Act II, Scene IV

I am breaking a cardinal rule: I am writing about day four before it is over. Australia are 191 for 8 and it is 17:37 in London and there is at most 53 more minutes of play and I have a busy afternoon planned so I thought I would go ahead and get this post out. That was a weird sentence.

I have this nagging feeling of disappointment when I think about these Ashes. I was really looking forward to this series and now it is for all intents and purposes over only nine days in. And that’s a shame. I mean, great for England and their supporters, but a shame for Australia and their supporters as well as a shame for us neutrals.

…Anderson just bowled Siddled with a beauty of an in-swinger and Australia are nine down…

Lots of talk about how poor Australia have been, and they really have been poor, but this England team is also very good, and as with all sports cricket runs downhill and with the momentum gained in the first Test and the momentum gained in this Test the gap between the two sides just continues to widen…I think there will probably be a draw in one of the final three Tests, but a five-nil whitewash is also very much in the cards.

…England are on the verge and the crowd is rising with every delivery. This is fun to watch.

…It would be a shame if this went to a day five. England deserve to win today and to win in front of this crowd…Sunday afternoon at Lord’s, packed house, brilliant sunshine, the 21st of July, about to go two-nil up in the Ashes…dream scenario for Cook and his team…

…Nightmare scenario for Australia…

…Broad just laid it all out to stop a boundary and I think that sums up England’s play: up by 380+ with only one wicket left to get, and yet England are still playing hard, still putting the pressure on. Yes, their cricket can be boring but it is also very effective…

…That said, Australia are continuing to fight; Pattinson and and Harris are not just trying to stay alive, they also look to be interested in scoring a few runs…

…Take the new ball, Alastair…

…The members really don’t have that great of seats in the long room. I wouldn’t want to watch through windows like that…

…Alastair took the new ball; not long left now surely…

…Four slips. I love an attacking field…

…Cook gives Broad the new ball. Two overs left but England will probably take the extra half hour. I would have gone with Bresnan…

…A huge LBW appeal turns into four leg byes…

…If only Australia’s top order batsmen had just half the heart and discipline and spirit that Australia’s low order batsmen have had this entire series…

…Thanks to the commentary team, I now know when the number below the badge on the England kits means. Cook’s is 630, so he is the 630th cricketer to play for the England’s Test side. And now you know, too…

…England have taken the extra half hour; I have this feeling we are going to have play tomorrow. Harris and Pattinson look settled…

…Supposed to be 34 degrees tomorrow in London – would be the hottest ever Test match at Lord’s…That’s a tad over 93 degrees for my American friends…

…Put a leg slip in, Alastair…

…Another LBW appeal that was not even close. How is appealing for a LBW when it is obviously not out any different than Broad not walking after an obvious nick? I think people just like to dislike Stuart Broad…

…10th wicket partnership: 38 runs and 40 minutes and 53 balls…now they just need to keep this up for another six overs today…and 90 more tomorrow…

…I will say it again: great spirit from Australia’s lower order…

…it’s all gone a bit flat…

…England are getting frustrated…

…231/9 and five overs left…

…Four slips in for England…

…The crowd has had too much sun and too much beer; they are flatter than the pitch right now…

…England really seem to have no interest in taking this wicket. There is no chatter, no life, no movement…

…Joe Root is a great story and a nice little player but I wish he would get some different sun glasses…

…Four overs left…if this was day five it would be the greatest Test match ever…

…Crowd has come back into it a bit; three overs left in the day…

…Three overs left until the dog gets his lunchtime walk…

…Two overs left…

…Broad around the wicket…

…Cook looks tired and frustrated…

…If this goes to a day five, I will have to rewrite my concluding paragraphs…

…Six balls left…

…And that’s that! Swann gets Pattinson plumb LBW and no reviews left for Australia and England win.

…as I mentioned on Twitter “No Reviews Available” should be the title of the book that dissects Australia’s performance in this series…

…Congrats, England, a comprehensive win but great fight from Harris and Pattinson.

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And that’s that, England are two-nil up and cruising. Here’s hoping Australia have a nice relaxing vacation on the south coast and come back roaring in Manchester. I am not ready to give up on this series quite yet.

My one last thought is how satisfying this must be for England fans. After the horrible 90s, and that horrible 5-0 white wash in 06-07, it must be so fun for English cricket supporters to watch their team humiliate Australia.

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I am going to take a bit of a hiatus from writing here. Just a short one, as I will be back for the third Test on August 1st. This is the first summer in a very long time where I do not have some time consuming activity happening on top of everything else, and so I decided back in late June to hold off on a few things and just really live a life of leisure. And while this blog is mostly for fun, I also do stress about it now and again and so I thought I would take a break from the blog, as well.

Thank you for reading, and see ya on the first of August.