Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 30 July 2009 / Leave a comment

Is Andrew Strauss right - have the Aussies lost the fear factor? Find out as Ed Hawkins brings you all the day one action from the third Test at Egbaston. Email him at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

19.09 Aus 126-1 CLOSE
Australia have negotiated a tricky two-hour session with relative ease, losing only Simon K'tiche to Graeme Swann's spin. Shane Watson is 62 not out and Ricky Ponting 17. Both must come back tomorrow and start from scratch, which is why England will be disappointed not to have made more inroads. Two more tonight and they would be looking strong to go full tilt again tomorrow. Here are the prices: England [18.50], Australia [4.00] and the draw [1.42].

19.03 Aus 121-1
Australia have gone at 4.3 runs per over in this session to almost certainly claim it. England have been oddly lacklustre. David Lloyd has given them six out of 10. Shane Watson, we will work on a nickname for him tomorrow although I'm leaning towards TV, probably gets eight out of 10 because he has looked so darn cosy at the crease.

18.48 Aus 104-1
Rather sorry to see Katich go, or, as my Grandad calls him K'tiche. The sort of sound a symbol makes. Gramps is well-known for his mispronunciation of sporting stars. Gigg plays for Manchester United, Owens has also just signed for them while, depending on who you believe, Joe Marinoes will manage them one day. There's no telling Gramps that he's got it wrong, though. Deaf as a bloody post. Shane Watson has 50 as Flintoff comes back.

WICKET 18.26 Aus 85-1
Katich lbw b Swann 46. England, who had gone past [20.00] have come back to the pack at [12.50]. They needed that wicket and there was no doubt about the decision. It was hitting middle and leg after Katich missed a shovel-style shot to leg. Ricky Ponting replaces him and we might see Andrew Flintoff given another burst at the Aussies skipper with 10 overs left this eve.

18.10 Aus 80-0
Australia's gamble to replace opener Phil Hughes with Shane Watson has paid off. This is their highest opening partnership of the series, beating the previous 60 in dig one at Cardiff. Simon Katich (42) and Shane Watson (37) have been joyous, like a pair skipping through a water meadow with the evening sun warming their backs knowing that if the swallows have a dip and bend to their flight and the smell of ... oh forget it. They're batting well ok?

17.54 Aus 54-0
Know your Onions. The Durham man has come on to bowl and he has promptly been despatched for four by Watson. However, underestimate Onions at your peril on this surface (you'll spot here that I resisted the temptation to claim that he 'can make your eyes water'). He has a strike rate of a wicket every 29 balls in first-class cricket at this venue and fried Warwickshire with nine wickets in the Championship in June.

17.48 Aus 43-0
He's good at pulling is Shane Watson. And he's not bad at the shot, either. Arf! No seriously, he's got it in his locker, as they say. I've seen quite a bit of Watson down the years (for Hampshire and in the IPL) and I must say, every time the guy has looked a stellar act. With the bat he seems to have plenty of time (the hallmark of a proper player) and his medium-fast bowling is not to be snorted at. Perhaps when he has played in Tests before he has been a bit overawed by the big names in the dressing room, almost worrying what they thought of him or whether he was up to it. At the moment, he looks extremely relaxed.

17.27 Aus 15-0
The average first-innings score at Edgbaston in Tests since 2000 is 322. Australia are [2.10] to lay for 400 or more on the runs market.

17.11 Aus 4-0
Funny isn't it how history repeats itself? Four years ago Australia suffered a late injury to Glenn McGrath in the warm-up. Exactly the same has happened with Brad Haddin, who busted his digit taking a few catches before play began. Meanwhile, the pitch looks pretty good for batting. No swing yet but give it a few overs for England to do their work on the ball. England [8.00], Australia [5.30] and the draw [1.45].

17.04 Aus 2-0
Shane Watson and Simon Katich are underway for Australia in this third Test. According to the stats, one of them should score runs. Of the 11 tons scored in the last five Tests, seven have come from the blades of openers. And in four of the last six first-innings, a No 1 or No 2 (come on, keep the sniggers to a minimum please!) has top scored. Watson, who averages just four as an opener in first-class cricket, is [6.00] to be top Australia first-innings runscorer and Katich [4.70]. Ricky Ponting is [4.70] and Michael Hussey [6.20], Mickael Clarke [6.40].

17.00 Aus 1-0
Drama. Brad Haddin has broken a finger and is out. Graham Manou is his replacement behind the stumps but good on England for allowing the switch. The 'break' came after the toss so, really, Andrew Strauss could have told Australia to shove it. Or something less colloquial.

16.54
Neither Shane Warne or Sir Ian Botham reckon the ground is fit for cricket. With a mischievous look in his eye, Sirloin of Beef wondered whether the decision to play had anything to do with the refund policy. No matter, coming up in a few moments a look at Australia's top first-innings runscorer market.

16.42
This is what Shane Warne reckons...
"Andrew Flintoff being so big and strong the water could come up in the run ups. He's already got a knee problem. Injury could be a real concern. The new ball might nibble around a bit so the slips could come into play. But I think if you can get away after the first few overs, it's a good decision to bat first."

16.36 Australia win the toss and bat
"Not really a problem," says Andrew Strauss when asked about losing the toss. Not so sure about that. The wet conditions could help and hinder England's bowlers. The ball could get sodden but the moisture under the surface could help swing bowling. England, by the way, have kept faith with Graham Onions.

16.32
The point of highlighting how injuries have shaped the Ashes was to prove that over a series which wil last seven weeks, things change. Andrew Flintoff, rumour has it, might not make it for the fourth Test at Headingley but Brett Lee will. And who knows what other niggles could be exacerbated by this wet conditions. The toss is coming up. If you win it, you bat. Ricky Ponting probably knows that after his error in 2005. But does Andrew Strauss? Edgbaston traditionally breaks up the longer game goes.

16.07
How injuries have shaped the Ashes
2006-07
Australia 5 England 0
England were ravaged before they stepped onto the field. Three pillars of the 2005 success Michael Vaughan (knee), Marcus Trescothick (stress) and Simon Jones (knee) didn't appear while the fourth, Andrew Flintoff, bowled with pain in his ankle. No Australian suffered a scratch, the only change in five Tests being Andrew Symonds for Damien Martyn, who retired.

15.51
How injuries have shaped the Ashes
2005
England 2 Australia 1
England played the same XI in four Tests while Australia were twice rocked by injuries to Glenn McGrath. First he tore ankle ligaments by treading on a ball during the warm-up at Edgbaston and although he recovered for the third Test at Old Trafford he was out again by the fourth at Trent Bridge with an elbow injury. England won both games that McGrath missed.

15.43
Good news sports fans. Play will start at 17.00. The toss will be at 16.30. The draw is [1.44]. Worth a lay given that we will get some play.

15.16
2002-03
Australia 4 England 1
A nadir for England on the injury front, even by their brittle-boned standards. It started badly and got worse. Darren Gough (knee) and Andrew Flintoff (hernia) were sent home without playing and Simon Jones ruptured a knee horribly in the Brisbane outfield in the first Test. England's victory in the last Test at Sydney came when both Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath were injured.

14.53
How injuries have shaped the Ashes
2001
England 1 Australia 4
The absence through injury of three first-choice batsmen in Graham Thorpe (for four Tests), captain Nasser Hussain (two) and Michael Vaughan (all five), as well as left-arm spinner Ashley Giles (four) made for one of the least competitive series.

14.30 WET OUTFIELD
This is what umpire Rudi Koertzen had to say a few minutes about the state of the ground...
"We're not happy at the moment," said Rudi. " We're standing just outside the run ups and they're still wet. What also concerns us is that when we roll the ball on the turf it gets very wet. It's not fair to ask a team to field when that happens. Got to be fair to both sides."
"We haven't even looked at the far side. We have to look at the deep cover and midwicket area because they were muddy this morning and we haven't seen whether they've improved.
"We've had an umbrella to stick into the ground to see how soft it is and the umbrella goes right in. If someone runs on that, slips and hurts themselves then that is clearly not right.
"The latest we can start is anything up to six o'clock. We'll push it as far as we can. We'll be able to make time up on subsequent days, claiming the extra hour and so on."

14.10 WET OUTFIELD
There will be another inspection at 15.30. The ground is still very wet and although the sun is out and the wind is blowing, it will take some time to dry out. Umpire Rudi Koertzen was only "hopeful" of play today.

14.00 WET OUTFIELD
How injuries have shaped the Ashes
1998-99
Australia 3 England 1
England's solitary win again came when one of Australia's feared bowlers was missing, this time Shane Warne in Melbourne. Michael Atherton played throughout with a back problem but a hunched Graham Thorpe (one Test) hobbled home with his.

13.45 WET OUTFIELD
As discussed in the Ashes half-time report, injuries could be the key factor in this series. Nothing unusual there. Historically, contests between England and Australia have been dictated by who is fit and who isn't. Don't believe me? Right, I'll prove it.

1997
England 3 Australia 2
England were optimistic of glory for the first time in 11 years but injuries ruined their aspirations in a six-Test series. Their bowlers spent more time on the treatment table than the pitch. Dominic Cork didn't feature at all while Dean Headley and Darren Gough missed two and one Tests respectively.

12.43
Continuing the weather and girl theme of this blog, I think I can justify providing a link to this picture on the the basis of the dangers of climate change.

12.35
We'll have an inspection at 14.00. Meanwhile, why not have a read of our half-time report, if you will, on this Ashes series. Here it is.

12.07 RAIN
Umpire Rudi Koertzen has just appeared on the box to give an update. "At the moment we can't even think about when we can start. We'll take lunch and then come out again but if it stops raining it won't be anything earlier than mid afternoon. The bowlers' run ups are a concern because they are very wet at the moment so that is the first problem to solve."

11.57 RAIN
Lucy Versamy fixation really beggining to tighten in the absence of cricket. Found this picture of all the Sky weather girls. Do email me to let me know who your favourite is. Or perhaps you could get in touch to discuss something cricket related? That will keep my mind on the job, so to speak.

11.36 RAIN
We've been cultivating a nice obsession with Sky weather girl Lucy Verasamy since the beginning of the series. She has been on this morning to deliver a gloomy outlook for the Test, although I'm increasingly of the opinion that she sounds as though she's not entirely sure what she's talking about. Apparently we have rain every day apart from Friday and Monday.

11.21 RAIN
David Cameron said "too many twits can make a twat". The Australia selectors may be using stronger language to describe opening batsman Phillip Hughes's decision to reveal his axing on Twitter this morning. This is what he said: "Disappointed not to be on the field with the lads today. Will be supporting the guys, it's a BIG test match 4 us. Thanks 4 all the support!" I apologise for his use of the figure '4' instead of 'for' but an Australian murdering the English tongue is not unusual. Apparently allrounder Shane Watson is the man who will replace him. Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus retain their places.

11.10 RAIN
The view from my front room is a gorgeous one. The sun light is strafing through the trees from a patchy blue sky. But the third Ashes Test isn't being played outside my house. It's being played in Birmingham. And surprise, surprise it's sopping wet. God, as if the grating Brummie accent has finally got to him, has emptied the contents of his bath on the Second City. It is not raining now but the outfield is extremely soggy. Or "boggy" according to Sir Ian Botham. It is unlikely we will have play before lunch. Here are the prices: England [6.60], Australia [4.30] and the draw [1.59].

Tags: Andrew Strauss, Ashes 2009 Betting, Ashes Live blog, Australia, Egbaston, England cricket betting, Ricky Ponting