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EastStandBlue

Life President
Joined
May 29, 2005
Messages
15,519
Australia's 75 year reign at Lords came tumbling down with a whimper, as King Flintoff gave England victory on the back of his first five wicket haul at the ground.

Nothing could suppress the nerves at the Home of Cricket this morning, a terrific stand of 185 between Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin took the impetus away from a fantastic start by England, and only the manicurists of London could see the benefit.

Much had been said regarding England's flailing attack at the end of Sundays play, yet the new ball sparked new life as Anderson started the proceedings by ripping quickly into Haddin, sparking feverous LBW appeals. Yet it was the English talisman Flintoff who struck the first blow.

In a ferocious first over, Flintoff did not bowl below 90mph and celebrated the wicket of Baddin, who nodded a delivery right into the palms of Paul Collingwood. English nerves came flooding back, however, as Mitchell Johnson came to the crease. Floundering with the ball, Johnson took control with the bat and looked to build a partnership with Clarke.

Almost an hour later, a change of tactic brought a change of result, as Graeme Swann changed his pace brilliantly to remove Michael Clarke’s off stump and the England charge gained new momentum.

With the end in sight, Flintoff took the ball again and ripped through Nathan Hauritz, taking his middle stump with enough power to charge the Lords floodlights for another five evenings worth of play.

Johnson continued to defy England and passed his half century with some impressive shots, but nobody was taking the mantle away from Flintoff, as the Return of the King removed Siddle for his fifth wicket of the innings, and the watching Lords crowd stood to acknowledge the achievement.

The remaining play was a formality, chasing 180 more runs the Australians were caught between a rock and a hard delivery. Fifteen minutes before lunch, Graeme Swann deceived Johnson on 63 and gave England the match and an all important 1-0 series lead.

Watchful eyes will be looking at the next test, a week on Thursday at Edgbaston, and how exactly Australia will respond to this defeat. With no Warne or McGrath to take wickets, Brett Lee doubtful and a poor display by all involved at Lords, it could be bleak times ahead.

The undisputed Man of the Match Flintoff collected his recession-busting cheque for £2,500, a shiny medallion and bottle of champers to share with the squad, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’ll be the stump he rushed to collect that’ll be taking pride of place on his mantelpiece this evening.
 
Especially as there were signs he was starting to recover his batting form again too. If the whispers are true and he might not make the other tests the swing of us losing Freddie and the Aussies getting Brett Lee back will probably shift the series massively back in their favour.
 
Good stuff ESB.

I can't see the Convicts being that poor with the ball again - and despite bowling so abysmally, us winning the toss and a few decisions going our way - we only scraped home by a hundred runs. The same Convict team was pretty close to humiliating us in Cardiff. my fear is that we have to play near our best to beat them, even when they are off form and things are going in our favour.

Personally, I think they should drop Hauritz for Lee and use North and Katich as the 5th bowler. Lee will give them the spearhead for their attack and give some support for Hilfenhaus, whose good work has been undone by Johnson's waywardness and Siddle's leaking of boundaries. They can then use Johnson as a shock bowler and hope it clicks for him. I don't particularly rate Clark, who is tight but not penetrating but is somehow still rated something like number 4 or 5 in the world (how?).

An attack of Lee and Hilfenhaus with the new ball and Siddle and Johnson as first change, with Katich and North doing the mop up overs should be more testing. England showed how adding a 4th seamer actually better balances an attack.

ps Not sure if it was intentional or not, but I like Baddin instead of Haddin
 
If the whispers are true and he might not make the other tests the swing of us losing Freddie and the Aussies getting Brett Lee back will probably shift the series massively back in their favour.

I feel sick to the stomach at the very prospect.

Ahh, dontcha just love being an England fan? We're not revelling in our first success at Lords in 75 years, we're worrying instead about losing the rest of the series...!

:thump:

Incidentally, I still would have picked Harmison over Onions. Strauss didn't exactly back him, in terms of chucking him the ball in the 2nd innings, did he?

Matt
 
Good work ESB.

I took the day off work today, mainly to recover from my mates stag weekend, but also in the hope the second test was still alive and kicking so I could spend all day on the sofa, or in bed, watching it.

Unfortunately, my tv in my room has packed up, so I thought I'd watch it in the front room but my mum has been baby sitting and one of the girls was watching tv and the other was on the computer. I was not amused.

I've been following it on the BBC website on my PS3.
 
Incidentally, I still would have picked Harmison over Onions. Strauss didn't exactly back him, in terms of chucking him the ball in the 2nd innings, did he?

Matt

Harmison took another haul towards the end of last week, did he not?

I'd definitely throw him in the next test... Onions didn't get much of the ball at all and Harmison is the type of hostile bowler who could take Flintoff's task should he not be fit.
 
Harmison took another haul towards the end of last week, did he not?

I'd definitely throw him in the next test... Onions didn't get much of the ball at all and Harmison is the type of hostile bowler who could take Flintoff's task should he not be fit.

He did, 6/20 IIRC. I advocated Harmison should have played at Lords, and he should be the only change for Edgbaston.

Good work BTW ESB.
 
King Flintoff:

5853_548712999829_223801083_3403283_3038287_n.jpg
 
[namedropping]Got to talk to Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath at a charity lunch yesterday and they both reckon that it's highly unlikely that Brett Lee will play at Edgbaston.[/namedropping]
 
[namedropping]Got to talk to Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath at a charity lunch yesterday and they both reckon that it's highly unlikely that Brett Lee will play at Edgbaston.[/namedropping]

Good skills, B - that's a top charidee luncheon. I've always presumed Glenda was a bit of a miserable b'stard... what's he like to speak to in the flesh?
 
Good skills, B - that's a top charidee luncheon. I've always presumed Glenda was a bit of a miserable b'stard... what's he like to speak to in the flesh?
He was a nice guy but yes he is a bit serious. Gilchrist is certainly more of a laugh. Jeff Thomson was there too but he seemed more interested in where his next beer was coming from or talking about his 6'8" 25yo son who 'should be playing state', I was going to point out that at 25 if he's not playing state now he probably never will but decided against it.
 
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