If I tell people that I prefer the 5-day format to ODIs or T20s, they cannot understand from where I find the time or patience to follow the game for 5-days. I then remind them of the last decade which has been the best advertisement for test cricket. The number of result-oriented games that have been dished out and the majority of credit goes to the Australian team for changing the whole nature of test cricket.
They play their cricket aggressively and though the current team is a shadow of its past , if you watched the first 3 days at the Gabba – the venue for the first test of Ashes 2010, you would hesitate to run down this Aussie team in transition as you did at the start of the series.
Day 1 went to Aus for the unexpected Siddle Hattrick and bowling out England on a good pitch for 260. Siddle took 6 wickets serving a Pommie Sizzler for the dinner that night.
Day 2 saw Aus struggling and it was a bit unsettling for a cricket fan to see the batting line-up struggling for survival rather than dominating the proceedings. Clarke is still not cured of his woes and Ponting not making it big added enough pressure, as a result Aus found itself reeling at 143-5 in response. Hussey is Aus’s old war horse and Mr. Reliable, but even he had been struggling of late and what a day he chose to return back to his form. Along with Haddin he held fort till end of day. Finn and Anderson bowled some fiery spells but Hussey managed to get cracking off Swann.
Day 3 has been entirely Aus’s day or rather Hussey’s day , he was out just 5 short of a double but played a knock that might well set the tone for the series. Haddin played his part with a solid 136, and together with Hussey he has helped get Aus a lead of 221 that has nullified all chances of an England win. I thought Anderson was terribly unlucky, his bowling deserved atleast 3 wickets, but that 21-year old tall lad by the name of Steve Finn – impressed! What an Ashes debut for him – 6 for 125.
So it remains to be seen if England can survive this one – as I mentioned on twitter – They need to rewind to Cardiff 2009 – think about playing 2 more sessions than they did back then and they would’ve have drawn this match. For that to workout Strauss, Cook and Bell have to stick it out in the middle while the rest can play their shots and keep the scoreboard ticking. By tea tomorrow, we would know if Aus will win or Eng will seal a draw. The match is by no means over and we have seen how even a drawn match can be exciting – so ensure you have switched on your television sets or logged into the internet for the next 2 days.
And for those who still have a question mark as to why I enjoy the 5-day game better – just tune in to the Ashes to find your answer!
