A nice ‘Welcome home Dazzler ‘ on the Yorkshire CCC website this morning recapturing Goughie’s career. Our friends over the Pennines might have had ‘Freddie’ Flintoff as their magnificent all rounder, whilst our neighbours up north have their equally fine all-rounder in Ben Stokes, but the Barnsley Dazzler from God’s own country was also a fine all-rounder, maybe not quite as good a batsman as Freddie or Stokesey, but he certainly ‘dazzled’ the nation on the dance floor when he won Strictly Come Dancing in 2005 and also the Christmas Show that year, as well as becoming a member of the Strictly touring show.
Welcome home for the 3rd time, Daz for your hardest venture yet!
Outplayed in all forms of cricket, catching, fielding, bowing and batting, I can see another Aussie whitewash. The Brisbane Test is always the test match that sets up the season. Only divine intervention can save England after today’s second horror show in succession. The only crumb of comfort is that Travis Head had played part of a season recently for Yorkshire. Sadly even Joe Root’s captaincy must now come into question.
I half expected that the test match might have been over by this morning, so must eat humble pie. A terrific comeback from Joe Root and Dawid Malan. Australia still in the box seat with the new ball due in 10 overs, but if England can somehow reach somewhere approaching 500 with the pitch showing a bit of wear could England replicate the Headingley test of 40 years ago? A far fetched dream perhaps and probably unlikely, but one never knows. At least England have shown some grit and made the Aussies look ordinary.
It's going to be fine.
Malan will go on to make 120, losing his wicket just before lunch. Root makes a double and Stokes and Buttler add another 100 between them. A handy cameo from Woakes sees us bowled out at stumps with a lead of 250.
Australia try to blow us away in the first session of day 5 but lose quick wickets, falling to 50-3 by mid-morning. Steve Smith proves obstinate and his teammates seem content just to stay in and let him tick the scoreboard over. It's 160-6 at tea.
Smith goes onto make his hundred but the sides have to settle for an enthralling draw in the end, with England feeling the better for it.
Lovely.
Either that or England are all out by lunch tomorrow and it's game over!
And there was I going to sit up through the night to watch. Won't be bothering now I know you've spoiled it all by letting us know what is going to happen 🤔
The secret to England's success is my deciding to go to sleep. The first 2 days of this game I stayed up all night, with an obvious lack of success on the field. For day 3, I stayed up to watch some of the Aussie batting but it looked like going on forever, so I switched off and decided instead to lie in the arms of Hypnos.
Imagine my pleasure, therefore, to wake up this morning in time to hear that Malan and Root had put on about 160 undefeated for the 3rd wicket. At that stage there were only 2 balls left in the day's play. Probably better for me to repeat the exercise tonight/tomorrow.
The difficult decision is whether or not to stay up for an hour or so, maybe to see Malan & Root to get their centuries and set the game up nicely. Of course that might be tempting fate and, if things go wrong, the game will be decided well within the hour. Decisions, decisions....
Experienced England watchers knew very well what would happen. We’ve all seen it so often before. England look as if they’ve played themselves back into the game, then they disappoint us all by blowing it all away again. Aaaaarrrggghh. Infuriating batsmanship once again today.
That puts us under real pressure. If we lose another test we have to win 3 more to win back the Ashes. I’m ever the optimist, but even I think that’s not on the cards with this squad.
Have England any chance of salvaging draw in the Adelaide test to keep this series alive? Well, for what it’s worth are my observations having watched the 90 minutes highlights on BT Sport this morning. England have been a tad unlucky today, bowled quite tidily before the first break by restricting Australia to less than 300 and taking 3 wickets in the bargain.
1.The bowlers beat the bat on several occasions, but when the batsmen did manage to get bat onto ball the positioning of the slips were at least a metre too far back and several times the ball didn’t carry and also left too much of a gap between Wicket keeper, first and second slip not resulting in several unnecessary boundaries but also bouncing too far forward when catches might have been available.
2. England’s bowlers at least twice overstepped the batting crease mark resulting in no-balls. That was a total of 11 in the innings and resulted twice in wicket decisions going against the team. Ben Stokes and Ollie Robinson were the main culprits, what’s more I seem to remember when a no-ball was given if the bowler overstepped the line of the stumps. Freddie Trueman usually released the ball adjacent to the stumps and dragged his right foot beyond the batting crease because he had enough pace in his delivery to worry the batsmen, whilst Brian Statham and Alec Bedser very rarely bowled a wide. Also Trueman especially in his latter years often bowled round the wicket which might negate lbw awards but helped the ball to swing towards the slip cauldron. I didn’t see any bowler use that method in this innings, that’s why we need left arm bowlers in the side especially leg break bowlers like Liam Livingstone in the side.
3. Rory Burns might be a fine opening batsman in one-day cricket but he never will be a test batsman. But who’s the alternative? Joe Root started out as an opening batsman, as did Michael Vaughan, but we don’t appear to have found one decent opening batsman since Alistair Cook, Andrew Strau
Have England any chance of salvaging draw in the Adelaide test to keep this series alive? Well, for what it’s worth are my observations having watched the 90 minutes highlights on BT Sport this morning. England have been a tad unlucky today, bowled quite tidily before the first break by restricting Australia to less than 300 and taking 3 wickets in the bargain.
1.The bowlers beat the bat on several occasions, but when the batsmen did manage to get bat onto ball the positioning of the slips were at least a metre too far back and several times the ball didn’t carry and also left too much of a gap between Wicket keeper, first and second slip not resulting in several unnecessary boundaries but also bouncing too far forward when catches might have been available.
2. England’s bowlers at least twice overstepped the batting crease mark resulting in no-balls. That was a total of 11 in the innings and resulted twice in wicket decisions going against the team. Ben Stokes and Ollie Robinson were the main culprits, what’s more I seem to remember when a no-ball was given if the bowler overstepped the line of the stumps. Freddie Trueman usually released the ball adjacent to the stumps and dragged his right foot beyond the batting crease because he had enough pace in his delivery to worry the batsmen, whilst Brian Statham and Alec Bedser very rarely bowled a wide. Also Trueman especially in his latter years often bowled round the wicket which might negate lbw awards but helped the ball to swing towards the slip cauldron. I didn’t see any bowler use that method in this innings, that’s why we need left arm bowlers in the side especially leg break bowlers like Liam Livingstone in the side.
3. Rory Burns might be a fine opening batsman in one-day cricket but he never will be a test batsman. But who’s the alternative? Joe Root started out as an opening batsman, as did Michael Vaughan, but we don’t appear to have found one decent opening batsman since Alistair Cook, Andrew Strauss or Michael Atherton, never mind opening partnerships like Geoff Boycott and John Edrich, or going back in time to Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook.
4. Despite England having lost 2 wickets already maybe England’s luck has changed wth losing 18 overs play in floodlit conditions. Presumably there will be an earlier start tomorrow with England playing in less hot but sunny conditions forecast, and our batsmen more refreshed. They certainly looked jaded especially in the final 10 overs which resulted in the concession 83 runs as Australia went into one-day slogging mode against a tired looking England side resulting in England needing to score a total of 274 runs to avoid the follow on. It’s a tall order but essential that England do so. The wicket is still a good batting one and there’s no reason why England can’t score upwards of 350 runs in their second innings. They can’t possibly win this test match but a draw would be a good result to stay only 1-0 down going into the Melbourne test on Boxing Day where England play reasonably well as they also do at Sydney. If they could go to Hobart all square where the conditions are more like English-like one never know what might happen. As I wrote earlier it’s a very tall order, that’s what tomorrow’s play might well keep the series or even the Ashes alive. I’m not forecasting that England will draw the current test match as the pitch will likely take spin on the last 2 days, but although Australia are overwhelming favourites to take a 2-0 lead, all is certainly not lost until the fat lady sings.
Apologies for repeating part of this blog, but although I was logged in when I started, towards the end I was required to sign in again.
Ken,
I missed the first session today (Friday in UK) but watched the second session on BTSport on my phone, and also watched the early part but then listened to most of the last session on 5LiveSportsExtra. As to the points you made:
1. I agree our slip fielders were too deep. The view of those on the radio was that the slips were fine for the Aussies when England batted because THEIR bowlers were 10kph or so faster than ours (so the edges would carry that extra yard or so). It would have been different if Wood had been playing for us because he is genuinely fast. You'd think at the intervals (even drinks) someone in the technical team - even the coach - watching live and with access to laptops etc, would have pointed this out to Rooty.
2. The overstepping is becoming an epidemic. On the one hand you could say it is lack of disclipline though I accept fast bowlers occasionally go over the mark especailly if straining for that bit of extra pace or bounce - but it shouldn't become a habit. The umpires are not giving "no ball" now from overstepping - I guess unless it was grossly obvious - but rely instead on the replay and DRS if a wicket falls. That is annoying if a seemingly good wicket is chalked off because, on the replay, it was clearly a no-ball. But it is also unfair on the batting team which is losing out on the extra runs the no balls would give.
3. Unless by some miracle Rory Burns managed a century in the 2nd innings, I doubt he's going to be in the team for the 3rd Test. I suspect Alistair Cook could still do a job if he wanted to. I agree we are strapped for decent openers. The regularity of our starting the innings with a collapse, so we are 17-2 or 30-3, means that Rooty is effectively an opening batsman by default and Stokes (now he is back) isn't far behind him.
4. The game is NOT over but clearly we are right up against it. You can't have a decent Test team which relies so much on one batsman (Root) and one all-rounder (Stokes) however good those two players are. Of the ones floating around the Test team, I'd like to have a proper look at Dan Lawrence as a batsman. But to bring this back to the 2nd Test, if we are to put up a fight, the batsmen will have to bat as if it is a Test Match not a limited overs game. Root is clearly a great batsman and Stokes is the next best - he can stick around, defend and earn the right still to be at the crease in 2 hours' time, by which stage he has the measure of the (then tired) bowlers, and can change up through the gears, he can take charge and dominate. There is also the need, when playing defensively against good bowling, to take the singles when available - in the way Bairstow and Root do when they bat together. Keeps the scoreboard ticking over, gives the batsmen confidence, breaks up the bowlers' rhythm (if you've spent 3 balls attempting to set up the bastman by bowling slightly short-of-a-length inswingers before your planned pitched-up away swinger, it's a bit of a b***er if the batsman has managed to get up to the other end off the 3rd ball). I womnder what the coaches are coaching.
If we managed to get away with a draw from this game (I know, it's not the most likely outcome) it would REALLY be like a punch to the Aussie guts. But to do that, the batsmen have to bat. My fingers are crossed and it's only 3 hours away now.
I was mollified when I woke up during the night to see that Malan and Root had just completed a century partnership, but as per usual England’s middle order collapsed whilst Australia’s excelled. With the new ball soon due as I write I can’t see England avoiding the follow on now. In any case with Nathan Lyon now finding some turn it’s going to be difficult for Ben Stokes to score 60-odd more runs before he runs out of partners. This test match might now end in an innings defeat and the precursor of another whitewash.
Ben Stokes now clean bowled by Cameron Green, all over bar the shouting?
Having seen the play so far on Day 3 with England 236 all out, I think the youngsters would say "OMG". But after a good partnership again between Yorkshire's Malan + Root, the collapse inevitably followed. Our wickets don't fall in ones and twos but in clusters - or maybe an avalanche. Not a good start to the weekend so let's hope MFC can restore a smile.
@ken: Didn't see your post before I put my post up. Yes, depressing isn't it?
Showers with sunny spells forecast for Adelaide tomorrow, but Sunday no problem with rain. I know, clutching at straws!
An interesting story on Football Focus today about Brazilian club Sporting Club Paulista from São Paulo for whom Juninho played. However they were formed in 1910 having been inspired by a tour of one of England’s oldest amateur clubs London based Corinthians FC, and the Brazilian side so much liked the idea of being called Corinthians that they adopted that word in English in their name of Corinthians Sporting Club de São Paulo.
However the London based club later amalgamated with The Casuals and are now known as Corinthian-Casuals playing in the 7th tier of England’s pyramid system in the Isthmian League. This immediately rang a bell with me as I remember Bishop Auckland beating Corinthian-Casuals
4-1 in a replay of the 1956 FA Amateur Cup Final at Ayresome Park before a large crowd of over 29,000.
Apologies to have inadvertently posted this story on the cricket page.
How brave was Joe Root this morning in obvious pain after being hit in the abdomen in the last over of the day. A lesser man might have temporarily retired hurt and sent in a night watchman, but realising that a lower ranked batsman wouldn’t be able to cope with Mitchell Starc or the pitch, carried on batting. It’s reminiscent of the bodyline series when England’s Haro
How brave was Joe Root this morning in obvious pain after being hit in the abdomen in the last over of the day. A lesser man might have temporarily retired hurt and sent in a night watchman, but realising that a lower ranked batsman wouldn’t be able to cope with Mitchell Starc or the pitch, carried on batting. It’s reminiscent of the bodyline series when England’s Harold Larwood had the Aussies jumping around in pain. But is it fair or is the pitch becoming unplayable?
If this had happened on the first day the match might well have been unfit for purpose which occurred in Kingston, Jamaica in 1998 and abandoned. Just a shame that Joe Root couldn’t see out another 4 balls.
Ken, I think Joe Root had been hit in that very same tender place earlier in the day, in the nets, when he wasn't wearing that piece of equipment which on BTSport they referred to as an "abdominal protector". He had missed fielding for some part of Australia's 2nd innings as a result. He wasn't running freely when he did bat, and that was before he was hit on the 2nd occasion.
For some reason whenever a bastman is hit in that place, everyone sniggers (and I have to say that although as a reflex action I inevitably put my hand in front of my face when it happens, it is also to hide a smile). Should there be any females who read the blog, I'd add that, even if wearing a "box", when you are hit there you KNOW what is going to happen.
The reaction tends to be delayed. There is impact, followed in my case by a retreat a few yards square of the wicket whilst waiting. Initially there is a gentle dull ache (about 1 on the Richter scale), followed by an increasing uprising of stomach-churning unhappiness (moving quickly up to 10 on the Richter scale after about 10 seconds, so you might think you are about to vomit). At this stage I would normally be on my knees, the move to the side having achieved at least the aim of NOT collapsing onto the stumps when the full wave strikes. It would also NOT be a good idea to leave the remnants of lunch on the wicket, so the move to the side is at least a sensible preventative measure.
Even if it is a slow bowler, the same procedure applies. With an international FAST bowler.... the mind boggles. I cannot imagine why anyone would go out there (in the nets or otherwise) without a Box. Bruising may appear over the next couple of days and it might look as if Joe has been the subject of torture.
I winced when I saw it happen and it was obviously a BAD one because of the way he crumpled up. If that had been some of the footballers struck in an equivalent way, the players would still be rolling on the ground as I type this (6 hours after the event?).
Apparently because England have been deducted 8 points for bowling slow over rates at Brisbane means that England are now down to 7th in the World Test Cricket Rankings just ahead of Bangladesh. This does seem a draconian decision to me considering that our only real spinner Jack Leach was hit all over the stadium. I’m wondering if consideration is taken into retrieving the ball from the crowd. Also I’m wondering if the use of more overs in the current test match bowled by Joe Root, Dawid Malan being introduced today, and even OlIie Robinson bowling several overs of off-spin have something to do with trying not to incur more penalty points. England are almost certain to lose this current test match, so it is imperative that they not only speed up their over rate, but that also that they win at least one test match to climb the ‘League Table’ especially after losing the home series against India last year.
Can you imagine the furore that would create if football teams were deducted points for slowing down the taking of dead ball situations or other time-wasting situations?
Sad to hear of the death of Ray Illingworth CBE at the age of 89 a stalwart of Yorkshire cricket and the last England captain to win the ashes in Australia. His record of scoring 24,134 runs and taking 2,072 wickets is quite impressive but in a different era when the County Championship meant something he completed the double of scoring 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets in a season 5 times in his career. He went on to captain Leicestershire also, a county who had been regular wooden spoonists and established them as one-day Sunday League champions as he did for Yorkshire when he later returned to the county of his birth and eventually became Chairman of selectors to the England team in 1994. He died after battling against esophageal cancer.
May he now rest in peace.
At least we have some cricket to watch this week, even though England can’t regain the Ashes. Joe Root has ended the year with 1,708 runs in Test cricket, a total only exceeded by Viv Richards and Mohammad Yousuf and despite winning only one of his last 12 Test Matches as captain, is nevertheless England’s most successful captain with 27 wins in 59 matches. It is hardly his fault that batting wise he has been streets ahead of any other batsmen in the country. As for his future who could possibly replace him as captain, and what difference would it make anyway? Come on Geoff Boycott, who have you in mind?
The trouble with cricket now is that the County Championship has been downgraded to fixtures being played at the beginning of the season and at the end of the season. There’s no continuity any more. I admit that attendances are now sparse with a few exceptions, but we have come to the stage where the summer months have too many one-day competitions. How on earth can anyone support the Hundred is beyond my comprehension. Just a gimmick to bring in bigger crowds in my opinion. I do enjoy limited over cricket, but there’s too much of it now. It’s a completely different sport to the County Championship and not the way to produce Test Match players. Could you imagine rugby 7 a side being the way to produce international players, or 5 a side football for that matter the basis for selecting international footballers? It would be like having the Raving Looney Party as the Government of the Country. Oh, hang on what have I just written?
How true, the game has lost its identity in the search for novelty. Perhaps the counties should go and amalgamate into bigger areas like Australian 'States'. The organisers certainly need to revise their approach to give the game more purpose.
Happy New Year to and stay safe.
UTB,
John
One aspect of English cricket I always disapproved of was the introduction of centralised contracts for the English team. With that, at a stroke was lost the flexibility to easily and readily drop out of form players. Where is the incentive for players to perform at their peak for England ever time they play without the real prospect of being immediately dropped by players in form for their county?...and the other way around, what an incentive for players in the County Championship that knowing if you are at the top of your game, you have a realistic chance of selection for England.
Another impact of having your players contracted to England has been a hugely reduced number of games thet these 'elite' players actually play for their counties. So County fixtures became, overnight almost, far less attractive for people to attend.
Great recovery from England to avoid the follow-on after another dismal start to the day. Unless the weather intervenes England are still likely to lose the 4th Test but at least we showed some fight and the first century from an England player in the series from Jonny-come-lately Bairstow, and a wonderful partnership of 129 from him and Ben Stokes, two players suffering with injuries especially the latter who looked in agony with every six he scored. Also credit to Mark Wood for a belligerent attack on Aussie captain Pat Cummins with 3 sixes in one over. Three players with Northern grit showing that aggression can be the way to play the Aussie attack. I’m especially pleased for Bairstow who has had a lean time of it recently.
,
Just a question from a foreigner, do they play top level cricket in Scotland? Or in Ireland?
Cricket in Finland is reasonably new. I went to see the Finnish Championship final a few years back. I think 99 % of the players in the local leagues have been born abroad. A lot in India and Pakistan.
I talked to the chairman of the Finnish Assosiation, he was from Manchester and has lived quite a long time in Finland. He was explaing the rules in Finnish to the spectators.
There is only one dedicated cricket field in Finland. It is just a 10 km away from where I like in a town called Kerava - close to the Greater Helsinki area. I try to cycle past it once or twice a year to see them practising.
Up the Boro and Yorkshire CCC!
Hi Jarkko.
First class status is granted by the ICC and there are certain conditions to be met to qualify as "First-Class", including that a match is scheduled to be played over at least 3 days, with each side having up to 2 innings.
IRELAND
Ireland has the Inter Provincial Championship to which the ICC granted "First-Class" status to from 2017. There are only three teams in this championship, nonetheless it has "First-Class" status.
Ireland also has an international side that was awarded "Test" status in 2017, playing its maiden "Test Match" in 2018 against Pakistan.
SCOTLAND
Scotland does not have a "First-Class" championship, although there are several regional leagues and national cup competitions, but all of these are "one-day" or "limited over" formats, including now a T20 competition. [I should say, there are both men's and women's competitions !]
Scotland also has an international side, but not "Test" status. It is an associate member of the ICC and does take part in international limited over competitions
I remember the shock news when David Bairstow committed suicide in 1998 but didn’t realise that his son Jonny’s century today has come just two days later than the anniversary of his father’s death. Sometimes sport can turn sadness into happiness several years later, but I’m sure that was an inspirational relief for Jonny so near to what was the saddest day of his life 24 years ago.