That was worth the appeal I think - pretty close.
Terrific stuff from the Yorkshire duo. 143/3. Century partnership up. Ballance 41 n.o. Root 73 n.o.
St-root-h, we need to break up this partnership
Half century up for Gary Ballance as England move onto 179/3 and the partnership moves onto 136.
Root and Ballance make it to Tea. Root looking classy. Haddinâs drop looking costlier by the minute. Hopefully the cunt is hurting badly about it.
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Was it as bad a miss as reports say? Did he have to dive?
England will retire Haddin before this series is over.
The Yorkshire lads have put down roots at the crease and look a well ballanced partnership. Delightful stuff.
He did, but it wasnât full stretch or anything like it. Should have been comfortable. Atherton was showing some stuff at lunch about how he might be more comfortable at a full length dive - he looked like he was expecting to have to reach more. Very straightforward diving catch though.
Breakthrough for Australia. Partnership of 153 is broken as Ballance is trapped lbw by Hazelwood. 196/4
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Ah, like a goalie beaten by a ball down under him and a bit to the side. Too close and more awkward to get to than a full length grab. Like the time we lost the penalty shoot-out when you ballooned one over the bar and their last peno squirmed in off my elbow and under me.
The only thing Iâd say in mitigation for him is that it was a bit of a weird one. Yorker length, Root edged it just after it bounced (Iâm not sure anyone behind the stumps even knew it was actually a chance, including Haddin). Came quickly then, and it had been swinging into Root before the edge, deflected away, and swung back a bit the other way then. So slightly understandable that he dived too much for it, but was definitely one he should have taken.
Century up for Joe Root in 118 deliveries as England move onto 203/4.
Ben Stokes just after hitting Mitchell Johnson for 6 off the first delivery (a bouncer) heâs faced from him. This could be a bit of fun if he hangs around, but I wouldnât be holding my breath. Just after hitting Johnson for another 4 now.
Worth remembering in the corresponding test in Cardiff six years ago, England posted 435 batting first and Australia responded with 674/6 dec. Lot of work for the England batsmen to do still.
Should be a cracking session here actually. Buttler and Moeen to come after these two, so should be attacking batting all around. The Aussies will have to go after wickets, only way to contain them. Tiring bowlers, but potentially a new ball at the end then. Should be good.
Not even like that. It was far enough away that it was a proper dive/fall to his right. But just his arm wasnât outstretched. So it wasnât under him, and it wasnât at and about his body as he dived, it was just the fact that his arm wasnât extended that made it that bit awkward. And he got all the right bits of glove on it, just dropped it simply. It wasnât like it came off the back of his hand or his arm or anything.
285/5. Starc finally picked up the wicket of Root. Terrific knock of 134 from Root. New ball 5 overs away.
343/7 at stumps. England just about ahead in the match but not much in it.
Buttler will be kicking himself. Gave it away with a nothing shot near the end. Aussies didnât bowl all that well today, think itâs probably not a bad outcome for them. Close enough to even for the day Iâd say.
England disgraced themselves and cricket with the state of that wicket. by far the most unlikeable franchise around
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thinly veiled Iâm seething cause Mitchell Johnson bowled like a pussy with 0 wickets.
343 runs on the board and 7 wickets down is a decent day for both bowlers and batsmen. Nothing wrong at all with that wicket.