Bat and ball / Ed Hawkins / 22 August 2009 /

It was the Stuart Broad show yesterday as Australia were dismissed cheaply and now have it all to do as England are the ones with runs on the board on a very tricky pitch. But this is an unpredictable Series and England aren't there yet. Follow all the action right here...

6.32 Aus 80-0 CLOSE
Good fightback by Aussie that. They go in with all 10 wickets still in hand with another 466 runs to get. Still, definitely England's day, but even so the home win is now [1.31] (which is where it was this morning), while Australia are [5.20] and the draw is [21.00]. Looking forward tomorrow, already. See you then.

6.09 Aus 67-0
Excellent start for Australia, who are now down to [5.5]. England are [1.28] and Strauss has asked his first innings hero Broad to have a go. To continue our discussion on village Ashes series, DomieG emails to ask about 1986/7 - when Mike Gatting's team beat the Aussies 2-1 (with the help of another Broad). Australia had players in that team who became great, but were not good enough to overcome a team with a trio of glaring fault lines. As Martin Johnson infamously identified at the start of the tour: "There are only three things wrong with the English team - they can't bat, they can't bowl, and they can't field."

5.43 Aus 32-0
Australia win price down to [7.60]. I think it got down to about [3.50] at Lord's when they were chasing 522. OK, Swanny's coming on. He's going to turn it for sure. North got it to go sideways.

5.21 Aus 14-0
OK - Australia's turn to have a whack. A few overs in without any wicket (although a couple of risky singles) and already the England win price begins to lengthen to [1.22]. Ridiculous. Keep an eye on this. There could easily be a decent opening partnership and the price might approach [1.30] or even higher again.

WICKET 4.58 Eng 370-9
Trott goes - which really ruins his average in the Only Fools and Horses Ashes stakes. Uncle Albert remains the family's top performer with his three figure stat. Jonathan was caught by North in the gully off Clark, by the way, not that that really matters. The main news is that England have declared. Australia need 546 to win. The market thinks there's a 10% chance of that happening - which seems generous, but this time next year and all that. Anyway, Australia [10.00] to win, the draw is [16.00] and an England win is [1.18]. Mange tout, mange tout, boys.

4.40 Eng 357-8
Trott goes to 100! What a tremendous knock that was and it books him on the plane to South Africa this winter - which is a novel way of getting yourself a trip home. Trott's Test average is currently above 100 and there is only one other Test cricketer to have a three figure average in Tests between England and Australia - and he was a Trott too. Albert Trott (three matches in 1895 for Australia, averaging 102.5) is (possibly) an ancestor of the Cape Town-born Jonathan and the pair certainly seem to have a fair bit in common. Apart from the stellar Ashes batting averages, Albert was born in Melbourne and played Tests for Australia - before defecting to England.

WICKET 4.22 Eng 333-8
Spoke to soon. Triple Nelson strikes. Swann goes. Top edges Hilfenhaus and caught by Haddin. In comes Anderson - on a pair (unusually). England [1.18] and Australia [11.5].

4.17 Eng 326 -7
That's Swann's 50. Great knock. England's middle order has been pretty terrible in this series, but the lower middle order (Flintoff, Broad, Swann et al) have been excellent. All three have made over 200 runs this summer - with Swann the most prolific. He bats above his county team mate Broad in the Championship and tells anybody who cares to listen that Notts coach Mick Newell has got that decision spot on.

TEA 3.41 Eng 290-7
That's tea. Marvellous. A cup of assam for me and a slice of something fluffy. Also, something to ponder while you tuck in to your own platter. Whatever the result of this entertaining series (and an England victory now looks inevitable) it has been woefully short of the quality of 2005. So in terms of the cumulative quality of both sides, has there been a more village Ashes in the past 40 years? 1978/9, possibly? hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

3.24 Eng 264-7
England plough on and now lead by 436, which would be Australia's highest fourth innings total to win a Test in England (they are [7.60] to get there, by the way). The record currently stands at 404/3, which came in 1948 at Leeds. Back then Arthur Morris made 182, while some other wee chap from Bowral chipped in with an unbeaten 173. Not sure if he ever achieved much else in the game, though.

WICKET 15.03 Eng 243-7
Broad's gone. North gets his fourth wicket when Ponting takes a catch after England's new hero skies to mid off. It's turning for North at the moment so Swann - who's just come to the crease - should be feeling confident that he's got a big part to play in the second half of this match. England are now [1.24], Australia [6.60] while the draw has (belatedly) started to move out to [21.00].

2.45 Eng 225-6
England now lead by 397, so somebody is going to have to bat very well for Australia if they are going to win. Odds on an Australian centurian in the second dig are [2.24], and [1.55] not. The tourists have seven players in their line-up to make Test tons (Katich, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, North, Haddin and Johnson). Between them, they have made 71 Test centuries - with 14 (or 19.7%) coming in the second dig. Obviously these figures are skewed by Ponting's figures (16%) but five of the skipper's six second innings hundreds have come since Old Trafford 2005. Clarke has, of course, made two centuries with his second hit in two Tests during this series.

WICKET 2.18 Eng 200-6
Goodnight Fred - at least with the bat. He's just holed out to Siddle at long-on off North. However he finished, it was going to happen quickly. Flintoff arrived at the crease today with the same attitude as the Woolworth's administrator last Christmas: everything must go.

2.00 Eng 172-5
Fred's off the mark with a four, but the market reckons Trott's hot to be England's top second innings bat (despite just being lidded by a Siddle bouncer). The debutant is [1.55], Strauss is [3.00] and any other batsman (including Saint Fred) is [7.6].

WICKET 1.52 Eng 168-5
Straight after lunch and Prior obviously thinks England have got enough already. He's just run himself out. Katich again! He now has two brilliant run-outs and a cracking catch in this match. Anyway, nobody cares. Big roar for Big Fred.

LUNCH 1.00 Eng 157-4
Well, a great session for England, which culminated with Ponting seeing out this series exactly how he began the one in 2005 - dripping with blood. The last ball before lunch was driven into the ground by Prior, and then straight into the skipper's gob as he stood at silly point. Great player Ponting, but he might just be remembered as much for his facial injuries as all his runs - especially that black eye sustained after a scrap outside that Sydney nightclub in 1999.

WICKET 12.56 Eng 157-4
Strauss's attempted cover drive is edged to Clarke at first slip off North. Bit of turn there. England are [1.25], Australia [8.20] and the draw (unbelievably) is [11.00].

12.30 Eng 126-3
I've never met Monty Panesar, but the Northants left armer must be dreaming of a trip to the Palace for a gong from Her Maj. If England reclaim the urn, his contribution (with the bat) in Cardiff is looking absolutely crucial, while as any schoolboy knows, Paul Collingwood got his MBE for scoring 17 runs in one Test of 2005. What odds on the Monty and Brenda show?

12.10 Eng 100-3
Quiz question: We are yet to get halfway through the alloted time for this match, and 23 wickets have already fallen. So why has the draw shortened to [15.50]? All I can think of is that the market is reacting to no wicket falling yet today, which seems a stupid reason (just proved by Tufnell just asking on TMS if the track's flattened out). Apart from all the obvious points about time left and pressure of batting last on a wearing pitch, I suspect the wicket is still being affected by last night's heavy roller - which will tend to compact the pitch initially before ensuring it then breaks up even more quickly.

11.50 Eng 92-3
A good, steady, start for England, who have shortened slightly to [1.30]. This still looks value. Aussie are going to have to play astonishingly well to get out of this. They have lengthened to [5.90], while the draw is [15.00]. The largest fourth innings total to win at the Oval is England's 263-9 against Australia, but that was way back in 1902.

11.35 Eng 79-3
England are [1.30] to score 200 runs or more; [1.66] to make over 225; and [1.9] to top 250 in their second innings. They have a lead of 251, which (now I've had time to calm down a bit) might already be enough. Australia knocked off 242 in the fourth dig to win at the Oval in 1972, and the Windies cruised to the 253 they needed in south London in 1963. Obviously England made the 197 required here last year, but historically this target is already a big ask. And this is no ordinary Oval strip.

11.05 Eng 58-3
OK - here are the prices. England are [1.33] and Australia [4.33]. Good Lord! Massive appeal first up for caught behind against Trott. Turned down (rightly). This could be a nervous first hour for England fans (and backers). But they are rightly massive favourites.

10.55 Eng 58-3
Morning cricket nerds. Well, this is exciting, isn't it? After Australia were dramatically bowled out by the Notts duo yesterday (it was like 1932/33 all over again) England are suddenly in a fantastic position to regain the Ashes. Being English, the evening session's slight batting wobble has made me - and presumbaly most of the Oval crowd - a touch jittery this morning and we will all be hoping for a decent batting performance to put this game out of Aussie's reach. Hawkeye's at a wedding today (not his own, obviously) so you've got me (Simon Goodley) standing in for the great man. Just think of me as Paul Collingwood in 2005 - present on the big day having played no part in proceedings throughout the summer. Oh - and you can still email me at at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk

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