Fifth Ashes Test. The Oval.

[K]

Protecting Warner?

[K]

Lloyd: "There have been six play and misses by England... and two false leaves."

Hmm... In how many balls? I have lost track of the overs... This is the 7th.

Athers laughs at the marks on the edge of Burns's bat. He says he'd be getting rid of them.

Burns glances for 4. Cummins looks displeased.

England 0/24 (7).

[K]

Siddle comes on.

Ponting: "Looks like a good wicket for me."
He says Siddle's inclusion will be for exactly these conditions.

Nasser's turn to talk about the depth of Wade at short leg. He says it's to "catch both".

Ponting says he would have chosen to bat. He talks about "demons" bowling first. Nasser laughs. Root said he would have batted first. Nasser says the Oz camp looked long and hard at the pitch this morning, "so they were torn which to do".

Short ball from Siddle. Denly cuts but not with great timing and it does not make it all the way to the boundary.

[K]

Big appeal for LBW. Not out. They discuss. They don't review. Paine looked regretful.

Ponting: "There is some seam movement as well, isn't there?"
He says Oz is targeting Denly there.

No Ultra Edge spike. It was going over, says ball tracking. Good decisions all round.

But Denly edges and is caught very messily at slip. Cummins takes the wicket.

England 1/27 (8.3).
There was four touches (or five?) there by Smith, three by hand and one (or two?) on chest.

M. Taylor laughs about 27 being the "benchmark" for opening stands this series.

[K]

Ponting and Nasser talk about the different bounce at the different venues, which means you have to adjust your length if you want it to be hitting top of off stump.

Root is standing out of his crease.
Nasser: "Slightly easier to do to Peter Siddle..."

And Root guides a bad ball from Siddle for 4.

Beaten next ball.

And another 4. Siddle is bowling too short.

[K]

Holding shows ball tracking confirming what Ponting and Nasser were saying about there being more bounce in this pitch.

Ponting says it's been a promising start from Root. He says that's why he would have brought Hazlewood back immediately. Siddle gave him a couple of loose balls he hit for 4, "and sometimes that's all you need". Nasser agrees.

Ponting thinks it's been a good, solid start from Burns too.

What will everyone say if England are 4/300 at stumps tonight?

Ponting says those with the strong, closed grip (like Burns) tend to find it hard to hit off the front foot on the off side.

Root plays a decisive forward defence, which earns praise from Ponting.

[K]

Holding on length adjustment again shows clips of Morkel bowling to Cook at this ground, eventually bowling him.

Holding: "Everything is practice."
It's not easy, but you practise the necessary adjustment in the nets, he says.

Ponting: "Good signs here for England."

And now a misfield at gully gives 4.
Nasser: "Sloppy from Australia."
Ponting: "It was Marcus Harris. ... Lazy." (He adds that it was not lazy from Marnus, trying to clean up Harris's mess by diving unsuccessfully.)

[K]

Ponting says Root is coming forward. He was caught on the crease in the previous Test when he was bowled.

And right on cue, Root plays uncertainly on the crease. Nasser jokes that "Ricky Ponting is trying to get him out".
Hazlewood mutters a few words.

England 1/49 (13). Drinks.

[K]

M. Taylor says Oz have been too short with the ball, especially Peter Siddle, who "looks like he's missed a couple of Tests".

Meanwhile, Marsh has ball in hand. Burns is on strike.
A gentle full inswinger to start.

Warne: "I was very surprised with the selection and very surprised that Australia won the toss and chose to bowl."
He says the pitch looks brown and will take turn. He says Marsh plays a similar role to Siddle, so he'd have preferred a more impactful bowler, like Starc or Pattinson.

Gower says he was also surprised about the decision to bowl. He says he didn't see the pitch, but "sometimes you have to resist temptation".

Warne says if you choose to bowl first, you expect to take three or four wickets in the first session.

Warne: "Look how dry it looks under the surface too."

[K]

Burns on drives Marsh for 4.

Warne: "Very square set field." He thinks it should be a straighter field.

Meanwhile cricinfo chortles: "So, that latest failure at the top of the order has cemented this summer's status as the worst for opening batsmen this century." (They mean worst in England, not in the whole world.)

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Gower is not impressed by Denly's dismissal.
Gower: "It's not the first time."
One of the keys is leaving the ball, he says.
Both praise Marnus.
Warne: "Let the ball go and make the bowlers bowl to you."

Warne sees Marnus chewing gum and talks about Willy Wonka and "everlasting gobstoppers".
Gower is amused and puzzled at the same time.

David, here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PJPJy00514

[Donny]

I'm getting different coverage from you, K. What's Ponting & Co saying about the toss decision ?

Pigeon already saying Paine could well regret this.

[K]

Small appeal for LBW. Not out.

Ball tracking shows it was high.

Siddle goes around the wicket now. Burns adjusts his guard.

Siddle has bowled only 15% of his deliveries full and has leaked runs. If he's going to leak runs, they might as well have chosen Starc. 82mph.

[K]

See above, Donny, for Ponting, Nasser, Warne, Gower.

If it's an error, it's compounded by Siddle bowling pies.

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Cummins beats Root.

Gower: "Vital half hour or so.."

And Cummins beats the other edge.

[K]

Nasser discusses Root's footwork with video.

He says it's more than just getting a stride out. It's a matter of timing, not going out too early and planting his front foot. When he's played well he's moved later and had the foot "loaded", with heel off the ground, he says.

And Siddle drops a sitter at fine leg. This is now a disastrous selection. It was Root.
Root was on 24. Let's see how many runs that costs. Siddle could have dropped a series win there.

[K]

Botham quotes Warne: "If it seams a bit, it'll turn a bit."
No sign of Lyon yet, though.

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Paine drops Root in front of Warner's face at slip!
A second life for Root. Disgraceful from Oz. Cummins again the bowler.

Athers says the slips cordon is narrower than previously.
Botham thinks the Headingley spacing was about right.