Fifth Ashes Test. The Oval.

[K]

Odds:

England 71%
Oz 25%
Draw 4%.

[Donny]

[K]

I'm referring to more than Harris's drop. I'm referring to the oodles of errors this Test, and the inappropriate celebrations before the Test, as if the series were over. If (for example) players have no talent, or are hampered by poor coaching as a junior that gives them poor technique that is hard to fix later, we can hardly blame them. (We might blame CA or the selectors.) But even mediocre players can be good fielders if they have the real desire to be. It's about attitude. We can name lots of cricketers who had limited ability with bat and ball, but fielded excellently because of hard work.

Even the catchers that were taken... Bobble, bobble, fumble, fumble... (e.g. Smith.)

[K]

Hazlewood beats Denly.

Nasser says it would have beaten even a real opener!!
(Not his exact words.)

Lloyd claims Harris has had 7 stitches and he'll definitely play and bat.
Before play, Healy said Harris had had 2 stitches and he was at risk of not batting.

[K]

Hazlewood beats Denly in almost identical fashion.

Should he pitch it slightly fuller?

------------------------------------

Nasser: "It's not acceptable to go at this rate, day in, day out. ... Even with the extra half hours, they are not getting 90 overs in. ... Not good enough."

[K]

Holding: "Ideal conditions in which to be batting..."

He calls the bowling of Hazlewood & Cummins "immaculate".

Holding generally praises the bowlers more than the batsmen. Is that because he was a bowler, or is it because he sees that the batsmen are bad and have it easy on the flat tracks?

[K]

Lyon on early.

Warne: "He's got a big job to do. ... There are plenty of footmarks there. ... There's a bit of turn in the pitch. Needs to start well."
He says it might be worth the England batsmen taking a risk to hit him out of the attack. "Match awareness", he says.

Holding: "It's a matter of risk, reward."

Denly comes down the pitch and hits straight for 4.
And again. This one goes for 6.
I loathe Denly.

England's lead is over 100 now.

Ponting shows that Denly's front foot goes in the same place every time. It doesn't get near the line of the ball for wide deliveries.

"He's playing the ball outside the line of his body."

Ponting says he needs to do one of two things: either be more selective about which balls he plays, or change his "footwork pattern".

[K]

Denly hits Lyon down the ground for another 4.

They have worked Lyon out. GOAT, my a*s*!

-------------------------------------------------------

Warne: "Australia in a bit of trouble, here."

He wonders if a part-timer, Marnus or Head, should be brought on.

Warne: "Not much energy in the field. Need something to happen."

[K]

Burns drives for 4 to bring up the first 50 opening partnership in the entire series.

England have plundered 27 runs off just 4 overs since Hazlewood & Cummins ended their spells, Warne tells us.

[K]

But Lyon gets Burn caught behind.

Warne: "Excellent take from Tim Paine. Good catch."

England 1/54 (16.3). Root in.

Lisa: "It was a breakthrough that came from nowhere."

Taylor: "Sums up the series, really..."

Taylor: "It's a good-looking batting pitch."
Taylor has commented a lot this match about how good the pitch is for batting. It feels like he's unimpressed by the batting.

Lisa wants the return of the strike bowler immediately, now Root is in.

[K]

Hazlewood is back.

Root and Dharmasena are talking, Holding says. (The camera does not show us.)

Warne says Oz lacked match awareness by giving Denly the easy single after the dismissal.

Erasmus is talking to Paine! Holding thinks it's to tell him to get the fielders to shut up.

Holding: "Two gullies in place..."

Holding: "We've had an hour... and the umpires need things to cool down a bit, so it's time for drinks."

England 1/58 (18 ). Drinks.

[K]

Lisa: "... this has been the best day to bat on..."

Athers on the bowler workload: "... Paine's decision to bowl first meant they were out again..."

Gower: "Well, we've been saying for a couple of days that it's a good pitch to bat on. ... Maybe today is the day. Conditions looks perfect..."

Athers: "Got a life, Joe Denly, last evening. ... Got put down... A very simple chance. ... Very straightforward."

[K]

Root upper cuts Hazlewood over slips for 4.

Athers: "Root telling himself, don't get caught on the crease."

Athers: "One of those frustrating series for Joe Root. ... You wouldn't say it's been a bad series, but the standards he sets himself..."

[K]

Denly drives on the up.

Gower: "It's a strength and a weakness."

Now Cummins hits him somewhere near the groin and he goes down on his haunches. Good.

Well, he's already had a child delivered yesterday, so he doesn't really need his reproductive organs any more unless he wants to breed like a rabbit.

[K]

Root nicks Hazlewood short of and through the slips for runs.

Athers: "Just gets caught on the crease."