Well well well, England might have got themselves in this game.
A very interesting days cricket has taken place in Brisbane, twinned with Scunthorpe. And at the end of the day, I think most publications would have England in front….I think that’s generous given our ability to fuck up from any position, but we are certainly in the game.
It started about as badly as you’d expect, England 5-2, Duckett and Pope in the sheds and everyone just waiting for Crawley to follow them back shortly afterwards.
But for those of us who back Zak, we know that no matter how shit he looks, there’s always a decent innings around the corner, and today was that day. He rode his luck a bit at times, but made is way to 76 from just 93 balls and put some pressure back on the Aussies. He wont pass 20 for another 3 innings but hey ho, that’s what you get.
Zak spent a fair amount of time batting with Joe Root, something that I don’t think happens very often, and it certainly worked today. Maybe having Rooty at the other end does him some good, I can only imagine Joe coming down the track between overs and telling him to “stop being a fuckwit” or words to that effect, and it worked a treat!
With Crawley gone, Root set about his work with Brook at the other end, very much the powerhouse partnership for England. Root carried on working hard, knocking the ball about, absorbing pressure and looking very much like the great of the game that he is. Brook smashed fuck out of it for a bit, showing the talent we all know he has, but wasn’t quite as aggressive as he has been, 17 of his 33 balls were dots, and he only put 4 to the rope.
It looked as if Brook and root could build a partnership of note and really put is in the driving seat, until Brook remembered he loves whacking wide ones, and chased Starc outside off, snick, gone, shit.
The skipper strolled out to the crease looking very serious, and the leadership team dug in, absorbing pressure and batting incredibly sensibly….Until Stokes tapped one to Inglis and sett off like a raging bull…Rooty told him to fuck off an he was miles out of his ground as the stumps were dismantled…..here comes the collapse.
Jamie Smith was well on board for a good old collapse, and he was cartwheeled by a big Boland nipper for a second ball duck. At that point England were 211-6 and the odds would very much have favoured a sub 250 score…maybe even 230.
Will Jacks was the next man in, and he joined Joe Root on 78*. At this point, I think every England fan….and Matthew Hayden…collectively couldn’t give a shit about the rest of the scorecard, we all just longed for Root to make his first ton on Aussie soil.
If Jacks felt the weight of that burden, he didnt really show it. He looked in good touch, making his way to 19 from 31 balls, before locking eyes with Harry Brook in the dugout and deciding he would also throw his hands at a wide one….oh god dont do this to me.
Jacks left root on 98*, Root having scored a flurry of boundaries to accelerate his way to three figures. Atkinson was the man to join him and only needed to negotiate one delivery, which he managed, Root on strike.
Dot, Wide, Dot…..FOUR TICKLED TO FINE LEG. ROOT HAS DONE IT.
The ecstasy of seeing Rooty finally ton up on Aussie soil was powerful, but not long lasting. Glancing down at the score, England were 256-7 and probably a fair way off par, it seemed inevitable from here we would max out at 280 and claim that was about right.
Atkinson and Carse seemed keen to run with that idea, both getting themselves out quickly and efficiently. Jofra, had other ideas.
You could see Stokes half considering a declaration before long, get a few overs in against the Aussies at night. Not a bad plan, but hard to pull that off when Root and Jof are mashing the ball all over the ground.
They ended the day with a 61 run partnership from just 43 balls, the Aussies did not look happy walking off the field, and will have to turn up again in the afternoon to bowl, will England make many more? probably not, but its always good to keep the oppo wondering.
How’s the rest of this test going to play out? I have two predictions, Head and Heart.
Head: Aussies put on 500, England collapse in the second dig, Aussies chasing maximum of 120 to finish the game day 3.
Heart:
England bowl the Aussies for 140, Bat again and make 450, bowl Australia for spit. Ashes back on.
God I love cricket.
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