Rob Smyth's Blog, page 182

January 2, 2016

South Africa v England: second Test, day one – as it happened

England on top on 317-5 after compelling first day at NewlandsStokes and Bairstow build on top-order starts with unbeaten partnership of 94 Over-by-over updates from day one of the second Test in Cape Town

4.06pm GMT

STUMPS

87th over: England 317-5 (Stokes 74, Bairstow 39)

4.00pm GMT

86th over: England 317-5 (Stokes 74, Bairstow 39)

Nope, he’s not injured – Morne’s got the new ball in his hand, which probably isn’t feeling that new after Ben Stokes had his way with it. It’ll only be one over though, as play cannot go beyond 6pm (4pm GMT). Bairstow facing and he leaves everything outside off stump. Morkel goes in search for something and finds thigh guard through to the keeper. He appeals.

3.54pm GMT

85th over: England 317-5 (Stokes 74, Bairstow 39)

There are three men out on the legside for Ben Stokes, but somehow he manages to beat them all with a well-controlled hook, which bounces just short of the boundary sponge behind square leg for four. Morris getting a bit of treatment here. I’m surprised he has stayed on to bowl this over. Morkel injured, perhaps? Another short ball keeps a tad low and Stokes adjusts late to top edge safely behind square on the legside. Six from the over as Bairstow squirts an edge to third man.

.@jbairstow21 becomes the 100th England player to score 1000 runs in Test matches #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/UzwE3HFusk

3.50pm GMT

84th over: England 311-5 (Stokes 70, Bairstow 38)

Some calm to proceedings as an over goes by without a boundary. Bairstow drops one into the legside, Stokes finds a single at point, Bairstow gets another to third man and Stokes pulls to the square leg sweeper. Scratch that first bit – it should have been boundaryless, but awful fielding from Dan Piedt at extra cover allows the ball to make it to the fence.

3.45pm GMT

83rd over: England 303-5 (Stokes 68, Bairstow 32)

Glorious from Stokes, who picks up a ball outside off stump and sends it on its way to the boundary through midwicket. Morris is ticking, too, and puts a little extra into a short ball which surprises Stokes, who hooks anyway. Luckily, the ball settles into a vacant area of the field behind square leg. Stokes rests at the nonstriker’s end for a moment, as Bairstow picks up a single to midwicket to get him back on strike. Morris is short again but this time Stokes controls the shot and gets a single to fine leg. Now Bairstow is in on the act, carving a short and wide delivery past backward point for four.

No Morkel ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3.38pm GMT

82nd over: England 291-5 (Stokes 62, Bairstow 26)

Stokes gets two to midwicket off his hip – Rabada has the new ball at this end – and misses out on another new ball boundary because of some fine fielding by Faf du Plessis at point. He settles for a single to the legside boundary, where a sweeper lurks.

3.36pm GMT

81st over: England 288-5 (Stokes 59, Bairstow 26)

That new ball is taken and eight runs are pilfered from the first two balls. Morris is straight on the stumps and Stokes punches him through mid on before he slashes over gully for the second four. It brings up Stokes’ fifty (71 balls) and leads to Amla dropping gully down to third man. A dot and then another four as Stokes stands tall and bludgeons the ball through cover point off the back foot. And a fourth as Stokes goes through where that fielder at third man started the over! Meek from Amla, imperious from Stokes.

3.29pm GMT

80th over: England 271-5 (Stokes 42, Bairstow 26)

Presumably the last over before South Africa take the new ball. Bairstow starts it with a boundary: Piedt over-pitches and Bairstow walks into a nice off drive through extra cover. The fourth ball follows the same path, but at a greater lick. Good from JB.

3.25pm GMT

79th over: England 263-5 (Stokes 42, Bairstow 18)

Bairstow is right behind everything from Elgar, including a yorker which is dug out easily. A punch down the ground brings him one, before Stokes returns the strike. Another to long on ends the over.

3.24pm GMT

78th over: England 260-5 (Stokes 41, Bairstow 16)

Piedt getting into a good rhythm and he nearly has Stokes trapped in front, but for a thin edge onto his pad, which bounces past Quinton de Kock and finds its way into the left hand of Chris Morris, diving to his right at first slip. The appeal from de Kock is animated: “HOWZAT! What? [Turns to Morris] Did you catch it? HOWZAT!” Not out, QdK. Three from the over.

3.19pm GMT

77th over: England 257-5 (Stokes 40, Bairstow 14)

Part-time destroyer Dean Elgar comes into the attack to replace van Zyl. Stokes and Bairstow exchange two singles each, as the left arm spinner fires a few in straight, with some natural (accidental) variation in length.

3.15pm GMT

76th over: England 253-5 (Stokes 38, Bairstow 12)

Dane Piedt takes over from Morkel, who’ll no doubt be back when the new ball is taken. Piedt starts with a trademark half-tracker which Bairstow puts everything into but is unable to beat van Zyl, who’s running around to midwicket. The next ball is a beauty: Bairstow is brought forward and the ball turns through bat and pad but bounces just over leg stump and beyond the keeper for four byes.

3.10pm GMT

75th over: England 247-5 (Stokes 38, Bairstow 10)

Stokes decides hard and fast won’t work to van Zyl’s dobblers, so pats the second ball on the head and sends it to the fielder at third man. Bairstow manages three with a tickle to fine leg.

3.06pm GMT

74th over: England 242-5 (Stokes 37, Bairstow 6)

One of those Morne Morkel balls – you know, fullish length that somehow jumps up and tickles the batsman’s chin – is delivered by the man himself and Bairstow gets himself into a kerfuffle. Luckily, despite getting squared up, he manages to keep his hands out of the way and allows the ball to pass through to the keeper. Bairstow gets off strike next ball with a single into the legside, allowing Stokes to see out the remaining four.

3.02pm GMT

73rd over: England 241-5 (Stokes 37, Bairstow 5)

Piedt looks to have patched together a good over, but Stokes ruins it with a bottom-handed bunt through midwicket for four.

3.00pm GMT

72nd over: England 237-5 (Stokes 33, Bairstow 5)

Bairstow with some intent now, as Morkel tries to get his edge but Johnny meets him with an open face to punch through cover, piercing the hands of the fielder diving to his right, for four.

2.56pm GMT

71st over: England 233-5 (Stokes 33, Bairstow 1)

Can’t remember who coined it, but I think we can class Stiaan van Zyl as “civilian medium”. He’s using his lack of pace well, just bringing his length back and keeping it straight. A bit of width and Bairstow can guide to third man for a single to get off the mark. More width and Stokes’ is tempted into a slash which, luckily for him, he fails to get anything on.

2.51pm GMT

70th over: England 232-5 (Stokes 33, Bairstow 0)

A drinks break and Stokes is on it: glorious on-drive off Morris beats the diving man at mid on for four and then a drive away from his body races through cover for another.

2.40pm GMT

69th over: England 224-5 (Stokes 25, Bairstow 0)

Nothing really to report from that over. One bad ball from van Zyl, which Stokes thumped through the ring fielders but right to the offside sweeper for one.

2.36pm GMT

68th over: England 223-5 (Stokes 24, Bairstow 0)

Lovely: Morris is full and Rooteh meets the ball under his eyes, with a solid forward press, to time the ball down the ground for four. A tuck into midwicket and that’s Root’s 18th Test fifty off 78 balls. He’s out two balls later, hanging back to a ball Graeme Smith reckons he should have got forward to, and nicking behind. A big waste from Root, who looked at ease.

@andymcg_cricket @somerfjord At least 4 of the wickets have come from deliveries that could, should have been left.

2.33pm GMT

Oh Rooteh. Morris hangs one outside off stump and Root, fresh from bringing up his half-century, has a wristy nibble behind. GAH!

2.29pm GMT

67th over: England 217-4 (Root 45, Stokes 23)

Hashim Amla decides to get Stiaan van Zyl’s mediums a try. He starts wicket to wicket to Root, who defends a couple and plays in front of his pad into the off- and legside to find fielders. The final ball is on leg stump and Root can get it away beyond the square leg man for one, which brings up the 50 partnership between these two, from 69 balls.

2.24pm GMT

66th over: England 216-4 (Root 44, Stokes 23)

First sign of variable bounce, certainly from what I’ve been watching, as Root has to dip on the back foot to a back of a length ball from Morris which just gets to knee height. Single.

2.21pm GMT

65th over: England 215-4 (Root 43, Stokes 23)

These two not letting Piedt settle at all and have worked together to concoct the perfect over of batting against spin. A single for Stokes to cover brings Root on strike, who places Piedt through cover point for four with an open face. A quick single to mid on means Piedt must come back around the wicket to Stokes, who drops his back knee and slog-sweeps to midwicket for a huge six. Perfect.

2.15pm GMT

64th over: England 203-4 (Root 38, Stokes 16)

Another single off the first ball from Root. “Busy”. Stokes on strike, Morkel back around the wicket and a lifter aimed at the armpit keeps going down the legside, evading the desperate dive of de Kock, for four byes, which is harsh on the keeper. Fuller from Morkel and a single brings Root back on to play a sweet back-foot drive through cover for four to bring up the team 200. Effortless from the boy Joe.

2.11pm GMT

Good spot from Nick Church, here. Roger - we’re coming for you...

@Vitu_E that blighter Roger (12.32 OBO text) has put the jinx on things....given he has (lovely) company in Fiji I suggests he tends to that

2.10pm GMT

63rd over: England 193-4 (Root 33, Stokes 15)

Piedt has his first go this evening and Root immediately takes a single to midwicket, as the offspinner starts short. Another loosener comes in the form o a full toss, which Stokes thumps to midwicket for four.

2.07pm GMT

62nd over: England 188-4 (Root 32, Stokes 11)

Root looks a tad early on the pull, there: Morkel drops one outside off stump and it’s flipped into square leg for two. A bunt into midwicket brings Stokes back on strike. Three dots, including an appeal and an ambitious review, end the over.

2.06pm GMT

NOT OUT

No LBW as too high and no catch as no bat. As you were...

2.05pm GMT

An LBW appeal against Stokes goes up and gains voice as de Kock catches the ricochet off, which may have been down to some bat. Not out for both, so South Africa enlist the help of the third umpire...

2.01pm GMT

61st over: England 185-4 (Root 29, Stokes 11)

Gorgeous from Stokes, who uses his wrists to get an extra bit of oomph into a tuck off his hip to send it racing to the square boundary for four. A hard drive down the pitch is picked up well by Morris, who turns and throws at the other end, missing Stokes – who gets his hands well out of the way – and the stumps. The final delivery is short and flayed to square leg, where Stiaan van Zyl fields, for two. Good from Benjamin.

1.55pm GMT

60th over: England 179-4 (Root 29, Stokes 5)

Morkel replaces Rabada, who starts around the wicket to Stokes, as is his wont to left-handers. Stokes manages one off a good short ball, leaving Root to play out the over.

1.51pm GMT

South Africa clearly worked very hard on the ball. Some nice movement.

1.51pm GMT

59th over: England 178-4 (Root 29, Stokes 4)

Really good over from Morris, using the late movement to keep Root watchful. Tries to finish it off with a yorker but misses his mark and Root picks him off for two through midwicket.

1.49pm GMT

58th over: England 176-4 (Root 27, Stokes 4)

Stokes enjoys a quick pitch but, with the ball moving late, he’ll have to reel in his desire to go hard at the full ball. He tucks two to square leg and checks a drive into the offside for none.

1.42pm GMT

57th over: England 173-4 (Root 27, Stokes 2)

Morris takes the ball at the other end: the ball is tailing into the right handers and Root is playing it inside out and late to combat it. A thick outside edge brings him four through gully.

1.38pm GMT

56th over: England 169-4 (Root 23, Stokes 2)

A dot and then the wicket of Compton before tea means we start with the remaining four balls of the over. James Taylor nicks the first delivery of the session through to the keeper. There was no need to play at that. He waits around as the umpire checks the landing foot, which has a smidge of heel breaking the front line. Taylor continues his trudge off. Ben Stokes faces the hat-trick ball and plays it solidly to mid on. Off the mark to the final ball of the over with a tuck off his hip to backward square leg.

1.34pm GMT

First ball after tea Taylor fends needlessly at one outside off-stump, through to the keeper. Rabada on a hat-trick...

1.11pm GMT

The wicket means that will be the last delivery before tea. England are still in a good position, though they will be slightly irritated by the dismissals of Hales and Compton in the afternoon session. Vish will be with you for the final session. Thanks for your company, bye!

1.09pm GMT

Ach, Compton has gone on the stroke of tea. He slammed a short ball from Rabada straight to short midwicket, where Bavuma took a smart catch. They are checking for the no-ball, and he has bowled a few today. This time he’s just okay, so Compton is out after another good innings of 45.

1.07pm GMT

55th over: England 167-2 (Compton 45, Root 23) This is a lovely cricket pitch, with something for everybody. We haven’t reached tea and Piedt has already bowled 16 overs, and to good effect: figures of 16-5-33-0 show that he has at least given Amla control.

1.03pm GMT

54th over: England 164-2 (Compton 42, Root 23) Another let-off for Joe Root! This was a devastating demonstration of Rabada’s abundant potential, a seriously sharp short ball that had Root in all sorts of trouble. He decided to hook but had barely sent the message to his brain when the ball roared from the pitch to hit high on the bat and loop in the air. It fell just in front of the diving AB de Villiers, who had charged forward from slip.

1.00pm GMT

53rd over: England 164-2 (Compton 42, Root 23) Just over ten minutes to tea. There has been a bit of turn already for Piedt, which will please Moeen. I wonder when an England spinner last won consecutive MOTM awards in Tests? In fact, it was the first two Tests of the series when England last toured South Africa six years ago. Graeme Swann was Man of the Match in both.

12.56pm GMT

52nd over: England 163-2 (Compton 42, Root 22) Rabada has changed ends. He is promising and raw – cliche bingo – but you’d expect him to be a bloody good bowler by the time he’s 27. Mind you I thought that of poor Mfuneko Ngam.

12.51pm GMT

51st over: England 162-2 (Compton 42, Root 21) Piedt returns to the attack in place of the expensive Rabada. There is a bit of panic about these increasingly frequent bowling changes, and England have already in a fine position. They can’t go 2-0 up after two in South Africa, can they?

“When THAT photo was being taken at the end of the Edgbaston Test in 2005, Flintoff knew he would be affected for a long time to come,” lies Matt Dony. “He could clearly be heard to intone,

12.47pm GMT

50th over: England 158-2 (Compton 41, Root 18) “Afternoon Smyth, afternoon everybody,” says Josh Robinson. “I never thought I’d find myself saying (let alone writing) this, but I’m coming to feel that leaving Bell out of this touring party was a good decision. My admiration for Ian Ronald remains fervent. But the only member of this squad I’d consider dropping for him is Ballance. And I’m willing to concede (if through gritted teeth) that the Ballance’s youth means he’s worth preferring for this tour – but the clinching argument is that a winter off will likely do Bell more good than spending it drinks-carrying.

“Either he’ll come back refreshed, and able to push on towards 10,000 Test runs, or he’ll find that the edge has gone, and step back from the international game. The latter’s not my preferred option, but I’d take even that over watching a continued gradual descent into mediocrity, with never a good moment to call it a day.”

12.43pm GMT

49th over: England 157-2 (Compton 40, Root 18) “Yep two!” says Root as he tucks Rabada off the pads. He’s wrong: there are three after yet another misfield, this time from the bowler Rabada. “It’s just unSouth African” says a confused Bumble on Sky. Their fielding has been unusually shoddy.

12.38pm GMT

48th over: England 152-2 (Compton 40, Root 14) A let-off for Joe Root, who is dropped by Morris at gully. It was another good delivery from Morkel, full and inviting the drive. Root snicked it and Morris, who took a blinder earlier to dismiss Cook, couldn’t hang on to a very sharp chance as he dived to his left. In fairness, it wasn’t even a horf chornce.

Just noticed. Some things never change pic.twitter.com/Z7sH0tiudS

12.32pm GMT

47th over: England 148-2 (Compton 36, Root 13) Rabada replaces Piedt and is swivel-pulled deliciously for four by Root, who has started with his usual breezy authority. He gets two more when a back-foot punch is misfielded in the covers, and already he has 13 from 14 balls.

“Rob, Following the OBO here in Fiji (on holiday) – no tv coverage at all (unsurprisingly as not a local sport of choice) so keeping up with play through your commentary!” says a particularly jaunty Roger Jefferies. “Enthralling day’s play, England seemingly on verge of something here (without wanting to jinx it!) Really pleased to see Compo back and doing the job we know he can. Come on England!”

12.28pm GMT

46th over: England 14o-2 (Compton 36, Root 6) Joe Root clips Morkel confidently wide of mid-on for three. He will douse the innings in Red Bull, as he always does, and you’d think he and Compton will complement each other really well over the next few years.

12.24pm GMT

45th over: England 137-2 (Compton 36, Root 3) Hello again. England are going well, despite that frustrating dismissal of Alex Hales. Compton gets four more, slamming a poor delivery from Piedt through the covers. He’s the highest score in the series so far, and has already faced nearly 450 deliveries. It’s been a superb return.

12.21pm GMT

44th over: England 131-2 (Compton 31, Root 2)

Drinks taken and Compton off the mark with the first ball after, dropping his hands on Morne Morkel, who is on for his first bowl of the session. Morkel’s straight on that length/back-of-a-length, ermm, length. Hales is happy to leave most alone but has to play at the fifth ball, which leaves him at the very last moment to take his edge through to AB de Villiers at second slip, who dives just in front of Dean Elgar for the catch. Joe Root comes in and edges down in front of gully. Poor fielding allows him to get off the mark.

12.18pm GMT

Excellent from Morne Morkel who, in his first over of the session, ends this Compton-Hales partnership for 74, tempting an edge from a good length ball that leaves the right-hander off the pitch.

12.12pm GMT

43rd over: England 128-1 (Compton 30, Hales 60)

Piedt changing his pace, giving the ball some flight and waiting for Hales to make a mistake, who defends solidly and finds fielders with shots along the deck. 0-0.

12.09pm GMT

42nd over: England 128-1 (Compton 30, Hales 60)

A loose drive from Compton, as he loses control of the bat fact to hit uppishly through backward point for four. Morris is peeved but, other than being just above the ground, it was well beyond the fielder in that region.

12.05pm GMT

41st over: England 124-1 (Compton 26, Hales 60)

Piedt gets Compton on strike (Hales takes a single second ball, after getting a thick inside edge on one that turns into him) and decides to change the angle. From around the wicket, he’s pushing the ball across Compton, who is happy defending into the off side or pushing to leg, which he does to keep the strike for the next over.

12.00pm GMT

40th over: England 122-1 (Compton 25, Hales 59)

Slack from Morris who, in searching for the stumps, drifts onto the pads and is tickled fine by Alex Hales for four. He does so again with the last ball of his over and Hales hits him squarer, this time for one.

11.57am GMT

39th over: England 117-1 (Hales 54, Compton 25)

Worry not England fans – five dots in and Alex Hales uses the man back on the fence to on-drive for one. Good pressure from South Africa, here. Hales and Compton accordingly respectful.

11.55am GMT

38th over: England 116-1 (Hales 53, Compton 25)

Another maiden, this time from Morris. One more maiden and then a wicket, right?

11.51am GMT

37th over: England 116-1 (Hales 53, Compton 25)

A maiden for Piedt, but one of those unthreatening maidens, as shown by the fact that one of the dots – the fifth ball of the over – was wristed hard by Alex Hales to midwicket, from outside off stump.

11.48am GMT

36th over: England 116-1 (Hales 53, Compton 25)

Chris Morris replaces Rabada and immediately enjoys a bit of success over Compton, who swings wildly at a wide one and then nibbles knowingly at one that implores him to defend but leaves him at the last moment. Seems to be a bit of reverse swing for Morris, who gets the last two balls of his over to angle into Compton. The first hits him as it arcs down leg – the second is worked to square leg for a well run two.

Now we see why de Kock is in the team - it's so AB can have a bowl @Vitu_E.

11.43am GMT

35th over: England 114-1 (Hales 53, Compton 23)

Nick Compton still enjoying the effect of his earlier six against Piedt with Amla stationing a fielder down at long on, meaning a single is readily available if he wants it (which he does).

11.41am GMT

34th over: England 113-1 (Hales 53, Compton 22)

Rabada in his stride now, but not troubling Hales or Compton too much.

11.36am GMT

33rd over: England 112-1 (Hales 53, Compton 21)

One for South Africa, there, as Piedt concedes just two from the over. The off-spinner beats the outside edge of Hales’ as he pushes forward and catches Compton slightly unaware with a flatter one. Both batsmen manage a single each.

Nick Compton has hit three sixes in his 11 Tests, the same number that his dashing grandpa Denis hit in 78 Tests.

11.34am GMT

32nd over: England 110-1 (Hales 52, Compton 20)

Rabada seeks something short to unnerve Compton, but the bounce only does for Quinton de Kock, who concedes two byes as he fails to gather. One in Compton’s half is hit clean and classically through the covers for four.

11.30am GMT

31st over: England 104-1 (Hales 52, Compton 16)

Jeremy Boyce e-mailed in an impassioned defence of Nick Compton’s way, starting off with the assertion that Test match cricket, for all its evolution, is still a five-day game requiring diligence and grind from 1-2-3 in the order. Thus, Compton’s slow burn is alright with him.

11.26am GMT

30th over: England 93-1 (Hales 52, Compton 5)

That rarest of sights, a Test match wide, disrupts a very good start to the over from Rabada. Of the deliveries that Hales plays at, one squares him up, but there’s enough bat to keep the ball in front of him. The edge is found last ball, but South Africa have resorted to two slips. Naturally, the ball flies through fourth and that’s a maiden Test fifty for Alex Hales, from 96 balls.

11.20am GMT

29th over: England 88-1 (Hales 48, Compton 5)

Wowsers, even Compton’s getting into it. Dane Piedt opens up the session from the other end and Compo skips down. He doesn’t get to the pitch of the ball, so overcompensates with the swing of his bat to squirt the ball over midwicket for two.

11.16am GMT

28th over: England 86-1 (Hales 48, Compton 3)

Perfect start for Alex Hales after lunch: Rabada bowls full and he guides through cover for two. A correction outside off stump is left alone but some width and Hales can guide again, this time backward of point for four. SWOOSH! Four more as the Nottinghamshire batsman slashes hard over second slip. Ten off the over. Intent.

11.07am GMT

A very happy 2016 to all - OBOers and beyond. Vithushan Ehantharajah (Vish is fine) here to get your afternoon session going before Rob Smyth returns for the second hour.

A tidy start from England, who were hovering around 3.5 an over until Alastair Cook nicked the whippy uninhibited shoulder seam of Kagiso Rabada to a diving Chris Morris at third slip. Nick Compton saw out the morning with three from 32 balls (easy now, baying mob). Alex Hales is looking smart on 38*.

Lunchtime at Newlands pic.twitter.com/57cDcTtzrX

10.33am GMT

27th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) Compton continues to enrage Twitter by defending a maiden from Piedt, the final over an excellent session for England. They lost Alastair Cook to a preposterous catch from the debutant Chris Morris, but Alex Hales played like Geoff Boycott to make a mature 38 not out from 84 balls, and Nick Compton matched him defensive stroke for defensive stroke when he came in. Vish will be with you after lunch, bye!

10.30am GMT

26th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) England have drawn the sting from South Africa this morning, with Hales the unlikely figurehead. He ignores a series of wider deliveries from Morkel, which means a maiden. One more over to lunch.

“Happy New Year Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Just fell out of bed as I thought Bumble described Compton as ‘very watchable’ when what he’d actually said was ‘very watchful’. Still, it was the only way I was going to get up today.”

10.24am GMT

25th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) In other news, Luke Wright!

10.23am GMT

24th over: England 76-1 (Hales 38, Compton 3) A poor first ball from the returning Morkel, short and wide, is flashed behind point for four by Hales. This has been an impressively constructed innings from Hales: 38 from 77 balls with six fours.

“Please tell me I am not the only one, based on the fantastic images of Newlands this morning, who has just searched in eager anticipation for the date of our next tour of South Africa?” says Alex Miles. “Disappointingly a 3-4 year wait?” That’s relatively quick compared to previous breaks – this is only England’s third tour of South Africa since early 2000.

10.19am GMT

23th over: England 72-1 (Hales 34, Compton 3) Hales charges Piedt, doesn’t quite get there and has to abort his murderous intent. One from the over. There can be an instinctive tendency to dismiss all South Africa spinners as entirely useless, but so far Piedt has looked pretty promising.

“Regarding Compton, Smyth, that’s just like your opinion, man,” says Ian Copestake. Yeah but look what the players are wearing. Laundry. The whites.

10.16am GMT

22nd over: England 71-1 (Hales 33, Compton 3) Compton edges Morris short of the cordon. He’s taking his time, as he should: first-innings runs will be even more important than usual in this game. England will win at least 300 to feel competitive.

“If Michael Holding didn’t mutter Byron’s words as he ran (glided?) in then he certainly should have,” says Phil West.

10.11am GMT

21st over: England 69-1 (Hales 33, Compton 1) Dane Piedt, the offspinner, is coming into the attack in place of Rabada (7-1-25-1). Hales squirts a loosish drive not too far short of backward point, and it’s a maiden.

“Please find attached invoice #43793083,” writes Chas Terry. “Have a nice day.” You too big guy.

10.07am GMT

20th over: England 69-1 (Hales 33, Compton 1) Morris replaces Morkel, and Compton gets off the mark with a single to fine leg. Another long innings from him would do nicely here, because all logic suggests this pitch will break up for Moeen Ali as the match progresses. And South Africa only have a four-man attack.

“I like the death stare that straight outta Compton gives the bowler after every single ball,” says Ian Copestake. “Before leaving it and consolidating his nought not out.”

10.04am GMT

19th over: England 66-1 (Hales 31, Compton 0) Another no-ball from Rabada is driven meatily for three by Hales, who is playing rather nicely. Compton defends the rest of the over.

“That Chris Morris catch was well Mexico,” says Nick Carter, in the knowing style.

9.57am GMT

18th over: England 61-1 (Hales 28, Compton 0) Morkel trampolines a bouncer over de Kock’s head for four wides.

“What is the crowd number like in Cape Town?” asks Raymond Reardon. “Currently over 80,000 at MCG for a domestic T20 match between two Melbourne teams at same time as live TV coverage.” There are lots of England fans, but it’s nowhere near full. The world’s changing. You can’t stay in here all day dreaming about Ziggy Pop.

9.52am GMT

17th over: England 55-1 (Hales 27, Compton 0) Uncle Compo is the new batsman. I still can’t quite believe that catch from Morris. Tall, right-handed, debutant fast bowlers are not supposed to take blinders low to their left in the slips.

“The earliest use of poetry on the cricket field I can remember was Sir Geoffrey Boycott, caught at long leg hooking Keith Boyce at Barbados on the 73/74 tour,” says Steve Hudson. “As he trailed sadly off, the stump mike caught his rueful rendition of Larkin’s myxomatosis:

9.49am GMT

Alastair Cook falls to a staggering catch from the debutant Chris Morris. He tried to drive a full ball from Rabada and edged it low to the left of third slip, where Morris plunged to grab the ball a fraction off the ground. That is an outrageous piece of fielding.

@robsmyth0 did I hear Cook quoting the Bible to you and Scyld Berry as he left the field there? 'Jinx not lest ye be jinxed'

9.46am GMT

16th over: England 55-0 (Cook 27, Hales 27) Michael Holding is criticising Morkel’s length, which has indeed been too short given the conditions. England look settled and confident, which can only mean one thing.

“Is it naïve of me to say that Hales seems to be batting like a Test opener?” says Ant Pease, just before heading into town with the back door unlocked in case the neighbours need to borrow any sugar while he’s out. @He seems to be leaving where necessary (apart from that waft to the no ball), defending where it needs to be done, and giving dross The Treatment. Is it any less naïve to assume that during the time that this mail spends in the ether he’ll give Morkel the charge, and get caught at long on?” Yes, so far he has constructed his innings almost faultlessly.

9.41am GMT

15th over: England 52-0 (Cook 24, Hales 27) Cook dismisses a shortish delivery from Rabada through midwicket for three to bring up a good fifty partnership. If England aren’t careful they are going to be in serious danger of winning this series.

Prediction? If England survive Morkel's second spell unscathed, they cannot lose this series. At the least...

9.33am GMT

14th over: England 49-0 (Cook 21, Hales 27) Morkel replaces Morris, who bowled a decent first spell of 6-1-22-0. South Africa have given Hales too many deliveries on the pads today, and there’s another that is put away through square leg for four. Thus far Hales has constructed his innings almost like a classical opener: leave the good balls, hit the bad ones. That’s drinks.

“The batting side can appeal to the umpire too,” says John Starbuck. “If they’re desperately trying to win the game: Do not go gentle into that good night/Rage. rage against the dying of the light.”

9.29am GMT

13th over: England 44-0 (Cook 20, Hales 23) A much better over from Rabada: straighter, fuller and with little Hales to hit. But the last ball undoes his good work. After hitting Hales on the back with a bouncer, he strives for a magic delivery and is clipped through midwicket for four.

“The thing I dislike about South Africa is how old they make me feel,” says Ian Copestake. “Boucher is gone, let alone Kallis. And Smith, who I still remember as a new kid on the block captain, is sought for advice now as a commentator. In my mind I am 27.” It won’t be look before us old fools have to endure the first Test cricketer born in the 2000s. In fact the word is that Pakistan have got a brilliant new mystery spinner who hasn’t yet been born but is expected to make his Test debut at some stage in 2016.

9.23am GMT

12th over: England 40-0 (Cook 20, Hales 19) Cook flicks Morris in the air but wide of midwicket for four. There was a shout of catch, and Cook did follow the ball a bit nervously before it went past the fielder. England, without being entirely convincing, have had a fine start.

@robsmyth0 presumably when turned down bowlers recite 'ours not to reason why, ours but to do or die'

9.19am GMT

11th over: England 36-0 (Cook 16, Hales 19) South Africa probably haven’t been full enough to Hales yet, and as a consequence another Rabada over passes without incident.

Like this pitch a lot. V old Perthish. Key is not to get carried away with bounce. Bounce drives batsman back, full ball takes wickets.

Rabada means tail in Portuguese. #SAvENG. Watch out, 9, 10, jack. It also means Oxtail stew though. #cricket

9.15am GMT

10th over: England 34-0 (Cook 16, Hales 17) A short ball from Morris is pulled majestically for four by Cook, who collects another boundary off the final delivery with a shot I missed because I was reading emails. So sue me! This is developing into a good start for England. If they get 400, South Africa will be in quite the predicament.

I rather like the idea of using poetry in an appeal (pace Mr Copestake). Perhaps the slips cordon can barbershop theirs @robsmyth0?

9.11am GMT

9th over: England 26-0 (Cook 8, Hales 17) Hales is beaten for pace outside off stump by what turned out to be a Rabada no-ball. He might be wise to leave anything outside off stump while he adjusts to Rabada’s pace.

“Good appeal from Morkel, but not in the Shane Warne class,” says Steve Hudson. “He once sang the whole of The Smiths’ Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want to Billy Bowden, with Ricky Ponting strumming an acoustic. It was just missing leg, so no joy.”

9.05am GMT

8th over: England 23-0 (Cook 8, Hales 15) Morris, who has switched around the wicket, has a big shout for LBW against Cook turned down by Bruce Oxenford. It was close, but probably not close enough to review. Replays show it was umpire’s call on the point of contact with leg stump, so it would not have been overturned. Hales then faces his first delivery of the match from Morris, and whips it through midwicket for three.

9.00am GMT

7th over: England 19-0 (Cook 7, Hales 12) It’s time for the pace of the 20-year-old Kagiso Rabada. He plays three Tests in India but this is his home debut. His first two balls go for four, with Hales flicking through midwicket and then slashing a back cut into the ground and through gully. Rabada’s comeback is excellent, a good one outside off stump that beats the outside edge. That delivery was in excess of 90mph. For a kid in the first over of his first home Test, that’s some hot hot heat.

“Not only did Morkel beseech Aleem Dar to give that LBW,” begins Ian Copstake, “but he followed it up with lyrics from Horde’s tuneful ditty “Mine Heart Doth Beseech Thee (O Master), which, considering the following, made it one of the longest umpire beseechings in Test match history:

8.56am GMT

6th over: England 11-0 (Cook 8, Hales 4) Cook leaves a delivery from Morris that comes back a long way and bounces over the top of the stumps. It was a safe leave on length but I suspect the extent of the movement will have surprised Cook. The next ball is a fuller inswinger that Cook clips confidently through midwicket for three. It’s definitely swinging for Morris now, though. Or, as David Brent might say, I think there’s been some shape out there! That was an excellent over, the best yet. This, as Athers says on Sky, looks like an excellent pitch for batsmen and bowlers – fast and with bounce that’s as true as a dying man’s final words.

@robsmyth0 Another crap day in Africa pic.twitter.com/0UCLYAmx98

8.50am GMT

5th over: England 9-0 (Cook 5, Hales 4) Hales is taking his time to play himself in, as he did in the second innings at Durban. He flicks around a fuller delivery from Morkel, who beseeches Aleem Dar to give him out LBW. I thought it might be going down, and Hashim Amla decides not to review. The replay shows it was indeed sliding past the leg stump. The next ball is a similar area, and this time Hales clips it for four to get off the mark from his 14th delivery.

8.46am GMT

4th over: England 5-0 (Cook 5, Hales 0) Cook leans into a wide, full delivery from Morris and times it through extra cover for four. It was a fair enough delivery from Morris, striving for swing, though there has been none of that so far. It’s a different challenge from each end, with Morris pitching it right up and Morkel pounding just back of a length.

“Early indications are that this is a very modern Australian pitch - plenty of carry, quick but no lateral movement,” says Krishnan Patel. “I think a huge first-innings total and lots of scoreboard pressure is the only way to win. The great thing for England is that Cook usually bats big on such tracks.” In recent years the England batsmen have generally struggled on bouncy pitches, though Broad and Finn would like this to be Perth-lite.

8.42am GMT

3rd over: England 1-0 (Cook 1, Hales 0) This has been an intense start from South Africa, and Morkel some really good carry. Hales is driven back in his crease to such an extent that, when he gets a leg-stump half-volley, he can’t punish it. Another maiden.

“Rob, I noticed your comment that England have between them 974 Test wickets,” says Steve Hudson. “That is the number of Test runs that Bradman scored in the 1930 Ashes series, still a world record. This must mean something. Buggered if I know what, though.”

8.38am GMT

2nd over: England 1-0 (Cook 1, Hales 0) The debutant Chris Morris, who many feel was picked ahead of the beastly Hardus Viljoen as much for his lower-order batting as his bowling, will share the new ball. He starts with a very full length to Cook – too full in one case, with a nervous wide full toss slipping past Cook’s outside edge. That aside it’s a good start, and a maiden.

“My New Year’s resolution is genuinely to watch less cricket,” writes Robert Wilson. “At least until lunchtime’s deadline. I’m confident I’ll make it because, naturally, the OBO doesn’t count. I might make another vow to suppress the rising conviction that England might get seriously good now that a firing Taylor and Finn have been added to the mix. That’s real gluten, that is.” Ha, and Compton of course. He’s the gluten’s gluten.

8.34am GMT

1st over: England 1-0 (Cook 1, Hales 0) Morne Morkel, now the senior man in South Africa’s attack, bowls the first ball to Cook, who works it off the pads for a single. There are thousands of England fans around the ground. Morkel’s first ball to Hales, just short of a length, whistles through to de Kock. He will be encouraged by that bounce, and tests it out again with a trampoling bouncer that would have gone for four byes but for a sinew-straining leap from de Kock.

Mike Atherton, on commentary, is reminiscing about the thoroughly miserable 1996 Test on this ground. England have been thrashed here in three of the four Tests since readmission.

8.27am GMT

There have been some funny matches at Newlands in recent years. Australia were dismissed for 47 in 2011 and New Zealand for 45 in 2013. The general consensus is that

life is futile
the ball should do a bit in the first session. But if England get through that, on a pitch that should turn, they will be in a cracking position.

8.19am GMT

An email “New Year resolutions come and go (talking of Michelangelo) but more importantly, do you possess fresh undercrackers with which to sit astride the OBO hoards and guide them on to victory?” says Ian Copestake. “Me hopes so, sir.”

Look, it was an early start. You can’t remember everything when you get up in the small hours. The undergrundies were the last thing on my mind. I managed to brush my teeth though?

8.19am GMT

A stat that will doubtless mean bugger all when England are 50 for seven at lunch

England’s XI have 974 Test wickets between them; South Africa’s have 271.

8.05am GMT

Rankings watch If South Africa lose this series, India will go top of the ICC Test table. I’m not quite sure what to say about that. I suppose it would reflect the fact that, for the first time in decades, there are no outstanding Test teams around. It gives England something to aim for, especially as they go to India next winter.

8.04am GMT

James Anderson returns for England in place of Chris Woakes. South Africa have whittled their 97-man squad down to 11. Out: JP Duminy and the injured pair of Dale Steyn and Kyle Abbott. In: Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and the debutant Chris Morris. I’m looking forward to seeing Rabada, who is seriously quick.

South Africa van Zyl, Elgar, Amla (c), de Villiers, du Plessis, Bavuma, de Kock (wk), Morris, Piedt, Morkel, Rabada

Looks like Chris Morris is playing, which is as good an excuse as any to watch this again: https://t.co/toJPnorCn5

8.02am GMT

A beautiful day, a dry pitch – that was a pretty simple decision for Alastair Cook.

7.36am GMT

Morning. You’ve already broken your New Year’s resolution, haven’t you? You made all those tearful promises to me and the kids about giving up to get this family back on track. Look, don’t deny it, I saw the evidence in the recycling. You’ve been on the bloody gluten!

Most of us break our resolutions in the first few days of January, because we are human and weak. England will hope to make theirs last a little longer. One of their main aims for this year, in Test cricket, is to follow up a win with another win, or at least a draw.

11.21am GMT

Pre-preamble Rob will be here shortly. Meanwhile, read Mike Selvey on why this looks to be a bleak new year for South Africa.

The England team arrived in Cape Town for new year: families, kids, the hotel in Newlands with its spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain, and an overwhelming victory in the first Test in Durban under their belt.

What’s not to like? They began the year in turmoil and have ended it on a high, hammering the No1 Test side in the world on their own turf.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on January 02, 2016 08:09

South Africa v England: second Test, day one – live!

Over-by-over updates from the second Test in Cape TownDale Steyn ruled out of second Test with EnglandAnd email rob.smyth@theguardian.com or tweet @robsmyth0

9.23am GMT

@robsmyth0 presumably when turned down bowlers recite 'ours not to reason why, ours but to do or die'

9.19am GMT

11th over: England 36-0 (Cook 16, Hales 19) South Africa probably haven’t been full enough to Hales yet, and as a consequence another Rabada over passes without incident.

Like this pitch a lot. V old Perthish. Key is not to get carried away with bounce. Bounce drives batsman back, full ball takes wickets.

Rabada means tail in Portuguese. #SAvENG. Watch out, 9, 10, jack. It also means Oxtail stew though. #cricket

9.15am GMT

I rather like the idea of using poetry in an appeal (pace Mr Copestake). Perhaps the slips cordon can barbershop theirs @robsmyth0?

9.11am GMT

9.05am GMT

9.00am GMT

8.56am GMT

@robsmyth0 Another crap day in Africa pic.twitter.com/0UCLYAmx98

8.50am GMT

8.46am GMT

8.42am GMT

8.38am GMT

8.34am GMT

Mike Atherton, on commentary, is reminiscing about the thoroughly miserable 1996 Test on this ground. England have been thrashed here in three of the four Tests since readmission.

8.27am GMT

8.19am GMT

Look, it was an early start. You can’t remember everything when you get up in the small hours. The undergrundies were the last thing on my mind. I managed to brush my teeth though?

8.19am GMT

A stat that will doubtless mean bugger all when England are 50 for seven at lunch

England’s XI have 974 Test wickets between them; South Africa’s have 271.

8.05am GMT

8.04am GMT

South Africa van Zyl, Elgar, Amla (c), de Villiers, du Plessis, Bavuma, de Kock (wk), Morris, Piedt, Morkel, Rabada

Looks like Chris Morris is playing, which is as good an excuse as any to watch this again: https://t.co/toJPnorCn5

8.02am GMT

A beautiful day, a dry pitch – that was a pretty simple decision for Alastair Cook.

7.36am GMT

11.21am GMT

Pre-preamble Rob will be here shortly. Meanwhile, read Mike Selvey on why this looks to be a bleak new year for South Africa.

What’s not to like? They began the year in turmoil and have ended it on a high, hammering the No1 Test side in the world on their own turf.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on January 02, 2016 01:23

December 26, 2015

South Africa v England: first Test, day one – as it happened

Nick Compton and James Taylor made excellent half-centuries and Dale Steyn bowled majestically on a fascinating first day of the series.

4.39pm GMT

4.02pm GMT

James Taylor will be radged off at getting out before bad light stopped play, but he has been so convincing since his return to the Test side in Pakistan. Nick Compton also did a faultless impression of Nick Compton on his return, making 63 not out from 179 balls.

It’s hard to know who’s on top in absolute terms, but England would have taken this at 12 for two and 40-odd for three. South Africa will be happy enough too because of that late wicket, and especially because Dale Steyn – another man making his comeback – topped and tailed the day with some majestic bowling. Thanks for your company; goodnight!

3.57pm GMT

That should be it for the day. After one ball from Steyn, the umpires confer and decide it’s not fair to ask people to play 90mph reverse inswing from a maniac genius in this light.

3.54pm GMT

65th over: England 179-4 (Compton 63, Stokes 5) This is a interesting move from Hashim Amla, who has brought the offspinner Piedt into the attack. Stokes has sometimes had problems against spin early in his innings. He blocks a few and then swings a low full toss handsomely over midwicket for four.

3.51pm GMT

64th over: England 175-4 (Compton 63, Stokes 1) There’s no nightwatchman, with Ben Stokes coming in at No6. One more wicket would possibly make this South Africa’s day. Stokes gets off the mark with a push into the off side. Steyn has figures of 15-3-29-3.

3.50pm GMT

That wicket came through force of personality as much as as anything. It was a good delivery, tempting Taylor into an indecisive fiddle that he edged through to the keeper AB de Villiers. It’s a bit of tame end to an extremely good innings from Taylor, who has been brilliant since his return to the Test team last month. But it’s also wonderful from Steyn, who was asked to rip England from their bubble and did just that.

3.47pm GMT

Steyn continues. Throughout his career he has prided himself on his ability to take important wickets at the end of a long, hard day. This would be a great time to do that, and it would change the mood of the match for what looks a crucial second morning. He’s done it! What a champion!

3.45pm GMT

63rd over: England 174-3 (Compton 63, Taylor 70) England will be really happy to face Elgar at the end of a day on which they were put in to bat. When he drops too short, Taylor pulls him lazily over midwicket for six. Lovely stuff. This has been such a good partnership. In the parlance of our time, their game management has been immaculate.

3.41pm GMT

62nd over: England 164-3 (Compton 60, Taylor 63) This is all a bit low key at the moment, so Hashim Amla invites/encourages/beseeches Dale Steyn to raise hell. He comes back to replace Morkel (15-1-4-44-0) but there’s no real movement and Compton take a quick single to mid-on.

South Africa have a Dean and an Abbott on their side - maybe they're tired after having a lot to do yesterday @robsmyth0

3.35pm GMT

61st over: England 162-3 (Compton 59, Taylor 63) La la etcetera.

3.32pm GMT

60th over: England 161-3 (Compton 58, Taylor 62) Compton watches another reverse inswinger from Morkel go past his off stump, though that one was a little closer. If England get through the rest of the day without losing any wickets, they will be in a lovely position for their aggressive lower middle order to kick on tomorrow. That kind of crescendoing batting line-up worked very well in 2010-11, when Strauss, Cook and Trott would wear attacks out for KP, Bell, Morgan, Prior, Bresnan, Broad and Swann to destroy them. This team has a similar capacity, on a good day at least.

“Finally got Sky; merry Christmas, me - and goodbye life,” says Joanne Beasley. “Taylor may not intimidate size-wise, but I for one find his Vladimir Putin look in his helmet, rather unnerving.” Oh my goodness, I’d never noticed that before. Look at his face!

3.27pm GMT

59th over: England 159-3 (Compton 57, Taylor 61) A low full toss from Elgar is clipped wide of midwicket for four by Compton, his fourth boundary. This has been an innings straight outta 1988, and all the better for it. “I would say Elgar is somewhat under the pump in the circumstances,” sniffs Marie Meyer.

3.24pm GMT

58th over: England 154-3 (Compton 52, Taylor 61) Morkel is getting a bit of reverse inswing to Compton, who watches a couple of deliveries outside off stump and then works a single to leg.

3.21pm GMT

57th over: England 153-3 (Compton 51, Taylor 61) “Eff sake” screams someone, presumably Elgar, when Compton tucks an errant delivery for a single. After a torrid start, this has almost imperceptibly turned into a fine day for England.

3.18pm GMT

56th over: England 152-3 (Compton 50, Taylor 61) Taylor brings up the hundred partnership with an fierce cut for four off the new bowler Morkel. He’s played the fast bowlers really well today, and of course he could play the spinners in his sleep.

3.13pm GMT

55th over: England 146-3 (Compton 50, Taylor 57) Compton squirts Elgar for two to bring up a fine half-century. Well played indeed. He’s faced 146 balls and hit three fours. This was precisely the situation for which he was brought into the side – a bit in the pitch, the loss of an early wicket, Dale Steyn on the prowl – and he played his role immaculately. He almost falls next ball, mind you, when Elgar spits a beauty past the outside edge.

3.09pm GMT

54th over: England 144-3 (Compton 47, Taylor 56) Sometimes we talk about the balance of a batting line-up or bowling attack to the exclusion of what is far important: scoring runs and taking wickets. That is still an issue for England, but this batting line-up does have a really nice balance now: they have dashers, blockers, biffers, counter-attackers and busy accumulators. Taylor and Compton are different batsmen, almost unique, and so they give England excellent variety in their batting. We talk more about variety in bowling but it’s important in a middle order as well. Compton gives England a bit of Tavareity too.

3.01pm GMT

53rd over: England 142-3 (Compton 46, Taylor 55) A victory for England, with Dale Steyn replaced by ... Dean Elgar. He is a part-time left-arm spinner, though we all know the danger that such bowlers can cause if a batsman loses concentration. Compton doesn’t, diligently playing out a maiden, and that’s drinks.

2.58pm GMT

52nd over: England 142-3 (Compton 46, Taylor 55) A maiden from Abbott to Taylor.

2.53pm GMT

51st over: England 142-3 (Compton 46, Taylor 55) Steyn continues. This is his 13th over of the day, and his bowling doesn’t have the ferocious intensity of his earlier spells. Of course the ball is older and the pitch more docile as well. There’s a staggered appeal for caught behind when Compton is beaten outside off. There was a noise, but it was bat on pad.

2.48pm GMT

50th over: England 141-3 (Compton 46, Taylor 54) Taylor clouts Abbott through the covers for a couple, taking the partnership to 91. As recently as six months ago you’d have got good odds on Compton and Taylor being anywhere near the Test team. It’s that context, and the previous rejection, that makes their calm performance even more impressive.

2.44pm GMT

49th over: England 138-3 (Compton 46, Taylor 51) Steyn is down to two slips, a reflection of England’s control at this point. One wicket would change everything of course. Taylor, on the walk, works Steyn scruffily to fine leg for a single. I think there was a hint of reverse swing in that over, which would make like more difficult for England before the close.

I hate to flirt with a schoolboy jinxing @robsmyth0, but this has been an excellent recovery. I wonder how Flower feels about it? #ENGvSA

2.39pm GMT

48th over: England 136-3 (Compton 45, Taylor 50) “As Nick Compton adds to his runs and James Taylor milks away, it makes you wonder how uncomplicated things could be if people are selected purely based on merit and not on age, potential, height etc,” says Krishnan Patel.

2.34pm GMT

47th over: England 135-3 (Compton 44, Taylor 50) Compton connects nicely with a couple of cover-drives off Steyn, though he can’t pierce the field. A pull brings him a single, and that’s about it. Not even Steyn can enliven what has been a sleepy session so far.

“Between Steyn and the weather James Taylor has faced fire and rain today,” says Niall Mullen, inexplicably passing up the chance to rhyme ‘rain’ and ‘Steyn’ before high-fiving passers-by in celebration of his own brilliance.

2.28pm GMT

46th over: England 134-3 (Compton 43, Taylor 50) Abbott replaces Piedt, and Compton just about survives an iffy single into the covers. It would have been very close had du Plessis’s throw hit the stumps. Taylor then clunks a pull not too far short of mid-on. He has been keen to take that shot on today.

2.23pm GMT

45th over: England 133-3 (Compton 42, Taylor 50) If you want something done right, ask Dale Steyn to do it. He is returning to the attack in place of Morne Morkel. His pace is good, with the third delivery above 90mph. Taylor defends the first five deliveries and then drives two through mid-on to bring up a quite superb half-century, from only 87 balls. For someone whose Test career has suffered so many slights, he has played with admirable conviction since returning to the side against Pakistan.

2.18pm GMT

44th over: England 131-3 (Compton 42, Taylor 48) A wide half-volley from Piedt is driven crisply through the covers for four by Taylor. That’s his eighth four, five of which have been off Piedt. He’s playing him with ease.

2.15pm GMT

43rd over: England 126-3 (Compton 42, Taylor 43) Morkel, bowling around the wicket, bangs in a short ball to Taylor, who tries to hook but can’t get on top of the ball and drags it not far wide of the off stump. A quiet start to the session, though that may be about to change: Dale Steyn is free to bowl again.

2.09pm GMT

42nd over: England 122-3 (Compton 41, Taylor 41) The offspinner Piedt continues after tea. Taylor, in particular, played him beautifully in the afternoon session. Compton has been more cautious, as he is during that over. A maiden.

2.06pm GMT

41st over: England 122-3 (Compton 41, Taylor 41) Dale Steyn is back on the field, but he can’t bowl yet so Morne Morkel will start the evening session. He goes around the wicket to Nick Compton, with three men out on the hook. Compton takes the pull on and gloves it to fine leg for a single. Taylor defends the rest of the over, although he’s turned round by one delivery. There are still some doubts about Taylor against top-class seam bowling. In his short Test career he averages over 100 against spin and 12 against seam. But most of those stats come from 2012, and he looks a different player now.

1.57pm GMT

Hello again. That was a terrific session for England. Compton and Taylor, both beginning their second Test careers, played with calm certainty to add 72 for the fourth wicket. Nick Compton, brought in to sex down England’s young, overexuberant batting line-up, has played the most Nick Compton innings of all time: 40 from 104 balls with three fours. He’s been immaculate. He is seen a short-term selection but actually he’s only 32. To put that in context, Chris Rogers was almost 36 when he was recalled by Australia, and he was brilliant for Australia for two and a half years.

Taylor, admittedly aided by the odd decision to feed him the spin of Piedt, has played seriously well to make 41 from 69 balls. There is so much conviction in his batting these days. It’s far too early to get carried away, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do: in terms of balance, not to mention competence, a middle order of Compton, Root, Taylor and Stokes looks very promising going forward.

1.43pm GMT

Statistical coincidence alert: after 40 overs one batsman has 40 runs and the other has 41. There’s a thing. What an excellent partnership this has been, righting a wobbling England and dragging the score from 12-2 to 121-3. What’s more, Steyn has been spending a bit of time off the field, and though he started the day fabulously perhaps there are in fact some lingering fitness issues there. Rob Smyth will take you through the rest of the day from here, and I’ll be back in the morning. Bye!

Re John Starbuck's point about a potential Taylor - Broad partnership, they wouldn't be the first - https://t.co/9i6JxNSMa4

1.40pm GMT

40th over: England 121-3 (Compton 40, Taylor 41)

Taylor sweeps nicely, along the ground to the rope, so Piedt tries to correct his line, overdoes it and gets cut for four more. This run-scoring has the advantage of ensuring that the over ends 10 seconds after 3.40pm Durban time, so there won’t be time for another before tea.

That's a cracking sweep followed by a perfectly timed cut shot. Taylor is developing into a player with it all in his armoury.

1.37pm GMT

39th over: England 111-3 (Compton 39, Taylor 32)

After a couple of deliveries Morkel switches to round the wicket, immediately thumping in a short ball that heads towards Compton’s chin, before the chin gets out of the way. Then a full one, then a short one, then another short one. Compton deals with all this with admirable sobriety, though he starts to swing his bat at a bouncer before thinking the better of it.

1.31pm GMT

38th over: England 108-3 (Compton 37, Taylor 31)

The binary run ends when Compton cracks the ball through the covers – it would have gone for four had it not rained, but instead it got stuck in a damp patch. Taylor, meanwhile, nutmegs Bavuma, turning a ball through the legs of short leg for one. The suggestion – and they’ve been repeating it on Sky of late – is that play is likely to end early today due to bad light, with dark clouds covering the stadium like so much chocolate on a mini roll.

1.28pm GMT

37th over: England 102-3 (Compton 33, Taylor 29)

Morkel’s back. We’ve now had six fully binary overs since any delivery brought anything other than 0 or 1 runs.

1.22pm GMT

36th over: England 99-3 (Compton 31, Taylor 28)

Good bowling from Piedt, and fine batting from Taylor, very conscious that Bavuma continues to lurk at short leg. Again the batsmen take a single each, in the process bringing up the 50 partnership. If England could put a decent total together despite losing the toss and Cook and Root contributing just 24 between them, I think it would be a significant morale-enhancer. A long way to go yet, clearly.

@Simon_Burnton The dumb height jokes should all stop now. James William Arthur Taylor is officially a GIANT of a man. Top batting.

1.18pm GMT

35th over: England 97-3 (Compton 30, Taylor 27)

Van Zyl’s overs are as quick as Abbott’s are lengthy. I think I’m correct in saying that absolutely nothing happened in that one.

1.16pm GMT

34th over: England 97-3 (Compton 30, Taylor 27)

With light fading and the vague whiff of tea starting to trail across Kingsmead like those Bisto ads, there seems to be a diminution of run-scoring intent from both batsmen. For all that, there are two more singles.

1.12pm GMT

33rd over: England 95-3 (Compton 29, Taylor 26)

Van Zyl bowls some medium-pacers, and the batsmen take a single each before taking a bonus last-ball bye, when the ball flies off De Villiers’ wrist. “Early days for Compton’s second coming but it would be good to give Andy Flower a call and ask if he regrets dropping him for what seemed like no good reason,” suggests Dominic O’Reilly.

1.08pm GMT

32nd over: England 92-3 (Compton 28, Taylor 25)

Taylor scores a single from Piedt’s fourth over, after which South Africa make another bowling change, Van Zyl replacing Abbott.

1.06pm GMT

31st over: England 91-3 (Compton 28, Taylor 24)

Abbott bowls, Compton with a couple to backward square. He’s faced 78 balls so far, nearly double Taylor’s 41, and is bringing some necessary calm to England’s order.

Nick Compton is playing the most Nick Compton innings of all time.

1.00pm GMT

30th over: England 89-3 (Compton 26, Taylor 24)

Piedt’s first ball turns an absolute mile to hit Taylor’s thigh pad, and the next couple are fielded by Du Plessis at mid on, before one is dropped short and Taylor mashes it to deep square leg for four, and he then sweeps the last, just the other side of Bavuma at short leg, for another.

12.56pm GMT

29th over: England 81-3 (Compton 26, Taylor 16)

Compton pushes his bat at a ball that perhaps wobbled away a little, and looks thoroughly disappointed with himself afterwards, even though he made no contact. A nice over from Abbott all round, even though Compton cut the final delivery to the backward point boundary.

12.52pm GMT

28th over: England 77-3 (Compton 22, Taylor 16)

Piedt’s back for a second spell/over, which unlike the first doesn’t start with a wicket, though it is a maiden.

12.48pm GMT

27th over: England 77-3 (Compton 22, Taylor 16)

Abbott comes on, and Compton plays a lovely cover drive for four. The over seems to take a while – does Abbott have an unusually long run-up, or is he just a bit slow?

12.43pm GMT

26th over: England 70-3 (Compton 16, Taylor 15)

There’s some very half-hearted appealing as Morkel raps Taylor’s pad, the ball heading way down leg side. The batsman prods the next past point and runs three before anyone catches up with it.

12.38pm GMT

25th over: England 68-3 (Compton 15, Taylor 15)

England have resumed in pretty decent style since the latest rain break, and Taylor gets four here with a lovely cover drive. Piqued, Steyn ramps up the speed for his final delivery, but Taylor fends it to safety.

12.35pm GMT

24th over: England 64-3 (Compton 15, Taylor 11)

Variety and hostility from Morkel, who sends in one short ball that bounces high over Compton. A bit of attitudinal glare follows, but it’s definitely sub-Steyn standard. Then Compton works the ball to short leg and manages to spin, twist and ground his bat before Bavuma can hit the stumps with his throw.

12.30pm GMT

23rd over: England 63-3 (Compton 15, Taylor 10)

Steyn’s giving a lot of attitude. He is not a man to turn down an opportunity to glare intimidatingly at Englishmen. Every single delivery is followed by a bit of made-eye action. His first ball is pushed through the covers by Compton, who runs a couple; his last cramps the same batsman, forces him into a shot and zips just past the edge. Cue an extra-long 12” remix stare.

12.25pm GMT

22nd over: England 61-3 (Compton 13, Taylor 10)

Morkel takes the first over of the post-rain era and Taylor slightly miscues a hook – off a no ball – which nearly decapitates Compton on its way down the ground for four. After the latest delay they’ve extended play wherever possible – this session will go for another 80 minutes, there’ll be an extra half-hour tonight, and tomorrow will start half an hour early.

12.17pm GMT

It has stopped raining, I’m hearing. Play is due to restart shortly (in three minutes, to be precise).

11.58am GMT

Well, rain stops drinks, to be precise. The covers come on, the players go off. Bah.

11.55am GMT

21st over: England 55-3 (Compton 12, Taylor 6)

Piedt’s first-ball wicket does not precurse an extended spell – instead Steyn returns immediately, tasked with terrifying Taylor. Instead, after a testy first few deliveries, he pulls a shorter one for four, really quite gloriously. And at the end of the over the players take drinks.

11.51am GMT

20 th over: England 51-3 (Compton 12, Taylor 2)

Hello again. So, is this minor mess going to turn into a major mess for England? They’re teetering on a precipice here, though such is the depth of their batting hope takes an unusually long time to die these days. Their total swells by a single as Taylor runs one off Abbott’s fifth delivery.

11.45am GMT

19th over: England 50-3 (Compton 12, Taylor 1) Piedt, like Shane Warne, has taken a wicket with his first ball against England. This wasn’t even the Ball of the Day, never mind Century, but he won’t give a fig about that. Taking a wicket – not just any wicket either, but England’s best player – should really settle him down. And it was a good delivery, which turned a fair bit to beat Root’s inside edge.

James Taylor is the new batsman. I wonder whether South Africa might hook Piedt and hit Taylor with seam at both ends. Anyway, I’m off; Simon Burnton will take you through to tea.

@robsmyth0 please tell me Morkel's nickname is Angela

11.41am GMT

It turned pretty sharply and hit Root on the back thigh. I suspect this will clip the bails, which is enough for South Africa because Aleem Dar gave it out on the field. Yes, he’s out! What a blow that is for England. You do all that work to see off the seamers, and then you get out to the spinner. Ach!

11.39am GMT

Root has been given out to the first ball from the offspinner Dane Piedt! Oh dear. He’s reviewed it but I suspect this will be out.

11.37am GMT

18th over: England 49-2 (Compton 12, Root 24) A short ball from Abbott is muscled disdainfully over midwicket for six by Root. Shot! The response from Abbott is a beauty that beats the outside edge. Ball! Excellent cricket, this, and thus far Compton and Root have played their different roles splendidly: Compton has 12 from 41 balls, Root 24 from 37.

11.32am GMT

17th over: England 42-2 (Compton 12, Root 17) This session has been an unyielding arm wrestle. Root makes room to back cut Morkel classily for four, the best shot of his innings so far.

11.28am GMT

16th over: England 37-2 (Compton 12, Root 12) Abbott continues to Root, who has been unable to get off to his usual flying start because of the conditions and the quality of the bowling. South Africa will feel they are one wicket away ... not from the tail, but certainly from the rump. England bat deep but none of the remaining batsmen are established at Test level yet – indeed, Chris Woakes at No9 has the highest Test average of the England batsmen bar Root and Cook.

I've got nothing if I haven't got my hyperbole @robsmyth0. I'll happily settle for a more mundane battle if this lot bat to tea. #ENGvSA

11.23am GMT

15th over: England 36-2 (Compton 12, Root 11) Compton again shapes to hook/pull Morkel, but it’s a superb bouncer and he has to abort the stroke as the ball gets big on him. He drives the next ball confidently for three, showing again that he is determined to avoid the old accusations of strokelessness, and then Root thick edges three more through point. There was a brief shout of “catch” but it went safely through the gap. Morkel bowls a no-ball, after which Sir Ian Botham tells us, for only the 942342395th time in his career, that “the line belongs to the umpire”. I still don’t really understand that phrase.

@robsmyth0 Dale Steyn is the best bowler of his generation, but not by a mile. There is (tear pricking my eye) Mohammad Asif not far behind.

11.18am GMT

14th over: England 29-2 (Compton 9, Root 8) Bumble makes a good point on Sky, namely that South Africa only have three seamers and so Amla needs to be smart in how he rotates them. There’s a scare every over for England at the moment; this time Abbott boings a snorting leg-cutter past the outside edge of Compton. Abbott’s record is spectacular: a first-class average of 21.20 and a fledgling Test average of 19.73.

“Sorry Rob, I just can’t bring myself to like Dale Steyn,” says Simon Burnton. “The South Africans are by far my most disliked sporting nation alongside the Australians, which of course it what makes this series, and a Boxing Day Test so bloody enjoyable. Not sure about what medical advice you could give, but there’s a bottle of brandy here eyeing me up, I feel like the OBO established earlier it’s not too early to start on that.” We should set up an OBO priory, open every January, where people get their lives back on track by sipping freshly squeezed Sicilian lemonade and watching videos of Chris Tavare making 21 from 127 balls at Scarborough in 1982.

11.14am GMT

13th over: England 28-2 (Compton 8, Root 8) Dale Steyn (6-3-11-2) has a break, with Morkel switching ends. A typical back-of-a-length hits Compton on the waist and deflects to Bavuma at short leg, with South Africa appealing in the vain hope that Aleem Dar had so much booze yesterday that he’s temporarily lost the use of his eyes. He hasn’t and rightly says not out. Compton then pulls for a single – not entirely convincingly, but you can understand him playing the stroke to show that he is not just going to be a passive punchbag for Morkel. England are doing well in tricky conditions, though they aren’t a million miles from the precipice.

Fully with you @robsmyth0. This IS cricket. Steyn is an absolute alpha human. This is basically Donald v Atherton mk II. #Root

11.09am GMT

12th over: England 27-2 (Compton 7, Root 8) Kyle Abbott, on for Morne Morkel, starts with a malevolent lifter that Root gloves just short of the slips. Root did well to keep that down because it was a very nasty delivery. The rest of the over is full and straight, and Root can’t pierce the field. This is excellent stuff.

“My plan to watch the Boxing Day Test at my folks’ house has been scuppered by floods!” prioritises Tom Gucht. “I’m now trapped at my in-laws, who have kindly agreed to put up with me for another 24 hours, munching toast and being subjected to Corrie... In the plus column, they have a bottle of finest reserve port, of which I briefly sampled last night before retiring to bed with a swollen stomach, which I can now look forward to making a bigger dent on as the day progresses.”

11.06am GMT

11th over: England 27-2 (Compton 7, Root 8) There was the merest spike on Ultra Edge when the ball passed Compton’s bat, yet the commentators º Alan Wilkins and Michael Holding – reckon that isn’t sufficient to indicate an edge. I failed my NVQ in Ultra Edge so I’ll take their word for it. Steyn continues, and bowls a rare poor delivery that Compton slams through the covers for four. Compton has been excellent so far, and that showed that he is sufficiently alert to take advantage of any bad balls.

@robsmyth0 Seems quite a lot of optimistic English fans called it wrong about mediocre trundler Dale Steyn #Ouch pic.twitter.com/IhDSAN4HNd

11.02am GMT

10th over: England 22-2 (Compton 3, Root 8) A sharp nipbacker from Morkel takes the inside edge of Root’s bat before thudding into his thigh. Compton is beaten by a vicious lifter later in the over. Or was he beaten? South Africa’s slip cordon appealed very late for caught behind, with Morkel following their lead. After a long discussion Hashim Amla decided to review it, but it was too late: the 15 seconds were up. We haven’t seen a replay yet.

“So, here we are again,” says Guy Hornsby. “Boxing Day, mild hangover in place, rain in Durban, England staggering like a drunk on 19-2, Steyn charging in. Another opener failing, Root carrying the team’a hopes, Australia in the ascendancy overnight, and I’m exactly 1.6kg heavier than I was yesterday morning. Ennui, anyone?”

10.56am GMT

9th over: England 21-2 (Compton 3, Root 7) With Steyn, it’s not just about raw pace. It’s about force – of personality and of will, which can overwhelm a batsman. It’ll be fascinating to see how Compton fares here; it’s definitely a day for batting ugly, and he does that, er, beautifully. He takes a single of Steyn, and then Root flicks another through midwicket. Root has started with his usual busy purpose.

“It was obviously a typo, but when you wrote ‘shirt balls’ you got it exactly right: short, yes, but on or flicking the batsman’s shirt means they were not bouncers,” says John Starbuck. “Congratulations on your neologism. Pity about Hales though.” What can I say, my subconscious is a genius. Yes, a shame about Hales but it’s vital we hold our nerve – having given him a chance, we have to allow him to fail. I do think they should have waited until next summer but it’s done now. Look it’s done, let’s just move on.

10.51am GMT

8th over: England 19-2 (Compton 2, Root 6) That was a poor shot from Hales, in truth; it wasn’t quite full enough and he didn’t get his weight into the drive. But this is what Steyn does; like Shane Warne, he turns his bowling spell into a theatrical event, and that makes batsmen do silly things. He is a glorious cricketer, and a glorious human being. If you don’t love Dale Steyn, you need urgent medical advice.

Now, Morne Morkel has come on to replace Kyle Abbott. Compton takes an iffy single into the off side to get off strike. This is the kind of situation for which Compton was picked. A filthy 85-ball 25 would do nicely today. Root, of course, will look to counter-attack rather than bat time; he drives his first ball from Morkel down the ground for a couple.

10.48am GMT

7th over: England 16-2 (Compton 1, Root 4) Steyn to Root. This is why we watch cricket. This is why we get up early on Boxing Day despite having a malevolent one between the eyes. Root pushes a little tentatively at his first ball, but his hands are soft enough for the ball to race along the floor and through the slips for four. Those are the first runs Steyn has conceded today.

10.45am GMT

Steyn celebrated that wicket with a primeval roar and a punch of the air. He clearly feels like he has something to prove; figures of two for nought would suggest he has proved it. He oozes charisma.

10.44am GMT

This is magnificent from Dale Steyn! He pushes Hales back with some short balls, then tempts him into a loose drive that is edged straight through to AB de Villiers.

10.31am GMT

Hello, Rob here. Merry hangover! Merry regret and shame! Let’s get on with the cricket, shall we. If all goes to plan, play will resume in nine minutes’ time in Durban. Alex Hales and Nick Compton will have to deal with the great Dale Steyn, who is, in the parlance of our time, pretty pumped.

England haven’t always seen the best of Steyn – his average of 32 against our brave boys is comfortably his highest against any Test-playing nation – but he looked ominously purposeful in that short spell this morning. We should celebrate him while we can; he has been the best bowler of his generation by a mile.

10.26am GMT

Rob Smyth is in the building and primed to take you through the first hour of the afternoon session. Back in a bit!

10.23am GMT

“I hate to pull rank but there are serious rules about early morning drinking,” writes Robert Wilson. “Substantial, dignified protocols and traditions. Let’s not lark about here. Morning beer is a tonic, pre-breakfast wine is the correction of a previous mistake, matutinal spirits are a sign of commitment and seriousness, and brushing your teeth with gin is the mark of a life well-lived. Of course, if you can smoke thirty cigarettes at the same time, you’re a moral paragon.” Beautifully put*.

* The Guardian does not necessarily endorse these lifestyle choices.

10.21am GMT

“Marrying the Champagne and Bloody Mary threads, I don’t care for tomato juice, but in our house we believe Christmas day hasn’t started until the first glass of Bucks Fizz,” says John Starbuck. Much more of a Kir Royale man myself, I must say. Not only is it tastier than the Bucks Fizz, it also involves the addition not of juice, but of fruity bonus alcohol.

10.05am GMT

“A Bloody Mary is surely the best route to a guilt free boozy breakfast drink,” says Joel Greig. “Who needs a juice bullet (or whatever the hell that thing is?) and, if you insert a stick of celery in it, it’s practically a detox.” Hard to disagree – if you hide your alcohol in enough tomato juice becomes to all intents and purposes healthy. Whereas going with straight-up fortified wine isn’t hiding anything – it’s boozing, pure and simple.

9.46am GMT

They’re taking an early lunch. Strictly speaking it doesn’t start for 14 minutes, until 12 noon local time, 10am GMT, but nothing’s going to happen before it so they might as well tuck in now.

“I operate on a sliding scale,” writes Paul Jaines. “Champagne: not before coffee in the morning. Madeira/port: 9am onwards. Table wine: 11am onwards. We are currently on second bottle of champers. My excuse is that I have a french wife.”

9.42am GMT

Apparently the covers are now off. I have no further update.

9.31am GMT

“While we’re waiting and Nick Compton still hasn’t nicked off to Steyn, it’s seems apt that we should all enjoy this bizarre moment one more time,” writes Michael Jenkins. “Let’s hope that his Boxing Day will be a little better than his Boxer’s Day was. And that there’s not too much moisture at the crease.”

9.28am GMT

“While we’re all twiddling our thumbs during the rain commentary, here’s a question: when is too early to be drinking Madeira on Boxing Day?” wonders John Starbuck. “There are no children around so no need to worry about setting an example or not and I don’t reserve this festive season for Madeira, though it does go well with mince pies and hefty fruit cake.” Now here’s an important dilemma. Standard table wine is to my mind certainly not an early-morning beverage, but Madeira and mince pie on a Boxing Day? Why hold back?

9.13am GMT

The covers are on, the weather is still scary.

Thunder and lightening all around Kingsmead. Better off playing at Lord's https://t.co/osbqkRmKMh

9.04am GMT

Maybe it was thunder stopped play, rather than lightning. Whatever it is, the players are hiding from it.

We've had a couple of loud claps of thunder so the players are off. @AlexHales1 10* and @thecompdog 1*; ENG 12-1. pic.twitter.com/Iripfse5Yf

8.59am GMT

A flash of lightning nearby and the players leave the field. It doesn’t even seem to be raining. Unusual.

8.56am GMT

6th over: England 12-1 (Hales 10, Compton 1)

Hales flicks the ball off his pads towards deep square leg, where again it holds up on the wet turf and is chased down. They run three, and moments later Compton gets off the mark with a highly risky single to midwicket – had the fielder hit the stumps he could well have been in trouble – and then Hales gets a significantly more straightforward one, which means he’ll have to face Steyn for the first time.

8.52am GMT

5th over: England 7-1 (Hales 6, Compton 0)

Sweet bowling from Steyn, and another chance! The last ball of the over again takes the edge, high up Compton’s bat, but it doesn’t carry to first slip. It’s a maiden.

8.47am GMT

4th over: England 7-1 (Hales 6, Compton 0)

Hales hits past extra cover, a fine shot that would have gone for four had rain not massively slowed the outfield this morning. He still gets four, he’s just got to run them. In terms of rain-soaked sports grounds, though, it’s not a patch on Accrington Stanley right now (their game today has unsurprisingly been called off) …

This is the goalmouth at asfc v @officialcufc - under water pic.twitter.com/B1RKsjD0o0

8.44am GMT

3rd over: England 3-1 (Hales 2, Compton 0)

Steyn welcomes Root with a snorter that rips straight through Compton, followed by a glare that’s almost as scary.

8.42am GMT

Cook leaves a couple more, but then one rises and takes a thick edge off the top of the bat, flying straight into the hands of second slip. Steyn roars with furious glee.

8.39am GMT

2nd over: England 3-0 (Cook 0, Hales 2)

Abbott’s over starts with an emphatic no ball, from which Hales scores a couple. He’d have had some more off the last had it not been very well fielded at square leg.

8.33am GMT

1st over: England 0-0 (Cook 0, Hales 0)

Steyn bowls across Cook, who leaves five of the six deliveries and defends the other. “Predictions are a thing for making idiots out of fools (or vice versa - I can never remember which),” asserts Robert Wilson. “You’re not going to hazard the merest guess? May I make one? Win, lose or draw, this is surely going to be fairer and more interesting than the heartbreaking, kitten-punching mismatch of Aus v WI currently going on at the MCG. Or am I sticking my neck out there?” Well one certainly hopes that isn’t too much of a risk. That Samuels drop today was horrible.

DROPPED 2/323 "Dear oh dear" - Lawry. Khawaja hits it straight to Samuels and he puts it down. #AUSvWI #WWOS pic.twitter.com/K8IoD2Ae33

8.29am GMT

Right, preamble, warm-up and build-up done. Cricket time.

#ProteaFire fans. It's go time! A massive #SAvsENG series awaits. #VorsprungProteas pic.twitter.com/m4ZlaRJZji

8.28am GMT

Well that’s just mean.

Taylor given a mascot to stand with at anthems taller than him which in Australia would count as some form of mental disintegration

8.27am GMT

An email! “Should be a tough debut for Hales,” writes Steve Hudson. “On a completely separate subject, anyone else remember fondly Amla’s debut series when for a week or so the Graun referred to him as Hamish Amla?”

I’ve actually checked this – the Guardian and the Observer have each mentioned a certain Hamish Amla once, both Paul Weaver reports from 2009, the Observer’s in March, the Guardian’s in December. Here’s the latter.

8.23am GMT

The players are out and the anthems being sung. Actual cricket just seven minutes away!

8.20am GMT

The #ProteaFire team for the 1st Test. pic.twitter.com/BIDZ15EUhY

Here's your confirmed England team for the First Test against South Africa in Durban #SAvENG pic.twitter.com/R9psWijmWL

8.15am GMT

So the teams in full:

South Africa: Elgar, Van Zyl, Amla*, De Villiers†, Du Plessis, Duminy, Bavuma, Abbott, Morkel, Piedt, Steyn.
England: Cook*, Hales, Root, Taylor, Compton, Bairstow†, Woakes, Stokes, Broad, Ali, Finn.

8.06am GMT

Alastair Cook responds to his fourth successive Test match toss loss:

We’ve started pretty well. We’ve had a good build-up, we’ve got what we wanted out of it, a lot of guys have scored some runs and taken wickets.

Alex Hales gets his debut. What a chance it is for him, such a special day. I think it’s a real reminder for all of us who’ve played a bit of cricket, how special a Test match is.

8.02am GMT

“Looks like a good surface. The ball might swing and seam a little bit and hopefully we can get a few early wickets,” says Hashim Amla.

8.01am GMT

Time for the toss …

7.52am GMT

Alex Hales was given his first cap by Mike Atherton this morning – in the dressing room, because it was a bit drizzly at the time. With Anderson injured, whether England bowl first or bat there’ll be real intrigue from the start (not that this series was lacking interest already, obviously).

Tricky decision re toss - greenish pitch, moist atmosphere but pitch expected to turn later. Be bold, bat first.

7.38am GMT

Green pitch, cloud overhead –> win toss, bowl first, win match*.

* potentially.

7.32am GMT

The toss has been rescheduled for 10am local time (just under half an hour from now), with play starting a further half an hour after that.

7.27am GMT

The nightmare scenario – that I had to wake up at 6am on Boxing Day in order to come to work and provide occasional updates on rain falling 8,000 miles away – appears not to be coming to pass, thankfully.

Much more promising with stumps going in and prospects of play much better. On air 745am #SAvEng pic.twitter.com/g7dPyBE7Qy

7.23am GMT

Still waiting for news of the toss. In the meantime, there’s this:

Covers off in Durban, pitch revealed. Greenish.

7.19am GMT

December 16, 2015

Roll up, roll up for the greatest darts show on Earth

It’s that time of year again when the World Darts Championship takes centre stage at Alexandra Palace and now it’s bigger and better than ever

For decades fans of darts have had to endure tedious questions about whether it is actually a sport. These days a more pertinent question may be: “Is it the best sport in the world?” Right here, right now, no other sport has the same stratospheric standard, unpredictability, characters and ceaseless dramatic tension.

This surely is the second golden age of darts, three decades on from the days of Eric Bristow, John Lowe and Jocky Wilson. Now it’s time for the yearly showpiece: the World Darts Championship, a tournament that turns adults into children and makes Christmas almost as exciting as it was when you still believed Santa had successfully worked out the logistics of going down every chimney in the world in just a few hours.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on December 16, 2015 05:18

December 12, 2015

Euro 2016 draw – as it happened

England and Wales were drawn together, with the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland both in difficult groups.

6.00pm GMT

That’s it for the Euro 2016 draw. Analysis from our experts Danny Taylor and Michael Cox will be on the site later this evening. Thanks for your company, I’ll leave you with this email from Adam Hirst. Night!

“England’s group could be wers.”

5.59pm GMT

If England win their group, and they should, they will play a third-placed team in the last 16 and then, potentially, Belgium, Italy or Portugal in the quarters. If they don’t lose on penalties in the quarters, they could meet Spain in the semis. This is all based on them winning their group and other results going as expected. Which they never do at a major tournament. So this entry is a complete waste of all our time. Sorry.

5.55pm GMT

Group A France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland.

Group B England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia.

5.54pm GMT

Group E Belgium, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Sweden.

That’s comfortably the hardest group. It’s still not a Group of Death, mind.

5.52pm GMT

Group D Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic, Croatia.

Croatia and Spain met at Euro 2012, of course.

5.51pm GMT

Group C Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Northern Ireland.

5.50pm GMT

Group B England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia.

Arise Sir Royston.

5.49pm GMT

Group A France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland.

5.47pm GMT

The last six teams are in pot 2. Italy are the ones to avoid. The other teams are Russia, Austria, Croatia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

5.47pm GMT

Group A France, Albania, Romania

Group B England, Wales, Slovakia

5.46pm GMT

Poland will be Northern Ireland’s first opponents, in Nice.

Nothing nice about that draw lol!
Meanwhile Sweden are in with Belgium and the Republic of Ireland.

5.44pm GMT

Poland are in with Germany and Northern Ireland. Oh dear.

5.44pm GMT

England and Wales are joined by Slovakia, and they will be Wales’ first opponents.

The opening match of the tournament will be France v Romania.

5.40pm GMT

Group A France, Albania

Group B England, Wales

5.40pm GMT

The Republic of Ireland are in with Belgium.

England will play Wales on a Thursday afternoon in Lens by the way, and their first game will be on a Saturday evening. No idea who it’ll be against, though.

5.37pm GMT

Northern Ireland are in with Germany, and will meet them in their opening game! They’ve had some famous wins over them in the past, most notably when they beat them home and away during the Euro 84 qualifiers.

5.36pm GMT

Wales are in with England!

Yep. That will be the second game for each team.

5.34pm GMT

Next out will be the bottom seeds, including Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

5.33pm GMT

The draw so far

Group A

5.31pm GMT

England are out of the hat first. An early statement of intent. That means they are in Group B, and will play in Marseille, Lens and Saint-Etienne.

5.29pm GMT

“Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Oh Scotland indeed. I blame UEFA. If they’d cut the number of teams in the finals to 8, we’d probably be one of them. Or maybe we wouldn’t. But anyway, good luck to England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Glipton Giants and all the other qualifiers. Have a great time in France.”

5.29pm GMT

Crikey, the draw is about to start. They’re only half an hour behind schedule!

5.28pm GMT

Can anyone stop this man’s team from going out on penalties in the quarter-finals?

5.25pm GMT

“I’ve read today that Wales and the Republic of Ireland both hope to avoid England because it would be too much of a distraction, with all the media attention,” says Phil Grey. “Maybe that’s been England’s problem for the last 50 years. Whoever they get, there will be too much media attention...”

5.23pm GMT

Ruud Gullit, who scored in the 1988 final and coined the phrase “sexy football” during Euro 96, is presenting the draw. He has four Very Important Flunkies: Antonin Panenka, Oliver Bierhoff, David Trezeguet and Angelos Charisteas, all scorers of a European Championship-winning goal.

5.16pm GMT

A second email “Super Victor looks like one of those terrifying giant marionettes in the Japanese manga animations, where innocent children morph into ghastly dream-like monsters,” says Charles Antaki. “Actually, that would liven things up rather nicely.”

Imagine it. “Today’s referee is from Twin Peaks, America, his name is Killer BOB.”

5.14pm GMT

An email “Like the 24 teams for Euro 2016, do you do the 24-hour shift for the Guardian?” asks Raymond Reardon. “ You were only doing the Aus v Windies cricket 10 hours ago. I suppose you have to make up the 4 hours due to Aussies finishing it off half way through the afternoon (your morning).”

It’s not just me. They keep 12 of us chained up in the Liveblogging Dungeon, with only out of date foie gras, contaminated Evian and an inexplicably comprehensive knowledge of Norwich’s 1988-89 season to sustain us.

5.10pm GMT

The inaugural European Championship was held in France 55 years ago, and here’s what happened.

4.58pm GMT

.@robsmyth0 Now I think about it, are you sure Michel Platini isn't inside that Super Victor suit?

4.54pm GMT

If you are an idiot, this guide is for you

So, this is how it works. Six groups of four, with the top two going through automatically. Then the four best third-placed teams also go through. It’s the same format that was used at the World Cup between 1986 and 1994, and means you can get through without winning a game – like Uruguay’s “scum of world football” in the Group of Death in 1986, or that Dutch rabble in 1990.

4.48pm GMT

The future’s yours but the past was mine

Get in the mood for Euro 2016 by taking a spin in the DeLorean. Here are some highlights of European Championship past:

4.46pm GMT

Introducing ... Super Victor

4.40pm GMT

Group of Death RIP (1980-2012)

It’s one of the best features of any international football tournament. A phenomenon that makes grown-ups – even supercentenarians – scrub their thighs with their palms in delirious excitement. The Group of Death. But one of the consequences of expanding the tournament to 24 teams is that now the worst you can really get a Group of Slightly Nagging But Essentially Manageable Anxiety.

1.21pm GMT

Hello. Bonjour. Hola. Ahoj. Ciao. Dia duit. Helo. Përshëndetje. Yeah right, like I’m doing that in all 24 languages. It would have been possible to greet you in the style of all the finalists before the inaugural tournament in 1960, because there were only four of them. It grew to eight in 1980, to 16 in 1996 and now to 24. For the first time there are three of the Home Nations in a European Championship, and the OH SCOTLAND Republic of Ireland are there too.

The draw is scheduled to begin at 5pm UK time, but you know how the Uefa clock works. Expect things to get properly under way at around 7pm a week tomorrow. I’ll do a proper guide to the draw in a moment. For now here, are the four pots from which the six groups will be drawn.

12.33pm GMT

Rob will be here from around 4pm. In the meantime, why not read Owen Gibson’s preview of the draw? Or you can create your own draw with our funky interactive.

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Published on December 12, 2015 10:02

December 11, 2015

Australia v West Indies - day three of the first Test in Hobart – as it happened

Australia win by an innings and 212 runsCrushing victory puts hosts one up in three-Test series

3.52am GMT

Right, that’s about it from me. The second Test begins, as you well know, on Boxing Day at the MCG. Thanks for your company throughout the Test. Merry Christmas!

3.51am GMT

And here’s Steve Smith

“Yeah that was a good win. Adam’s played a lot of cricket and understands the game really well; he’s a great man to have around the group. Joshy Hazlewood has really stepped up and led the attack beautifully, and it was an outstanding effort today from James Pattinson. Nathan Lyon bowled beautifully yesterday, he’s been a quality performer for a long time.”

3.50am GMT

Here’s the West Indies captain Jason Holder

“We didn’t start well enough, we were pretty indisciplined and that carried on throughout the first day. After that we were always trying to catch up. We have to exercise patience a lot more when we bowl, and we’ll be a lot more successful. Credit to the way Darren Bravo and Kraigg Brathwaite played, but unfortunately most of the batsmen didn’t really get in. The only way you can make runs is if you’re in the middle. It’s important we stay together to help each other through this tough time.”

3.47am GMT

The Man of the Match is Adam Voges

“It was a pretty special partnership with Shaun. It’s probably quite fitting that Bradman and Ponsford still hold the record. I’m just enjoying every minute of it, I wear the Baggy Green as much as I can, I probably wear it round the house as well! We’re gelling really nicely as a team now.”

3.39am GMT

Since you asked, Brathwaite ended with 63.51 per cent of the runs in that innings, which puts him fourth on the all-time list behind Charles Bannerman, Michael Slater and VVS Laxman.

3.38am GMT

Australia lead the series 1-0 You have to feel a bit for Brathwaite, who deserved a century. He was racing towards it before Hazlewood, realising that he had gone into one-day mode, produced a superb delivery that just trimmed top the top of the bails.

Hazlewood has been terrific, with seven cheap wickets in the match, though the Match Award will surely go to Adam Voges. Australia have marmalised the West Indies. The scorecard says they won by an innings and 212 runs, but in reality they won by 16 wickets and 212 runs.

3.36am GMT

A deliberate uppercut off Hazlewood brings Brathwaite his fifth boundary in eight balls, but he’s gone now, bowled by a brilliant off-cutter from Hazlewood!

3.33am GMT

36th over: West Indies 142-8 (Brathwaite 88, Warrican 2) Brathwaite gets four more with a high-class back-foot drive for four off Marsh. The next ball zips back in, but Brathwaite is good enough to deliberately work it between slip and gully for four. A nice flick through midwicket makes it three consecutive boundaries. Make that four consecutive boundaries! He slams a cut to the fence, and could yet reach his century. Nineteen from the over, so he’ll keep the strike.

3.29am GMT

35th over: West Indies 123-8 (Brathwaite 69, Warrican 6) Warrican clips Hazlewood for two to get off the mark and then edges for four next ball. Ach, there’s no chance of the record for Brathwaite. But he should become the first West Indian to carry his bat in a Test since Dessie Haynes in 1993, and only the third overall: Haynes did it twice and Frank Worrell once.

3.27am GMT

Taylor’s breezy slog ends with a mishit drive that loops high to mid-off. Another wicket for Hazlewood, who has bowled extremely well to the tailenders in this spell. Australia need one more wicket; Kragg Brathwaite needs a miracle to get a century and/or Charles Bannerman’s record.

3.23am GMT

34th over: West Indies 113-7 (Brathwaite 69, Taylor 8) Taylor is dropped at mid-off, a tricky chance to the flying substitute Nathan Coulter-Nile off the new bowler Mitchell Marsh. In the end he dived too far and it hit him on the bottom of the cupped hands. Brathwaite drives Marsh for two, so he now has 61 per cent of the runs in this innings. He needs Taylor to get out and Warrican to make a diligent 44-ball 0 while Brathwaite gets to a hundred.

3.19am GMT

33rd over: West Indies 110-7 (Brathwaite 67, Taylor 7) Brathwaite takes another single, which means he has 67 out of 103 – or 65.04 per cent of the runs. The record is Charles Bannerman’s 67.34 in the inaugural Test match in 1876-77. But then Taylor scuffs a boundary to fine leg and drives three more through the covers. Ach! Play for your partner, Jerome. More importantly, play for the statgasm!

3.14am GMT

32nd over: West Indies 102-7 (Brathwaite 66, Taylor 0) Brathwaite cuts consecutive fours off two unusually poor deliveries from Siddle. They were beautiful shots, though. Brathwaite could threaten the oldest Test record of all: the highest percentage of runs in a completed innings. He gets three more with a solid crack through the covers.

3.11am GMT

31st over: West Indies 91-7 (Brathwaite 55, Taylor 0) Jerome Taylor is the new batsman. “When Roach took that blow to the forearm, a blow even I could see clearly foreshadowed a not out decision, I was surprised the commentator called it ‘good umpiring’,” says Phil Withall. “If calling the obvious is good umpiring then we’re in serious trouble.”

3.08am GMT

Hazlewood’s emphatic working-over of Roach comes to its logical conclusion. Roach, unsettled by a number of very good short balls, tries a flap-hook and can only edge it through to Nevill. That was brilliant bowling from Hazlewood across two or three overs. Roach had nowhere to go. The wicket wasn’t just in the post, it had been sent by recorded delivery. Australia need two more to complete a crushing win.

3.04am GMT

30th over: West Indies 91-6 (Brathwaite 55, Roach 3) Brathwaite flashes the new bowler Siddle through backward point for four more.

3.00am GMT

29th over: West Indies 87-6 (Brathwaite 51, Roach 3) Another brutish short ball from Hazlewood to Roach ends in the hands of the man at leg gully. Australia thought it was out, Marais Erasmus didn’t, and Steve Smith chose not to review. It was the right decision: the ball hit Roach on the forearm.

2.56am GMT

28th over: West Indies 87-6 (Brathwaite 52, Roach 3) Brathwaite drives Lyon for four to reach a calmly defiant half-century. Well played.

2.52am GMT

27th over: West Indies 83-6 (Brathwaite 47, Roach 3) Hazlewood is back in place of Pattinson, who might switch ends. He is a forensic interrogator of improper techniques, so you’d expect him to bowl well to tailenders. Roach does really well to repel a vicious bouncer that takes the glove and drops safely on the leg side.

2.48am GMT

26th over: West Indies 81-6 (Brathwaite 47, Roach 2) Lyon goes around the wicket to Brathwaite, who chips him gently over midwicket for six! What a gorgeous shot that was; he almost underhit it.

2.45am GMT

25th over: West Indies 73-6 (Brathwaite 37, Roach 2) Pattinson draws a thick edge from Brathwaite, who softened his hands enough to get the ball down and through the slips for three. Then Roach gets off the mark with an iffy, uppish push through the covers.

2.39am GMT

24th over: West Indies 66-6 (Brathwaite 34, Roach 0) Brathwaite cuts a single off Lyon’s final delivery to keep the strike.

2.39am GMT

23rd over: West Indies 65-6 (Brathwaite 33, Roach 0) Roach does well to get on top on another nasty lifter from Pattinson. He’s not the type of bowler you’d want to face on a pitch of uneven bounce, such his speed and nastiness. It makes you realise just how miserable it must have been for the England batsmen who were ambushed by Thommo on that corrugated Gabba wicket in 1974-75.

2.35am GMT

22nd over: West Indies 65-6 (Brathwaite 33, Roach 0) Nathan Lyon comes on for Mitchell Marsh, and Brathwaite decides to dump his first ball over mid-off for four. Excellent shot.

2.31am GMT

21st over: West Indies 61-6 (Brathwaite 29, Roach 0) That’s Pattinson’s fourth five-for in only 14 Tests. As we said earlier, he has the precious ability to rifle through teams on a good day. He could easily end up with a very cheap seven- or eight-for here.

2.27am GMT

James Pattinson picks up a five-for! He struck with the second ball of a new spell, snaring the captain Jason Holder for 17. It was a soft dismissal, with Holder deflecting a nothing delivery down the leg side to Peter Nevill, but Pattinson should not and will not care about that. He has five for 19 in just 5.2 overs!

2.25am GMT

20th over: West Indies 60-5 (Brathwaite 29, Holder 17) Brathwaite cuts Marsh confidently for four. Marsh and Siddle are bowling well enough, but the batsmen look sufficiently comfortable – this partnership has lasted nearly 10 overs, for heaven’s sake – that it might be time to see if Pattinson can rip them from their bubble.

2.23am GMT

19th over: West Indies 57-5 (Brathwaite 26, Holder 17) These two are playing well, carefully attempting to construct their innings. What do they think this is, a Test match?

2.19am GMT

18th over: West Indies 50-5 (Brathwaite 23, Holder 13) Marsh slips one past Brathwaite’s outside edge, the abiding memory of an otherwise uneventful over. I’ll take that delivery to the grave.

2.11am GMT

17th over: West Indies 48-5 (Brathwaite 23, Holder 12) Holder survives an optimistic LBW appeal from Siddle, with an inside edge saving him, and then he drives not far wide of the diving Lyon at short cover. Instead the ball races away for four. Holder does look vulnerable to the ball that ducks back into him, and later in the over he gets another big inside edge, this time for a single.

Today first time Aus has enforced follow-on at home since 2009-10 vs Windies at Gabba. Declined to 5 times. #AusvWI pic.twitter.com/BWzSdOQUip

2.07am GMT

16th over: West Indies 43-5 (Brathwaite 23, Holder 7) Mitchell Marsh continues, and is worked off the pads for two by Brathwaite. It’s a low-key start to the session, though you suspect that once Australia break this partnership they could wrap things up pretty quickly.

2.02am GMT

15th over: West Indies 38-5 (Brathwaite 21, Holder 4) Hello again. Time for the afternoon session, with Peter Siddle opening the bowling. Jason Holder drives the first ball confidently through mid-on for three. No other business.

Since you asked, in reference to Brathwaite, the lowest score by an opener carrying his bat is Bernard Tancred’s 26. Just look at this scorecard.

1.21am GMT

That was an adequate session for Australia, who took eight wickets for 51 runs in 19 overs. The star was James Pattinson, who was at his unpleasant best in taking four quick second-innings wickets.

I’m off to bury my face in a vat of iced coffee but will be back with you for the afternoon session. See you in half an hour!

1.20am GMT

14th over: West Indies 35-5 (Brathwaite 21, Holder 1) Brathwaite cuts Marsh for four, another nice stroke. Those, in fact, will be the last runs before lunch because it has started to rain and the covers are coming on. There were only 10 minutes of the session remaining, so an early lunch will be taken.

1.12am GMT

13th over: West Indies 31-5 (Brathwaite 17, Holder 1) Although that decision on the Brathwaite review did not affect the match, it needs to be looked at again because it seemed like there might have been some kind of technical glitch. Imagine if that happened with 10 runs needed in an Ashes decider. Twitter would explore, and the world would be a happier place. Anyway, a maiden from Siddle to Holder, who looks like he wants to hang around and bat properly. What an oddball.

1.10am GMT

12th over: West Indies 31-5 (Brathwaite 17, Holder 1) Brathwaite could carry his bat here. Not that it would be much of a badge of honour if the team are bowled out in 20 overs. The last West Indian to carry his bat in a Test was Desmond Haynes in 1993. That was an unbelievable innings in the context of a series between maybe the two best teams in the world.

@garynaylor999 @robsmyth0 The only consolation is the fact that, presumably, this shit is costing Ch 9 heaps in advertising revenue!

1.06am GMT

Oh dear. This is just feeble. Mitchell Marsh comes into the attack and strikes with his first ball when Ramdin slices a loose drive straight to Warner at gully. Yeah Dinesh talk nah.

1.05am GMT

11th over: West Indies 30-4 (Brathwaite 17, Ramdin 4) That did look a little strange on the screen, because it seemed as if more than 50 per cent of the ball was hitting the stumps. Will that be as pivotal as the Nathan Lyon reprieve in the Adelaide Test? Clue: no.

1.05am GMT

Siddle replaces Hazlewood, and his first ball is timed through extra cover for three by Ramdin. The next one keeps a bit low; uneven bounce is becoming an issue, even though the match isn’t at the halfway point. Well, the scheduled halfway point. The match could be over pretty quickly, and we have an Australian review here.

Brathwaite pushed around a straight delivery that thudded into the pad, and was given not out by Marais Erasmus. This looks really close. Replays show it was hitting the top of the leg bail, but it’s umpire’s call and therefore not out. “Ridiculous,” says Shane Warne. “That’s smashing into the stumps.”

12.58am GMT

10th over: West Indies 27-4 (Brathwaite 17, Ramdin 1) Here comes the hat-trick ball. He’s up to the wicket, he bowls ... and Brathwaite pushes him for a single. The replays of the Samuels show that the ball took the shoulder of the bat and then hit him on the bicep before looping to gully. It really did lift viciously. He almost has a fifth wicket when Ramdin clunks a loose drive in the air but wide of cover for a single.

12.53am GMT

9th over: West Indies 25-4 (Brathwaite 16, Ramdin 0) Shane Warne has already congratulated Pattinson on his hat-trick. Before that happens, we have the formality of an over from Hazlewood. There’s a strangled shout for LBW against Ramdin, with the ball clearly going over the top. West Indies aren’t just going to lose this game by an innings; they’re going to lose it by 16 wickets.

I think our batsmen have accepted the inevitable when there is an opportunity to bat and take something positive away from the game #AUSvWI

12.51am GMT

8th over: West Indies 24-4 (Brathwaite 15, Ramdin 0) Pattinson’s figures are 4-1-17-4, and he’ll have a hat-trick ball in a few minutes’ time.

12.49am GMT

Baaaaahhhhhd him! Pattinson has four wickets, and he’s on a hat-trick. Blackwood has been cleaned up first ball by a delivery that kept low to hit the off stump. That was a nightmare to get first up, and I’m not sure Blackwood - or Samuels the ball before - could really have done much. That’s a pair for Blackwood.

The referee should stop the fight to avoid further punishment @robsmyth0

12.47am GMT

It’s probably fair to say James Pattinson is back. This is his third wicket of the innings, and the best of the lot. It was a nasty ball that lifted from a length to take the shoulder of Samuels’ bat and loop up in the air. Warner backpedalled from gully to take a comfortable catch above his head.

12.43am GMT

7th over: West Indies 22-2 (Brathwaite 15, Samuels 1) Hazlewood cuts Brathwaite in half with a beautiful off-cutter that just misses the off stump.

12.40am GMT

6th over: West Indies 20-2 (Brathwaite 14, Samuels 0) That was the last ball of the over. Marlon Samuels, the only to man to literally score a Test hundred in his sleep, is the new batsman. That was a bit of a loose, leaden-footed stroke from Bravo, though it’s hard to be too critical after his brilliant first innings.

12.38am GMT

Pattinson isn’t bowling at top pace, around 138kph, but that’s understandable in the circumstances. An inviting short ball is swaggered to the extra-cover boundary by Bravo. He had so much time to play that shot, and not just because Pattinson is slightly down on pace.

He didn’t have enough time to play the next ball though - he’s gone! It was full, inviting the drive, and Bravo dragged it back onto his stumps. That’s a huge wicket, for Australia, for Pattinson and most importantly for those those of us dreaming of a three-day finish so we don’t have to work tomorrow night.

12.33am GMT

5th over: West Indies 16-1 (Brathwaite 14, Bravo 0) Hazlewood bangs away on a length, and the result is a maiden to Brathwaite. He’s going to take 400 Test wickets, isn’t he? He’s just got it. I know he had a poor Ashes but a lot of great fast bowlers struggled on their first tour of England, such are the unique conditions. There was a time when England fans thought Glenn McGrath was useless, and look how that worked out.

12.28am GMT

4th over: West Indies 16-1 (Brathwaite 14, Bravo 0) Brathwaite cuts Pattinson in the air but safely for four. That was a strange shot, almost a wristy flick – except it went through backward point. He gets another boundary two balls later with a lovely drive through extra cover. Fetch that.

12.24am GMT

3rd over: West Indies 5-1 (Brathwaite 5, Bravo 0) Three from the over, all to Brathwaite. That’s it. Look I said that’s it, let’s just move on.

12.20am GMT

2nd over: West Indies 2-1 (Brathwaite 2, Bravo 0) The new batsman is Darren, who Bravo had a break of 16 minutes between innings. Mark Taylor reckons he just should have opened, as his namesake Peter did at Karachi in 1988.

12.17am GMT

James Pattinson will share the new ball. He was expensive in the first innings, when he understandably tried a bit too hard. Once he gets a wicket he’ll relax, and when he’s relaxed he has the capacity to run through any batting line-up.

And he has struck third ball! That was a fine delivery, pretty full and moving away just enough to take the edge as Chandrika pushed forward with hard hands. It flew towards second slip, where Steve Smith took a terrific low catch. What a lovely moment for Pattinson, who gives fresh air a bunch of fives to celebrate his first Test wicket for 18 months.

12.14am GMT

1st over: West Indies 2-0 (Brathwaite 2, Chandrika 0) Hazlewood, who took four for 45 in the first innings, starts with a yorker that is dug out by Brathwaite, who then gets off the mark with a push to leg for two.

“I watched Paul Allott bat in an Allan Lamb benefit match against a West Indian XI in Cornwall, in the late 1980s,” says Nick Fisher. “The Windies were playing against a team of (very well padded up) locals. Lambie spent most of the time walking around the boundary with a glass of red, working the crowd and signing autographs. Unremarkable, except that my friend who’d had rather a lot to drink after celebrating the end of our A-levels, and, for reasons best known to himself, shouted something unrepeatable to Allott as he went to bat. Allott was unamused by this, and was out for a duck shortly after. I feel as though we got off on the wrong foot. If you’re reading this Paul, I send my heartfelt apologies.”

12.02am GMT

No surprise there. West Indies will bat again in 10 minutes’ time, needing 360 to avoid an innings defeat. As James Brayshaw says on Channel 9, Bravo might be advised to keep his pads on.

@robsmyth0 Bravo's record's disparity between home and away is an indictment of the pudding pitches served up in the Caribbean.

12.01am GMT

Bravo has gone, slicing a huge drive to point. That’s pretty selfless actually, because he could easily have applied some red ink to his innings. It was a marvellous knock: 108 from 177 balls with 20 fours.

@robsmyth0 Poor turnout - how much else is there to do in Tassie on a Saturday?

11.55pm GMT

69th over: West Indies 221-8 (Bravo 106, Warrican 2) The hat-trick ball from Hazlewood, to Warrican, deflects off something and loops just over the leaping Burns at short leg. There’s all kinds of excitement in the Channel 9 commentary box, though I don’t think it hit anything other than the thigh pad. In fairness, the trembling of knees among grown men was understandable: at first sight it looked like it might have taken the glove or inside edge as well. Hazlewood then tries to york Warrican, who clips the ball nicely through midwicket for a couple.

Shane Warne, in reference to Bravo’s pitch-kissing celebration, is talking about Dumb and Dumber. Insert your own ‘But I thought Channel 9 had three commentators these days?’ joke here. I quite like their commentary team, though my inbox tells me that isn’t necessarily a common view. Why can’t we just all get along?

11.51pm GMT

68th over: West Indies 219-8 (Bravo 106, Warrican 0) Bravo slaughters Siddle’s final ball through point for four, which means Hazlewood will have a hat-trick ball at Warrican.

“It must be hard for Bravo,” says Phil Withall. “He’s played an exceptional innings, one worthy of a better outcome, yet has to watch as those around him flounder. It’s like Ronaldo playing for Blackpool.” There’s something really admirable about excellence in a complete shower – think Robin Smith in the 1989 Ashes, or Rahul Dravid against England in 2011. It would be so easy just to turn it in.

11.48pm GMT

67th over: West Indies 215-8 (Bravo 102, Warrican 0) Hazlewood has bounced back superbly from that difficult Ashes. He loves playing the West Indies too: three Tests, 16 wickets at an average of 9.31.

11.46pm GMT

Two in two balls! Taylor falls for a golden duck, chopping an off-cutter back onto the stumps. Hazlewood is on a hat-trick, although that was the last ball of the over so he might not get the chance. With Shannon Gabriel injured, Australia only need one more wicket to wrap up the innings.

11.45pm GMT

Kemar Roach has gone, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood. It was an immaculate line and length, and Roach thin-edged a defensive push through to the keeper. Roach played really well, surviving 94 balls for his 31.

11.43pm GMT

Statgasm That’s Bravo’s seventh Test hundred, and six of them have come overseas. Indeed none of the great West Indian batsmen of the last 80-odd years – not even his cousin – have a better average in Tests abroad than Bravo’s 54.53.

11.42pm GMT

66th over: West Indies 213-6 (Bravo 102, Roach 31) The players are out, with only five minutes lost. The growling vegan, Peter Siddle, will open the bowling. His second ball is too full and Bravo thumps a cover-drive for four to move to 98. And there’s his hundred! He squirts Siddle through backward point for two more and punches the air in celebration. It’s been a lovely innings, and there is warm applause around the ground. All Test centuries are special, but those that you score as an away batsman in Australia mean more than most.

11.31pm GMT

Ach, it’s raining. The covers are on, though it should only be a passing shower. Obviously I haven’t a clue about the weather – I’m 10,000 miles away FFsake - but I’m parroting what Paul Allott just said on Sky.

11.20pm GMT

Hello. The hardest position to fill in a Test team is often No3. For this West Indies side, it’s been the easiest. Darren Bravo is a proper cricketer, of class and substance, as he showed again yesterday with a fine 94 not out in his first Test innings in Australia. Plagiarism is an unavoidable consequence both of digital life and a culture of uniform individuality, but occasionally it’s a force for good: Bravo’s unashamed tribute to his cousin Brian Lara has served him pretty well.

West Indies will resume today on 207 for six, still 177 away from avoiding the follow-on. They are likely to lose this game, but then we knew that beforehand. This tour is not one for the myopic. The role of players like Bravo is so important – not just to restore pride and to save or win the occasional Test, but to give hope for the future.

1.57am GMT

Rob will be here shortly to take you through the first two sessions today, so while he makes his way to his keyboard, catch up on what happened on day two.

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Published on December 11, 2015 19:52

Australia v West Indies - day three of the first Test in Hobart – live!

Live updates from Bellerive Oval as Australia take on the West IndiesEmail: rob.smyth@theguardian.com | Twitter: @robsmyth0

11.45pm GMT

11.43pm GMT

That’s Bravo’s seventh Test hundred, and six of them have come overseas. Indeed none of the great West Indian batsmen of the last 80-odd years – not even his cousin – have a better average in Tests abroad than Bravo’s 54.53.

11.42pm GMT

11.31pm GMT

11.20pm GMT

1.57am GMT

Rob will be here shortly to take you through the first two sessions today, so while he makes his way to his keyboard, catch up on what happened on day two.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on December 11, 2015 15:45

December 10, 2015

Australia v West Indies - day two of the first Test in Hobart – live!

Live updates from Bellerive Oval as Australia take on the West IndiesEmail: rob.smyth@theguardian.com | Twitter: @robsmyth0

11.53pm GMT

94th over: Australia 462-3 (Voges 191, S Marsh 146) Remember when Allan Border used to grind England’s nose into the dirt by batting on until lunch on the third day before declaring on 600-odd for four? Well at this rate Steve Smith will be able to declare on the same score at lunch on the second day. Holder beats Marsh with a gorgeous legcutter, the highlight of another good over. He is standing alone on the burning deck.

11.49pm GMT

93rd over: Australia 462-3 (Voges 192, S Marsh 146) Taylor beats Voges with a fine lifting leg-cutter. Good balls have never really been an issue for the West Indies fast bowlers. It’s the amount of filth that is the problem. Anyway, this is now a record fourth-wicket partnership for Australia against the West Indies, surpassing Bill Lawry and Doug Walters in 1969. The stand almost ends at 338 when Marsh, attempting to leave Taylor at the last minute, deflects the ball just wide of the stumps.

“Interesting point you made about away Tests. New Zealand were made to look ordinary by Australia, but already they look streets ahead of SL. How much of this is down to sides playing two or three match series with no preparation at all. NZ are playing SL, Pakistan and Australia this summer… why not play two sides and have decent series?” Yeah I agree, though there are many other issues too. NZ v Australia should be a brilliant series.

11.45pm GMT

92nd over: Australia 456-3 (Voges 187, S Marsh 144) A rare bad ball from Holder is cut for four by Marsh, though it went through the left hand of the leaping fielder at gully. The next ball brings a pretty big LBW appeal from Holder, although it was clearly swinging down leg. Holder has started well; he looks a proper cricketer.

11.41pm GMT

91st over: Australia 451-3 (Voges 186, S Marsh 140) Jerome Taylor (12-0-75-0) picks up where he left off last night. His first ball drifts miserably onto the pads and is flicked easily for four by Voges. Taylor is a much better bowler than this. The farce has started already. When Voges takes a quick single to cover, he gets four bonus runs when the throw whistles past the stumps and goes to the boundary. Marlon Samuels wasn’t backing up properly.

11.35pm GMT

90th over: Australia 440-3 (Voges 175, S Marsh 140) It’s a cloudy morning in Hobart, so theoretically this should be a good time to bowl. The captain Jason Holder demonstrates his faith in Taylor and Roach by taking the new ball himself. Holder was easily the most economical bowler yesterday, with figures of 15-1-45-0. There’s a little bit of inswing to Marsh, who gets going with a single off the pads. Voges then does the same. A decent start from Holder.

“Well, not so fast,” says Ian Forth. “Let’s throw our minds back to Brisbane 2002, 1st test of The Ashes. End of Day 1, Australia, 364/2. But end of Day 2, Australia all out 492, England 158/1. From then until now England 5 series wins, Australia just 3. So let us see what we shall see.” Fair point. Let’s not mention the fact that England eventually lost that Test by 384 runs.

11.14pm GMT

“Morning Rob, morning everyone,” writes my old colleague Paul Cockburn. Who now lives in New Zealand. The b*”!)($£”$”!. “While those slacker Australians have failed to put a single run at all on the board this morning, I am here to report that in sunny Dunedin New Zealand were all out for 431, and that in reply Sri Lanka are 20 for 1, with Mendis caught behind off Boult for 8. It’s going to be a long day for SL, I feel.”

Indeed. What started as an interesting trend - the inability of teams to win away from home - is now becoming a serious problem. I can never remember it being this bad, and I’ve been watching Test cricket since the 1740s. Even in the days of doctored pitches and dodgy home umpires it wasn’t this bad.

11.10pm GMT

Pointless stat of the day Adam Voges currently averages 341 against West Indies – a record for a Test batsman against one country. I had it in my head that Jacques Kallis averaged 9471.24 against Zimbabwe but apparently not: the figure was actually 169.75, though he did average 503 in Tests in Zimbabwe.

@robsmyth0 @plalor Today in history: Adam Voges has the single largest drop in Test average against one country

10.59pm GMT

“And I guess that’s what they call it Test cricket – cause it’s a test.” This, as well as being the most rousing chorus Elton John never wrote, is an observation that has been made regularly since the concept of test cricket was first discussed in 1861-62. It’s a cliché for sure, but one that reflects the uniquely arduous nature of this superior sporting format. It’s fair to say, however, that nobody was reaching for the cliché yesterday. Australia were playing Untest Cricket against a sadly inept West Indies, who conceded over 400 runs in a day for the first time since 1931.

Australia will resume in Hobart on 438 for three, with Adam Voges on 174 and Shaun Marsh on 139, nine short of his highest Test score. Even that might not be enough to stay in the side for the Boxing Day Test, with Usman Khawaja likely to be available. He could survive at the expense of his brother, of course, if Australia decide to go with four bowlers for a few Tests

until Shaun presents an irresistible case for dropping him yet again
. Either way it’s an intriguing subplot, and we need to embrace those with every fibre of our being because, even after one day, the main plot is a foregone conclusion.

5.05am GMT

Rob will be here shortly for the first session. In the meantime, remind yourselves how day one went with yesterday’s report.

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Published on December 10, 2015 15:53

December 9, 2015

Australia v West Indies - day one of the first Test in Hobart – as it happened

Australia end day one on 438-3 at Bellerive Oval in HobartAdam Voges and Shaun Marsh hit centuries to put hosts in control

7.17am GMT

So that’s that. After all the predictions that the tourists would be vastly outmatched, there was a glimmer of hope in the morning before the Australians snuffed it out in the afternoon. If the West Indies continue to bowl like that, they’ll do well to take 20 wickets in the series, let alone one game.

Australia weren’t made to work especially hard for their runs, but you can only face the opposition put in front of you. Voges made a masterful 174, increasing his Test average to a remarkable 68.91, while Shaun Marsh anchored the innings with a much-needed century of his own.

7.12am GMT

What a contrast. This is why Test cricket is the greatest game in the world.

Previous day of Test cricket: 71 runs in 71.1 overs Run-rate: 0.998 Today (2 matches): 847 runs in 179 overs Run-rate: 4.73 #Versatile

7.03am GMT

89th over: Australia 438-3 (Voges 174, S.Marsh 139)

Braithwaite drags out the over, trying to make take it past the 6pm cutoff. Three more singles, and that’s stumps.

6.58am GMT

88th over: Australia 435-3 (Voges 173, S.Marsh 137)

Blackwood continues and only gives up two. Everyone’s just playing out time here. There’s a slim chance we could get all 90 overs in here (admittedly with the extra half hour taken).

This is now the most runs scored on a two-Test day (NZ-409, Aus-421+). Previous highest was 823 runs on 07-Sep-2001. #AUSvWI #NZvSL

6.55am GMT

87th over: Australia 433-3 (Voges 172, S.Marsh 136)

Braithwaite comes back for a few more twirls. The batsmen are happy not to take any risks, and the bowlers are making it very easy for them. Two more singles from the over.

6.53am GMT

86th over: Australia 431-3 (Voges 171, S.Marsh 135)

There’s time for two or three more overs, but the West Indies are just playing out time here. Blackwood bowls a quick over, but it’s unthreatening and that’s three more singles.

6.51am GMT

85th over: Australia 428-3 (Voges 170, S.Marsh 133)

The West Indies are doing a reasonable job at preventing boundaries, but it’s just too easy to score one or two runs every ball. With so many men on the off side and the rope, only the wicketkeeper and gully are in likely catching positions.

6.46am GMT

84th over: Australia 426-3 (Voges 169, S.Marsh 132)

I don’t know why, but it seems Holder is saving the new ball for the morning. Blackwood rattles through a quick, tight over, and a few nudges and nurdles later, that’s four more runs.

6.45am GMT

83rd over: Australia 422-3 (Voges 167, S.Marsh 130)

Does Holder even know he is allowed a new ball? I can’t think of any good reason not to take it. Holder perseveres with the old nut, maintaining a line just outside off stump. Marsh picks up a run from a misfield.

6.38am GMT

82nd over: Australia 421-3 (Voges 167, S.Marsh 129)

Still no sign of the new ball as Holder perseveres with Blackwood. He bowls a couple of rank full tosses, but Marsh and Voges don’t really connect and can only manage singles. One more, and that’s the 300 partnership up. The run rate has remained steadily just above 5 for the last few hours.

6.35am GMT

81st over: Australia 416-3 (Voges 167, S.Marsh 127)

Bafflingly, the West Indies don’t take take the new ball immediately, Holder instead choosing to bring himself on with the old one. The umpires seem equally confused by the decision, with umpire Ian Gould having removed it from his pocket expectantly.

6.30am GMT

80th over: Australia 416-3 (Voges 164, S.Marsh 127)

Surely the final over before the new ball, and it’s more loopy spin, this time from Blackwood. Voges and Marsh negotiate it without any trouble whatsoever, and pick up nine more runs, including a magnificent four off the final ball of the over, absolutely leathered through cover by Marsh.

6.27am GMT

79th over: Australia 407-3 (Voges 162, S.Marsh 120)

Oh dear. That’s disappointing from Ramdin, who watches Marsh leave the ball and then watches the ball pass straight through his gloves on the way to the boundary for four byes. Roach is bowling a little better this afternoon now, and makes Marsh think about a few deliveries.

6.22am GMT

78th over: Australia 400-3 (Voges 162, S.Marsh 118)

Warrican continues, but Voges and Marsh are able to push a few easy singles down the ground, and they bring up the 400. This has been a monumental stand from these two – the partnership is already up to 278.

Give the crowd their money back. If 90 overs are scheduled and only 81 bowled - for whatever reason except the match ends with a win, the crowd get 10% of their money back.

While it doesn’t directly hit the players, I think you would find over rates would quickly pick up. It’s similar to when they play 20 overs in steady drizzle just to avoid giving the crowd a refund.

6.18am GMT

77th over: Australia 394-3 (Voges 160, S.Marsh 114)

Roach pulls himself together a bit and induces a bottom edge from Voges – it misses the stumps by about three or four inches, and is easily the closest the West Indies have come to a wicket this session. Voges tried to cut but the ball held up a bit and he was lucky not to drag on.

6.15am GMT

76th over: Australia 391-3 (Voges 157, S.Marsh 114)

Warrican whips through another over as we count down to the new ball. He varies his flight a bit, but the batsmen aren’t interested in taking risks at this point, and instead just accumulate five more runs.

6.12am GMT

75th over: Australia 386-3 (Voges 153, S.Marsh 113)

Kemar Roach back into the attack. He was ineffective this morning, and serves up some more rubbish to Marsh, allowing him to pick up consecutive fours with a clip through midwicket and a cut to deep backward square. He goes for 12 from the over, and the hole gets deeper and deeper.

Penalties for slow over-rates? I know what Donald Trump would say. Give the crowd crossbows, have half-starved tigers leaping out of trapdoors in the outfield. I’m aware that Donald’s rather blotted his copybook of late but it would definitely get bums on seats.

6.06am GMT

74th over: Australia 374-3 (Voges 152, S.Marsh 103)

Warrican’s back, and Voges reaches his 150 from the first ball of the over with a well-executed reverse sweep. Warrican’s unfeasibly short runup seems to be getting even shorter, and the batsmen pick up a couple more singles.

Close of play and NZ reached 409/8. Guptill went for a fantastic 156, and having rattled along at 4.54, the Blackcaps can look forward to a quick thrash in the morning, and then letting Boult and Southee loose on a wicket that I’m hearing ought to be a belter to bat on tomorrow. Great start for NZ; both Pradeep and Chameera went 101-2.

6.02am GMT

73rd over: Australia 369-3 (Voges 148, S.Marsh 102)

Shaun Marsh brings up his third Test century – and his first in Australia – with a confident pull for four to square leg.

5.58am GMT

72nd over: Australia 365-3 (Voges 148, S.Marsh 98)

Marsh and Voges, both a boundary away from their next landmark, exchange two singles each.

5.54am GMT

71st over: Australia 360-3 (Voges 146, S.Marsh 96)

Time for drinks. The Bellerive Oval crowd is still small, but visibly growing.

5.48am GMT

70th over: Australia 350-3 (Voges 145, S.Marsh 88)

It’s back to more easy runs as Braithwaite serves up a selection of short wide balls and balls on the pads. He’s not getting any turn, and his flight isn’t going to cause these guys any trouble. It’s just so easy for them right now.

Australia reached 111 during the 22nd over, 222 during the 44th over, 333 during the 66th over and should reach 444 by the 99th over tomorrow.

5.43am GMT

69th over: Australia 344-3 (Voges 142, S.Marsh 85)

Taylor flings down the first wide of the day before suddenly finding his line and making Marsh play a straight bat to a few in a row. Marsh then pulls a short one hard and is unlucky only to get a single. That’s the best over of the evening session so far – if only all of the West Indies bowlers could maintain that discipline.

@itsalanevans Time was batters would hole out or retire after a ton against the Uni's. Are we there with WI? Does Voges look embarrassed?

5.37am GMT

68th over: Australia 342-3 (Voges 142, S.Marsh 84)

Back to Braithwaite. Voges and Marsh take turns to guide the ball into what feel like enormous gaps and pick up six more runs.

5.34am GMT

67th over: Australia 331-3 (Voges 139, S.Marsh 81)

Jerome Taylor has been given his chance, but there’s a delay on the field as a problem with the sightscreen is fixed. Channel Nine fill the gap by playing the oh-so-funny footage of a queasy Michael Slater in the cherry picker. Expect this to feature heavily over the next

four
two days.

5.25am GMT

66th over: Australia 333-3 (Voges 136, S.Marsh 81)

Blackwood is actually doing a reasonable job of keeping the run rate down, even if he isn’t looking like a wicket-taking threat. He gives up a couple of singles, but has now conceded just 11 runs from his four overs. The West Indies need more of this sort of thing if they want to put any pressure on at all.

5.23am GMT

65th over: Australia 331-3 (Voges 135, S.Marsh 80)

Holder – who has been suspended by the ICC for slow over rates in one day internationals – seems unperturbed by the prospect of receiving another official reprimand.

SMarsh has been involved in 6 century partnerships. The fact 3 of them are 200-plus, including today, shows when he goes he goes big #AusvWI

5.18am GMT

64th over: Australia 328-3 (Voges 134, S.Marsh 79)

More exceptionally lazy fielding gives Australia an undeserved single, before some straight-batted pokes into gaps earn them two more. It’s hard to imagine where a wicket will come from – these two are completely serene out there.

5.15am GMT

63rd over: Australia 325-3 (Voges 132, S.Marsh 78)

Good fielding from the West Indies saves a run from what looked like a certain boundary for Marsh, but a single from the next ball brings up the 200 partnership. These two have been chanceless since coming in.

5.11am GMT

62nd over: Australia 317-3 (Voges 130, S.Marsh 72)

Blackwood continues to probe unsuccessfully with his looping offbreaks and holds the Australians to two singles off the over.

5.08am GMT

61st over: Australia 315-3 (Voges 129, S.Marsh 71)

There are still 20 overs until the new ball. If the West Indies can’t pick up at least two wickets before then, Australia will be past 400 and it’s hard to see how they can get back into the game.

5.02am GMT

60th over: Australia 311-3 (Voges 128, S.Marsh 68)

On comes another spinner, Jermaine Blackwood, to replace Warrican. His action is all arms and legs, flailing around before delivering the ball with no discernible turn.

4.59am GMT

59th over: Australia 307-3 (Voges 126, S.Marsh 66)

Marsh gets in on the fun with four of his own – he had all the time in the world to pick his spot. Holder would have been hoping that spin from both ends might slow the run rate, but neither Braithwaite nor Warrican can restrain these two.

4.57am GMT

58th over: Australia 303-3 (Voges 126, S.Marsh 62)

This is too easy. Two more fours swept to square leg by Voges in almost identical fashion bring up the Australian 300.

4.54am GMT

57th over: Australia 295-3 (Voges 118, S.Marsh 62)

The first ball of the over sits up and Voges swats it to square leg, but the rest of the over is better – though still not threatening – and only brings a couple of singles.

Mark Taylor (1219 in 1989) only Aussie to score more runs in debut year than @acvoges 764 n counting. Only 7 others higher. #AUSvWI

4.51am GMT

56th over: Australia 288-3 (Voges 112, S.Marsh 61)

Voges and Marsh will find few easier occasions than this to pad their averages. The bowling is lacklustre, and six unthreatening balls bring eight more runs, the highlight a textbook cover drive from Marsh off the last ball of the over.

4.48am GMT

55th over: Australia 280-3 (Voges 111, S.Marsh 54)

A single from Voges off the first ball puts Marsh on strike again but this time Braithwaite offers him an easy ball on his legs which he clips down to fine leg for two. It’s been a solid 50 from 86 balls - and only 16 runs have come in boundaries, in stark contrast to the scoring styles of some of his teammates.

4.44am GMT

54th over: Australia 274-3 (Voges 110, S.Marsh 49)

Shaun Marsh finds himself on strike, looking to bring up his 50. He shows a little bit of aggression trying to drive down the ground, but bowler Warrican keeps him pinned back and it’s just two off the over.

4.42am GMT

53rd over: Australia 272-3 (Voges 109, S.Marsh 48)

More nudges and chops bring more easy runs as Voges and Marsh bring up the 150 partnership from 178 balls (at a run rate of 5.14). The demoralised West Indies are taking an age to reset the field as the strike changes.

4.37am GMT

52nd over: Australia 266-3 (Voges 105, S.Marsh 46)

Warrican picks up the ball at the other end. Perhaps a spell of spin from both ends will help the over rate, at least.

4.33am GMT

51st over: Australia 259-3 (Voges 101, S.Marsh 43)

And we’re back, with the West Indies desperately needing a wicket soon. Kraigg Braithwaite is the man entrusted with the ball. Marsh and Voges pick up an easy single each and block out the rest.

4.30am GMT

Do you have any opinions? Facts to share? Things to get off your chest? Predictions about which former Australia player will be forced into the cherry picker tomorrow? Email me on alan.evans@theguardian.com or send me a tweet at @itsalanevans.

So, will Australia reach 400 this evening? Or can the West Indies claw their way back into contention? Nobody knows! Let’s find out.

4.28am GMT

Afternoon, Alan here. Thanks to Rob and Will for their work on the first couple of sessions.

It’s clearly Australia’s day so far, despite those wickets before lunch, and despite the slow over rate the hosts will be looking to pass 400 this evening.

4.15am GMT

Voges blocks the last ball from Warrican and that is tea. Australia have added 136 in the session and are well on top. Pretty sorry showing from West Indies, which is a shame. Voges has been magnificent but a word for Shaun Marsh too, who has defended and lefted well and looked classy in attack too. I’m off now, but Alan Evans will be back after the break to guide you through the final session. Go well!

4.12am GMT

50th over: Australia 257-3 (Voges 100, S.Marsh 42)

Adam Voges started this session on 9, but has brought up his ton with the penultimate ball before tea! 100 from 100 balls! Exceptional performance. They trade singles, then he sweeps hard and gets four. First time he’s played that stroke to Warrican. Then he pushes down the ground and they run so hard and get back for two! Well played that man.

4.08am GMT

49th over: Australia 249-3 (Voges 93, S.Marsh 41)

Roach is doing OK. This is better. Voges takes a quick single into the offside, then Marsh sees out the over, and is only able to leave one. Marsh is making things interesting should Uzzie Khawaja (as expected) be fit for the Boxing Day Test...

4.04am GMT

48th over: Australia 248-3 (Voges 92, S.Marsh 41)

Warrican twirls away. The first is defended, but the second is short and wide and beats the man at cover to run away for two. Voges moves into the 90s with that and there’s a single to long-on next up. Marsh flicks through a tiny gap on the on-side for two off the last.

This West Indies team has inherited the poor over rates of the great sides that preceded them, but that's about it I'm afraid

4.01am GMT

47th over: Australia 243-3 (Voges 89, S.Marsh 39)

Voges takes a single to deep-square from Roach’s first ball. He then bowls a tight line to keep Marsh scoreless for four balls, before inevitably erring. Marsh runs hard for two into the legside.

Awful stint for WI as they make a double change and concede 82 from 11o: Taylor 0-36 off 5o (7.2rpo), Gabriel 0-41 off 5o (8.13rpo). #AusvWI

3.56am GMT

46th over: Australia 240-3 (Voges 88, S.Marsh 37)

Warrican is back into the attack. Might not be a bad idea. He got a couple shortly before lunch. Just (says a bit about the run rate that I’ve added that word) three from the over, as Voges squeezes past cover, Marsh knocks it down the ground and Voges cuts, all for one. Not threatening at all.

45 overs bowled... only another 45 to go...

And Jason Holder was suspended for slow over rate in ODI's not so long ago... https://t.co/c4mm3p07LP

3.53am GMT

45th over: Australia 237-3 (Voges 86, S.Marsh 36)

Kemar Roach is back! He’s only bowled four overs today and they really weren’t very good. It’s very much a question of when, not if, Voges gets his century. He looks so comfortable. He defends two - Roach is still not at top pace - before flicking to deep-square for one. Good line at Marsh - the first is fifth stump and left, then it’s on off and defended well. Oh, but that’s no good. You’ve ruined it, Roachy. It’s full, wide and just too easy. Threaded through the offside for four by Marsh. Great shot, to be fair. As SK Warne points out, Roach is wearing a quite ridiculously big chain round his neck.

3.47am GMT

44th over: Australia 232-3 (Voges 85, S.Marsh 32)

And there’s the hundred partnership. And 100 up since lunch. Taylor bowls a full toss to Marsh, who is surprised by it and deflects it behind square on the offside for three. It’s well cut off by the man running round from deep cover. The third ball is drilled through the legside for Voges’ 15th(!!) four. Shot. Sneaky single into the offside off the next, then Marsh flicks through midwicket for a lovely boundary. Dot off the last. THIS LOOKS SO EASY! It’s flat, but the bowling is dross.

OUT - McCullum hauls out to deep square leg for an entertaining 75 off 57 balls, 13 fours & 1 six. Santner joins Guptill (*132), 338/4 ^WN

3.42am GMT

43rd over: Australia 220-3 (Voges 80, S.Marsh 25)

Another single for Voges, with a cut to deep point. He’s very content: 80 from 81. Marsh leaves two then defends into the offside with a barked “No!” The fifth is cover driven sumptuously as Gabriel overpitches. The hands are fast and the foot to the pitch. Beautiful boundary. Last of the over he takes three with a push down the ground. Not quite timed, but attractive nevertheless. He’s quietly ticking along and the partnership is 99.

5673 the current crowd. So it'll be ~6000 by the end, a fraction more maybe. Which is also what they got for day one in 2012. #AUSvWI

3.37am GMT

42nd over: Australia 212-3 (Voges 79, S.Marsh 18)

Marsh plays a handsome straight drive but Taylor cuts it off. There’s an equally attractive shot next up, and he gets one – it’s a lovely cut to the man at deep point. Voges plays a controlled pull to deep square for another, then Marsh leaves. They trade singles at the end of the over, Marsh squeezing a single to mid-on, and Voges flicking beautifully to deep midwicket.

3.31am GMT

41st over: Australia 208-3 (Voges 77, S.Marsh 16)

Voges is just putting it exactly where he wants now. He cuts to the man at deep point for one off the first ball of the over. Gabriel drifts on to Marsh’s pads – which you just shouldn’t – and he just nudges to deep midwicket for an easy two, then sends one to deep square for one. Voges leaves, defends, and leaves. Easy as.

And 50 for captain McCullum off just 39 balls. 8 fours and 1 six. NZ 304/3 with 21 overs left in the day #NZvSL ^WN

3.26am GMT

40th over: Australia 204-3 (Voges 76, S.Marsh 13)

Taylor starts the over well, full and straight, and Voges twice pushes to mid-on. But then he just drifts too full and too straight and is on-driven through wide mid-on for four. There’s two off an inside edge and then he drives straighter picking up four more. He’s stealing the strike now too, with a single into the offside. So Australia brought up the 200 that over (they’ve hit 34 fours) and Voges is going at better than a run a ball. The bloke is absolutely flying, and making it look so easy all the while.

3.19am GMT

39th over: Australia 193-3 (Voges 65, S.Marsh 13)

As Voges has accelerated, Marsh has just chilled a little. Gabriel gets one to rise at him first up and he fends well to gully, before cutting to the man at deep point for one. Voges gets in behind a couple, defending very firmly as Gabriel finds a good line. He drifts a little wider and Voges chops hard down on it and it runs away over gully for four. There’s three rather strange runs from the last. Voges drives beautifully and it deflects off the stumps at the non-striker’s, and runs past the man at mid-on who – as if in slow motion – misses with a dive, before chasing it all the way to the fence.

3.11am GMT

38th over: Australia 185-3 (Voges 58, S.Marsh 12)

Too short, too wide again from Taylor and Voges gets an under edge that runs away for four. He’s flying, but Taylor’s better for the rest of the over, probing on and outside off stump, and there are no more runs.

3.06am GMT

37th over: Australia 181-3 (Voges 54, S.Marsh 12)

Voges is in delightful form. Looks so confident, so easy. Gabriel’s too wide first up and he slashes him behind point for four. Two balls later and it’s a full no-ball that he nails through the covers for four more. That’s his 50 and it’s come off just 55 with 10 fours. There are a couple of dots, then he pushes a single to point, and Marsh leaves one alone.

Don't think there's a bigger 'blink-and-he's-scored-40' player in the world than Adam Voges. Just gets the job done #AUSvWI

3.00am GMT

36th over: Australia 171-3 (Voges 45, S.Marsh 12)

Double change for Australia as Taylor comes on. Different end for him this time. Voges is a long way forward first up in defence, then deep in the crease in attack, with a gorgeous cut behind square for four. Lovely. He’s ghosted to 44. He’s strongly in behind the next one, then gets a squirty edge that gully does well to keep to a dot. The next is defended with soft hands into the offside for a single and that’s the 50 stand off 73 balls. Well batted. Marsh leaves the last.

2.54am GMT

35th over: Australia 166-3 (Voges 40, S.Marsh 12)

A change! Holder’s made a change! He’s brought someone fast on! It’s Gabriel on. But he’s drifting down the legside first ball and Voges just slips it down to fine leg for an unfussy four. The next is better, mind. Voges is shouldering arms and it’s nipped back and hit him on the pad. Umps says no and Holder looks interested for a moment, but no dice. Not doing enough and he’s a fair way outside the line.

2.49am GMT

34th over: Australia 155-3 (Voges 29, S.Marsh 12)

Warrican – and the defence – continues. Having got Warner before the break Holder (who is my favourite cricketer, by the way) could have gone for the jugular a bit more. Anyway, two from the over. Marsh gets one to midwicket off the first, Voges uneventfully defends four, then takes a single to mid-on. What do we reckon, guys?

Questions. pic.twitter.com/tJk3piVeLn

2.45am GMT

33rd over: Australia 153-3 (Voges 28, S.Marsh 11)

Holder continues, and it’s all rather easy for the first four balls as he just leaves, leaves, defends then leaves. He cuts the fourth – which is wider and shorter – beautifully, but the man at point does well to get a bit on it and it’s two rather than four. There’s a good single to wide mid-on to end the over. Surely time for a change, Jase?

2.42am GMT

32nd over: Australia 150-3 (Voges 28, S.Marsh 8)

There’s a decent delay before this over, of course there is. Poor over rates get on commentators’ goats, and quite frankly they get on mine too, Completely needless waste of viewers’ time. Tell me I’m not alone/an idiot for thinking this?

2.38am GMT

31st over: Australia 146-3 (Voges 27, S.Marsh 5)

Holder starts with a nice nut, which Marsh judges well and leaves. He lets the next one go very easily, before playing at one he didn’t need to play at. Then there’s a no-ball (the seventh!!!), which Mark Taylor says doesn’t cost New Zealand, despite quite literally costing them a run. Marsh defends one and then leaves two and it’s over. Just the no-ball from it.

2.34am GMT

30th over: Australia 145-3 (Voges 27, S.Marsh 5)

Australia on the move, this over. Big time, as David Brent would say. Four boundaries for Voges off Warrican. The first is a bit rank (they all count, don’t they) as Voges goes much more legside than he planned. Four though. There’s a dot before two delightful strokes – one punch over the bowler’s head, and one pull through midwicket. Both boundaries. The fifth is flat and blocked, and the sixth might be the best of the lot. He skips down the track and flicks through midwicket. 16 from the over and surely time for Taylor or Roach?

2.30am GMT

29th over: Australia 129-3 (Voges 11, S.Marsh 5)

Shaun Marsh pushes Holder’s first into the offside, then leaves the second. Ooooohhhhh, that is delightful. The third flies through the covers when Holder overpitches a touch. Down on one knee, four all the way. Marsh looks more confident thereafter, even if he picks out cover point from another laced middled half-volley. Otherwise defended beautifully into the offside. Dare I say it, that’s one of those overs when I really get Shaun Marsh.

2.26am GMT

28th over: Australia 125-3 (Voges 11, S.Marsh 1)

Good over from Warrican, and it’s a maiden. The boy’s not afraid to give it a bit of flight and Voges is watchful in defence. There are a couple of drives that sting mid-off’s hands, and the last is fired in flatter, shorter and straighter. Punched back to the bowler.

2.23am GMT

27th over: Australia 125-3 (Voges 11, S.Marsh 1)

Uneventful over from Holder. Voges nabs a sharp legside single first up, before Shaun Marsh leaves and defensively drives his way through the over without really looking like scoring a run or getting out. Jeez, Hobart looks a picture today.

2.20am GMT

26th over: Australia 124-3 (Voges 10, S.Marsh 1)

It’s Warrican from the other end! Great news. What’s not such great news is the field Holder’s gone for; it’s very spread, and Marsh just nudges his second ball into the legside to get off the mark. Voges defends then comes down the track and knocks it back to the bowler, then defends again. Over ends with an easy single into the legside.

2.15am GMT

25th over: Australia 122-3 (Voges 9, S.Marsh 0)

It’s captain Holder to begin after the break, and he starts with a no-ball to Voges. Jerome Taylor started the day with a no-ball too. Not a great habit to get in to, lads. Think Holder is going for the mythical “send a message to the quicks” by bowling himself. Sir Curtly Ambrose certainly gave Taylor and Kemar Roach an earful at lunch for the way they bowled first up. I’m definitely scared of Curtly.

2.10am GMT

Hello everyone, Will here. Thanks to Rob for taking us this far. There’s a bit more pressure to be had in this session than I thought there’d be 30 minutes before lunch. Do we have a game on our hands? Do we have a series on our hands? I do hope so.

The wondrously named spinner Jomel Warrican got Smith (with a beauty) then Warner (oh so soft) shortly before the break to properly peg the Aussies back, which is good enough for me. His length has been a little erratic, but he’s definitely fun. Sure the quicks will get stuck into Shaun Marsh after the break but I’m looking forward to him having another twirl in a bit.

1.39am GMT

Okay, I’m off to find out more about Mervin Durand. Thanks for your company. Will Macpherson will be here for the afternoon session. Bye!

1.34am GMT

A session of two halves. Australia raced to 75 for none after 10.5 overs, aided by some appalling bowling. But the wicket of Joe Burns, bowled by a beauty from Shannon Gabriel, changed the mood of the match. In the last 13.1 overs of the session, Australia made 46 for three.

The left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, playing his second Test, picked up the two big wickets. Steve Smith fell to a jaffa and David Warner was strangled down the leg side just before the break.

1.30am GMT

24th over: Australia 121-3 (Voges 9, S Marsh 0) West Indies faffed so much before the first delivery to the new batsman Shaun Marsh that there was no time for another over. So that’s lunch.

1.28am GMT

Warner has gone! This has somehow turned into a decent morning for West Indies. It was a slightly freakish dismissal, with Warner thin-edging a poor delivery from Warrican down the leg side, where the fleet-footed Ramdin took a smart catch. West Indies won’t give a solitary fig about the manner of the wicket, however. They have dismissed Warner for a typically brilliant 61-ball 64.

1.25am GMT

23rd over: Australia 120-2 (Warner 64, Voges 8) Warner, who has been sufficiently becalmed in the last half an hour that his strike rate almost dropped below 100, breaks out to push a gorgeous boundary through the covers off Holder. His timing is so underrated, certainly in some quarters. Holder is bowling nicely here, and jags one back a long way to almost hit Warner in the breadbasket.

1.20am GMT

22nd over: Australia 116-2 (Warner 60, Voges 8) Warrican’s length isn’t as consistent as you’d like, but his better deliveries have a lovely drift and loop, particularly to the right-handers. Three from the over.

1.17am GMT

21st over: Australia 113-2 (Warner 58, Voges 7) West Indies have had a largely shocking morning – yet if they can somehow get rid of Warner before lunch they will feel they are right in the game, such is the relative fragility of Australia’s middle order. Holder almost does so with a an extreme legcutter that beats the edge, “Exactly the sort of ball Courtney Walsh used to bowl,” observes Mark Nicholas on Channel Nine.

1.12am GMT

20th over: Australia 110-2 (Warner 57, Voges 5) Warrican, excited by the wicket, goes for a magic ball first up to Voges which turns into a full toss and is whipped for four.

1.10am GMT

So that’s why they were bowling spin at Steve Smith. That was a wonderful delivery from Warrican – tossed up slowly from around the wicket and gripping sharply to take the shoulder of the bat as Smith reached forward defensively. Jermaine Blackwood took a nice low catch at slip. That really was a beautiful piece of bowling.

1.07am GMT

19th over: Australia 101-1 (Warner 53, Smith 10) The captain Holder, on for Gabriel, does something magical: he bowls a maiden. It would be pushing it to say the West Indies have restored order, but that wicket has slowed things down a little after the anarchy of the first hour. The last eight overs have produced 26 runs, after 75 from the first 11.

1.04am GMT

18th over: Australia 101-1 (Warner 53, Smith 10) Warner clips Warrican for two to bring up the 100, already.

Warner has now made 11 50+ scores in 2015 - most by an AUS opener in a year. Hayden and Katich had made 10 each in '01 & '09 resp'ly #AUSvWI

12.59am GMT

17th over: Australia 97-1 (Warner 50, Smith 9) Warner takes a very quick single off Gabriel to reach the usual 50, a masterful effort from just 40 balls. He’s already scored 642 Test runs this summer. There’s no better opener in the world, and there are few better batsmen. That run was even tighter than it seemed first time round, and the diving Smith would have been miles out with a direct hit from point.

12.53am GMT

16th over: Australia 94-1 (Warner 49, Smith 8) Warrican has started well enough, apart from one half-volley to Warner, and there are just a couple of singles from that over. Warner has 49 from 37 balls.

12.50am GMT

15th over: Australia 92-1 (Warner 48, Smith 7) Gabriel tries to tempt Smith with a fifth-stump line, but Smith isn’t interested and it’s a maiden. Good stuff from both players. It will be a test of patience for Gabriel, because Smith is so good at wearing bowlers down and eventually making them bowl to him. Gabriel, who looks like he could bench-press a three-storey house, has been by far the pick of the bowlers: 4-0-15-1.

12.45am GMT

14th over: Australia 92-1 (Warner 48, Smith 7) Warrican overpitches, and Warner punishes him with a firm drive for four. This is such accomplished batting, to the point where it appears effortless. Appears being the operative word. As David Gower once said, it’s hard work making batting look effortless. Sublime talent helps, mind you.

12.41am GMT

13th over: Australia 85-1 (Warner 42, Smith 6) A huge no-ball from Gabriel, one of the biggest I’ve ever seen, is followed by a cracking cover-drive for four by Smith. Australia are going at 6.5 an over, on the first morning of a Test series.

12.34am GMT

12th over: Australia 79-1 (Warner 42, Smith 1) Jomel Warrican, the left-arm spinner, comes on for Jason Holder. Why would you attack Smith with spin rather than seam at the start of his innings? Mind you, Warrican has an outrageous first-class record – 78 wickets at 17.92, including six in his only Test so far. Four from his first over.

12.32am GMT

11th over: Australia 75-1 (Warner 39, Smith 0) That was a really good over from Gabriel, with everything in its right place on a good length. It seems absurd to say that he was rewarded for his patience, as he’s only bowled two overs, but in the context of the morning that’s exactly what happened.

Great delivery Shannon!! But I enjoyed the entire over well planned out. We need more of those from all the bowlers.

12.28am GMT

Bowled him! This is a beauty from Shannon Gabriel, and Joe Burns has gone for 33. It was bowled from slightly wider on the crease, and came back just enough off the seam to go through the gate and peg back the off stump.

12.21am GMT

10th over: Australia 70-0 (Burns 29, Warner 39) A double bowling change, with the captain Jason Holder on for Kemar Roach. Oh for heaven’s sake. His third ball is utter filth, a wide half-volley that Warner drives through extra cover for four while getting down on one knee.

The bowling has been pathetic, but Warner in particular has batted ridiculously well. He gets his eighth boundary, and the 15th of the morning, by clattering a shorter ball through extra cover. He has 39 from 26 balls, a joyride without the danger.

12.16am GMT

9th over: Australia 62-0 (Burns 29, Warner 31) Shannon Gabriel replaces Jerome Taylor (4-0-25-0). He has a strangled LBW shout first ball, with Burns inside-edging a good delivery back on to the pad. In fairness, he soon demonstrates some solidarity with his fellow fast bowlers by sending down some rubbish second ball. Burns square-drives it for the 947th boundary of the morning.

“I didn’t even need to watch the YouTube video, the start of the 1994 Brisbane Test is seared in my mind,” says Chris Langmead. “I recall groggily switching to page 341 on Ceefax in the small hours to see that Atherton and Thorpe were scoring heavily, only to have hope immediately crushed when it became apparent that Ceefax had transposed the team names, that Australia were batting and that Martin McCague was delivering bowling so tasty that Mark Taylor would start a modern trend of not enforcing the follow-on to enable another trip to the buffet. For all the JCLs, this is why we prayed for rain ...”

12.10am GMT

8th over: Australia 58-0 (Burns 25, Warner 31) Warner times Roach beautifully through mid-off for four to bring up the 50 partnership in only 46 balls. The next ball is swivel-pulled for four more, the 11th boundary of the morning. Make that 12, and three in a row, as Warner muscles another through the covers. He has 31 from 20 balls, and Roach has one of Test cricket’s more incongruous maidens in figures of 4-1-33-0.

12.06am GMT

7th over: Australia 46-0 (Burns 25, Warner 19) There was swing for Taylor in the first over, but nothing much since then. Burns slams another smooth pull stroke for four, the ninth of the morning. This is too easy. At the current rate of scoring, Australia will be 591 for none at the close.

In other news, Channel Nine has just shown this catch as part of a competition to win a year’s supply of KFC. The reflexes on Viv!

12.00am GMT

6th over: Australia 37-0 (Burns 19, Warner 16) West Indies’ pitch map so far is more Jackson Pollock than Shaun Pollock. Roach does get a third over, and beats Burns with a good delivery that moves away off the seam. Burns was groping a long way outside off stump. A better over from Roach: not just boundaryless, but runless too.

11.56pm GMT

5th over: Australia 37-0 (Burns 19, Warner 16) At one stage on the 1978-79 Ashes tour, Geoff Boycott went more than 14 hours without hitting a boundary. Burns and Warner are barely going 14 seconds without hitting one. There have been eight in the first five overs, with Warner taking two more off Taylor via the medium of the cover-drive and the flick through midwicket.

11.52pm GMT

For a

39-year-old
thirtysomething England fan, this start to the series is bringing back a few memories. One in particular.

11.51pm GMT

4th over: Australia 29-0 (Burns 19, Warner 8) Another wide half-volley from Roach, who is striving in vain for swing, is driven sweetly to the cover boundary by Burns. Australia are off to a flyer, and when Roach strays on to the pads he is touched to fine leg for four more.

This is poor stuff from Roach, and Burns makes it three boundaries in four balls by rifling another half-volley through the covers. “This is not acceptable,” says Ian Chappell on commentary. I don’t think Roach will get a third over; his figures are 2-0-21-0.

11.47pm GMT

3rd over: Australia 17-0 (Burns 7, Warner 8) Taylor decides to test the hardness of the pitch by banging in a short ball. He won’t be doing that again in a hurry. The ball sits up obligingly and Burns wallops a pull for four. Thereafter he goes fuller, and beats Burns with a nice delivery that comes back through the gate. He’s a fine bowler, Taylor, and it is such a shame that has only played 44 Tests in 12 years.

11.43pm GMT

2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Burns 2, Warner 8) David Warner has mixed memories of Hobart, where he produced a futile masterpiece against New Zealand in 2011. That was the first of his 15 Test hundreds, 11 of which have been scored in two years since the start of the 2013-14 Ashes.

Kemar Roach also starts with a no-ball. His second legitimate delivery is full and wide; Warner does what Warner does, crunching it through extra cover for four. Roach is 27 now, although it only feels like a few weeks ago that he was roughing Ricky Ponting up.

11.36pm GMT

1st over: Australia 3-0 (Burns 2, Warner 0) Jerome Taylor, a fine bowler who skittled England for 51 six years ago, will take the first over. He starts with a no-ball, though he will be more interested in the fact that it swung. The rest of the over is very promising for the West Indies: Taylor has it moving both ways, and Burns offers no stroke to a ball that comes back and bounces not far over the stumps. Then he steers an awayswinger to third man for two to get off the mark.

@robsmyth0 man, all this naysaying about the windies. They hardly won't be worse than Proteas in the last tests, righto?

11.28pm GMT

Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor should get the ball to do a bit this morning. Though maybe not this much.

11.19pm GMT

“I have to say I fear for the West Indies in this series,” says Phil. “If they play half as badly as they did in the warm-up game, a match played against what was basically a team of schoolboys, then all sorts of records will be in danger. In the best interests of the sport I hope I’m wrong.”

11.14pm GMT

Aussie win toss -Bat Patto in. @westindies Taylor, Roach,Holder should enjoy bowling on grassed hard pitch #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/H2C0fDyB3h

11.14pm GMT

James Pattinson returns to Test cricket for the first time since that unforgettable win over South Africa in March 2014. He replaces the injured Mitchell Starc.

Australia Burns, Warner, Smith (c), Voges, S Marsh, M Marsh, Nevill (wk), Pattinson, Siddle, Hazlewood, Lyon.

11.03pm GMT

It could be a long day for the West Indies, although their talented pace attack – the strongest part of the side – might enjoy themselves this morning on a slightly green pitch.

11.01pm GMT

Hello. Ironic celebration of the 1990s is a popular pastime these days, but one or two things really were better at the end of the 20th century: music, film, life. And Test cricket. We didn’t realise it at the time but the 1990s was a golden age of Test cricket. Pretty much every country had a superb new-ball pair; leg spin was back, better than ever; a number of all-time great batsmen emerged or established themselves; and the balance between bat and ball was almost perfect.

The pinnacle of so much wonderful Test cricket was the battle for supremacy between Australia and the West Indies. It was so good that it made some of us in England get up early before school to watch it on Teletext. The story arc was cinematic to the point of cliche: Australia’s upstarts were taught a lesson in 1990-91, came heartbreakingly close to dethroning the West Indies in 1992-93, and then finally did so two years later. They confirmed their position as world No 1 in 1996-97, then just about escaped with a draw in a staggering series two years later, when Brian Lara played the greatest of his many great innings.

1.12am GMT

Pre-preamble Rob Smyth will be here shortly to take you through the early stages in Hobart but in the meantime check out Tim Wigmore’s fascinating account of the current struggles in West Indies cricket or perhaps Russell Jackson’s chat with Southern Stars all-rounder Ellyse Perry. There’s also Andy Bull’s Spin column, which takes a look at the perverse pleasure of slow cricket.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

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Published on December 09, 2015 23:17

Australia v West Indies - day one of the first Test in Hobart

Live updates from Bellerive Oval as Australia take on the West IndiesEmail: rob.smyth@theguardian.com | Twitter: @robsmyth0

11.43pm GMT

11.36pm GMT

@robsmyth0 man, all this naysaying about the windies. They hardly won't be worse than Proteas in the last tests, righto?

11.28pm GMT

Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor should get the ball to do a bit this morning. Though maybe not this much.

11.19pm GMT

“I have to say I fear for the West Indies in this series,” says Phil. “If they play half as badly as they did in the warm up game, a match played against what was basically a team of schoolboys, then all sorts of records will be in danger. In the best interests of the sport I hope I’m wrong.”

11.14pm GMT

Aussie win toss -Bat Patto in. @westindies Taylor, Roach,Holder should enjoy bowling on grassed hard pitch #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/H2C0fDyB3h

11.14pm GMT

James Pattinson returns to Test cricket for the first time since that unforgettable win over South Africa in March 2014. He replaces the injured Mitchell Starc.

Australia Burns, Warner, Smith (c), Voges, S Marsh, M Marsh, Nevill (wk), Pattinson, Siddle, Hazlewood, Lyon.

11.03pm GMT

It could be a long day for the West Indies, although their talented pace attack – the strongest part of the side – might enjoy themselves this morning on a slightly green pitch.

11.01pm GMT

Hello. Ironic celebration of the 1990s is a popular pastime these days, but one or two things really were better at the end of the 20th century: music, film, life. And Test cricket. We didn’t realise it at the time – the but the 1990s was a golden age of Test cricket. Pretty much every country had a superb new-ball pair; legspin was back, better than ever; a number of all-time great batsmen emerged or established themselves; and the balance between bat and ball was almost perfect.

The pinnacle of so much wonderful Test cricket was the battle for supremacy between Australia and the West Indies. It was so good that it made some of us in England get up early before school to watch it on Teletext. The story arc was cinematic to the point of cliche: Australia’s upstarts were taught a lesson in 1990-91, came heartbreakingly close to dethroning the West Indies in 1992-93, and then finally did so two years later. They confirmed their position as world No1 in 1996-97, then just about escaped with a draw in a staggering series two years later, when Brian Lara played the greatest of his many great innings.

1.12am GMT

Pre-preamble Rob Smyth will be here shortly to take you through the early stages in Hobart but in the meantime, check out Tim Wigmore’s fascinating account of the current struggles in West Indies cricket or perhaps Russell Jackson’s chat with Southern Stars all-rounder Ellyse Perry. There’s also Andy Bull’s Spin column, which takes a look at the perverse pleasure of slow cricket.

View more on Rob Smyth's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on December 09, 2015 15:43

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