You are here: Home » Australia » Twitter Updates of Day 3 of the 2nd Test at St John’s Wood

Twitter Updates of Day 3 of the 2nd Test at St John’s Wood

Link to 2nd Test Scorecard

England need to have a thirdman, they have leaked two boundaries in that region already! Two men in the deep for the hook says Nasser Hussain.

Four boundaries already in just 15 mins, 3 of them have come through the thirdman region where there is not a single fly in place!

The ball probably did a lot yesterday evening under lights, right now it looks like a very flat pitch! Difficult to dislodge Siddle and Hauritz.

Well even if Eng are in a position to enforce the follow on, its better for them not to and bat in these flat batting conditions.

The pitch hasn’t slowed down though. Anderson is getting the ball to hurry onto the batsmen off the track.

Very flat morning for England at a sunny Lords. Graham Onions is going to be pushed into the attack, might try out his yorkers and indippers.

Flintoff has been off the field for a couple of overs now. Siddle has just taken a blow on his knuckle from Broad.

Finally the breakthrough has come for Eng, change of bowling doing the trick. Hauritz and Siddle put on 44 runs.

Very good catch from Collingwood at third slip, Hauritz went really hard at the ball and Colly tookit wit soft hands absorbing all the pace.

Why can’t they have the third man in place? Four boundaries gifted in that region?

Super speeds from Stuart Broad, his fastest I think seems to be at just over 145 kmph. Flintoff is the fastest at about 150.4 kmph.

Not much of pace from Onions 2day, just going through his action, has clocked 137.8 kmph to the no.11.

Strauss just not bothered to have anybody at thirdman, its the 5th boundary towards that region. Probably not looking to enforce follow on?

Flintoff is loosening up to have a bowl. Just 12 runs to save the follow on for the Aussies. Looks like Eng want to bat.

Siddle had no options really, just chanced his arms outside off to nick it. Eng doing the right thing by not going for the Follow On.

Eng have got wonderful lead of 210 follow on wasn’t gone b right as d pitch looks very flat now. Need some cloud cover for the ball to move.

Eng needs to bat positive, its upto them to take this match forward on their terms. I feel 300 more runs should be enough.

Well nothing in the air nor anything off the pitch for the Oz new ball bowlers as well. Can’t understand why Sky guys are unhappy with Eng bat.

Johnson is just not consistent with his lines n lengths. Bowled a half volley, wide outside off, down the legside in 1 over.

Australia’s bowling plans should be too keep on bowling outside off and frustrate the batsmen into making mistakes.

Nice healthy rate for Eng, if they can score just around 3.5rpo they can get 300 runs in about 85 overs. They would still have more than 5 sessions.

If I am not mistaken not a single ball has beaten the bat so far in this Eng innings. Its very sunny at Lords now, perfect batting conditions.

Eng have already got 9 boundaries in 9.1 overs! They are looking to bat Aus out of the match quickly.

Less than 10 mins to go for lunch and Hauritz is brought in. Eng should look to go after him to compound the problems for Ricky.

Not a black cloud in the sky over Lords. England sitting very pretty in their second innings. Probably just a single ball went past the bat.

England in a commanding position at lunch at Lords taking the lead to 267, all wickets intact. Australia need rain interruptions to stay alive!

I don’t appreciate Strauss inability of not putting away the bad balls for runs. He could only hit 1 out of 4 bad balls for runs in Siddle over.

To the naked eye it looked as if the ball would have gone down the leg but slow motion indicates that Cook was indeed plumb.

Aus beware of the ODI specialists Bopara and KP who can take the game away quickly with their free flowing strokeplay.

Strauss just pinned into the crease, never attempted to step out and now he perishes edging a flighted offie in his cover drive.

This situation is ideal for the likes of KP, Bopara, Freddie, Prior. Eng got to continue being positive, 2 wkts down not a big deal. Lead at 284.

KP straightaway prepared to use his feet and stamp his authority over Hauritz with a lofted shot. Bopara got to do the same unlike Strauss.

Bopara has got two deft 4s towards 3rdman playing with soft hands. KP on the other hand looking to dominate the bowling with forcing shots.

One lofted shot from KP and Hauritz is out of the attack, Hilfenhaus is back. There is a bit of cloud cover now over Lords!

Hilfenhaus is getting this semi new ball to swing around all of a sudden. One inswinger almost got through KP, lucky to get an inside edge.

Bad technique from Ricky in the slips, trying to take a waist height catch with fingers pointing upwards and spilling that chance from Bopara.

Lots of drama @ lords in last 10mins, missed run out, dropped catch, ball swinging both ways yet runs flowing through quickly.

KP is living dangerously against the swinging ball, luckily England getting towards a safe lead, 304 right now.

Close shave for KP in the 23rd over, almost dragged an expansive drive off Hilfenhaus onto his stumps. Got a boundary instead.

KP is not a 100% fit, struggling with his heel. A bit of calmness now in the England batting, ball not swinging much again.

Johnson is back into the attack replacing Siddle. KP and Bopara will have to get ready with their cut shots now.

England have slowed down in this afternoon session at Lords, 58 runs have come in 18 overs at the loss of 2 wkts. They are looking safe though.

Tea now within strike in distance at Lords, another 15 mins to go. England would look to go a bit hard in the final session.

Both KP and Bopara are struggling to pierce the off side field! Runs have dried up for England and KP is getting frustrated.

A scratchy Bopara has got away with a miscued pull just at the stroke of Tea. A forward diving attempt from Hauritz but the catch wasn’t clean.

So Tea @ Lords, Eng taking lead to 340, a dull session with just 73 runs in 27 overs but Eng happy that they lost only 2 wkts, so no collapse.

Australia turn to the spin of Hauritz after Tea at Lords. KP would like to take him on for some big shots, England need to push on now.

Hauritz has all the 3 wkts now, Bopara couldn’t handle the turn and bounce. That’s good news for Swann though, England look safe wit 357 lead.

Just the 26 runs have come in the 7 overs after Tea for England. Hauritz will get the credit for strangling Eng with spin and bounce.

Finally Pietersen finds a boundary, got a wide half volley from Siddle which he murdered all along the ground through covers.

KP has woken up after a slumber playing two crashing cover drives for boundaries off Siddle. the lead has moved to 374 for England.

England derailed at Lords with KP caught off the inside edge to a jaffa from Siddle, came back a long way with steep bounce, lead at 384.

Matt Prior always looks busy at the crease, a lovely straight drive for a boundary proves that he packs a punch in his shots, lead at 398.

England coast past a lead of 400 at Lords, still got 6 wickets in hand. Collingwood joining the party now with a slog sweep.

Michael Clarke into action for the first time today replacing Siddle. 27 more overs left in the 3rd day’s play at Lords. Eng lead at 409.

Nice meaty blow from Prior with the turn for a boundary to mid wicket. KP’s dismissal seems to be a blessing in disguise!

Drinks in final session at lords, England race away to a lead of 425. prior providing the impetus with his 30 from 23 with four 4s.

Looks like Oz are rushing thro their overs with Hauritz and Clarke in action. Another 24 overs to bowl in this final session at Lords.

The 50-run partnership between Collingwood and Prior came in just 49 balls. Prior has made the difference and that has rubbed off on Colly.

Prior gets another boundary through a slog sweep, 105 runs came in 21 overs this session at Lords. Eng lead at 445 runs.

England took 16 in the 63rd over from Hauritz. Prior raced away to his 50 in 37 balls. They can declare with a few overs left today.

End of Prior comes through from a brilliant direct hit from North from the deep. Prior gave the momentum at the right time, lead at 470.

Freddie has joined the party at lords now, a cover drive and a pull to announce his arrival. Hauritz has taken a blow on his sore finger.

Looks like its a never ending day at Lords this evening. Just around an hour’s play left.

Collingwood has notched up a free stroking fifty in 72 balls. The lead is at 499 and it seems the light is fading quickly at lords.

It has started to rain at Lords and Collingwood has just got out nicking his big shot to the keeper. Its pretty heavy now to stop play.

Rain puts an early end to Day 3 but England have achieved what they wanted, 521 runs lead and now need 10 wkts to win.