30 Years on from THAT BALL...

Well, almost - it was on the 4th June 1993 - but i wanted a catchy title.

"Hands up who thinks there should be a spinner in the line up?" 

Most of you would know what ball and when it happened; it's definitely one of the Top 5 Ashes moments. For those that have no idea what I'm talking about - enjoy! The thing that surprises me most about this ball as I re-watch it is that Brendan Julian got to bowl 5 overs before The King bowled his first ball in his first Ashes campaign. Now getting onto spin, I heard various news outlets say that the Aussies are entering the 4th Test without a spinner - unusual for Manchester, and to which some are disappointed:

Travis has right to be dirty too. As far as selectors are concerned, the Green Caps are carrying 5 all rounders into this test. With the prospect of rain, the Aussies have been training in a most novel way. This version of tennis cricket definitely gets the "hand-eye" going. But enough of alternate training techniques, let's get to the game.

The toss - what has been learned? Tails usually fails when you're not in NSW. One thing is for certain - don't take Postman Pat to the casino with you... 4 losses on the trot. England have decided to ride a wave of confidence and put the visitors in to bat. Oh, how times have changed. Gone are the days where if you won a toss, 9 times out of 10 you'd say "Let's have a bat!", and then the tenth you'd think about it and bat anyway. Bent Spoke is going for the jugular, and with the prospect of weekend rain, perhaps it's the only way to ensure a result.

The Pool Cleaner has retained his spot due to Harris being in the UK on standby and instead of playing County cricket like Neser, he's been playing golf with mates - he hasn't even picked up a bat since May, and that was only to pass it to Uzzie in the nets. Draco and Father Time open up for the Empire, and Davey is looking positive, hitting the first delivery of the test for a boundary, while Usman is poking a little - can they put on a partnership - No, but this time it's The Pro who is left to look amateurish by Draco. Plumb in front for 3 and it's 1 for 15 in the 5th over. However, what was to follow was rather encouraging. Strokes of aggression, positive running between the wickets. The visitors pass 50 without further loss. But on 61, The Pool Cleaner gets caught on the crease defending and Woakes takes his scalp for 32, caught by Portly Ron Weasley (PRW).

In comes Smudge to join his protégé, and from the outset there is intent - Smith hits the first delivery as if Woakes had sledged him about his guitar playing. This is what the fans had come to see. The type of confidence that led to a double ton at this ground just four years earlier. The pair get through to lunch and it's honours even at the break, with Australia hitting 4 per over. Much of the same upon resumption, until Wild Thing Wood comes on for his second spell. Into the forties, striking at 80, Smith gets rapped on the pads - appeal - denied. But England throw it upstairs to Umpire GAS, and Smith is on his way for 41. Marnus "Please let me bowl" Labuschagne is handling his innings in almost the complete opposite way to the Vice Captain. He's joined by Head, who will now be referred to as "Hormone" as he shaved his moustache off last test, and it has all but reappeared on his face less than 10 days later. Seriously, that is up there with Kat (Simon Katich), who I've see in the dressing sheds without his test shirt on, and I thought someone had managed to get white pants on a gorilla in the home team's sheds at the SCG. But all jokes aside - a lovely man, who had an amazing cricket brain. He should of captained his country.

Hormone and Loose Bus Change stifle the English quicks, and Ali, until... Just after chalking up his half ton, Marnus gets rapped on the pad, decision turned down, but then reviewed and he's GONE. Bugger! At least Hormone is still in - oh, poo, shite, bugger! And it's Draco bowling bouncers. But more importantly it's his 600th test wicket. A pretty special achievement, even if it's after 863 tests - just joshin, but it has been a lot of tests:

I think Lyon will be dirty he's not highlighted blue as a current player - I thought it was just a torn calf. He's not a racehorse with a broken leg!

The Bison does what he was brought into the team to do - boont some balls to, and over the fence. He scores a 50 but is caught by PRW, with what sports journo's (modern day prostitutes) call a blinder. Let's call it what it was. A regulation catch, made to look good after you wrong footed yourself. The 2 fast bowling all rounders go within a run of each other - Aussies now 7/255 and Woakes has 3. If the Aussies can get to stumps with no further loss - crap, poo, wee, turd, Voldemort! Carey is gone and one has to say that the home team can claim Day 1 honours. The pitch has a little in it, but it's gotta be said, par for 1st innings has to be closer to 400 than 300.

Day 2 should be interesting.

JT