the ashes
2015
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The Second Test
I have to confess to delaying writing
this about this particular cricket match
for some strange reason; maybe it’s
because I’m not relishing reliving my
day at the Home of Cricket. Lords is the
one ground I had no control over when
it came to which day/days I attended the
test match.
It’s all about the ballot and my pot luck
gave me Day 4. Before the Ashes started I
told myself I wanted to be at every venue
and that I might have to accept seeing
great cricket played by the Australians
rather than England.
I was slightly worried to have three Day
4’s amongst my 12 after the horror that
was the Ashes Down Under. However the
cricket played against New Zealand and a
wonderful win in Cardiff saw me add Day
5 to my Ashes haul. Clearly I was hopeful!
I wonder if the fate of the game was again
decided by the toss of a coin - Michael
10 Issue 09
Clarke won that, apparently deciding to
change his standard call of tails, naturally
he chose to bat. To say they made the most
of things would be a total understatement
- batting on what was purportedly a flat
wicket they amassed a huge 566 for 8
declared.
David Warner, opening with Chris
Rogers, fell early to Moeen Ali with Jimmy
Anderson catching him, he hadn’t learnt
from Cardiff at all! And so Steve Smith
arrived, he’d been temporarily knocked
off his top batsman in the world spot after
a poor show in Cardiff, but he shone to
say the least! Smith hit a remarkable 215
runs from 346 balls, this man may well
be unorthodox but wow he’s a star! Chris
Rogers very nearly matched him with
his own 173. The remainder of the lineup
added runs with the next highest scorer
being Peter Nevill, hitting 45 on his debut.
Michael Clarke declared late on Day 2
and well, that flat wicket? It certainly
produced something for the Australian
bowlers! The choice to declare when
he did certainly served his team well.
England found themselves in the middle
of a nightmare as their top order collapsed
- not that I’m sure that word is sufficient
to describe 30 for 4 or if you’re Australian
4 for 30. Whichever way you look at that
it’s an awful start!
Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell and
unusually Joe Root were walking back to
the pavilion within the first 11 overs! Step
up Ben Stokes and Alastair Cook - Cook
had watched the wickets tumble from
his openers’ spot. The 2 men put on 145
runs before Stokes fell to the bowling of
Mitch Marsh on 87. Cook played a solid
innings and came very close to his century
- falling on 96, just after Geoffrey Boycott
had said - ‘he’ll get his century’ - no he
didn’t Geoffrey! Amongst the remaining