To help celebrate my dad's birthday my brother, myself and other extended family took him on a charter fishing trip in Far North Queensland (or Central Capricornia, if you believe England's Daily Mail - google it if you have no idea what I am talking about). To my pleasant surprise, there was an airconditioned bar on board the vessel, which also featured a television with excellent reception. All of these factors meant I was able to enjoy watching today's cricket in a slightly inebriated and seasick state.
In this fifth test, Australia is purely playing for pride and to win back some of the respect squandered by the emphatic losses sustained in Adelaide and Melbourne. It was therefore vital that they 'win' the first day of play. Thanks to a combination of poor weather and solid batting, we can say they have not 'lost' the day. At stumps, we are 4 for approximately 110, which to be fair is an improvement on past efforts in Australian first innings.
The positive is Usman Khawaja, who made a good contribution in his maiden test innings, before getting out rather cheaply off the bowling of Swann. It is always good to see debutants playing well (and by contrast, awful to see them getting tonked - Bryce McGain, anybody?). If he survives the hype and manages it better than many of his teammates, then the "Koala" will have a long and productive career in the Baggy Green in front of him.
In contrast, Phillip Hughes and Michael Clarke both were disappointing to me. Hughes made another start but got out in the most dreadful manner; it was a shot that would be more befitting in a game of French cricket. His technique seems to be all over the shop and his confidence must be shot.
Clarke added just four more runs to his mediocre summer tally. I'm sure he would have wanted to score a significantly higher score, not least because he's captaining his country for the first time and playing on his home track. Despite his woes with the bat, Clarke's real test will arrive when the English take the field. We will discover then if the "captain-in-waiting" really has what it takes to follow in the footsteps of giants.
Tomorrow I think that Haddin and Hussey need to produce yet another big partnership to set Australia in a dominant position for the remainder of this match. Steve Smith and Mitch Johnson are capable of making extra contributions of their own, while Peter Siddle made a gutsy score of 40 in that futile second innings in Melbourne and is not beyond repeating that effort.
However, if the first wicket tomorrow goes without much added to the overnight tally, I could see Australia being bowled out for less than 200. If that happens, I may experience tomorrow a repeat of today's seasickness, except it will be the feeling of dread thinking of an English 3-1 series result.
For Australia to have a chance of winning this test, they must pass 300 by tea tomorrow. In our favour is that England will bat last on what could be an ideal spinners deck. Depending on your point of view, the (Michael) Beer could be flowing, chilled, flat or hot.
It certainly will not be dull.
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