(Credit: ABC Australia)
Who’s batting? Australia? This is going to be a long old day.
It’s an absolute scorcher, as Cameron Bancroft and David Warner jog out to face England’s attack.
The Barmy Army were kept quiet in the first session. There were some spells of pressure on the openers, but when they wanted to go up through the gears, they did with ease.
That said Bancroft was nowhere near as comfortable as his partner and soon fell to Woakes after being hit on the pad.
Warner had eased his way to 90. But then, England started to make him nervous. First hanging a few well outside off, then slowly bringing it in, building the pressure.
Warner’s technique was falling apart. First playing a leg side swipe to mid on that looked like it came from the Nick Powell playing manual, and then...
A huge celebration. High fives. Utter delight. You couldn’t write it.
Tom Curran, on his test debut, had taken the wicket of Dave Warner who had now top edged it to mid on for 99. For an English cricketer, it doesn’t get much better.
Silence followed, apart from the few Aussies among us. You couldn’t f*****g write it.
Warner punished Tom Curran's slight mis-step the very next ball (Credit: AP - Andy Brownhill)
Curran had fractionally overstepped to hand Warner his century. This feeling was made all the worse by the fact I was visiting the facilities when Anderson finally dismissed Warner for 103.
But as the match reached tea England had Australia 145/2 on the flattest wicket in the world in beautifully sunny weather and things weren’t looking too bad. Khawaja was all at sea and Smith hadn’t really got himself in.
Khawaja soon departed and a thrilling over followed from Broad. Two strong LBW shouts were correctly turned down, but England had momentum.
Marsh was playing terribly. Stuart Broad was actually bowling half decently and it was getting nervy for the dominant Aussies.
Yet despite the good work of Broad, he was taken off and loose bowling from Woakes and Mooen Ali bowling as well as he can (not very well) allowed Australia easy runs.
But the rest of the day would be filled with English singing. Whether it was abuse to Australia’s silent support or encouragement for the toiling bowlers.
Smith got an annoying 50 but you have to tip your hat to him. He’s a joy to watch and surely the world’s finest. He’s not one of the nasty Aussies as well. He has now gone 430 runs without being out in Melbourne.
It leaves Australia well on top but England cannot be faulted for effort, though with an even hotter day in store tomorrow, you wouldn’t want to be fielding too long.
The Barmy Army’s support was superb as well. Whilst the songs got repetitive, the spirit never dropped.
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