Gabba Test – Day 2: The beauty of Test cricket

Australia 295 (BJ Haddin 94) & 0/65 v England 136 (MG Johnson 4/61, RJ Harris 3/28)

A stunning hour of play where Australia took 6 English wickets for just 9 runs has turned a Test match and maybe a series on its head. At 2/82 England had work to do but were seemingly in control until Kevin Pietersen, whose scoring had been dried up by a miserly Ryan Harris, chipped the adopted Queenslander to George Bailey at mid wicket and was gone for 18. A fired up Mitchell Johnson went around the wicket to England opener Michael Carberry and after digging a few in at him slanted a delivery across the left hander which was edged to Watson at slip. We are seeing Good Mitch in this game, his bowling arm is at a good height and he’s bowling with pace and venom. There’s world of difference between Good Mitch and Bad Mitch. Enjoy Good Mitch while he’s here. Nathan Lyon, getting good bounce dismissed Ian Bell and Matt Prior in consecutive deliveries, both well caught by by Steve Smith at short leg. Good (Great?) Mitch removed Root, to another sharp Smith catch, this time at third slip and Swann as the tourists slumped to 8/91. The Barmy Army were silenced. England passed the follow-on score, it was an unthinkable scenario that the follow on would even be talked about an hour earlier, and it was Harris and Siddle who took the last two wickets. Harris finished with 3/28 off 15 probing overs, also taking Alistair Cook’s wicket for a sixth time at the start of the innings. The former South Australian has become Australia’s best and most reliable bowler. Johnson finished with 4/61 to go with his 64 runs on Day 1. Lyon justified his deserved selection and continued his good record at the Gabba with 2/17 off 9 overs, while Peter Siddle, who dropped a caught and bowled from the blade of Pietersen when the  ‘Englishman’ playing his 100th Test was on 8, took 1/24 off 11.4. Watto’s hammy was spared a stint at the bowling crease, a good result for Australia.

Earlier in the day Brad Haddin led Australia from 8/273 to 295 all out, a total that looked below par on a good batting pitch. The keeper was the last man out for 94 attempting an ambitious second run in his 50th Test match. The wicket of Ryan Harris gave Stuart Broad, cast as the Summer’s main villain, 6/61 and a loud chorus of boos as he held up the ball when leaving the field at innings end. Broad and his bowling mates have a big job ahead of them on Day 3 as Australia resume on 0/65 with Warner on 45 and looking in great touch, and Rogers on 15. But, as we saw on Day 2, a Test match can swing dramatically in just an hour of cricket. Don’t write off the Poms yet.

About Luke Reynolds

Cricket and Collingwood tragic. Twitter: @crackers134

Comments

  1. Reynolds and Curtain. Curtain and Reynolds. Has a nice ring to it. Straight man and dasher. Rogers and Warner.
    Are you available to open at Adelaide on December 5???
    Harms and Dawson will be at the Junction Oval.
    What is with these clouds and forecasts of rain at the Gabba today and tomorrow??##**!!

  2. Crikey, give a bloke some praise and it goes to his head. I just saw Rogers ‘get out shot’ back foot poke##@@***
    Do you need directions to get to the Junction Oval?

  3. Doh**##%%%@@@!!!

  4. Luke Reynolds says

    Rogers shot was bad. Watson’s disgraceful. I’d get my arse kicked by my captain if I played a shot like Watto.
    My cricket has been washed out today, enjoying watching the Test. Warner playing exactly the type of innings required.
    Always available to open PB

  5. Can’t kick his arse, he’d sook for a month.
    Watson is an athlete, not a cricketer.

  6. mickey randall says

    Shane Watson? Can we swap him for Tom Watson? Tim Watson? Mrs Watson?

  7. Malcolm Ashwood says

    Good succinct review of a amazing days play of test cricket fantastic result for us at least
    Thanks Luke

  8. Andrew Starkie says

    Test cricket at its best. Really enjoying tactics to Swann. Would’ve batted to stumps and then half an hour this morning to piss Poms off. 400 or 650, Cook wouldn’t chase, he’s been playing for a draw since end of first innings. Good to see Tremlett get wickts, means he has to play in Adelaide. As my junior coach used to say to me, Shit gets wickets. Love Harro, hope he rips through them today. Cmon Aussie!

  9. Super synopsis that. I turned on the radio on Friday arvo to find out what happened and Drew Morpeth and guest were banging on about golf swings! Thank The Lord for the Almanac.

  10. AS, if shit really got wickets, I’d be in the Test team.

  11. Andrew Starkie says

    Cookie, back in 87 I led the team off after taking 4-8 with my little leggies against Wesley on concrete matting and without even looking at me the coach muttered from the corner of his mouth ‘Shit gets wickets mate, shit gets wickets’.

  12. Was your coach Robert Walls?

  13. Andrew Starkie says

    no. funny

Leave a Comment

*