Thursday, December 16, 2010

Australia v England, third Test, day one report The Ashes 2010

Australia v England, third Test, day one report The Ashes 2010 : If, for the first hour of the second day, England’s opening pair of Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook continue to leave the ball as well as they have done so far, only something on the lines of deus ex machine can stop England taking an unbreakable grip on this game - and the Ashes.

Australia’s batsmen should be better at leaving the ball in Perth, but their minds are confused and only Michael Hussey showed them how. England’s preparation, yet again, has been admirable: they have discovered the formula of making the utmost of what they have.

Thanks to this fundamental incompetence of Australia’s batsmen, the opening hour was almost as dramatic as in Adelaide. The difference was that Strauss sent Australia in this time: if he had any doubts about bowling first on a relatively well-grassed pitch, then a glance at Ponting’s teamsheet just before the toss would have allayed them.

If all were to go wrong, and England had to bat out for a draw, they would have no specialist spinner to face in their fourth innings on a pitch that looks as though it will hold together. Read More....

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