To quote Athers during that heart-stopping climax at Edgbaston, “it’s time for Harry Brook”. One assumes there aren’t any more of the batters who can turn their arms over but they ought to able to, if only to make up for their shortcomings in front of stumps.” “It’s his home ground, we are two bowlers short (Robinson and Stokes) and one needing kid-gloves treatment (Wood), so Broad, Woakes and Moeen will have to do the bulk. “I reckon we can expect to see Root bowling at some time today,” says John Starbuck. An in-form Labuschagne goes nowhere near that. Saying which, Wood jumps wide on the crease for the last ball, a full, wide outswinger that beats Labuschagne’s loose drive. He isn’t bowling badly – he’s conceded only one run in three overs – but the ball isn’t moving quite as much as it did in the first innings. Wood has a strangled LBW shout against Khawaja, with the ball pitching outside leg. If they are in the last-chance saloon, which they will be, this lot could chase 500 or fail to chase 50.ġ1th over: Australia 27-1 (Khawaja 19, Labuschagne 6) Time for two more overs before tea, three at a push. Full disclosure: I have not a solitary scooby. It’s quite complicated, not least because the forecast for tomorrow is dreadful. Or maybe they’ll bat all day tomorrow and that’ll be that.” So now I’m thinking we can reel in 350, no bother. But it’ll be a day three pitch (you would hope), there’s no Lyon, and surely the top order can’t go any worse in the second innings (ahem). “My head says any more than 250 and we’re in trouble. But this is a different time, a different opposition, a different England. So, the obvious question – what’s the most England will want to chase? Last summer – 378-3 and all that – they would have fancied any number under 400. “We’re still a fair bit in the red but hope yet springs. “At lunchtime I was composing the post-mortem email in my head,” says Max Williams. No turn for Root, and four easy singles from the over. 13th over: Australia 33-1 (Khawaja 22, Labuschagne 9) Joe Root opens the bowling after tea, probably so that Stuart Broad can switch ends.
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