Key events
Play called off for the day!
That’s it. All zipped and buttoned up. The rain wins.
More dream locations for me to slobber over on the sofa:
James Pennington: “Loving the OBO. I’m an Australian, who lives in London, on holiday in Saint Tropez. Incredible view of the water sullied only by my frantic refreshing of the score and the Manchester weather forecast. It’s lucky my wife – Australian also – loves cricket too otherwise I fear I’d be checking into L’Hotel D’oghouse for two nights!”
Andrew Blanchflower:”Another expat, this one from Failsworth, same age as Michael Atherton- although he went to Manchester Grammer while I went to Failsworth Comp, we were in the same cub pack (I only remember his brother Chris, though). Enjoying Athers’ dulcet tones on a Sky hacked stream here in sunny (smoky) Southern Oregon, tipi dweller with wife and five kids, explaining the laws of cricket to Americans feeling like that scene out of Fantastic Mr Fox with that game they play with burning pine cones.
It has become clear that the USA needs to play and watch more cricket. That’s the only thing wrong with it- not enough cricket…”
Cordialement
The umpires are marching out, huddling under a blue brolly in their white coats. Still a hardy few left in the stands. Looks wet, wet, wet.
Darting back quickly to the cricket, JA Hopkin hasn’t forgotten, or forgiven, Crawley’s slip-up at slip.
“Crawley’s evasion of the ball instead of trying to catch it cost 18 runs, a good spell extra in the field, and allowed Labuschagne his century (instead of 93). No wonder handsome hardman, cock o’ the north round ‘ere, luv, Mike Watkinson, was not looking best-pleased!”
“Mind you, neither was Joe Root, who was scowling until the reprieve.”
Chances not looking great. Floodlights on. Stewards with umbrellas. Heavy rain on the covers. Sky has switched to golf.
“May I enter the ranks of location-signalling expats?” Oh go on then J Barber. “I’ve forsaken the soggy suburbs of Stockport for a gap-fill contract in sunny sweaty Nigeria, thus missing the birth of my first grandchild Finley, a damp non-pink family Barbie, the entire TdF and 3 1/2 of the most fascinating free-to-view test matches in the last 20 years (TMS disabled here).”
You have competition:
“I’m a Lancashire born singer-musician,” taps Peter, “keeping up with the OBO late into the night after performing my shows this evening on a cruise ship sailing around the Australian Northern Territories full of Australian tourists! My wife and I have been working onboard for 4 months already, but the ship has only been in Oz since the start of the series. It has to be said…the cricket sledging from the passengers has grown gradually less and less confident as the games have gone by!”
And, writes Rob, “I’m in the Sunrise tent at Latitude festival, pretending to watch some indie band. But really I’m following this agonising race against time. A few dirty looks coming my way for using my phone. Don’t they realise that outside this tawdry sequinned paradise there’s a battle taking place for cricket’s very soul?”
…
Ok, ok, it seems I may have awarded the OBO location of the year award too hastily.
“Matt here, an Australian also competing for the best conditions to follow the OBO: beside the pool in Marrakech. I’m wondering if there are any other of my kin out there who would love Australia to (deservedly) lose this game so we can have a storied shootout of philosophies in London?
“I’m reluctant to imagine an Oval test in which this brilliant new style has to scrap for a drawn series during which they have played the lion’s share of the cricket.”
How very sporting of you. And I agree, this series needs to go down to the wire.
Another Matt ( Robson) is in SW France, “In my hammock, swaying in the sunshine and waiting for some rays to shine on Manchester. Been sampling the areas fine sporting culture. Pelota….it’s very fast! Boule…it’s serious!! And Courses Landais? A mad acrobatic bull show!!!Cricket is all of the above and I just love it.”
Hopping back a while to when the umpires in sunglasses decided it was too dark for England to throw on Mark Wood, Dechlan Brennan has the answer. They are, he says, “light enhancing glasses.”
Outside, it drizzles on.
Good news! Steve Annis, seven miles away from OT, reports that the rain has stopped. Covers still attached at OT though. Think damp groundsheets on a May half-term camping holiday in the Peak District.
Anthony Baxter wins the OBO-er location of the match award:
”Listening to TMS, as I am, from a gondola in the middle of the Venetian lagoon, I have my own rather different issues with water. That last wicket nearly pitched me overboard. Here’s hoping for a ripple-less evening session. Thanks for it all, as ever.” A pleasure from us all!
My brother-in-law sends a picture from Old Trafford. It’s filthy, but out of my window, a couple of miles down the road, it has stopped raining.
I think conditions might be more pleasant with Liam Bond, hello!
”Long-time OBO follower, first-time emailer!
”As an Australian sitting on a beach in Corsica, I’m madly refreshing both the OBO and the Met, much to the bafflement of my European beach-mates! Although I’d love this series to come down to a final showdown next week, I can’t say that I’m not desperately hoping for rain. Surely Bazball can’t deliver yet another remarkable victory to Stokes & Co…”
But Liam, they know the secret code. We’ve still got tomorrow and the radar is, apparently, looking more chirpy for the afternoon…
For now, the action will have to come from the OBO inbox.
“Hi to all from the sunny(ish) Swedish Midlands.” Lovely to hear from you Julian Menz!
”Tea?! I get it, I get it….Intransigent rules, tradition etc, but does any professional athlete REALLY need a cuppa and a sarnie after the entire morning session was lost to rain, and given we’ll probably only get an hour after the break, light permitting?
”Surely they could have restocked their tannin and sandwich/biscuit levels after an elongated lunch?”
Forget about the players! What about the spectators? After two hours sitting on your backside, you absolutely need a break for a Mr Kipling’s Fondant Fancy. Albeit a damp one.
Rain is falling
The covers are ushered onto the pitch
Time for a very quick cuppa, back in five.
Tea: Australia 214-5, trail by 61
71st over: Australia 214-5 (Marsh 31, Green 3) Cameron Green is desperate for this to be the last over before tea. He wanders this way, he wanders that. Then lunges forward to Moeen Ali, all that huge wingspan coming in useful. He lunges again to the last ball of the day, Root at slip thinks he’s got an inside edge and convinces Stokes to review. But nothing there. Green survives and they walk in for tea.
NOT OUT!
Off the pad!
REVIEW!
Green already has his bat under his arm…
70th over: Australia 214-5 (Marsh 31, Green 3) As Root hustles through his over, through the dressing-room glass darkly Labuschagne drinks from a tiny paper mug.
“Simple questio,” asks Showbizguru. “If the umpires think it’s too dark for fast bowling why are they both wearing sunglasses while discussing it ?” Nice question! I didn’t notice they were but they did get the light metre out to take the final judgement.
69th over: Australia 214-5 (Marsh 31, Green 3) Suddenly there is electricity. Suddenly Moeen can sense it. He beats Green’s outside edge, then befuddles him with another, the ball hitting him in the guts.
68th over: Australia 214-5 (Marsh 31, Cameron Green 3) The breakthrough England needed! Super work from Bairstow, who caught the rebound above the bails, magic from Root. Labuschagne drags himself off, job not quite done, just as the teapots are brewing for the break. Marsh pushes forward and the edge falls through Brook’s outstretched hand at short leg – a cough of a chance, almost impossible.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Bairstow b Root 111 (Australia 211-5)
Tries to cut Root and gets the edge! It bounces into Bairstow’s gloves but he holds on. Jonnny charges up the pitch, he knows he’s gathered an edge. Umpire Menon says no but Ultraedge proves him wrong. Root punches the air and roars.
REVIEW!
England think they have Labuschagne caught behind!
67th over: Australia 211-4 (Labuschagne 111, Marsh 31) Moeen rattles through another, but Marsh has it under control.
66th over: Australia 210-4 (Labuschagne 109, Marsh 31) Root gets one to shoot back at Marsh, but too high for interest.
Writes Robert Lewis “Your correspondent Paul Angus (Over 51) is not a million miles from Wayne Trotman, of this parish, if he fancies a troll up to Izmir. I’m sure Wayne would have some of the cold ones in his fridge and the cricket on. Paul’s also very welcome chez moi in Istanbul, if he likes, though the 700 kilometres might put him off.” It is couch-surfing OBO-style. I love it!
65th over: Australia 207-4 (Labuschagne 109, Marsh 29) I hate to tell you, but it is getting darker. Moeen again, napkin out of his back pocket, long sleeves, midnight beard. Marsh picks up a couple and that’s the century partnership.Very well done.
“Apparently the record is only 4 wickets in a row (at international level),” writes David Hilmy, “but then there is this:
Ah Steven Lynch, now he is the oracle.
64th over: Australia 206-4 (Labuschagne 108, Marsh 29) The cameras pan to Mike Watkinson, Lancashire’s legendary hard man, suddenly shy, who might have word to say if asked. Labuschagne picks up four off a late cut off Root.
A hundred for Marnus Labuschagne!
63rd over: Australia 195-4 (Labuschagne 100, Marsh 28) The hundred comes with a scamper into the off side. A bashful raise of the bat, he takes off his helmet and kisses the badge. A job well but -as yet – half done.
“I emailed Lemon, when things were looking bad in the third test,” writes Tim Gilroy.
”Nothing had changed, England still had to win three tests. Well now I can say that cricket will teach you how to deal with all emotions. And as an Aussie that emotion is humility.”
62nd over: Australia 194-4 (Labuschagne 98, Marsh 27) Another six from Labuschagne off Root’s first ball; the next hits the magic part of the pitch, screams past the edge of the bat and canons past Crawley at slip who doesn’t see it in time and ends up on his backside with his mouth in an O.
61st over: Australia 183-4 (Labuschagne 87, Marsh 27) A fruity full toss from Moeen, Marsh tucks in and cracks him through the covers for four. The wind is up and ruffling their shirts, floodlights on, pretty full stands.
60th over: Australia 177-4 (Labuschagne 86, Marsh 22) Spin from both ends, as Root steps in. Dot to dot, till Labushchagne smashes him over wide long on for six.
59th over: Australia 166-4 (Labuschagne 75, Marsh 21) Ok, we stay on, but we think Stokes has been told he can’t bowl Mark Wood. So Moeen is whisked on instead, taking off his necklace and handing it to the umpire. Labuschagne hurries him away, slightly awkwardly. And one fizzes off the pitch.
“Oh, now you’ve done it,” writes Damien Clarke
“My daughter batch cooked pulled pork meals for the freezer yesterday, and I’ve got an awful of rind to use. Right then, one ton of pork scratchings coming right up! Lovely.”
The umpires meet to chat, about the light, the rain? The crowd get lairy, so does Broad with a classic dramatic shrug. Out comes the light meter…
58th over: Australia 166-4 (Labuschagne 75, Marsh 21) Five men on the legside as Anderson follows the plan. Labuschagne ducks under the first, harmless, bouncer and . Anderson proffers the ball at the umpire, and this time it doesn’t go through the silver handcuffs. Out comes the third umpire with his Drs briefcase, and England get a new pill. Root does vigorous rubbing with his cuff, Labuschagne gets very animated about something, and we go on, pitched up this time.
57th over: Australia 163-4 (Labuschagne 73, Marsh 21) Mostly short stuff. Marsh lets Broad’s first pass harmlessly behind his backside.He pulls another, the ball hits Brook on the half volley and bounces up, whereupon Stokes scrambles to catch it but slips on the grass. A man in a badger suit stands up and engages the crowd, as Woakes returns to the field.
56th over: Australia 161-4 (Labuschagne 72, Marsh 20) Anderson continues the bumper plan, Bairstow standing back, fielders in position.Short and stubby and Australia are largely unbothered.
“Hello Tanya.” Hello Andrew Benton!
”Those six wickets, it’s like waiting for a kettle to boil knowing that the electricity could cut off at any moment – might not get a cup of tea all day. Hope England regain yesterday’s momentum soon.”
I know how you feel, I’m trying to move my daughter towards the kettle with the power of my mind, but to no avail.
55th over: Australia 159-4 (Labuschagne 71, Marsh 19) Four balls through Broad’s over, a four for Labuschagne in the swag bag, we get a field change for the short ball plan. Two bouncers, Marnus pulls one, Marsh ignores the next. And we take drinks, the first hour safely negotiated by Australia.
54th over: Australia 152-4 (Labuschagne 64, Marsh 19) Stokes and his bristling beard clap enthusiastically at Anderson. Marsh is watchful, and blocks, just like the good captain told him too. Anderson looks the same, but there isn’t quite the spark of his 7-19 here against Kent two years ago.
53rd over: Australia 152-4 (Labuschagne 64, Marsh 19) Now Duckett is off the field too. No news on Woakes. Broad runs through his repertoire, but Labuschagne is in the grove now.
Martin Gamage writes in answer to David Melhuish. “Not sure of the record. But the first test match I went to (England v Pakistan at Edgbaston in 1978, my late dad drove us up from Amersham in the days when one could buy a ticket at the gate), Chris Old took four wickets in four legal balls (W-W-NB-W-W). Possibly the most exciting thing I saw in my cricket watching youth.”
52nd over: Australia 150-4 (Labuschagne 62, Marsh 19) The camera pans to our sub fielder (on for Woakes) whose crisp but vast sunhat may have belonged to Mr Chatterbox in a previous life. Anderson is steady as she goes, but we’re waiting for the Australians to make a mistake here. Labuschagne drives, the ball squeezes through the covers but slows as it approaches the rope ,and ole man Stokes chases it down.
51st over: Australia 146-4 (Labuschagne 59, Marsh 18) Stuart Broad adjust the white bandana and, with a roar, sprints in. Marsh watches a couple but then pulls out the club and whooops away a cover drive for four. Outside my window, the wind has got up.
“Merhaba from Köyceğiz, Turkey,” Merhaba Paul Angus!
“Feels odd sat in 44 C heat watching the cricket on my phone knowing my 3 year old Spanish niece, Violeta, on her first ever visit to her ancestral home of Salford is damply playing on a pub slide a few miles from the action. Sort of amusing and depressing at the same time.”
Maybe she’ll get lucky with some pork scratchings?
50th over: Australia 141-4 (Labuschagne 59, Marsh 13) We watch as Woakes climbs the steps back to the dressing room, and the ball is thrown to Anderson. He starts that familiar neat run, and delivers familiar neat balls, full and on target with a touch of movement. A couple of singles.
49th over: Australia 139-4 (Labuschagne 58, Marsh 12) A soupcon of reverse-swing at 93mph, as Marsh goes to drive but gets an inside edge towards the stumps instead, and doesn’t have clue where it has gone (fine leg). The crowd like that, suddenly zipping into life.
An email from Tom van der Gucht. “Although it’s not entirely cricket related, would it be possible to share a message of thanks to George Ball for making the journey from East Anglia to North Yorkshire in order to attend my dad’s funeral celebration last week. He happened to mention he’d spotted some of my comments on the OBO, so hopefully he’ll read this.
“My dad was a lifelong Essex supporter who combined a yingyang style hatred of Boycott and love of Gooch as well as an avid Guardian reader in its traditional paper format. So would have appreciated being name checked in the commentary. “
Hello George and rest in peace Peter Van der Gucht, may you have a comfortable front row celestial seat for today’s play.