Geoff Lemon's Blog, page 22
July 7, 2023
The Ashes 2023: England v Australia, third Test, day two – live
“Looking forward to today, any news on Ollie Robinson?” asks Shaun Holmes. He was on the field doing some stretches of his back just now, so looks like he’s trying to come good. He could do with not having to bowl until tomorrow, I’d say. Memo to England’s batting.
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July 6, 2023
Forgotten back-up Mitchell Marsh takes his chance to win over Australia | Geoff Lemon
Patience pays off for unexpected inclusion in third Test with exhilarating yet controlled batting for his throwback century
Travis Head is supposed to outscore you. That’s what Travis Head does, the guy who was already living England’s new ethos before England knew it existed. His power is shifting the scoreboard in the blink of an eye, having you glance up to see 20 or 30 runs from as many balls.
What does it mean, then, when Head is already at the wicket on nine, and the player who walks out to join him brings up a century by the time Head has reached 35? To start the first morning of the Headingley Test, Mitchell Marsh’s call-up as an injury replacement was the biggest surprise of the day. By tea, the surprise was the 114 runs he looted in a session, rescuing Australia in a partnership worth 155.
Continue reading...The Ashes 2023: England v Australia, third Test, day one – as it happened
Mitch Marsh (118 off 118 balls) and Mark Wood (5 for 34) were the stars of a pulsating opening day at Headingley
England
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Harry Brook
Joe Root
Jonny Bairstow +
Ben Stokes *
Moeen Ali
Chris Woakes
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
Mark Wood
Australia
David Warner
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Travis Head
Mitchell Marsh
Alex Carey +
Mitchell Starc
Pat Cummins *
Todd Murphy
Scott Boland
The Ashes 2023: England v Australia, third Test, day one – live
England
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Harry Brook
Joe Root
Jonny Bairstow +
Ben Stokes *
Moeen Ali
Chris Woakes
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
Mark Wood
Australia
David Warner
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Travis Head
Mitchell Marsh
Alex Carey +
Mitchell Starc
Pat Cummins *
Todd Murphy
Scott Boland
July 4, 2023
Any spirit of goodness in cricket should recognise two opposing worldviews | Geoff Lemon
Australia is a harder school where the batter is fair game – that culture does not deserve abuse or the label of cheat
It’s safe to say Alastair Cook would not have much enjoyed his 100th Test. His men were 2-0 down heading to another belting in Perth. England fielded for days, Ryan Harris chainsawed his off-stump in half, Graeme Swann was hit out of a career, Shane Watson defied a famously difficult relationship with centuries. Temperatures throughout were around 44C.
In the coming week, Steve Smith will reach the same milestone in front of a crowd at least as unsympathetic, in a place as far from home. In a way it is appropriate for a career defined by one team. Another 13 runs and Smith will pass Viv Richards for runs visiting England, Garfield Sobers for runs against England, and Allan Border for Ashes runs. That would leave only Border and Don Bradman ahead of him on the first two counts, and Jack Hobbs with Bradman on the third.
Continue reading...July 2, 2023
Australia keep cool after controversy to avoid Stokes’ Headingley Mark II | Geoff Lemon
Tourists steered clear of a repeat of 2019’s miracle defeat by finally ending England’s resistance after Bairstow drama
“The dream is always the same,” says Joel Goodsen at the start of Risky Business. And it is, even if everyone’s version is different. He dreams of missing an exam that will ruin his future. Others can’t find their batting kit when they’re due in the middle, or have to flee an enemy who is always right behind them. They wake, they stumble through their day, then back into the halls of sleep.
Australia’s class of Headingley 2019 would have had some dreams after Ben Stokes pulled off his last-day miracle. After one night’s sleep their head coach Justin Langer made them watch the whole innings again, the way they fell apart. Tim Paine, then the captain, spoke much later of how often it still came to mind. And then, at Lord’s in 2023, there it is again.
Continue reading...July 1, 2023
Nathan Lyon’s brave cameo worth so much more than extra runs | Geoff Lemon
The injured Australia spinner went out to bat knowing it would be his last contribution to the match and possibly the Ashes
It happened in a way that felt organic, even though you knew that it was coming. Applause that started around the players’ steps in the Lord’s pavilion and spread across the ground, ripples reaching the edge of the pond. Once there it turned back inwards, building in volume, sound becoming a more manifest wave, lifting people from their seats row after row. For a few moments, the whole place glowed.
If you had predicted a standing ovation for Nathan Lyon before the second Ashes Test, it could only have been for his imminent 500th Test wicket. Instead he moved to 496 with the stumping of Zak Crawley, then hurt his calf so badly he has been on crutches since.
Continue reading...The Ashes second Test: England chasing 371 to beat Australia on day four – as it happened
Australia are closing in on a 2-0 lead in the Ashes after England ended a surreal day on 114-4, needing another 257 to win
They did get the square covers down eventually, now they’re rolling them up again. Still 18 minutes before the scheduled start, might yet get going on time.
Jonathan Liew to finish, who spent most of yesterday looking extremely perplexed, and most of this column sounding the same way.
Continue reading...The Ashes 2023: England v Australia, second Test, day four – live
They did get the square covers down eventually, now they’re rolling them up again. Still 18 minutes before the scheduled start, might yet get going on time.
Jonathan Liew to finish, who spent most of yesterday looking extremely perplexed, and most of this column sounding the same way.
Continue reading...June 30, 2023
Australia expected an Ashes battle but England are gift-wrapping this Test | Geoff Lemon
England could still snatch victory from a difficult position, but a good team doesn’t get into this position in the first place
Touring England is supposed to be hard. There is always something to surprise you. Blameless days followed by mornings when the ball suddenly seams and swings. Sudden Arctic afternoons to shock players from warmer climes. Scattergun rain delays that send you off the field and drag you back, like: I’m sorry, did I break your concentration?
In this context, matches can surge against a visiting team, backed by a crowd getting on top as a session breaks away. Mark Butcher at Headingley 2001. Ben Stokes at Headingley 2019. Ian Botham at Headingley 1981. Take your pick.
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