Alastair Cook batted all day to make a mighty 244 not out and give England a great chance of victory at the MCG
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Related: Alastair Cook’s double century puts England in control of fourth Ashes Test
All the Australian players shake Cook’s hand at the close, with Steve Smith first to do so. It’s been such an uplifting innings; a reminder that, in an increasingly desperate world, the good guys can still finish first. Thanks for your company, night!
Coming off the MCG today Alistair Cook gave me the impression of Roger Federer .
Such a humble, modest , shy champion.
144th over: England 491-9 (Cook 244, Anderson 0) Alastair Cook completes a perfect day in style, driving Marsh immaculately between extra cover and mid-off for four. That takes him past Brian Lara and up to sixth on the list of highest Test run-scorers.
143rd over: England 487-9 (Cook 240, Anderson 0) Jackson Bird, the Barmy Army’s new pantomime hero, is serenaded as he returns to the attack. He seems to be taking it all in good spirit. Jeff Thomson had an alternative approach to bonding with English crowds. An LBW shout against Anderson is turned down because of an inside edge, and he is cheered again as he walks back towards the England fans at the end of the over.
142nd over: England 487-9 (Cook 240, Anderson 0) Mitchell Marsh replaces Cummins and assumes the position at Alastair Cook’s feet for a couple of overs before the close. Cook flashes another boundary to third man to move to 240.
Thanks to Brian Withington for digging out the clip of Bobby Bacala eating Junior’s manigotti Half a feckin tray in there! (NB: clip contains adult language).
141st over: England 483-9 (Cook 236, Anderson 0) Cook is now England’s leading runscorer in the series. At the start of the innings he barely had more runs than Craig Overton.
140th over: England 483-9 (Cook 236, Anderson 0) Cook guides Cummins for consecutive boundaries behind square on the off side. The second of those boundaries makes this his highest score against Australia, passing the 235 not out at the Gabba seven years ago.
So far, this Test has been straight out of the 2010-11 Ashes. All England need now is a decisive spell of reverse-swing from Tim Bresnan in the third innings, followed by Chris Tremlett castling Mitchell Johnson first ball.
139th over: England 475-9 (Cook 228, Anderson 0) There are 20 minutes’ play remaining, and it would seem England aren’t going to declare.
Not sure the soft signal was worth much there - total guesswork from the on-field umpires.
Broad heaves Cummins for four to reach a memorable, rowdy half-century from 59 balls. The next delivery is pulled towards deep midwicket, where Lyon runs past the ball and watches it go over his head for four more.
The innings comes to a controversial end later in the over when Khawaja claims a low catch running in from third man. It went upstairs, but the soft single was ‘out’ and that was crucial because there was no clear evidence to overturn the decision.
137th over: England 465-8 (Cook 226, Broad 48) Cook steers Lyon to third man for three more. He looks like he could go all night; he’ll probably have a net at the close. A single takes Broad to within two of his fifty; it wouldn’t be only his second since his face was squashed by that Varun Aaron bouncer in 2014.
“Apropos Cook in this Test vs before,” begins Vikrant Patwardhan. “Surely the difference is Starc; and it’s Cummin(s) too little too late.”
136th over: England 461-8 (Cook 223, Broad 47) A seagull flies across the pitch, prompting Broad to back away.
Boycott: That’s the only way you’ll get us out!
Slater: Geez you turn quickly, don’t you...
135th over: England 457-8 (Cook 221, Broad 45) Cook carries on merrily, cutting Lyon behind square for three. Boycott and Slater are back in the commentary box.
Boycott: Cook’s under pressure. Pressure of getting 250!
Slater: In my book that’s barracking, Boycs, and that’s what you accuse me of.
134th over: England 451-8 (Cook 216, Broad 44) Broad drags Cummins onto the pad and just wide of the stumps. England lead by 124. Australia’s bowlers look in urgent need of an ice bath.
“Rob,” says Brian Withington, “I’m imagining the conversation between Cook and Broad between overs with the former politely enquiring: ‘Who are you, Sir, and what have you done with our number 10 batsman?’”
133rd over: England 448-8 (Cook 214, Broad 43) Cook’s is now the highest score by an overseas batsman at the MCG. He may also end one of the toughest series of his career as England’s leading runscorer; he’s only 19 runs behind Dawid Malan.
In other news, Broad plays a fine square drive for four more off Lyon.
132nd over: England 443-8 (Cook 213, Broad 39) Broad larrups four more to romp closer to his half-century. The Barmy Army have, erm, adapted their own Mitchell Johnson song for Jackson Bird, who is fielding in front of them. Australia are starting to look slightly ragged towards the end of another long stint in the field, though the series scoreline should help them place this frustrating day in its appropriate context.
“Dear Rob,” says Aditi. “Don’t you just love Cook. Such modest celebrations. He makes me want to be a better person.”
131st over: England 434-8 (Cook 210, Broad 34) Broad swipes Lyon mightily into the crowd for six! This is turning into a ninth-wicket party for Cook and Broad, who have added 61 in 11.3 overs. The Barmy Army are having the time of their summer.
What would be interesting is a forensic analysis of what Cook is doing differently in this innings compared to all those lowish scores? I thought his eye had slightly gone and that made him fractionally late into his shots and a little off balance. But it can't have been that.
130th over: England 425-8 (Cook 206, Broad 28) Broad cuffs Bird through extra cover for four more. There’s still an hour to go tonight, though I don’t think England will consider a declaration. They lead by 98.
Hammond. Lara. And now Cook. Just three visiting batsmen have scored two double-centuries in Australia in Test history #Ashes
129th over: England 416-8 (Cook 203, Broad 22) While Cook celebrated his 200 modestly, Broad jumped with joy at the non-striker’s end. That was really lovely, recognition of what his mate has been through.
128th over: England 416-8 (Cook 203, Broad 22) Hahaha, what a way for Cook to reach his 200. He rifles four down the ground, a shot he has played so brilliantly throughout this innings, and smiles broadly as he raises his bat. If this doesn’t make you feel better about the world, you should seek urgent medical advice. It’s an undeniable triumph of hard work, equilibrium, dignity, mental strength and much else besides. Most of us will never be an elite anything; we’ll never know the places Cook has been to in the past six weeks, and just how much strength he has had to summon to achieve this.
127th over: England 406-8 (Cook 197, Broad 18) Cook gives Lyon the charge and drives him over mid-on for four. He played that shot a few times on that triumphant tour of India in 2012-13, though we haven’t seen it much since then. A couple of singles take him to within three runs of the most admirable double-century. That’s drinks.
126th over: England 399-8 (Cook 191, Broad 17) Although he has faced 353 balls, Cook looks as fresh physically and even fresher mentally than when he started this innings. Broad, meanwhile, is starting to enjoy himself; he slashes Hazlewood over gully for four more.
125th over: England 393-8 (Cook 190, Broad 12) Broad survives a big LBW appeal from Nathan Lyon’s first ball. There was a big inside-edge. “Disappointed he didn’t walk for that after the Vince and Malan dismissals,” says Damien Fleming on BT Sport. England lead by 66.
124th over: England 392-8 (Cook 190, Broad 11) Broad moves into double figures with a top-edged slap for four off Hazlewood, and then Cook moves to 190 with a beautiful cover drive for four.
123rd over: England 382-8 (Cook 185, Broad 6) A short ball from Cummins follows Broad, who has approximately bugger all idea what’s happening as the ball deflects over the slips for four. Almost every ball is short to Broad. Forewarned is just about forearmed, and he survives another over.
I know it's not strictly within the rules, but Australia should try bowling one at the stumps.#Ashes2017
122nd over: England 377-8 (Cook 185, Broad 1) Cook takes a single off Hazlewood’s first ball. There’s no attempt to farm the strike or play any unorthodox strokes, at least not yet. Broad gets off the mark with a swat into the covers for one. It seems a long time ago tht he was compared to Garry Sobers for his batting.
“Nobody has ever carried their bat in a Test at the MCG,” notes Kat Petersen. “NO JINXING etc.”
121st over: England 374-8 (Cook 183, Broad 0) Slow pitch or not, Australia are bombing Broad with short stuff. He manages to avoid a couple of headseekers from Cummins and survives the over, though not without discomfort.
120th over: England 373-8 (Cook 182, Broad 0) I think the last England batsman to carry his bat was Mike Atherton in that classic Test in New Zealand in 1996-97. Alastair Cook may join the list today because I don’t think Broad will hang around for long - the third ball he receives from Hazlewood is a spectacular, vicious bouncer that hits him on the shoulder as he tries to jerk his head out of the way.
Josh Hazlewood strikes with the third ball of a new spell. Curran fiddled outside off stump at a delivery of immaculate line and length that took the edge on its way to Tim Paine. It was given not out on the field but Australia reviewed instantly and Hotspot showed a thin outside edge.
119th over: England 373-7 (Cook 182, Curran 4) It’s so much harder to blow away the tail on a pitch like this, and without the yorkers of Mitchell Starc. Australia are still trying to bore Cook out with funky fields, which is the definition of futility in some dictionaries. A maiden from Cummins.
118th over: England 373-7 (Cook 182, Curran 4) Cook is beaten, flashing at a wide one from Bird - and so is Curran, trying to pull a leg-side bouncer. Blah blah blah.
117th over: England 372-7 (Cook 181, Curran 4) Curran thick-edges Cummins along the ground for four to get off the mark. England lead by 45.
“Are you in Melbourne, Rob?” says Andrew Benton. “Seems fair - far better than ‘doing nights’ in London.”
116th over: England 367-7 (Cook 180, Curran 0) A single off Bird takes Cook to 180, as good an excuse as any to link to this.
“So - when should Root declare?” says Gary Naylor. “A lead of 224 sounds about right...”
115th over: England 366-7 (Cook 179, Curran 0) Curran ducks under the inevitable first-ball bouncer.
Pat Cummins bounces Woakes out in the first over of a new spell. Woakes went for a hook and gloved it straight up in the air to Tim Paine. I think he was too early on the shot. It was a strange shot to play in the first place, as there were two men back. But it was a handy knock from Woakes, who added 59 with Cook.
114th over: England 365-6 (Cook 178, Woakes 26) The future Sir Alastair Cook starts the session with a couple of flicks for two off Bird. He’s faced 323 balls, which makes it the tenth longest innings of his Test career. Many modern batsmen will never face 323 balls in a Test innings.
“Whilst accepting I was perhaps a little premature in announcing Alastair’s return yesterday afternoon, may I be allowed a modest hosanna in his direction as we approach tea on day three?” says Brian Withington. “I think that’s what passes for a rhetorical question in my former manor of East London ...”
113th over: England 360-6 (Cook 173, Woakes 26) Hazlewood tries a bit of rough stuff in the last over before tea, going around the wicket to Woakes with a short leg and leg gully. Woakes plays it comfortably to see England through to tea with a handy lead of 33. The session was just about even, with England scoring 96 for the loss of Jonny Bairstow and an ultra-skittish Moeen Ali. The game is still too close to call, which means only one thing: it’s a Big Last Session coming up. See you in 15 minutes or so.
112th over: England 357-6 (Cook 172, Woakes 24) Woakes edges four more at catchable height, this time off Bird. These are the kind of runs we are contractually obliged to describe as ‘useful’, and take England’s lead up to 30.
“Morning Rob (I think),” says David Horn. “So, to counteract the fourth-innings factor, what sort of first-innings lead would balance the game? 120? 150? I’m going back to bed. If I wake up with a 100 lead I think I’ll be okay.”
111th over: England 351-6 (Cook 172, Woakes 18) Out of nothing, Hazlewood produces a superb over in which both batsmen are almost dismissed. Cook is beaten by a brilliant outswinger; then Woakes edges straight between Paine and Smith, in a wide slip position, for four. They left it to each other.
“Was it just me or was Boycott really getting on Slater’s er, nerves?” says Ian Copestake. “He managed to play a straight enough bat when Geoffrey was going on about umpire bias, but the laughter was through a clenched fist worth of teeth.”
110th over: England 345-6 (Cook 171, Woakes 13) Alastair Cook is an unashamed addict, and batting is literally his methamphetamine. He has faced 25,295 deliveries in his Test career. In that period of time - going back to March 2006 - the next best is Hashim Amla, who has faced 16,735. In other words (or, rather, numbers), Cook has faced over 8,500 balls more than anyone else across the span of his Test career.
Woakes, meanwhile, drives Bird nicely through extra cover for four. England lead by 18.
109th over: England 340-6 (Cook 170, Woakes 9) Both teams are sitting in the game at the moment. Australia have set run-saving fields in an attempt to bore the batsmen out; Cook and Woakes, the most level-headed players in the England team, show no signs of mental sloth. The result is a partnership of 33 in 16 overs.
108th over: England 339-6 (Cook 169, Woakes 9) Bird, on for Lyon, beats Woakes first up. Nothing else happens, and I can thus relate to you with the utmost certainty that the over shall be officially recorded as a maiden.
“Cook’s driving has been marvellous to watch,” says Sam. “I don’t think I’ve seen him play as many in the last 10 years as I have in this one innings. Brilliant to watch and carrying this innings on his back. Played Chef.”
107th over: England 339-6 (Cook 169, Woakes 9) Hazlewood replaces Marsh (10-1-34-0). Marsh has plenty of talent but I’m still not sure he’s a Test player, even after that handsome 181 at the Waca. Maybe he could be a Perth specialist, assuming the pitch at Burswood has similar properties.
106th over: England 335-6 (Cook 168, Woakes 6) A maiden from Lyon to Woakes, who has six for 34 balls. He is playing with great commonsense, which means Cook doesn’t have to force things at the other end.
105th over: England 335-6 (Cook 168, Woakes 6) Cook drives Marsh sweetly through extra cover for four to move closer to one of the less likely Ashes double hundreds. That said, he has form in the famine/feast department: in the series against India in 2011 his scores were 12, 1, 2, 5, 294 and 34.
104th over: England 329-6 (Cook 162, Woakes 6) A single from Woakes puts England into the lead. HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM FIRST-INNINGS APPLES?
“Hi Rob,” says Ben Parker. “Your turn of phrase, ‘Get Lively With Lyon’ (100th over) had me imagining a Saturday morning fitness show a lá Mr Motivator where Nathan Lyon shows the viewers some basic moves. His sidekick T Paine (with appropriate T-shirt) shouts encouragement: ‘Noice stretching Garry. Squats Garry!’ BT Sport might go for it? I need some sleep.”
103rd over: England 327-6 (Cook 161, Woakes 5) There are now three men in Cook’s eyeline at short cover. He’s seen worse. He drives Marsh through that cover ring for a single, and a Woakes pull for one brings England level on first innings.
102nd over: England 324-6 (Cook 160, Woakes 4) Michael Slater and Geoff Boycott, the comedy double act of the 2005 Ashes, have been reunited for this Test. It’s great. When Cook survives an optimistic appeal for a bat-pad catch, they are off again.
Boycott: Not out, not out, off his pad, sorry about that. You can’t just umpire him out.
Slater: I’m not sure you can see that.
101st over: England 324-6 (Cook 159, Woakes 4) Mitchell Marsh comes on for Pat Cummins, with a funky field for Cook that includes two short covers and three more men between gully and point. Cook is beaten by a wide delivery that grubs under his attempted cut. That low bounce might be Australia’s best friend in the fourth innings.
100th over: England 321-6 (Cook 157, Woakes 3) Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. England are creeping towards a first-innings lead but Australia are inching ahead in the match, because batting last will be pretty tricky for England. Cook drives Lyon for three, which takes him above Shivnarine Chanderpaul into seventh place on the list of highest Test runscorers. Next up: Brian Charles.
“Shouldn’t Cook be farming the strike against Cummins?” says Vasu Chaurey. “How is he when playing with the tail? (Yes, I know Woakes ain’t the tail yet but that’s a matter of time.)”
99th over: England 315-6 (Cook 152, Woakes 2) Cook hooks another run, and the Melbourne crowd cheers! Because it exposes Woakes to Patrick Cummins. And nearly costs him his wicket, as a nasty short ball snorts up at the splice of the bat and lobs away over short leg. Square leg ran in, and the short man ran back, but it landed between them. Woakes tries to be more proactive next time it’s short, with a pull shot of his own, but it’s a smeary impressionist interpretation of the stroke. A comment on modern society’s tendency to distort our perception of ourselves; the series of funhouse mirrors in which we all regard our own lives.
And as if to ram home that point - Cook is dropped! Again, by Steven Smith. If he wasn’t feeling great earlier, he’s feeling worse now. Last ball of the over, Cummins goes short again, Cook gets the pull shot pretty solidly, connects well but it’s in the air. Smith is at a conventional square leg for exactly that sort of contingency, and the ball dips as it heads towards him, low to his right. Not the easiest catch in the world, but not the hardest. Hard to pick up the ball in that position sometimes, though, given the background. Cook has been shelled on 66 and now 152 by the same man.
98th over: England 315-6 (Cook 152, Woakes 2) Lyon to Woakes, who blocks out a maiden. At least showing a tendency to do the right thing. They desperately need to at least build a lead of 100 or so. Could still happen with Cook. It also feels like a storm is in the air. There’s a cool wind swirling that wasn’t here before, and my Melbourne senses are tingling.
97th over: England 315-6 (Cook 152, Woakes 2) Predictably, Woakes is getting short stuff. Manages to defend one ball from Cummins, the inelegantly ducks under another, nearly falling over as he bails out of a pull shot. Squirts a run to escape strike.
“I would recommend to Abby that she joins the RomeoTango cricket forum on Wordpress. This is now the world’s most successful cricket bloggers forum, and is the people from the Guardian County Cricket live. People on there are very helpful and kind and we will gladly answer all questions.”
Thanks, Peter Rowntree, and take note anyone else who might find it relevant.
96th over: England 314-6 (Cook 152, Woakes 1) Three wickets for Lyon, taking him to 63 in the calendar year. Leading by 6, and there are 14 more English wickets that could fall. He’s five behind Craig McDermott’s 291 for Australia, which would put him sixth on that list. This over costs two singles, as Woakes gets off the mark with a little push to mid-on.
95th over: England 312-6 (Cook 151, Woakes 0) Brings up his minor milestone with a hook from Cummins, down through fine leg. It’s been a brilliant performance from Cook today, after a dogged one yesterday. Deserves the applause. Takes another single, and drops the deficit to 15.
94th over: England 307-6 (Cook 146, Woakes 0) “Can we use “carry” and “bat” in the same sentence yet?” asks Mark Turner. We can, partly because his teammates have been so poor today. A wicket maiden for Lyon.
God, that is poor. Moeen’s desperation against Lyon brings him undone, as it should have done from the very first ball. He has been done in, mentally. Gets an utter pie from Lyon, and still tries to murder it over cover, backing away to leg while doing it - not just a T20 slap, but a No10 T20 slap. Short cover takes it, leaping up. Chris Rogers on ABC Grandstand is scathing. “This is a guy who was asked to bat 6 at the start of this series. He got a short wide one, he could have put that anywhere he wanted, on the floor. I don’t have a lot of time for that. You’ve got to have respect for the guy at the other end as well, who’s on 146.”
93rd over: England 307-5 (Cook 146, Moeen 20) Cook stabs another run through the on-side. Cummins is trying to make amends for the missed chances, but Moeen salts the abrasion by nailing a pull shot between the two men behind square for four. The debt is now 20.
92nd over: England 301-5 (Cook 145, Moeen 15) Desperation stuff! But Moeen survives. He’s been worked on, worked over, and worked out by Lyon in this series, so the first ball he faces from Australia’s offie, he slogs it stright down the ground. It held up in the breeze, wasn’t hit truly, and Cummins should have caught it easily on the large expanses of the MCG. But Cummins is starting about 15 paces inside the rope down at long-off, and didn’t backtrack far enough. In the end he tried to take the catch a couple of metres inside the rope, and the ball tips just over his fingers and lands on the rope itself for six. Moeen gets width next ball, and slams the drive through cover for four. Then repeats the shot for another two runs to close the over. Cook may want to keep Moeen away from the spin on offer, in terms of risk, but the reward is that England’s 300 is up, and the deficit slashed to 26.
91st over: England 289-5 (Cook 145, Moeen 3) Moeen Ali to the crease. Hasn’t done enough with the bat in this series (or the ball). Cook exposes him to Josh H immediately with a turned single. Moeen gets a bouncer immediately, and it deflects off his body away to fine leg for four leg byes. Flicked the helmet on the way through. Moeen gets another short one that he pulls for three through midwicket, didn’t time it cleanly but there’s a big gap. Cook punches a couple more runs through point.
90th over: England 279-5 (Cook 142) England still trail by 48 runs, as Lyon gets the wicket from the last ball of the over.
There’s the breakthrough! Turn from Lyon, and a decent amount of bounce, but I don’t know why Bairstow was so far back on his stumps. I think he saw the length and went back to cut, seeing the ball outside off stump. But it spun much more than he expected. In the end he would have been better off pulling that ball as it angled in at his gloves, even while Bairstow was backing away towards leg. He went through with the cut, got a top edge, and Paine gloved it beautifully.
89th over: England 276-4 (Cook 139, Bairstow 23) Josh Aitch is searching for something, but not finding much in this wicket, newish ball or no. Another maiden to Bairstow.
We’re getting very local: Josh in Massachusetts has some help for Abby. “I read this article on Deadspin a little over a year ago and started watching cricket soon afterward. Unfortunately some of the video links are now broken, but it still reads very well.”
88th over: England 276-4 (Cook 139, Bairstow 23) Bird continues, Cook walking across his stumps and glancing a single. Bird tries a bouncer to Bairstow, which at 129 clicks isn’t going to bother him unduly, but perhaps they’re hoping for a reckless hook with two men in the deep. Two short covers as well. Weird fields again.
On Cook as he ascends the run-scoring list:
Predicting he’ll get to fifth in the all-time list, surpassing Sangakkara, but won’t get much beyond that. This innings has bought him some deserved time, for sure. I guess it all depends on his own appetite and desire to carry on. Had a wonderful career.
87th over: England 270-4 (Cook 138, Bairstow 18) Young Jonny Bairstow knocks a couple of runs from Hazlewood’s first ball, then defends out the rest. Not losing a wicket after the break is priority number one.
@GeoffLemonSport It’s lashing down in Hanoi. Tail end of a typhoon. Is it worth venturing out (as an England fan) for the afternoon session?
86th over: England 268-4 (Cook 138, Bairstow 16) Bird to Cook, and the oven is back on. Five dot balls, the drip drip drip of slowly increasing pressure. Bird tight on the off stump. But the final ball is fuller, and Cook plays a gorgeous on-drive back down the pitch for four. That wasn’t ugly.
“Am I the only person thinking that everyone in the world is totally hung up on seeing Malan’s bat, out in front with an obvious snick on it, as evidence that that the snick happened at that point in time?! Because it obviously DIDN’T when you see it from the front!”
Nothing that people on the internet love more than offering advice and being right about things. Here’s Abby Addington-May, of Massachusetts.
“Hello Geoff, I would love to follow Cricket (England) and know all about the Ashes, but for the life of me I can’t figure out a single sentence in today’s update. It would take me forever to try to unscramble it – not just vocabulary but oblique references. What is the best way for someone new to following the sport to get a grip? Thanks.”
In the meantime, if you haven’t had enough of me, here’s the interview that Collins and I did with the very brilliant Vic Marks for The Final Word podcast. A journey through his extensive and admirable history in the game, and more on the personal side as well. It’s a lovely chat. And don’t forget to subscribe to the pod so you get future episodes as they emerge.
Listen and subscribe here. Reviews also welcome.
A fairly even session, but a bit to Australia’s advantage. Only 71 runs added, while prising out the key wickets of captain Root and Perth centurion Malan. Another bizarre leg-before dismissal for England, not reviewing despite an inside edge for the second time this match. DRS really is challenging our conceptions about the game. Everything really relies now on Cook to bat through, then Bairstow and Moeen to help push the run rate around him. Equally, the way England’s last six wickets have gone down in this series once the fifth of an innings falls, Australia could still end up with a first-innings lead. All to play for after the break. I’ll grab a snack and rejoin you in a bit.
85th over: England 264-4 (Cook 134, Bairstow 16) Hazlewood to escort us to the sandwich break. Cook isn’t afraid to play the hook shot, though only gently for a single. Bairstow leaves, defends, and that is lunch.
Brian Withington emails in. “Your evocation of parental opprobrium at Joe Root’s dismissal transported me back over forty years in an instant. Should you call to explain the delay? Or try to creep in unannounced? Better to wait for a lift from your economics teacher after only half a dozen pints and walk the last mile from his house to sober up and then still trip over the dog. Happy days.”
84th over: England 263-4 (Cook 133, Bairstow 16) Do as I say, not as I do. The Berenstain Bairstows. Grabs a couple more runs through midwicket. Then cramped up by Jack Bird outside off, he jabs at the ball and under-edges it past his off stump to the keeper. Not another play-on, surely. Then he drives off the edge between slip and gully for four. Whooshka.
83rd over: England 257-4 (Cook 133, Bairstow 10) Yep, Jonny Bairstow is ticking away nicely. Aitch tries a couple of full balls, but Bairstow clips one through midwicket for three. Timing it nicely on this deck, as Warner did yesterday.
Here’s Robert Wilson: “Your putting the Cook aggregate up there (and the company it keeps) can’t help but remind me of all those punters who persistently put the boot into what a spoilt, privileged and nepotistic waste of a place Cook really is. Eleven thousand eight hundred odd runs. Do they think they were all accidental?”
82nd over: England 253-4 (Cook 132, Bairstow 7) One, two, three... Bairstow gives himself five sighters. Then blazes a drive from Bird’s final ball for four. Strap in, this could be fun.
81st over: England 249-4 (Cook 132, Bairstow 3) Well, well. Lots of talking points there. Bairstow gets off the mark second ball by driving three through covers, then Cook is nailed on the pads but it’s going down leg side. Eventful over...
And the new ball does the trick! Second delivery, after one that was left, Hazlewood angles one in, and it nails Malan just below the knee roll. Now, there’s a big inside edge on that, but it must have been pad first? Malan spoke to Cook and then walked off. Must have known he hit it, and must believe he got there too late. Stay posted, and refresh your pages for updates...
Oh Lord. He’s absolutely smashed that off the edge, but did it caress a sliver of pad first? It sort of jams between both at the same time. I’m not sure that would have been overturned, given it was out on the field. But surely you’d have a cheeky review?
80th over: England 246-3 (Cook 132, Malan 14) Lyon with two left-handers on strike is in clover. Cook doesn’t want to give him another chance at an extended examination. Escapes the scrutiny by cutting another single. Lyon lands them perfectly, around the wicket, straightening, drawing those forward defensives that can result in edges to slip or into pad. Malan eventually jams a run through midwicket. Warner saves another Cook cut, and the batsmen turn back. New ball time?
79th over: England 244-3 (Cook 131, Malan 13) Another maiden, this time it’s Marsh to Malan. Dawid happy to play the long game after his brief flurry. Here’s what lies ahead for Alastair Cook. Could even get Lara today if he goes really big.
Cook could knock off a couple of big names in the next little while. #Ashespic.twitter.com/YoHqDmd3e2
78th over: England 244-3 (Cook 131, Malan 13) Lyon to Cook. It’s a teasing over. A leading edge, a miss down the leg side as Paine whips off the bails. Lyon really settling into his lengths now. A maiden, as this excellent duel continues. Cook using the full stride as often as he can.
“For all the talk of England’s revival on the back of renewed application with the bat, it seems to me an investigation is warranted into the background of catering staff at the MCG,” posits John Phaceas. “I suspect an England fifth columnist (cue traditional jokes about Pommie aversion to soap) salted the Australians’ sandwich tray, nobbling Cummins yesterday, and apparently Smith today.”
77th over: England 244-3 (Cook 131, Malan 13) Oh, that’s nice. Mitch Marsh bowls too full, and Cook isn’t going to turn that down. Lovely straight drive for four. He’s looked in far more control this morning. He’s realised that he’s back, and now he’s feeling it.
76th over: England 239-3 (Cook 126, Malan 13) Lyon has Cook where he wants him for a couple of balls, then drops short and gives up a couple of runs on the cut shot. He gets Cook out on the cut sometimes as well, but that needs some decent bounce in the wicket. There’s a shout from short leg as the next ball pops up, but not sure there was an edge on that.
A nice note from Gareth Davies. “I always take a news and sport holiday over Christmas and usually make it last four or five days. If anything really serious happened, like a second referendum being called on Brexit, I would probably pick it up from a family member or friend, who has deduced I am mildly interested in the subject. However every four years I break this seasonal radio silence by “tuning in” to the Guardian OBO coverage, carefully ignoring the rest of the content the old profligate so misguidedly gives the world for nothing. And because I’m always up late at Xmas it’s quite easy to catch the first hour or so. There’s nothing to match it, this slightly illicit sport following after midnight. All I can think of is the British Lions when they still played at 3pm local time, in NZ in, I think, 1971 and 1970s. If it hadn’t been for the rare sense of promise today, I don’t think I would have bothered to set all this down. I do hope Cook and Root are still in now I’ve finished.”
75th over: England 236-3 (Cook 123, Malan 13) Mitchell Marsh on for a go. Australia not finding the penetration they want. Again it’s Cook with a single from the first ball, Malan with five dots to follow.
74th over: England 235-3 (Cook 122, Malan 13) Malan trying to reel himself in against Lyon. Blocks it out, after Cook gets off strike from the first ball.
Good areas, Leo Nine. “Not many people mentioned yesterday the fact that Cook, in the course of his innings, overtook Jayawardene to become 8th highest run scorer in test cricket. Only 34 runs now behind Chanderpaul and 7th place...”
73rd over: England 234-3 (Cook 121, Malan 13) Oof, Malan might be a good-time-not-a-long-time kind of prospect today. Hanging back to Cummins, not handling the pace or the reverse swing. There’s definitely some tail on that ball. Malan keeps a couple out, then launches into a drive, in the air, square of the wicket. Gets away with that boundary, and then another straight afterwards that’s off the edge down to third man. Frustration for Cummins. A lot of edges in this series that have gone to ground.
72nd over: England 226-3 (Cook 121, Malan 5) Cook is handling Lyon well. Lyon hasn’t got anyone out more than he has Cook, but Cook has been out more times to four pace bowlers ahead of Lyon. So I don’t think the batsman is too bothered. Two singles from the over.
Is there another sport, endeavour even, that rewards "ugly" like cricket @GeoffLemonSport? The game even had the audacity to grant more runs to SR Waugh than ME Waugh? England's greatest spinner is the flat-footed DL Underwood and greatest true quick is RGD Willis. Is it just us?
71st over: England 224-3 (Cook 120, Malan 4) What was that! Malan picks up four runs, and gets off the mark. But it was a good yorker from Cummins, good pace, and burst through the defensive stroke. Squeezed between the toe of the bat and the ground, bringing up a cloud of dirt, but wasn’t quite straight enough to claim the stumps, and it scooted along the ground between keeper and slip. Drinks break.
“No surprise to see Root getting himself out,” emails Adam Hirst. “He usually doesn’t last the first hour on his second day at the crease, whether he’s passed 100 or 50 or below 20, whatever.” Can’t really argue, on this series.
70th over: England 219-3 (Cook 119, Malan 0) A quiet Lyon over. New ball looming. Here’s Mac (and cheese?) Millings from somewhere down Louisiana way. “My students here in the Deep South of the US will occasionally ask me to explain cricket. I usually tell them it’s like baseball but with only two bases, and then show them clips of Shane Warne bowling, the physics of which they find hard to comprehend.”
Cook is still out there, any rate. Here’s Ali Martin on him.
Related: Alastair Cook savours Ashes century but rues not hitting form much earlier
69th over: England 218-3 (Cook 118, Malan 0) Should have been a good over for England, but from the second-last ball Root ensures that it’s a shocker. Dawid Malan will have to produce another innings belying his experience.
WHAT. HAVE. YOU. DONE. I feel like Joe Root’s parents waiting up for him after he hasn’t come home at the time we agreed. He’s only just laced a gorgeous, controlled late cut from a poor wide Cummins ball for four, and then he gets a short one. The hefty cross-bat shots haven’t worked on this pitch. Root was nowhere near timing it off the surface, it loops high in the air, and Nathan Lyon at square leg barely has to move. Root leaves the field, throws his gloves done, kicks at the boundary rope, and is disgusted. But he should be. With England still 109 behind, the initiative could still easily be surrendered. And it’s yet another decent fifty for Joe Root without making it into something more influential.
68th over: England 214-2 (Cook 118, Root 57) Here we go. Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon on for his first twirl of the day. The Australians have tweaked their field, with both a short leg and a midwicket much straighter than yesterday, trying to block the shot Cook played yesterday when he would come around his pad, smother the ball into the on-side, and scamper a single. Cook defends out the maiden over.
67th over: England 214-2 (Cook 118, Root 57) Cummins is on for his first over, after a stomach bug yesterday prompted plenty of Cummins and goings, on and off the field. He wasn’t at his briskest yesterday, and is starting off in the 135 to 139 km/h bracket today. Builds up to nearly 140 by the last ball. His lines aren’t quite there, able to be picked off through midwicket when too straight. Gets it right with the last couple of balls, Cook edging a run along the ground, and Root tightened up on off stump.
66th over: England 212-2 (Cook 117, Root 56) Root has been quiet for a time, but now gets just enough width to drive through cover for three. Plenty of time to run those as Warner chases back. Switching his line to the left-hander, Bird now offers a fraction of width on the other side, and finally draws a full blooded-stroke. Cook takes full toll on his favoured cut shot for four. Pressure off a little, with that over, and Cook adds another couple of runs, jammed through cover, for good measure.
Sounds good from John Starbuck, at least for the carnivorous. “I like the idea of Hampagne. We have something similar on Christmas Day, having had venison and chestnuts as the main meal the evening before. Good cheeses afterwards but no room for the pud. Then the next day we have a big cooked English, with plenty of black pudding added, preceded by Bucks Fizz - mildly intoxicating and healthy at the same time - finishing off in the afternoon/evening with Yorkshire ham, Belgian Beer ham and prosciutto, accompanied by home-baked bread. Oh and lots of Madeira, while we watch recorded tv programmes, such as Maigret in Monmartre. There was a time when we’d go to family parties for a full Christmas dinner but in the end it just wasn’t worth the hassle. Don’t strive for what you don’t need.”
65th over: England 203-2 (Cook 111, Root 53) Now we’ve gone back to two gullies for Hazlewood bowling to Cook, plus a point and a first slip. Cover quite short still, Shaun Marsh there. Still bowling fine stuff. A bit of movement through the air and off the pitch. Draws a false stroke from Cook through the covers, but the rest is kept out.
64th over: England 201-2 (Cook 109, Root 53) Gully. Short cover. Very short straight mid-off, standing right by the pitch. Slip. Point quite deep. Regulation positions at mid-on, mid-off, square leg. Odd field for Bird. Cook blots out most of the over, then gets one straight enough to take the inside edge down to fine leg for a single.
63rd over: England 200-2 (Cook 108, Root 53) If you like the art of fast bowling, watch Josh Hazlewood at work. My only beef with him is that he has a name that’s hard to type. For some reason I always get it backwards. Hence giving him lots of stupid nicknames, because they’re shorter. Can I just call him H? Aitch, even? Anyway, the beauty of his bowling today is his prodigious bounce. The steepness of angle he can make the ball rise at, even on this pitch. Root’s nearly caught down the leg side off one ball, then swishes a cut and is nearly caught down the off side from another. Second maiden.
62nd over: England 200-2 (Cook 108, Root 53) Bird and Cook. Not a bad pairing for Christmas. Both determined cricketers with little flashiness about them, but who often get the job done. A maiden, as they test one another out.
“This tendency towards indiscriminate use of open sandwiches, however you spell them, is very worrying,” writes Kim Thonger. “It’s likely to lead to the breakdown of society if allowed to continue. The only proper food on Boxing Day is bubble and squeak with whatever cold meat is left over from Christmas Day. I’m not opposed to pickles on the side, within reason, but I don’t think you’d find Brian Close caught in public with an open sandwich. I rest my case.”
61st over: England 200-2 (Cook 108, Root 53) Another fine over from J-Hazey. Root escapes strike first ball, so Hazlewood works over Cook for a few more balls in a row. Striking high on the bat, taking an edge into the ground... it’s challenging out there. Cook eventually gets some width, and drives, well behind square, through the gap between slip and gully for a couple of runs. Three, in fact. Won’t mind that, it was the sucker ball from Hazlewood. Two gullies in operation for Cook against the attack leader. Every chance they’ll be brought into the game. England’s 200 is up, the deficit is 127.
60th over: England 197-2 (Cook 105, Root 53) Bird isn’t really testing the speed gun this morning. High 120s in this over. Root chops him away for a couple of runs behind point, darts back for the second.
Oh, Christmas, Peter Gibbs. “I wrote to Adam on night one from a horsebox. I’m delighted to relate that I have now been upgraded to the barn. Nothing too much to report since the Queen’s Speech blow up with my brother. Other than: having packed a pound of rather nice Black Bomber cheese and even more of some first-rate cold rib of beef to take home, my sister’s dog surprisingly re-presented it to me (having opened the cooler, eaten it, and the half Stilton in there too) by throwing it all up right between my legs just as Harry Potter was on the gillyweed. Ah, and only 293 miles through the snow to get home tomorrow.”
59th over: England 195-2 (Cook 105, Root 51) Hazlewood from the other end. He’s warming up into this over quickly, just as he’s warmed up over the series. Been super impressive this Ashes. The fifth ball in the over is the one I like: it zips off the pitch, moves away from Cook a bit, and really flies through, even on this fairly slumberous track.
58th over: England 194-2 (Cook 105, Root 50) We’ve started early. It’s 10:29am when the first ball is bowled. Scandalous. Jackson Bird gets the first trundle for the day, tightening Cook up but the batsman is able to jab a run from the back-of-a-leght delivery into the leg side. Root is a picture of solid defence. I’m sleepy already. How about you? Last ball of the over, Root gets width. Chops it away. Could have had four, but there’s a fine sprawling save from Lyon, I think at gully, and the English fans go Roooooooooot as he darts through for the single and his 50th run.
“Ireland play their first test against Pakistan in May. Sport in Ireland is a crowded place. Hurling, Gaelic football, rugbies, soccer, boxing ... and more before cricket, which a century ago would have been something, can find a place. So tried to explain it to a 14yo this Christmas who asked me to. He asked for the simple explanation. I didn’t do well. Even on the basics.”
Well, Damian Kemp, I’ve spent a lot of time in the US over the last 18 months, and got pretty good at this. My approach is to say: fundamentally it’s about someone with a ball trying to hit a target, and someone with a bat trying to defend that target. That’s the primary job, then the secondary job is to hit the ball away into scoring zones.
“With my spelling I think the internet is probably right,” cedes Peter Rowntree by return email, “but however you spell it, the word is Danish in origin and the dish originated in Denmark, that much I do know. Our Xmas thrash in the hacienda was typical Colombian fare, ‘Lomo del Trapo’. Best Smorkasbord (or whatever) I ever experienced in the restaurant of Copenhagen Railway station.”
I much prefer your spelling, Peter. Has a more authentic mouthfeel.
The Australians had a big huddle out on the ground before, plus about 30 members of support staff, it seemed. All in a circle for some daily inspiration. I assume it was “Let’s work hard and get these ________ out!” as the Grade Cricketer would have it. Now the only huddle on the pitch is television one, with... one, two, three... a dozen people, at my count, standing around filming Mark Nicholas and someone else I can’t recognise from this distance. All under the watchful eye of an umpire, making sure the pitch isn’t damaged. The groundsmen stand by wth a little tractor, carrying a cover just in case. Some chance of showers today, and they don’t want to be caught out like their Perth counterparts.
Peter Rowntree fits the mustardy theme. “Hope you had a good Xmas. Hope also England do as well as they did yesterday. Given that we are into Smorkesbords - I’m bagging those with the tasty bits of pickled herring in mustard sauce.”
I thought I had missed a lovely authentic spelling of a Swedish term, but the internet suggests not. Fill me in.
Did you mean:Smorgasbords
Your search - Smorkesbords - did not match any documents.
And now I can ask how all your Christmases were. (Did they all come at once?) That fellow Collins has been hogging up all the post-Christmas chat the last few days, but I want to hear some delightful tales of riding Yule logs down a snowbank into a vat of spiced brandy, or whatever it is you lot do when it’s cold up north. Down on this side of the globe, we ran around with the dogs and lay down in long grass drinking cold beverages, and had a nice swim in the pool as the afternoon wore on.
Yesterday, my friends hosted their traditional post-Boxing Day gathering known as Hampagne, at which the only things offered for consumption are several legs of ham, and champagne. This is not strictly true, because mustard and bread are also served. Which made it an especially dangerous gathering for those who don’t eat meat. Of which there were several. It might even be appropriate to append the word: scenes.
As ever, the OBO relies on you. Inform me, challenge me, keep me entertained. Delight me, surprise me, paint me like one of your French girls. I’ll never let you go, Jack.
(blub blub blub)
England will resume 135 runs behind, with Cook on 104 and Root on 49. Pretty good position to push for a lead, but those two will need to bat on for a good while. Should a wicket or two fall, we’ve seen England slip away pretty quickly. What’s that phrase? Crucial first session? Big first hour? Ok, most of the hours are pretty crucial. Most of the sessions are, too.
It was boiling hot overnight, still about 31 degrees when I went to sleep at 2am or thereabouts. It has cooled off a bit this morning, after a brief rain shower, and now it’s a sweaty sort of humid day with some high cloud. So there might be a bit of swing from the ball, or might be when they get a new one. There might be some movement off the pitch if the humidity swells the seam. And there’s always the chance of reverse on a wicket that can scuff the ball a bit. A veritable smorgasbord of things that may or may not happen.
Alastair Cook. He’s the story of the day from yesterday, and could well be the story again today. I’ve read a lot of people saying what a magnificent hundred it was. What I enjoyed about it was precisely how unmagnificent it was. It was hideous. It was scratchy. It looked like it could fall apart at any time. And yet somehow, he gritted his teeth and saw it through. A triumph of determination. I enjoyed every painful minute. If you promise to Ctrl-Tab back here immediately, you can read read my ugly-beautiful piece for the ABC.
Before I begin blathering, start your catch-up reading right with Mr Collins. He didn’t have to stay in the rocket this time. (Language warning on the video, less so on the article.)
Related: Lifeless MCG pitch allows re-energised England to rise from the dead | Adam Collins
Praise be, and here we are. The Melbourne Cricket Ground, the grand old dame. A concrete coliseum that yawns wide and swallows a hundred thousand. This is my home ground from my home town, a place I’ve been visiting since I was six years old, so what a pleasure it is to bring you an Ashes Test from this place today.
Geoff will be here shortly.
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