New South Wales friendly

By Bagpuss
December 3 2006

On to the next friendly. A 2nd chance to show some quality and a bombshell before the end! Marcus comes home but we do look a little more like a side that could put up resistance against the local school side so things are looking up for the end of November!

NSW v ENGLAND

SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND, 12-14 NOVEMBER 2006

Today England's Ashes preparations start in earnest in this three day match which, according to the announcement before the toss, will be played under ICC regulations - except that it will be 14 - a - side. Eleven bat, eleven field and the 'designated bowlers' must be listed prior to the start of the match.

Only two from the England party miss out then, Plunkett and, significantly I feel, Read. Anderson, Mahmood and Panesar are the designated bowlers who won't figure in the batting line up. For those of us used to tour games back in England when top county players are given a chance to put their feet up or have a day on the golf course whilst the youngsters battle it out, the new South Wales team looks stern opposition - Katich is captaining a batting line up including Michael Clarke and that man Jaques. Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clarke are numbers 10 and 11. And their three designated bowlers - a handy trio in Brett Lee, Stuart McGill and Glenn McGrath. In all NSW are fielding nine players with test experience, and their bowling attack has in excess of 900 Test wickets between them.

Flintoff loses the toss, condemning England to toil in the field. Unconfirmed reports that first innings will be limited to 120 overs raise the spirits- I have memories of a match against Queensland on the last tour when the home side, aided chiefly by Martin Love, batted well into the final day before deciding maybe it was time to let England have a go.

Hoggard opens the bowling from the Old Hill at the southern end of the ground, Harmison from the Paddington end. Jaques and Cowan look comfortable. Cowan maybe trying to show he can make marmalade out of the England attack as wellas his partner makes the first mistake of the day in the 10th over, bowled by Harmison, played on. Cowan gone for 26, NSW 38-1.

That was to be the only England success for a very long time as Katich joins Jaques. Anderson replaces Hoggard in the 13th, Flintoff for Harmison in the 14th. he nearly gets the breakthrough first ball after drinks in the 16th as Katich (14) edges a low chance missed by Trescothick at slip. Jaques reaches 50 in the 24th over and Panesar gets the final over before lunch, but it has been a poor performance by England in the first session. NSW are 125-1 off 27 overs at lunch, with Jaques 68 and Katich 29.

Harmison comes back immediately after lunch with a maiden, Panesar continues from the Southern end. Flintoff replaces Harmison, who doesn't seem to have unpacked the radar yet, but this partnership looks solid. Katich reaches 50 in the 41st over, followed in the next over, thie first bowled by Giles, by Jaques second hundred in three days against the tourists. it is the King of Spain himself who gets the breakthrough after 155 runs when Harmison reaches out at deep mid off to take the catch. Jaques out for 107, NSW are 193-2.

Seeing the backof their early-tour nemesis seems to galvanise England a bit. Next over it is Katich offering the chance but Pietersen fails to make enough ground in from the boundary and misses the low catch off Flintoff. Anderson returns in the 50th over, Giles switching to the Southern end. In the penultimate over before tea Pietersen ationes for his earlier mistake taking a stunning catch just inside the midwicket boundary. Plaudits all round, Katich gone for 68 and NSW 216-3. Giles (family motto - 'boring is effective') has his second wicket. At tea NSW are 218-3 off 56, with Clarke on 9 and O'Brien 2.

After tea Anderson and Giles resume. Anderson has learnt from an expensive early spell and looks a better bowler now he is pitching it up a bit. he gets his reward in the 60th over when O'Brien edges to Trescothick who doesn't make a mistake this time, taking a sharp catch. 224-4 and NSW have lost 3-31 either side of tea. England have somehow dragged themselves back into this match. However Clarke and Smith stop the rot with a patient partnership of 65 before Clarke, immediately after reaching 50, edges Panesar to Trescothick. 289-5. The new ball is taken after 81 overs by Flintoff and Hoggard, Harmison left to dwell on his performance so far. The new ball didnt bring any England success, Hoggard found the edge of Smith's bat but I'm not convincved it carried to slip. At close of play NSW are 325-5 off 90 overs, Smith 36 and Henriques 25. Giles has the best figures - 2-46 off 15 - despite not looking particularly threatening. Flintoff worried batters the most and was unlucky to have two chances put down. Anderson has improved since Friday's game and probably has pushed himself into that third seamers spot. His main rival Mahmood did no more than carry drinks today, despite being named before the start as a designated bowler. Harmison's form is of concern to all as he is such a key to England's success in the upcoming series. England will hope for early sucess on day 2 before they have to get their heads down for some serious batting.

DAY 2

Early morning sunshine turns to overcast skies and by the scheduled start of play there are spots of rain in the air. Hoggard and Harmison continue with the newish ball and Hogard has the batters playing and missing. It is Harmison who strikes in his second over of the morning, trapping teenager Henriques lbw for 29. it is 334-7 but any hopes England have of wrapping up the NSW inings have to be put on hold as the heavens open and play is suspended after just 4.1 overs.

There are a couple of teasing moments when the sun breaks through but heavier rain and thunder mean the umpires decide no play is possible before lunch. Disappointing too for the crowd that has turned out to watch - yesterdays attendance was over 11,000, today reduced in numbers to around 8,600 but with many local schools getting complimentary tickets the support is high volume and high frequency. 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 yeah kids lets have another Mexican wave!

There are breaks in the cloud by the time play resumes after lunch. Hoggard completes his over and Harmison continues. Smith is dropped by Strauss on 45 but he doesn't have long to dwell on this when Harmison gets one in the right area and Smith edges again, Jones making no mistake with another good catch. 343-7 becomes 343-8 first ball of the next over when Hauritz spoons one to midwicket and Giles dives forwards to take the catch and gives Hoggard his first wicket of the tour. Anderson brings the innings to a close when he gets Bracken with his first and only ball of the day, Bracken edging high to the right of first slip where Trescothick takes the catch. The fall of the ninth wicket brings the NSW declaration on 355.

If England wanted a dress rehearsal for the first test then here it is as England opening batters Trescothick and Strauss walk out to face the NSW and Australia opening bowlers McGrath and Lee. And if Trescothick needed a reminder of past encounters with McGrath he got it first ball, which squeezed between bat and pad and went over the top of middle stump. he turns the final ball of the over off his legs behind square for four runs. Lee opens with a maiden over which is followed by a Mcgrath maiden. In the fourth over Strauss is off the mark with a quick single bringing Trescothick to face lee for the first time. His first ball is driven straight back down the ground for four. His second - maybe some inswing - gets the inside edge and the stumps. Trescothick out for 8 and England 9-1.

Cook joins Strauss and unsurprisingly gets a short one first up from Lee. He is perceived by the Aussies to have a weakness against the short stuff so expect Lee, McGrath and co to test the theory out here. There are a couple of heart-in-mouth moments - a flash at Lee is top edged over the keeper for 4 to bring up England's 50 but overall the unflappable PCA Young Player of the Year is coping well. Strauss is continuing his good form from Canberra and reaches 50 in the 18th over off just 54 balls. Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark have replaced McGrath and Lee. They are rivals for the third seamer spot in Brisbane (along with tait and Queenslander Mitchell Johnson). It is the less flashy Clark who gets to impress selector David Boon as he gets two wickets in quick succession, firstly a return catch from Strauss then finding the edge of Bell's bat. 95-3. Bell out for a second ball duck, he must be concerned that his Australia-itis may count against him in the race for the final batting spot.

Pietersen joins Cook and we can expect plenty more balls whistling pat the ears as he is another the Aussies think is vulnerable to the short ball. The 100 is up in the 24th over, the last before a late tea whern England are 100-3, Cook on 32 and Pietersen 5.

Bracken and Lee resume after tea. Henriques gets his chance to bowl in the 33rd over but Pietersen in particular takes a liking to him and afte 3 overs for 24 he is replaced. Cook reaches a well earned 50 in the 34th. On 59 at the drinks interval he is done for by McGrath (family motto - 'what ball . . . ?') who pitches one full first ball after tea and gets him plumb lbw as he gets his head too far over to off. England 166-3 though with Pietersen going well and Flintoff at the other end. Hope this doesn't turn into a hitting contest. Flintoff top edges a sweep off Casson but survives. The 200 is reached in the 47th over, 250 in the 55th. The crowd at the Paddington end have been calling for MacGill to come on to bowl - even going up to the fence to instruct the captain Katich when he fields a ball from the boundary. I am fortunate to be sitting just along from an Australian gentleman who is multilingual - fluent in English, French, German and, after an appropriate quantity of beer, C**p. Katich tries to explain MacGill is not even on the field, indeed he has withdrawn from the match with an injury. But it falls on deaf ears.

The England batsmen may also have been disappointed by MacGill's absence - I'm sure a little practise against legspin wouldnt have gone amiss. But they reach the close on 256-4 off 59 overs with Pietersen on 80 and Flintoff 48. Despite the rain earlier in the day only 7 overs have been lost, with a 7pm finish with floodlights being used to aid the fading evening sunshine. Clark is the pick of the bowlers with 2-34 off 11 overs, maybe pencilling in his name to that team for the first test. McGrath fairly expensive by his standards, 1-41 off 11, Lee 1-54 off 10, Bracken 1-39 off 10. Casson has been the most used of the slower bowlers, his 11 overs going for 50 runs as KP and Fred had some fun in the evening sun.

DAY 3

Neglected to notice play started half an hour earlier today so missed Clark and Hauritz opening the bowling, Flintoff hitting a big 6 off Hauritz then playing on to Clark for 68. 282-5. Collingwood has the opportunity to put pressure on Bell for the last batting spot but fails to do so as he is caught by Jaques at silly-mid-on off Hauritz for 5. 289-6.

McGrath replaces Clark in the 72nd over and a bye brings up the 300 two overs later. Pietersen gets to 99, looks a little nervous but eventually reaches his 100. Jones plays a couple of good shots, maybe proving to his detractors his credentials but then ruins it by being bowled by McGrath through a gap between bat and pad you could drive a bus through – thogh will agree the ball did keep low. Out for 13, England 330-7. Bracken replaces Hauritz – don't think the new ball has been taken – and Pietersen is finally out when he chips Bracken to Lee at mid on for 122 off 171 balls with 18 4s and two 6s. 332-8. Hoggard joins Giles and they relive old (Trent Bridge) times for a while until Lee comes on for McGrath. In the 90th over Giles is beaten by the pace of Lee and the stumps are flying. Harmison swings and misses Bracken next over and England are all out for 349, a first innings deficit of just 6.

There is time for just two overs before lunch. Hoggard opens from the southern end and his first ball is clipped behind square for four by Jaques. England then find the way to get that man out early in his innings-the secret is already-proclaimed-first-test-discard Mahmood who swoops in from mid on, picks up and with a direct hit runs out Jaques. Never mind Saj I see the Gary Pratt role looming in the Test. Jaques out for 4 and NSW 4-1. Harmison bowls one over for a single from the Paddington end and NSW go for lunch on 5-1, Katich on 1, Cowan yet to score.

Anderson almost pulls off a spectacular catch at square leg off Katich first ball after lunch – got a hand to it but spilled it as he hit the ground. Hoggard and Harmison continue and Hoggard gets the other opener when Jones leaps high to his left to take the catch in the 5th. Cowan looks distinctly unimpressed by the decision – did the ball deflect off thigh pad? Difficult to tell on the real-time replay we get. NSW look a little shaky on 18-2.

Panesar replaces Harmison from the Paddington end in the 12th over and has an enthusiastic shout for lbw against Katich off the last ball but this one isn't given. Anderson comes on for Hoggard in the 15 and has a fruitless spell before being replaced by Giles in the 22nd. Flintoff waits until the 23rd before having a bowl himself. NSW reach 100 in the 26th, Katich his second 50 of the match in the 28th and the 100 partnership between Katich and Michael Clarke comes off the final ball before tea when NSW are 118-2 off 30 overs, Katich 55 and Clarke 47.

Katich has retired himself over tea so it is O'Brien who resumes with Clarke. Panesar continues with Anderson. Clarke matches Katich with a second 50 of his own. O'Brien edges Anderson and a good low catch is taken at first slip by Strauss. The not insubstantial English support in todays 3000 crowd gets something to cheer as Anderson then bowls Smith first ball. NSW 132-4. Henriques keeps out the hat trick ball but Anderson gets him a few overs later, lbw for just 12 in the 42nd over, NSW 156-5. Giles replaces Anderson in the 44th and bowls Clarke with the first ball of the spell for 68. NSW 165-6.

Collingwood gets his first bowl of the match when he replaces Panesar at the Southern end but it is obvious the match is reaching a stalemate. Hauritz and Casson seem happy to pick off a few runs and with no chance of finishing off the final wickets and getting another chance for batting practice Flintoff shakes hands for the draw at 5.30pm with the score on 194-6 off 51 overs.

Anderson is the pick of the bowlers with 3-40 off his 10 overs. Hoggard and Giles would be reasonably satisfied with 1-24 off 7 and 1-32 off 8 respectively. Panesar bowled the most overs of the innings, 13, for 38 runs. Later in the innings he was bowling a defensive left-arm-over to Clarke. Hopefully this tactic is only a variation to be used sparingly rather than a tactic to be followed as a rule – Panesar's USP (unique selling point) which marks him as different (I'm not saying better) than Giles is that he is an attacking bowler. Harmison only bowled 5 overs either side of lunch and we all hope his line and rhythm improve with more bowling in the Adelaide match. Collingwood and Flintoff each bowled 4 overs for 11 runs.

So what can England take away from this match. Certainly there are several positives after the more-or-less disaster of Canberra. Srauss continues to impress. Cook coped well with an early onslaught and his apparently unflappable temperament will be essential if he is to flourish in the Ashes series. Pietersen reminded the Aussies if they needed it just how dangerous a batter he can be once he gets himself in. Apart from a missed stumping when Clarke was on 47 Jones kept tidily and took some good catches. But McGrath and his colleagues will be aiming for that gap. Hoggard looked ineffective on the first day but improved as the match went on. Anderson has surely made the third seamers spot his own for Brisbane. I feel the Giles/Panesar question is the only one left to answer now and really is a close call. Of course the batting line up now picks itself with Cook likely to open with Strauss, Bell at 3 and Collingwood probably slotting in at 5 between KP and Flintoff.

There are reports coming out here in papers and on television about the circumstances surrounding Trescothick's departure from the tour. Know what I think? Too much information. Its all getting a bit voyeuristic. So you won't get any speculation from me on the issue. There are more important things in life than work, even if (or especially if) work happens to be playing cricket.

Take your time. The world can seem a pretty bad place to be. But one day soon the sun will be out again. I should know. Good luck mate.