderson and Broad, hence the slower seaming wickets. I can see both sides though.
Found it! (I think.) England v West Indies at the Oval in 1963. England’s new-ball pair of Fred Trueman (281) and Brian Statham (242) were the leading Test wickettakers, spinners included.
“A quick statgasm thought whilst we’re in a rainbreak,” begins David Hopkins. “The Australia innings featured a few occasions when the two highest test wicket takers amongst fast bowlers were bowling in tandem, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.
“Has that ever happened before? Presumably at points in the distant past. Maybe Walsh and Ambrose more recently?”
I don’t think Ambrose ever got past Kapil Dev or Sir Richard Hadlee. I’ll see if I can find out when it last happened. I suspect it’ll be more than 50 years ago.
Good news/bad news
It’s absolutely hosing it down in Birmingham ☔️#Ashes pic.twitter.com/yyTikN11LW
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) June 18, 2023
“I guess Bazball doesn’t include walking: Crawley absolutely taking the cover off the ball in both innings and standing there,” says Dechlan Brennan.
It was a great catch by Alex Carey at mid-off.
“At the time I thought it was a performative, self-indulgent declaration from Ben Stokes,” says Brian Withington. “If England had taken a wicket it would have course have been hailed as a crowd-pleasing, momentum seizing masterstroke, rather than simply frittering away some 30 valuable runs (or more). But it still rankled with me.
“My only hesitation is that from the outset I have been rather cynical about Ben Stokes as captain and then all the B**B*** media hype. However, he has continued to confound all my scepticism with his genuinely inspiring captaincy as he continues to walk the talk to remarkable effect. Let’s see how he digs England out of this meteorologically facilitated hole. He may even have to resort to going truly leftfield and getting his head down and scoring some hard runs …”
Don’t flush runs down the loo, because you never know what conditions will be like when you bat again. If the teams get back on the field tonight, England are in serious trouble.
“Afternoon Rob, hope you’re well,” writes my colleague Sachin Nakrani. “Just returned to London after a lovely day-and-a-bit in Brighton where the family and I had the joyous pleasure of a hot sun over our heads and the joyous pain of unforgiving pebbles under our feet. We ate and drank a fair amount too.
“Not been able to follow any of the cricket while I‘ve been away and, as such, was really looking forward to getting home and watching the rest of today’s play.
“While they’re off the field, a question for you: who do you think would win in a fight; Ben Stokes’ utter and absolute refusal to follow the conventions of the sport he has dedicated his professional life to or a tiger? Love to know your thoughts.”
My thoughts are with the tiger’s loved ones.
The two wickets to fall
Cameron Green in that gully again! What a catch 👏 pic.twitter.com/g9Mv0ZbWMP
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 18, 2023
TWO wickets in THREE balls for Australia! 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/qixOYs9b9c
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 18, 2023
That was such a pulsating passage of play. It would have been so easy for Cummins and Boland to strain for wickets, knowing the rain was coming, but they were forensic in their work. You can see why England are reluctant to prepare the kind of seam-friendly wickets that helped win the Ashes in 2015.
“Was Steve Waugh one of the declaring, but losing, captains?” asks David Horn. “No idea on the other one ... seems like something that could happen on a featherbed that turns into a bunsen, so I’m going with Gavaskar.”
It was two men with the same initials: Garry Sobers and Graeme Smith.
England lead by 35 runs
That might be it for the day. England’s players may secretly hope so.
Rain stops play
10.3 overs: England 28-2 (Pope 0, Root 0) The rain comes to England’s rescue after an exceedingly nasty mini-session: 22 balls, two runs, two wickets. Cummins and Boland bowled masterfully.
Root is not out! He drove at a gorgeous full-length delivery from Cummins that vroomed past the edge. Smith thought he heard something, but replays showed a bit of daylight between bat and ball.
The crowd have started sarcastically appealing whenever an England player leaves the ball.
AUSTRALIA REVIEW FOR CAUGHT BEHIND AGAINST ROOT! Cummins goes upstairs this time on the say-so of Steve Smith. I’ve no idea if Root nicked it; Smith was sure he did.
Updated
10th over: England 28-2 (Pope 0, Root 0) Australia are all over England like a cheap cliche. Root survives a huge LBW shout from Boland after being hit on the pad by another big nipbacker. It looked like he got outside the line, and Pat Cummins eventually decides not to go upstairs. That’s admirably clear-headed captaincy, because most captains would have gambled a review in the hope of getting Root.
Technology confirms that Root was outside the line. And no, it’s not cowardly to pray for thunderstorms. Another half hour of this and England will be in all sorts.
Crawley was aggrieved as he walked off – not with the decision, but because he thinks the light isn’t playable. What a chance this is for Australia to pick up Joe Root and blow the game wide open.
WICKET! England 27-2 (Crawley c Carey b Boland 7)
Two wickets in four balls! Crawley, on the walk, thin-edges Boland through to the keeper. It was another lovely delivery – perfect line and length, with just enough movement. This is masterful bowling from Australia.
Updated
9th over: England 27-1 (Crawley 7, Pope 0) This is a helluva chance for Australia to undermine England before the thunderstorm, because the ball is doing plenty.
Cummins tries to bowl Pope round his legs first ball – I assume it was deliberate – and spears it down the leg side. He has a more attacking field now, with three slips and a gully. Pope defends the last ball of the over, his second, with authority.
Duckett felt for a wide awayswinger from Cummins and edged it low to the left of Green in the gully. He got down so quickly and stuck out his left hand to take a beautiful catch just above the ground. No controversy here, despite a few pantomine boos from the crowd. That’s out.
Updated
WICKET! England 27-1 (Duckett c Green b Cummins 19)
Cameron Green has taken another blinder! It’ll be checked by the third umpire but the on-field reactions suggest it was a clean catch.
Updated
8th over: England 27-0 (Crawley 7, Duckett 19) Scott Boland replaces Josh Hazlewood, a smart move given the overhead conditions. His second ball straightens off the seam to beat Crawley’s expansive off-drive.
A thunderstorm is imminent. Pretty much any team in Test history would play defensively in this situation; England do things differently.
Boland has a big LBW appeal against Crawley turned down by Marais Erasmus. It was a lovely delivery, which snagged back off the seam, but it was surely too high. Pat Cummins decides not to review.
There’s another LBW appeal next ball when Crawley offers no shot to a nipbacker. It didn’t do enough, and Marais Erasmus shakes his head. That was a terrific over from Boland.
Updated
7th over: England 26-0 (Crawley 7, Duckett 18) The lights are on and it’s pretty gloomy at Edgbaston. A very good time to bowl, in other words, and another test of England’s commitment to Sparklemotion Bazball.
Cummins has one ball of his fourth over remaining; Crawley defends it to midwicket.
Here come the players. It’s on!
“Totally agree Stokes’ declaration was awful,” says Max Williams. “We left 50 odd runs out there, potentially crucial ones. Root was imperious, Robinson comfortable, Australia exhausted. And we gained what? Four overs at the openers in benign conditions. Even if we’d snagged a wicket - highly unlikely - I think you’d still prefer 440 on the board. Australia would have been delighted walking off rather than continue suffering in the field.”
What I find interesting is that two of the only people to query it were Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan, two of England’s most groundbreaking cricketers in the 21st century. The people you thought might critique it – Nasser, for example – were actually in agreement.
I’m also conscious that Ben Stokes is a genius, and that most people agreed with the declaration, so maybe I/we are guilty of old fartism.
“Well Rob, thanks for the alert about free entertainment on Yupp TV here on the continent,” writes Dan at Berlin airport. “It will make the receding prospect of ever boarding my delayed flight home today at least bearable.”
My condolences. On the plus side, there should be some Ashes cricket to follow in seven minutes’ time.
Here’s the forecast for the rest of the day, which can be summed up in one word: thunderstorms.
Live cricket while u wait
“Before the resumption at Edgbaston, readers could do worse than check out the World Cup Qualifier games taking place in Zimbabwe, where Nepal are behind (now – they weren’t before) in the game against Zimbabwe and West Indies are well ahead against USA and, importantly, the sun is shining and cricket is being played,” writes Romeo.
“The ball is white in this tournament but they do have stumps and bails
and stuff and the basic rools are the same. Matches between Test nations and Associates are very often much more entertaining, and can be much more unpredictable, than those between Big Three countries.
“All matches are free to watch on Yupp TV in continental Europe, and
(paying one way or another) on Sky Sports Mix or their ‘app’ in
UK/Ireland but in Australia you have to engage with Fox.”
“I think there’s a counterintuitive side to England’s tactics that is unexplored by many,” writes Daniel Jewesbury. “If England had not declared, had not forced the pace of the game and tried to put the draw beyond reach, there’s a chance Australia would have scored 500. By declaring, in other words, they limit their opponent’s score. What? How??
“Surely the point of the declaration is not to have four overs of bowling but to dictate the game. Australia batted very much below their capability, with many of their stars failing in this environment, and their captain unsure how to face the England style. England are dictating the whole of this game. England had two wickets in hand and a few runs to spare but more importantly they had a 40-over surplus on Australia.
“None of the components of England’s approach makes sense without the others.”
While I agree with most of what you say, especially that last point, I thought it was an awful declaration, a rare bit of gratuitous captaincy from Ben Stokes. Appreciate I’m in a minority though. More importantly, this rain has increased the chances of an even funkier declaration tomorrow!
Play to resume at 3.30pm!
Woot woot. I didn’t see that coming. The forecast still isn’t great for the rest of the day, but for now the plan is to resume in just under half an hour.
Quiz question, apropos nothing whatsoever
Two captains have declared in both innings of a Test and ended up on the losing side. Who are they?
Sky are showing highlights of the extraordinary Edgbaston Test of 1997, when England reduced Australia to 54 for eight on a delirious first morning. And why not.
Moeen Ali’s spinning finger, the state thereof
Moeen Ali's return to Test cricket has been tough on his finger 😬#ENGvAUS | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Kl0s3LLAV0
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 18, 2023
He had a similar problem during the 2017-18 Ashes, when he soldiered on for all five Tests but averaged 115 with the ball. I fear he might reverse his reversal after this game.
Updated
“‘If you change one occurrence in a temporal sequence, you can’t retain the subsequent occurrences that followed it’,” writes Kev G, quoting Geoff’s wisdom at 2.22pm. “I’ve made a note of that, thanks. It will do exceptionally well in response to allegations that some or other task I’ve omitted to do should’ve been done yesterday. Is there nothing in life for which the OBO doesn’t have an answer?”
Death?
Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. I hate to sound pessimistic, but we’re all going to die some day, no two ways that might be it for the day. It’s hosing down in the West Midlands conurbation popularly known as Edgbaston, and the forecast for the rest of the day isn’t great.
With the rain still trickling down and the Birmingham city buildings shrouded, this seems like a good time to hand over to Rob Smyth. He loves this stuff.
This email from Kathy Phillips goes back to before Khawaja got out, as he entered the 140s.
“Why is 150 not a thing? It should be a thing! Khawaja getting close to 150 and it deserves more than polite applause. I’m a fan of your podcast but I thoroughly disagree with you on this particular point.”
I welcome that, Kathy, it wouldn’t be a very interesting world if everyone agreed with me on things. My thinking is that players celebrate a 50 in a minor way, because it’s a smaller milestone on the way to a hundred. Every player follows that relative modesty (except the occasional tailender, fair enough). Then if they get to a hundred they celebrate a hundred in a big way. That’s the major milestone.
So then it seems underwhelming to go back to celebrating small milestones. You’re already working in hundreds at this stage. It’s like making runs in first grade and then going to play thirds. The little round of applause for half a hundred is a symbolic retreat after getting the big ovation for a ton. I say if you want more applause, go on to 200 and earn it.
“Seems more to me that Australia were batting for time, but more to encourage an even more aggressive Stokes declaration than might be the case otherwise.”
I like this theory from Steven Lever. They might get an early one, too, depending what this rain does.
“Captain Hindsight might say, England should not have declared and been all out for about 440, giving them a lead of about 50.”
The problem with that theory, Peter Gartner, is that then Australia’s whole innings would have been different. Smith and Labuschagne might have gone large. Or Australia might have made 180. We don’t know.
If you change one occurrence in a temporal sequence, you can’t retain the subsequent occurrences that followed it.
Now it’s coming down a bit more intensely.
Updated
Rain stops play at 14:15
The rain seems very gentle at the moment. Everybody ambled from the field. The ground staff are taking their time to lay out covers. The hovercraft is on but the rest is meandering.
Updated
6.5 overs: England 26-0 (Crawley 7, Duckett 18) A beaut from Cummins beats the edge of Crawley’s bat, moving just enough off the straight as he props forward. Keeper and slip appeal for caught behind, Cummins is less impressed and declines their suggestion of a review. Crawley gets a run square. Ducket gets another. Then a gentle rain starts to fall and the covers come on.
I don’t know what an unauthorised drying agent is. Presumably when someone sneaks into your house and does your laundry.
6th over: England 24-0 (Crawley 6, Duckett 17) Nathan Lyon on even earlier than he was in the first innings. Deep midwicket and deep backward square for Duckett, a left-hander who likes to take on spin. Should be a good tussle. A couple of singles, then Duckett plays the lap sweep! Good timing, down on one knee and deflecting the ball through fine leg. Australia bring Boland into that spot, a bit finer than 45 degrees, as a catching position.
Updated
5th over: England 18-0 (Crawley 5, Duckett 12) Cummins found a way into this match with the bat, needs to with the ball. None-for in the first innings. Round the wicket to Duckett, cutting into him, has him playing a couple of balls away awkwardly. The second of those hints at carrying to Labuschagne at midwicket but doesn’t. Duckett with his high backlift, jams down for a run to square leg.
“After all the Sturm and drang of the declaration and England fielding travails we have a single innings shootout, Geoff. Isn’t Test cricket the best?” writes Guy Hornsby. “It’ll be fascinating to see how England can try and dominate this classy attack. I actually think the men out early will frustrate Stokes’ thirst for boundaries but even now we’re going at 4s, which seems very easy indeed. Mo’s finger worries me much more, as you wonder how much he’ll bowl here, when he’s so key in our plans (let alone the series). It’s a veritable razor’s edge. Best game in the world.”
4th over: England 17-0 (Crawley 5, Duckett 11) One slip and a gully for Hazlewood from the City End. Bowling to Duckett, the left-hander, who beats Khawaja’s dive at mid on. The ball slows up inside the rope, the outfield hasn’t been fast throughout the match. So they run three. Deep point and deep square leg for Crawley, no doubt to the dissatisfaction of some spectators. Fine leg as well, so three back. Two in the cordon. Then four conventional spots on the single: cover point, mid off, mid on, midwicket. Crawley gets a run square of midwicket, Duckett another opening the face and again refusing to leave a ball outside off.
Scott Meehan has sent me a photo of the Stokes reverse umbrella field as set up in the Test Match table game. You can conjure that image in your minds.
3rd over: England 12-0 (Crawley 4, Duckett 7) Cummins bowling relatively straight and they’re able to keep picking up singles into the leg side. No big shots from England’s openers as yet but a comfortable start.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Crawley 2, Duckett 5) Away goes Duckett, a couple of braces in that Hazlewood over, knocked into the leg side. Nice start for him after an early exit in the first innings.
Updated
In the World Cup of Darts, Belgium just beat Australia 8-7 in the decider of the quarter final. Amazing comeback from Australia to force it to that final leg.
1st over: England 3-0 (Crawley 1, Duckett 1) Cummins starts things off, hitting the channel, and after a couple of deflections, takes Crawley’s edge but it falls short of Green.
Updated
We’re away in the second session.
Lunch - Australia all out 386, trailing by 7 runs
What a contest we have now. Just about parity after the first innings for each team. England scored theirs in 78 overs and Australia in 116. Different approaches to the same destination. The Stokes captaincy moves worked in the last 40 minutes or so, when Australia went from threatening a handy lead to being bowled out behind. The long tail was also exposed, though Cummins batted very well. And all of that leaves us with a juicy setup.
England being England, they’ll probably try to score 250 in about 50 overs and have a pop at Australia tonight. Australia should have gone bigger in this innings, but England’s excellent first session yesterday pegged them back.
The hovercraft is out near the pitch, we might have some rain coming in but it’s not here yet. The roller is doing its thing. I’ll check back as soon as there’s more to report.
WICKET! Cummins c Stokes b Robinson 38, Australia 386 all out
116.1 overs: Australia 386-10 (Hazlewood 1) That’s that! Cummins decides there is only one way to proceed from here, and aims a huge cross-bat hit at Robinson. It goes higher than it does long, and Stokes comes in towards midwicket to complete the catch.
116th over: Australia 386-9 (Cummins 38, Hazlewood 1) Smart play from Hazlewood, one of those right-arm bowling left-handers with the bat, reaching for a wider ball and dinking a run. Broads drops short to Cummins, who pounds him for six! Huge pull shot, miles back. That sounded sweet.
Cummins follows with a glance for one and keeps the strike.
WICKET! Boland c Pope b Broad 0, Australia 378-9
Take every run, as Cummins echoes Steve Waugh, deflecting Broad to fine leg for a single. But it doesn’t work out. Boland dips his knees, focuses, but can’t ride the bounce from Broad, popping the ball into the hands of silly point off the sticker of the bat.
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115th over: Australia 377-8 (Cummins 30, Lyon 1) Time for some more magic from Scotty Bolo? He has two first-class fifties, and a Test best of 10 not out. Either would be handy for Australia here. Still 16 behind. Boland sees out the Robinson over, including a surprise yorker that is excellently bowled but that he plays well.
WICKET! Lyon c Duckett b Robinson 1, Australia 377-8
Pretty daft cricket from Lyon. He has one shot against the short ball, and keeps playing it in the air despite the fielders waiting. Hits this one a fairly long way but to deep square leg on the full.
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114th over: Australia 377-7 (Cummins 30, Lyon 1) Two runs for Cummins through point. Broad keeps going with the short-ball method, two bat-pads, one either side of the wicket. Both twitch forward as Cummins defends down into the pitch. He’s got three men back for the top edge as well, between fine leg and deep square. Point and backward point the only coverage on the off side. Cummins rides the bounce to fine leg for one. Still three out for Lyon, but just the short leg in close. A square leg and a midwicket wait too. Lyon plays the pull shot anyway, top edge, and lands it between the two finer boundary riders for one. There’s another no-ball in there, Broad’s seventh. The difference is 16 runs.
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113th over: Australia 372-7 (Cummins 27, Lyon 0) Nathan Lyon to the middle, accompanied by the “Shit Moeen Ali” song on whose composition the fans are congratulating themselves. A bit unfair, Lyon has never claimed to be an all-rounder. He watches one ball pass down the leg side, pulls at the next but wears it on the body. No score. Australia trail by 21.
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WICKET! Khawaja b Robinson 141, Australia 372-7
Stokes is just sitting in a room painting expressionist stuff on the windows with his dinner now. He starts with an umbrella field of catchers between mid on and square leg, four of them in a curved line about 15 paces from the bat. Khawaja plays a ball or two. Stokes brings in the other half of the umbrella, in front of square on the off side. Six catchers.
And maybe it works. Maybe it has the decisive influence. Khawaja is thinking of the gap behind point, working out where he can score. Tries to drive with an open face, after shuffling down the pitch. And from around the wicket, he misses Robinson’s ball angling in at the stumps. Another epic comes to an end.
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112th over: Australia 372-6 (Khawaja 141, Cummins 27) Australia batting for the draw three days out. Khawaja drives a single. Cummins plays the rest of Broad’s over off the back foot, defending shorter balls.
111th over: Australia 371-6 (Khawaja 140, Cummins 27) Finally another run, clipped to leg, and Khawaja equals his 140 from Wellington many moons ago. 141 is his epic from Dubai in 2018. Robinson adds a no-ball to Australia’s score. They trail by 22.
110th over: Australia 369-6 (Khawaja 139, Cummins 27) Nothing happening off this surface now. Cummins is comfortable defending off the front foot, even if he’s not timing it perfectly. Fifth ball of the over Broad goes short and Cummins fends it, airborne behind square. So Broad likes the idea, brings in a couple of catchers, bangs in a decent short ball, and Cummins deflects it past short leg and picks up a couple of runs. It was in the air. The crowd perks up for a minute.
@GeoffLemonSport Cheltenham Festival crowd is the most knowledgeable; on account of everyone from Cheltenham being highly cultured with a nuanced take on the game. I am from Cheltenham.
— Tom Wellman (@pauliewalnuts2) June 18, 2023
109th over: Australia 367-6 (Khawaja 139, Cummins 25) More of the same rhythm: a Cummins glance for one, first ball, then Khawaja blocks out the rest. He’s faced 313 balls now.
“Just saw an elevated shot of the ground, and in the background some 200m behind Edgbaston was a fairly dull-looking but sizeable grey building in an otherwise open space. Then what looked like another cricket ground/park behind that. What’s the grey monstrosity, and even the park behind?”
Ben Bernards, hello. The grey brick is an Aldi, the place where desperation drives us for a dehydrated sandwich on long preview days. There is no other option within any reasonable distance. The park is a park, Cannon Hill is the name, nice spot, had a picnic there once during the Commonwealth Games cricket last summer. I’ve probably been to Birmingham from Melbourne more times than most people from London, honestly.
108th over: Australia 366-6 (Khawaja 139, Cummins 24) Broad charges in, sufficiently refreshed to put his hands to his head and groan and carry on after Cummins plays a fairly regulation leave. The ball wasn’t miles away but wasn’t a millimetre either. Cummins adds one more run, gently ticking over now. Khawaja has almost stopped. He’s made 13 runs this morning in 70 minutes.
I’m told that my email link in the sidebar was in fact linking to Rob Smyth, so I hope that he is enjoying all your mail that was meant for me. Might want to try again if you sent one using that button.
107th over: Australia 365-6 (Khawaja 139, Cummins 23) Ollie Robinson for one over before a beverage, which sounds like a pretty good way to play cricket. His shorter length means that both players can knock him around the corner for one, one, one. Drinks, and the gap between the teams is now 28 runs.
106th over: Australia 362-6 (Khawaja 138, Cummins 21) Broad is arguing with the umpire about running on the pitch, with his follow-through from around the wicket to the left-hander. Khawaja then ends up flat on his back after evading a short ball and losing balance. Broad goes from wide down leg to wide outside off, Bairstow collecting the former and fumbling the latter. The two deep fielders come up with four balls bowled. Khawaja cracks a pull shot but finds square leg. He still has a catching cover, with a wide slip and a backward point. Sees out the over.
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105th over: Australia 362-6 (Khawaja 138, Cummins 21) Still playing comfortably is Australia’s No8. Blocks out most of the Anderson over, then adds two runs with a push through cover.
104th over: Australia 360-6 (Khawaja 138, Cummins 19) Stuart Broad is back, replacing Moeen from the City End. Had quite the day yesterday. Cummins gets off strike immediately and Khawaja sees out the over.
I liked Kim Thonger’s observation yesterday, linking Steve Smith’s modest decline from his batting heights to Stevie Smith’s wonderful poem about a different state of decline – from the title to the closing line.
I probably can’t paste the whole poem – usage rights and all – but Pad Pad is here.
103rd over: Australia 359-6 (Khawaja 138, Cummins 18) Khawaja keeps taking singles into the off side. Cummins plays Anderson fairly well, another glide behind point for two runs, then a little miscue to get him down the quiet end.
Brian Withington has a point about the things you don’t know in the absence of a counterfactual. “I think we can all agree Ben Foakes is a superb keeper (and more than decent batter) and is very unlucky not to be playing, but I’m still not sure he takes any more of those chances (including the one that Jonny Bairstow held). Ben’s Test catching statistics are actually worse than Jonny’s and his stumping record is only a little better. This morning’s drop was a sharp inside edge and JB’s immediate reaction was one of intense disappointment. Any chuckling came later, and I’ve heard it suggested that it’s rather healthy not to dwell on failure.”
Having a chat with Ali Martin and Jonathan Liew here about the ‘knowledgeable crowd’ trope on commentary.
Question for you, then: ground in the world has the most knowledgeable crowd? Not the sightseers, the day trippers, the boozers. Let me know. Show your workings, please.
102nd over: Australia 355-6 (Khawaja 137, Cummins 15) Ok, Cummins isn’t going to ignore two of those! Gets another filthy full toss and he lumps it into the crowd over midwicket. Two balls later, the delivery does pitch, but Cummins goes again! Dead straight this time, better shot, the deficit is slashed to 38.
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101st over: Australia 343-6 (Khawaja 137, Cummins 3) Eamonn Maloney writes in. “As most people are by now aware, Geoff, the best bit of cricket television for the year is a seven minute episode of a kids show but this hasn’t been far behind so far. Here, this is a heck of a tail without Starc isn’t it? Cummins was clinging on to No9 as it was, mainly for want of a better option, but he’d be a 10 in a lot of modern teams. Six down and you’d reckon there are 50 runs left at best. Which would mean an England lead if they pack Moeen away now.”
Cummins has slipped with the bat. Played some outstanding innings around 2018 when the going was tough: Joburg after the sandpaper thing, Melbourne when India’s best quicks were rampaging. Perhaps with his bowling remaining so good alongside captaincy, something had to give.
Any rate, he plays one shot nicely here as he works Anderson behind square for three runs and gets off strike. England’s lead is exactly 50.
Now this is thinking outside the box.
@GeoffLemonSport Everyones looking at this Bairstow or Foakes argument all wrong. We should just change the rules and make it 12 a side.
— Richard Morris (@richardmorrisuk) June 18, 2023
100th over: Australia 339-6 (Khawaja 136, Cummins 0) Khawaja elegantly drives a single through cover, and Moeen will bowl to Patrick Cummins. One fielder out at deep square leg, the rest are up encouraging the big shot. Cummins defends a good ball off the back foot. Then gets a stinking full toss and just pats it away! Wasn’t ready to attack. The next ball creeps through at ankle height, outside off stump. Talk about a mixed bag.
99th over: Australia 338-6 (Khawaja 135, Cummins 0) Career Test wicket 686 for James Anderson. England’s lead stands at 55. Australia’s captain to the crease.
WICKET! Carey b Anderson 66, Australia 338-6
Finally he’s in the book! Anderson does it again.
The field for Carey is another Stokes special. Slip, wide at about third spot. Backward point set deep and a long way behind square. Regulation point set closer, along with a square cover. Mid off set deep, then a short straight mid off, in front of the popping crease at the non-striker’s end. Then a conventional leg side with a mid on, midwicket, long leg.
Carey responds with a blazing cut shot for four, a midwicket flick for four, then tries a forward defence to a ball swinging in but can’t lay bat on it. It’s almost the same as the one that took Khawaja’s edge, serious movement through the air with the angle from around the wicket, beats the inside edge, clips the pad and back onto the stumps.
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98th over: Australia 330-5 (Khawaja 135, Carey 58) Moeen might want some burn cream right now, as Khawaja batters him for six down the ground! Hit so hard that the ball comes back out of shape, and they have to take some time to choose a replacement. A couple of singles with the new(ish) ball, then Moeen gets one to turn past Khawaja’s edge.
News just to hand from Ali Martin, our cricket correspondent: Moeen Ali has been fined 25% of his match fee for using some sort of medical spray on his fingers while bowling yesterday. There was a similar incident with Ravindra Jadeja using painkilling cream on his bowling finger when Australia toured India earlier this year. Foreign substances being a no-no, and all that.
97th over: Australia 322-5 (Khawaja 128, Carey 57) Hectic cricket! Very wide from Anderson. Down on one knee and crashing the ball away is Carey, so wide the bat is almost horizontal rather than angled. But Stokes at a short cover point stops that ball clean. It was hit so hard, brilliant fielding. Anderson follows up by drawing a thick edge from Carey, wide of slip for four.
England’s lead shrinks to 71 runs.
96th over: Australia 318-5 (Khawaja 128, Carey 53) Another keeping miss, though narrowly not a wicket chance. Nearly another edge from Carey, who reaches for an off-break that spins sharply away. Outside the off stump. Pitched nicely, drawing him forward. Bairstow misses it behind the stumps, it was a hard one that goes between he and slip. Four byes. A couple of singles follow.
95th over: Australia 312-5 (Khawaja 127, Carey 52) Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Jeremy is a psychic. Khawaja glances a single first ball, then Carey aims a big cover drive. It’s a great ball from Anderson, around the wicket swinging in ath the lefty, bending late towards the gate. Carey gets an inside nick, and Bairstow grasses it to his right. Straightforward keeper’s catch there. Needed some quick hands but it wasn’t too far away. Bairstow in resignation just chuckles about it afterwards, which might not please some people too much either.
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Umpires out to the middle, play not far away. Might be some rain interruptions this afternoon but we’re on for the start.
Here’s Jeremy Boyce. “Just wondering if England aren’t being hoisted by their own p’tard, picking big JB as gloves man ahead of Foakes, like they wanted the best of both worlds all in one, rather than picking the best gloves man for the job. I’m betting the house that Foakes would not have missed that stumping. And he could easily have scored the runs JB did without getting out... stumped. JB deserves his place for his Bazball batting alone. But then who would you drop? An interesting first hour in prospect”
Foakes did make a ton while chasing 500 in the champo a few days back. Given they seem to have picked Brook for his bowling in this match, can’t see that the keeper choice is too wild. There just isn’t a spot for both.
But yes, Bairstow does tend to be the type to take some blinders and miss some straightforward ones. Foakes wasn’t flawless with the gloves for England either. Everyone gets better in the imagination when they’re out of the side.
Drop us a line
As Andrew has done, by all means send me an email or a tweet. Details in the sidebar, which if you’re on a phone is at the top. Confusing.
This is some clever psychological ploy from Andrew Benton to extract something from me.
“I found a neat way to avoid needing to ask for the TMS overseas link - I moved back to Britain !! Not an option for everyone of course, but definitely worth considering.”
Very well, here is the TMS overseas link.
Then there was Jonathan Liew, who has joined us in the City of a Thousand Trades. And what was not to enjoy about Moeen Ali bowling absolute pearls of deliveries in between being thumped for sixes.
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My contribution yesterday was, unsurprisingly, about Usman Khawaja. It would have been anyway, but his century celebration was perhaps the most extraordinary I’ve seen of the genre.
For anyone who likes their daily wrap in podcast form, I’ve got you covered.
The opening session of the day was all about Stuart Broad, and Barney Ronay turned his thoughts to the England evergreen.
The Women’s Ashes will start with the standalone Test at Trent Bridge two days after this match ends. Tanya Aldred caught up with England’s best bowler, the left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone.
Andy Bull had the colour and movement and silliness and meaning of the day, through our Guardian Ashes Diary.
Ali also had time to hit the press conference and get Stuart Broad’s unimpressed reaction to the pitch, and Khawaja’s response to his ton.
If you’re catching up on yesterday, you should obviously start with our friend Ali Martin and his match report.
Preamble
Hello pals. Ready for day three? We’ve had a lot happening over the first couple of days, and now we have a very juicy setup ahead of us. Usman Khawaja, 126 not out overnight, resuming this morning with Alex Carey on 52. Australia trailing by 82 runs on the first innings. A lot riding on this current partnership.
England had Australia 67 for 3 before lunch yesterday, but couldn’t fully press home the advantage. They did manage to snuff out each subsequent partnership, but not before it had added runs. First Travis Head, then Cameron Green, now Carey.
Early wickets and England can still take a lead and command the match, but if the current pair get set again then they could change that dynamic.
Could it be… set up the klaxon… a crucial first hour?
