I sat up on the sofa with a blanket over my legs like an old age pensioner that somebody had forgotten to put to bed. The build up on Sky Sports was like foreplay. However when Andrew Strauss cut the third delivery straight to Hussey in the gully it was as if I’d accidentally head butted my metaphorical partner and brought the titillation to an abrupt halt. The next two hours were a trial, knowing that any further wickets that fell were going to make the session a real struggle. Jonathan Trott came in and played a very un- Trott like innings. He scratched around as per normal but never really relaxed. He was lucky not to be out twice before Watson cleaned bowled him with one that nipped back a foot off the Gabba pitch. First he sent an edge to Haddin that was so thin it wasn’t visible to the human eye or apparent to the batsman himself. Technology provided us with the tiniest of hot spots and the faintest recognition from Snicko. He also enjoyed the benefit-of-doubt when a referred decision showed a Siddle delivery only just clipping his leg stump.
Enter KP and it wasn’t long before Punter threw the ball to Xavier Doherty to test our Kev’s resolve against some slow left arm bowling. His first ball was a ripper that bit back at Alistair Cook but after being stationed in the gully for the next over he juggled a regulation catch that should have seen Cook out cheaply too. At that stage it was likely his confidence could evaporate into the Queensland sky.
We made it to lunch on 74-2 and the session was the Aussies but only just. KP and Cook both looked good and with a decent second session we could have been well in the ascendancy. I went to bed and dreamt I was the England number 5 but I’d lost my pads when it was my turn to go in.
Perksy was kind enough to text me at 5am with an update. Again it seemed like a session just edged by the Aussies but at 174-4 things were well balanced. Incidentally it was Siddle and not Doherty that claimed KP’s scalp for 43. If we had one good partnership, we’d be well on the way. If something stupid happened like, say, Peter Siddle ripped though our middle order with a hat- trick we would be in a whole load of bother. I went back to sleep and dreamt I’d made it to the crease but my bat was too heavy to pick up as Shane Warne bowled at me from the Vulture Street End.
When I woke up to hear what had happened in the final session I was pretty crushed. As today has passed I’ve reflected more and discussed it with my close confidents. The main positive is Ian Bell. He never looked like getting out for Warwickshire in the last few weeks of the county season and he still looks like he’s in the form of his life. According to all the respectable newsmen he was nailed-on for a century had he not had to force the pace as the wickets fell. KP and Alistair Cook looked in good form too but it was disappointing neither made the most of the starts they got. As for Andrew Strauss: It happens. He’s in great form and will bounce back next time. Trott is a slight worry as he’s made double figures every innings on tour but not converted any as we’ve come to expect. Throughout our good recent run of form we have often relied on our lower middle- order to convert mediocre scores into respectable totals but an exceptional spell of bowling ripped through them and we now have to defend a substantially below par score. But for Pretty Peter Siddle's magic spell we'd be looking at 350 and feeling a lot happier.
Let’s hope Jimmy in particular takes note on where Siddle pitched those wicket taking deliveries. My genuine prediction from here is that a solid England bowling performance will restrict the inevitable first innings lead for the Floppy Greens before Andrew Strauss plays one of the great Ashes innings of all time to put England back on top.
I’m reversing my tactics tonight and getting an early night so I can be up to watch the last session of day 2. I’m at it again, however, imagining just how good I’ll feel if I wake up to see England batting again and not Australia 250 odd-2 or 3. Come on England. Do it for me, Princess Kate Middleton, Winston Churchill, Perksy, that gay lad off the X Factor from South Shields, Judas Priest, World Cup Willie and everyone else who represents what’s good about England!
there's no doubt that all the pre-match hype came crashing to an end after just three balls, and when my early alarm call awoke me to the completion of Siddle's hat-trick, the reality of facing Australia on home soil was never more real. they are good cricketers who will be tough to beat. but let's not forget that 4 of our test match centurions contributed just 4 runs... and we still managed to post 260. below par yes, but still in the game. siddle was excellent throughout, and you are right, jimmy needs to learn from his line and length. in my view, day 1 was the perfect start. just what we needed. a sobering reminder that this is not going to be an easy ride. we perform better as the underdog, and contrary to all press opininon, that's exactly what we are.
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