“It never ceases to throw up drama at Edgbaston,” was Ian Healy’s succinct comment last night.
The former world record breaking wicket-keeper can forget the drama, it was more succinct to say it was ‘throw up’ material watching Australia’s sickly batting.
Take out Chris Rogers’ 52 in the first dig, the other 10 Australian batsmen could only manage 76 between them – David Warner (2), Steve Smith (7), Michael Clarke (3), Adam Voges (16), Mitchell Marsh (a third ball duck), Peter Nevill (2), Mitchell Johnson (3), Mitchell Starc (11), Josh Hazlewood (14*), and Nathan Lyon (11) with sundries (8)
Take out Warner’s 77 in the second dig, and the other baggy greens were fractionally better with 81 – Rogers (6), Smith (8), Clarke (3), Voges a first ball duck, Marsh (6), Nevill(37*), Johnson (14), and Starc (7*) with sundries 10.
The sickly two-day tale – Rogers-Warner (129), the other 18 Australians 157.
The Australians were lucky to avoid an Ashes innings defeat inside two days since the 19th century.
August 12-13, 1888 at The Oval – Australia 80 and 100, England 317.
August 30-31, 1880 at Old Trafford – Australia 81 and 70, England 172.
August 11-12, 1890 – Australia 92 and 102, England 100 and 8-95.
The poor form of skipper Clarke, Voges and Mitchell Marsh will come under close scrutiny before the fourth Test at Trent Bridge next week.
And there’s only Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson to consider, so Clarke will retain his place by default, but Shaun Marsh and Watson could readily replace Voges and Mitchell Marsh.
They couldn’t possibly do any worse.
While runs have been as scarce as hen’s teeth, the Aussie attack hasn’t won too many plaudits either – with the exception of two searing Johnson bouncers that blasted out Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes in just three deliveries to join the exclusive 300 Test wickets-2000 Test runs club.
Only two Australians qualify – Shane Warne with 708 wickets and 3154 runs, and Johnson with 301 and 2002.
Plus nine others from other Test nations.
Anll Kumble – 619 and 2506.
Kapil Dev – 434 and 5248.
Richard Hadlee – 431 and 3124.
Shaun Pollock – 421 and 3781.
Wasim Akram- 414 and 3781,
Ian Botham – 383 and 5200.
Danial Vettori – 362 and 4531,
Imran Khan – 362 and 3807.
And Chaminda Vaas – 355 and 3089.
Stuart Broad is just one wicket away from qualifying with 299 wickets and 2353 runs.
Surprisingly, two of the greatest all-rounders fall short:
Jacques Kallis – 292 and 13289,
And Gary Sobers – 235 and 8032.
In the meantime, can Nevill, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon increase the current 23-run lead into something substantial on Day 3, or will England take a 2-1 lead into Trent Bridge with two to play?
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
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The Aussie needed every centimetre of his height and reach to reel that one in!
