Australia resume Day 2 at an overnight score of 126/1 in 30 Overs (Watson 62* Ponting 17*) in their first innings.
Morning Session – Australia 1st Innings
Over 30.1: Out LBW! Graham Onions to S Watson, good length delivery, goes back in the crease and is struck on the pad by an indipper and that’s pretty plumb!
Over 30.2: Bowled him! Graham Onions to M Hussey, good length delivery, oh another bad judgement from Hussey and he gets his off stump cleaned up having decided not to play a shot to a straight one. Onions is on a hat-trick now.
Over 31.6: Boundary! A Flintoff to Michael Clarke, pitched up delivery, shuffles across and gets an inside edge onto the pad that beats the keeper for a boundary.
Over 32.3: Boundary! Graham Onions to R Ponting, good length delivery, lunges forward and edges it safely through the gap in the slip cordon for a boundary.
Over 33.1: Three runs. A Flintoff to R Ponting, pitched up delivery, flicks it uppishly past short leg and gets a couple to become Australia’s leading run scorer in Tests beating Allan Border.
Over 33.3: Boundary! A Flintoff to Michael Clarke, pitched up delivery, lunges forward and drives it through covers for a boundary.
Over 34.4: Three runs. Graham Onions to R Ponting, pitched up delivery, thats onto the pads and Ponting flicks it along the ground to wide mid wicket and picks up three more.
Over 37.1: Boundary! A Flintoff to R Ponting, pitched up delivery, flicks that away through mid wicket for a boundary.
Over 38.3: He is Caught! Graham Onions to R Ponting, bouncer, thats the third wicket for Onions this morning with Ponting going for a hook but only managing it to edge it behind to Prior.
Over 40.1: Boundary! Graham Onions to Michael Clarke, pitched up delivery, strays onto the pads and gets whipped through mid wicket for a boundary.
Over 41.6: No runs. J Anderson to M North, short of length delivery, defends it off the backfoot. Time for Drinks. Australia 168/4 in 42.0 Ovs (Clarke 18* North 0*)
Over 45.4: Boundary! J Anderson to M North, half volley, drives it between covers and mid off for a boundary
Over 48.2: Boundary! S Broad to Michael Clarke, pitched up delivery, drives the wide one to the left of mid off on the up for a boundary.
Over 49.4: Out LBW! J Anderson to Michael Clarke, pitched up delivery, thats a big reversing inswinger that beats the flick shot and strikes the pad infront of middle. Rudi Koertzen’s finger comes up slowly and Clarke believes that the ball was doing just too much.
Over 49.6: Boundary! J Anderson to G Manou, good length delivery, tucks the big inswinger with the angle to fine leg for his first boundary ever in Test Cricket.
Over 50.4: Boundary! S Broad to G Manou, bangs it short, pulls it firmly through mid wicket to pick up his second boundary.
Over 51.4: He is Caught! J Anderson to M North, pitched up delivery, thats a brilliant one handed diving catch to his left from Prior! A loose drive it was from North to that wide teasing outswinger which could only end up as a fast flying outside edge.
Over 51.5: Out LBW! J Anderson to M Johnson, good length delivery, offers no shot thinking that the ball would angle away from over the sticks but instead it comes back to strike the pads. Rudi raises his finger up slowly, it was a touch high though! Jimmy on a hat-trick!
Over 53.5: Bowled him! J Anderson to G Manou, pitched up delivery, that was a magic ball from Jimmy, totally unplayable, it angled in like an inswinger and swung away late to beat the bat and rebound off the pad onto the off stump!! That’s lunch on Day 2. Australia 203/8 in 53.5 Ovs (Hauritz 0*)
Afternoon Session – Australia 1st Innings
Over 53.6: No runs. J Anderson to P Siddle, good length delivery, leaves that indipper which fortunately just bounces over the top of the stumps!
Over 58.4: Boundary! S Broad to P Siddle, half volley, flicks that inswinger away through mid wicket for a boundary.
Over 58.5: Boundary! S Broad to P Siddle, pitched up delivery, edges that outswinger and is lucky that it goes down past third slip for a boundary.
Over 59.1: Boundary! J Anderson to Nathan Hauritz, short and rising delivery, slaps that wide one over covers for a boundary.
Over 60.1: Three runs. S Broad to Nathan Hauritz, pitched up delivery, strokes it through covers and picks up three runs.
Over 61.5: He is Caught! J Anderson to P Siddle, good length delivery, another magic ball it is, that one appeared to swing in and Siddle was shaping to flick it to the onside but ends up getting a leading edge that is caught behind!
Over 63.2: Boundary! J Anderson to Ben Hilfenhaus, pitched up delivery, squeezes the yorker with an open faced blade and finds a lucky boundary through the slip cordon.
Over 63.5: Boundary! J Anderson to Ben Hilfenhaus, pitched up delivery, eases it sweetly past covers for a boundary.
Over 64.3: Single. Graham Onions to Ben Hilfenhaus, short of length delivery, goes for an ambitious pull and its a top edge that is dropped by Bopara who had to run backwards but certainly wasn’t that tough to hold onto it!
Over 64.5: Four Byes! Graham Onions to Nathan Hauritz, bangs it short, thats hopeless bowling from Onions as he sprays that way down the legside after seeing Hauritz make some room.
Over 65.4: Boundary! J Anderson to Ben Hilfenhaus, pitched up delivery, drives that uppishly just over the reach of covers for a boundary.
Over 70.2: Boundary! Graham Onions to Ben Hilfenhaus, short and wide, cuts that away in the air over point for a boundary.
Over 70.4: He is Caught! Graham Onions to Ben Hilfenhaus, pitched up delivery, and finally England have ended this innings as Hilfenhaus’ rash drive goes straight off the edge to gully who makes no mistake! Australia 263 all out in 70.4 Ovs (Hauritz 20*)
Afternoon Session – England 1st Innings
Over 0.4: Single. Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, short of length delivery, tucks it with the angle to fine leg.
Over 1.4: He is Caught! P Siddle to A Cook, pitched up delivery, doesn’t quite come forward and edges his drive behind the sticks, Manou takes a low diving catch infront of the first slip!
Over 2.1: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to R Bopara, pitched up delivery, bowls it too straight and Bopara flicks it nicely through mid wicket for a boundary.
Over 4.1: Three runs. Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, pitched up delivery, drives it straight down the ground and picks up three runs from long off.
Over 6.4: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, pitched up delivery, drives it past mid on for a lovely boundary.
Over 7.2: Boundary! P Siddle to R Bopara, pitched up delivery, plays a lovely drive on the up to beat mid off for a boundary.
Over 8.2: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, pitched up delivery, drives it through covers for a boundary.
Over 8.3: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, good length delivery, goes back and edges it safely in the gap past gully for a boundary.
Over 9.6: Boundary! P Siddle to R Bopara, pitched up delivery, drives it through extra covers for a boundary.
Over 13.5: Boundary! M Johnson to R Bopara, short of length delivery, drives that through covers for a boundary.
Over 15.3: Two runs. M Johnson to R Bopara, short of length delivery, pushes it away past point for a couple to bring up the 50 for Eng.
Over 17.1: Boundary! M Johnson to A Strauss, pitched up delivery, stays in the crease and plays a delightful straight drive between the non striker and the Umpire for a boundary.
Over 17.6: No runs. M Johnson to R Bopara, good length delivery, defends it off the frontfoot to covers. That’s Tea on Day 2 with England trailing behind by 207 runs. England 56/1 in 18 Ovs (Strauss 33* Bopara 32*)
Final Session – England 1st Innings
Over 18.2: Boundary! Nathan Hauritz to A Strauss, flatter trajectory delivery, rocks back and cuts it away past point for a boundary.
Over 19.2: Bowled him! Ben Hilfenhaus to R Bopara, good length delivery, goes back and ends up inside edging it straight onto his stumps!
Over 24.1: Two runs. P Siddle to I Bell, full toss, flicks it wide of mid on and takes only two runs. A bit of confusion while trying the third. That brings up 10,000 first class runs for Bell. Siddle has replaced Hauritz.
Over 25.2: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, pitched up delivery, plays a flowing drive through covers for a boundary.
Over 25.6: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, good length delivery, goes back and chops his cut nicely between point and covers for a boundary.
Over 25.6: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, good length delivery, goes back and chops his cut nicely between point and covers for a boundary.
Over 26.4: Boundary! P Siddle to I Bell, full toss, easy pickings as Bell flicks that away through mid wicket for a free boundary.
Over 28.4: Sixer! Nathan Hauritz to I Bell, flighted delivery, lovely use of his feet and Bell deposits that with the turn over long on for a clean six!!
Over 29.1: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, short and wide, drives it through covers and picks up three runs to get to his 15th test match fifty. Well that’s a boundary with the fielder making contact with the rope with his leg while stopping the ball.
Over 29.5: Boundary! Ben Hilfenhaus to A Strauss, pitched up delivery, plays a lovely straight drive through the line past the bowler and beats the chasing mid on for a boundary.
Over 31.1: Single. M Johnson to A Strauss, half volley, drives it straight to mid off and takes a quick single to bring up Eng’s 100. Johnson has replaced Hilfenhaus.
Over 32.6: Boundary! Nathan Hauritz to A Strauss, flatter trajectory delivery, goes back and plays a thrashing cut past point for a boundary. Time for Drinks. England 106/2 in 33.0 Ovs (Strauss 62* Bell 18*)
Over 33.3: No runs. M Johnson to I Bell, pitched up delivery, thats a late inswinger which beats the flick of Bell and strikes the pad infront of off and middle. That’s plumb but Bell is lucky to escape the slow death from Rudi!!
Over 33.5: Boundary! M Johnson to I Bell, pitched up delivery, lovely stride forward and across and Bell leans into the drive to find a boundary through covers.
Over 35.6: Two runs. M Johnson to I Bell, bangs it short, gets inside the line and tucks it to fine leg for a couple.
The two Umpires have offered bad light to the English batsmen and strangely they decide to walk back into the dressing room. Its not the end of the day’s play, still a lot left I think.
Well play has been called off at Edgbaston with even rain playing its part along with bad light. So its Stumps on Day 2 with England trailing behind by 147 runs with 8 first innings wickets in hand. England 116/2 in 36.0 Ovs (Strauss 64* Bell 26*)