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ASHES

First wicket of the Ashes: Matthew Hayden, bowled by Matthew Hoggard for a scratchy 12. Australia 1/35.

UPDATE. Two Australians were struck on the head in the first hour: Hayden, harmlessly, and Ricky Ponting, who has a substantial cut below his right eye. Justin Langer was hit hard above the elbow by Steve Harmison’s second ball.

In related news, Brett Lee is in the Australian team for the first time since January 2004.

UPDATE II. Australia now 4/66.

UPDATE III. Australia were 2/10 and facing a bouncer barrage in the first session of the 1974/5 series. Anyone remember what happened after that? When England batted?

UPDATE IV. Live Ashes blogging from Scott Wickstein.

UPDATE V. Australia all out for 190.

UPDATE VI. England 3/18; Glenn McGrath has all three wickets for just seven runs, which means 502 career wickets.

UPDATE VII. England 4/19. McGrath again; Bell out for 6. Big-hitters Flintoff and Pieterson now at the crease. McGrath’s figures: eight overs, four maidens, four wickets, seven runs.

UPDATE VIII. England 5/21. McGrath again; Flintoff out for 0, bowled by a ball that cut and kept strangely low. This pitch is playing like a fourth-day MCG wicket in 1981.

Posted by Tim B. on 07/21/2005 at 05:09 AM

  1. Wana bet? I’ll back out the Poms, for penalties.

    Posted by Habib on 2005 07 21 at 06:14 AM • permalink

  2. once again its the ozzie and we the motherland are wasting chances..it should be for 3, a run out and a drop, but not to worry if we cant bowl them out hammy will have to put them in hospital instead.

    Posted by owls001 on 2005 07 21 at 06:36 AM • permalink

  3. Head strikes already, eh? Sounds like a bit of Jardine mongrel might be back in the English camp.

    I reluctantly agree with one of the entries in this Independent ‘What’s so great about Australia?’ piece.

    Bodyline - what was wrong with it?

    For a nation which complains about Whingeing Poms, a surprising amount of noise was made by the Australians in 1932 when an England side won the Ashes thanks the use of a new tactic of bowling directly at the body of the batsman. England captain, Douglas Jardine, said Bodyline was within the rules, adding: “I’ve not travelled 6,000 miles to make friends. I’m here to win the Ashes.” When he did, such was the level of Aussie pique, diplomats had to intervene to prevent a political rift.

    Via J.F. Beck.

    Posted by C.L. on 2005 07 21 at 06:48 AM • permalink

  4. Cant wait to see an older, wiser, faster and fitter hammy at the Waca in 18 months time.

    Posted by owls001 on 2005 07 21 at 06:52 AM • permalink

  5. australia has picked several players who are out of form because they are mates. Players in form have been ignored. we will suffer accordingly.

    Posted by Astonished on 2005 07 21 at 06:52 AM • permalink

  6. Lemme get this straight ;
    The Poms are bowling bouncers at the Ozzies. Haven’t they realised that Brett Lee is back in the side?
    This I must watch.

    Posted by gubbaboy on 2005 07 21 at 07:17 AM • permalink

  7. Bret “colgate” Lee, bowls beamers, then he gets flustered, then his radar goes, then hes out of the side, when was the last time OZ bowled mother england out by the way?

    Posted by owls001 on 2005 07 21 at 07:26 AM • permalink

  8. 5/87 now.

    And owls001, England were bowled out in 9 of their 10 innings during the last Ashes series (2002-03) - in the other one, they declared at 9 down. In the one-day series that year, Australia took 35 wickets in the four matches.

    This season, we’ve taken 26 wickets in under 154 overs in three one-day games against England - that’s a wicket every 35 balls on average. Only 35 one-day bowlers with more than 167 overs under their belt have strike rates better.

    So to answer your question, the last time we bowled you out was in Australia in early 2003, when we did it 11 times from 14 one-day or test match opportunities (plus two lots of 9 wickets). Australia has bowled less than 250 overs to England since then.

    Posted by Leigh on 2005 07 21 at 07:41 AM • permalink

  9. I wouldn’t read too much into the score, England have had plenty of luck in the first session.

    Langer is caught on a no ball and Clarkes LBW was pretty tough. They are riding their luck, but it won’t last for 5 tests, just as it didn’t in the ODI’s.

    Posted by Nuffy on 2005 07 21 at 07:47 AM • permalink

  10. I just want to say the SBS coverage of the ashes includes serious stupid Anti Howard and anti Bush propoganda and it makes me seroiusly peed off.  SBS should be bombed by terrorists.  it would be good for them.

    Posted by Blindside on 2005 07 21 at 07:48 AM • permalink

  11. Nuffy’s hit the nail on the head. I’m liveblogging it at http://www.ubersportingpundit.com

    Posted by Scott W on 2005 07 21 at 07:49 AM • permalink

  12. Also Owls, did you say you want to see Harmison at the WACA, 6mths ago he couldn’t hit the pitch, whats to say he’ll be in the team in 18 mths

    Bit early to be getting cocky isn’t it?

    Posted by Nuffy on 2005 07 21 at 07:51 AM • permalink

  13. interesting that the out of form players made no runs (hayden/ponting/clarke) whilst the in form players like hussey are back in australia. the out of form bowlers like gillespie will i am sure give england plenty of runs. the selectors are englands secret weapon.

    Posted by Astonished on 2005 07 21 at 07:59 AM • permalink

  14. I’ll agree that Hayden is lean, Ponting’s coming off a century and Clarke got a fair dinkum roughie, I hope Koertzen gives the same decisions for us.

    Its a bit early to be hitting the panic button isn’t it “astonished”

    Posted by Nuffy on 2005 07 21 at 08:04 AM • permalink

  15. Hold your dicks.  Australia went to tea at 8 for 92 on the first day of the Edgbaston test in 1997.  We ended up kicking their arses in the series.  There’s still 5 tests minus one session to play.

    Posted by murph on 2005 07 21 at 08:07 AM • permalink

  16. I’ll hit the panic button when England take a 150+ run first innings lead.

    But Gillespie hasn’t earned his spot in the team with his performances this tour, and Hussey should be there ahead of Clarke and Hayden. Dropping these guys would do them the world of good.

    Posted by Leigh on 2005 07 21 at 08:16 AM • permalink

  17. edgbastion 97 was a green top only an incompetent suicidal decision by a captain under individual pressure (taylor) inflicted the 8 for 92 result and england are a much better team now than they were then.

    Posted by Astonished on 2005 07 21 at 08:18 AM • permalink

  18. a young in form bradman wouldnt get a run in the current team because he wasnt an established player. think about that.

    Posted by Astonished on 2005 07 21 at 08:19 AM • permalink

  19. And for our American audience, this is why Abner Doubleday invented baseball… on our country, a “Silly middle off” means liposuction…

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 07 21 at 09:18 AM • permalink

  20. >>>This season, we’ve taken 26 wickets in under 154 overs in three one-day games against England <<< and did you bowl them out?

    This is 2005, by the way, not 2003 or indeed 1997, this england side are the real deal, if they get ahead they might just keep it.

    Posted by owls001 on 2005 07 21 at 09:25 AM • permalink

  21. Australia all out 190. Really disappointing, that. However, still a lot of cricket to be played, and plenty of twists and turns; that is the nature of Test cricket.

    Posted by Scott W on 2005 07 21 at 09:54 AM • permalink

  22. I’m shattered.
    I’m going off to sulk.

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2005 07 21 at 09:58 AM • permalink

  23. Poms 5-21!
    I am restored.
    No longer sulking,

    Posted by Pedro the Ignorant on 2005 07 21 at 11:25 AM • permalink

  24. So much for sleep- my phone won’t stop with the SMS messages.

    Sleep when I’m dead, I guess. McGrath’s just magnificent.

    Posted by Scott W on 2005 07 21 at 11:37 AM • permalink

  25. owls001,

    You’re now 5/25 at drinks. Is that far enough “ahead” for England?

    Astonished,

    Still want to tout Australia’s complete weakness, horrible team and England’s better team? We’re two wickets away from getting to a guy who would bat number 11 in the Australian team.

    Never doubt Glenn McGrath.

    Posted by Leigh on 2005 07 21 at 11:42 AM • permalink

  26. When McGrath’s in form, he’s really in form.

    Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 07 21 at 12:02 PM • permalink

  27. Hey do the crickers know what the hell is going on in London?

    Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 07 21 at 12:06 PM • permalink

  28. I’d presume so, Aging Gamer.

    Posted by Leigh on 2005 07 21 at 12:08 PM • permalink

  29. If I may do so, can I recommend following the Guardian’s on-line commentary of the cricket? It’s probably the only intentionally funny piece they do.

    Posted by brucey bonus on 2005 07 21 at 04:57 PM • permalink

  30. Well I think that first day of play shows one thing. If England’s four prong trundler attack gets first use of a bouncy green-top it can get a few wickets before totalling capitulating to the better team.

    Posted by Francis H on 2005 07 21 at 05:43 PM • permalink

  31. Turned the radio off with us all out for 190 and the Poms 0 for 10.
    Woke up to 7 for 92 and God back in his heaven. Aint life grand.
    I reckon our blokes do it on purpose just to get the Poms all excited before totally deflating them.
    Ponting won the toss remember. The old saying goes that 99 times out of a 100 if you win the toss you bat. The other time you think about it and then bat anyway.
    Imagine the carnage if the Poms had batted first?
    And hey, how come there are no seppos posting here.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 07 21 at 06:55 PM • permalink

  32. There must have been plenty of beer drunk at Lords. Peter Roebuck in the SMH reported that by lunch, the crowd was “in a ferment”.

    Posted by kywong73 on 2005 07 22 at 12:06 AM • permalink

  33. Easy to see Roebuck filed his copy at tea, or earlier.
    No suggestion there of what McGrath had in store for them.

    Posted by Harold on 2005 07 22 at 12:25 AM • permalink

  34. oooh day 2- pietersen has proved what all knowledgeable cricket fans already knew - he’s a mindless slogger with a good eye who’ll have a decent innings now and then when his luck is in.

    why ponting gave lee that over and took warney off i don’t know.

    Posted by Francis H on 2005 07 22 at 06:51 AM • permalink

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