 "The Ashes, Joe Root")
Nathan Lyon appealed against Joe Root, who was trapped in front, trying to reverse-sweep the Australian off-spinner in the second session on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test. The umpire gave it out, but Root reviewed it instantly. The review showed that the ball had hit the glove on its way to Roots’ pads and the decision was reversed.
The Bazball effect
Any other batter wouldn’t have dared to play a sweep or reverse sweep the very next ball. Root though reverse-swept his way to another four on the very next ball as the Edgbaston crowd roared. This is what Bazball has done to Root and England cricket. It is this fearless and pre-determined approach that helped the English post 393/8 on Day 1 of the first Test and declare to try and take a few wickets in the remaining four overs.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat first on a bright sunny morning at Edgbaston, England started the day with Zak Crawly crunching Josh Hazlewood for a four off the very first ball. Bazball was going to come heavy on Australia and it was decided on that very ball. Crwaly hit fifty while Ben Duckett was caught behind cheaply. Ollie Pope was out leg before wicket, trying to play the ball against the turn.
Bizarre dismissal of Brook
Root joined Crawley and the duo added 32 before Crwaley too was dismissed. Harry Brook got out in the most bizarre and unlucky fashion. Trying to play a Lyonh delivery square of the wicket, he missed and the rising ball brushed against his pads, went high up in the air and then fell on the back of his feet and rolled back to hit the stumps, and the bails were dislodged. Stokes was removed cheaply too.
Yorkshire boys to England’s rescue
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It seemed England, especially Root would have to curb his Bazball attitude to try and post a decent total on the board having been 176/5. But the result was the opposite as Root, a Yorkshire man, was joined by Jonny Bairstow, his teammate from north England and the duo went bang-bang against the Aussies.
There were scenes of Root reverse-scoping fast bowlers like Boland and Hazlewood for six over third-man while Bairstow continued to attack with proper cricketing strokes. 121 runs were added off just 146 balls by the two as England rocketed to 296 in the 62nd over. However, one shot too many resulted in Bairstow’s stumping off Lyon by Carey and the partnership was broken. The wicketkeeper-batter scored run-a-ball 78.
No stopping Joe Root, hits his 30th Test ton
Even as wickets fell from the other end, Root continued to respond to the loud cheers of ‘Rooooootttt’ from the crowd and reached his 30th Test hundred in his 131st game in England shirt. Thanks to his unbeaten 118, in which he hit seven fours and four sixes, England reached 393/8 in 78 overs and asked Australia to bat on the first day itself.
Broad gives Hollies its biggest reason to cheer on Day 2
The second Day of the first Test started with an anticipation of a Warner vs Broad battle. However, the battle never came to the fore as the Englishman rattled the stumps behind the Aussie opener and the Hollies stand went berserk with their cheering and singing.
With one finger in the air and the hand twirling to make a signal to the crowd to keep cheering, Broad bowled an out-swinger, hanging in the air for some time and forced Marnus Labuschagne to play at it. As he did, the number one batter nicked it to Bairstow who took a great one-handed catch behind the stumps to help England and Broad have two wickets in two balls. Smith departed quickly too.
The Khawaja show powered by Head, Green and Carey
Usman Khawaja and Travis Head got together at the crease. Khawaja continued to chip away even as Head attacked and reached his fifty before getting out to Moeen Ali. Khawaja took over from him and reached his fifty too. Ali bowled Cameron Green for 38.
Khawaja continued to move quietly about his job. The biggest celebration came when he cut one past gully for a four to get to his 15th Test hundred and the first ever in England.
The wicket that never fell: Broad’s no-ball fiasco
Stuart Broad managed to bowl Khawaja over in his first over with the second new ball. Khawaja had almost reached the boundary ropes before he was called back by the umpire as it was called a no-ball. Later, in the dying hours of the day, Carey’s catch fell in between the keeper and the only slip as Australia ended Day 2 at 311/5, trailing by 82 runs.
What would teams want on Day 3?
On Day 3, England would want to not miss any more chances and have Australia dismissed as cheaply as possible. The Aussies though would love to see Khawaja (batting on 126) score a double ton and Carey (batting on 52) reach his hundred. An ideal situation would be a lead of 100 runs for the Kangaroos.
