The Ashes – Fifth Test, Day 1: From The ABC and Others

I find myself in an unusual position today.  For the first time in a long while I will be watching a test match in Australia from the couch.

Old age seems to have caught up with me and after the wicket in Melbourne I have very much the same. No life in me but I will still be able to report.

Much of the main topic around Australia this morning would happen before the start of play.  Just who would open the batting for the ABC?

With the much vaunted, and rightly so, Gerard Whateley unavailable just who would get the important gig. Like the Australian 1 Day Squad will the selectors will be looking at the future?

Well instantly I know it is Alister Nicholson!   I know four Alister Nicholson’s (some Alistair) and this one is the boy from North West Tasmania who grew up wanting to call sport.  What is it about this part of Tasmania that they can produce sports callers of the ilk of Alister N, Tim Lane?

We wish him well as he opens the innings.  One good thing was that GW’s format was retained as in my humble opinion this has been a real plus.

I decide that I will have the sound down on TV and listen to the ABC sans advertisements. I have put up with it to the afternoon tea break but the ABC was too far advanced for the picture here in Mildura.  One good thing was that you could analyze a dismissal, a particular ball etc. at least 10 seconds before the picture came up.

Rain has delayed play until 12.40. The pitch looks pretty good with tinges of green. Whoever wins the toss will probably think twice though I am sure “honest Joe” will bat. He does and he does. Young spinner Crane comes into the English team in place of the injured Chris Woakes, who will be missed. Australia has Starc for Bird.

It has been a long while since Australia has gone through the series only making three changes.

FIRST SESSION

As has been their wont all through the series England has looked very comfortable with Stoneman in particular playing some classy shots but he gets out on 24.  Cummins makes one jag into his bat and he could not let it go and Paine took a comfortable catch.  England 1/28.

Likewise James Vince. Beautiful shot maker but given a break in play and he loses concentration and get out caught by Paine from Cummins flicking at one outside his off-stump.   25 and England 2/88.

Must say the advertisements are ad nauseam.  Makes me think that when Tim Lane left the ABC (I know exactly where I was when that happened!)  I thought the world had ended as I knew it.  And it did in some respect as when I heard Tim on commercial radio it wasn’t the Lane I knew. It was radio rentals Tim Qantas Lane on the mike. Never had I been so deflated but I still regard him as a great commentator and acquaintance.  Will the same happen with GW?  It will be interesting.

AN Cook continued from his five day appearance at the G and looked comfortable but this Australian fast attack gives you nothing and on 39 he got a beauty from Hazlewood, who had bowled very well, and goes LBW.  England 3/95.

Speaking of le trio enfant terrible has there ever been a better attacking triumvirate of quick bowlers in the one team for Australia?  West Indies probably had a better group in the seventies and eighties but these three young guys are terrific and never give their opponents a moment’s respite.

Root and Malan are not taking any chances and they move the score along to 3/132 at the second break.  The Australian attack continues to bowl a good line and length which is making it difficult for the batsmen to score freely.

SECOND SESSION

The two English batsmen are defiant with Root looking for runs more than his partner. This becomes more evident when Root is a metre behind Malan when the latter cuts to backward point.  A lucky escape as M. Marsh throws the ball to the wrong end.  Not that it is his fault.

Smith misses a difficult catch off Lyon as Malan get an edge but that looks like the only problems both batsmen had, as they confidently moved towards stumps.

Both batsmen continue on to make impressive fifties and at 3/220 ten minutes before stumps it looks like England’s day.

Then the predictable happens, as has been their wont, for England.

With three over of play left Smith decides to take the new ball. Root beautifully drives Starc for four, edges the next one between pads and wicket for four more and then spoons one to Mitch Marsh who takes a diving catch. Root out for 73, another century gone begging for the English captain 4/228.

Bairstow drives Starc for four and then gets a single.  Hazlewood bowls what is to be the last over. Bairstow (5) tickles the second ball to Paine and suddenly England are behind the eight ball at 5/233.

All the great work of Root 83 and Malan 55 not out had been undone in a matter of eight balls and Australia goes into the second day with the momentum going their way.

The bowlers as usual never gave up and Cummins and Hazlewood 2 and Starc 1 thoroughly deserved their wickets but four of the five Englishmen got themselves out.

And so ends my day on the couch.  For a purist not very satisfactory with much discontent about what I heard and didn’t hear throughout the day.  Then again I am a GOM.