Posted by Ooh, it’s a crucial session coming up, isn’t it? It promises to be a great, great morning for fans of commentators saying, ‘it’s a crucial session coming up’.
Before the World Test Championship Final began, a lot of the selection intrigue centred on who exactly should get to stand at the other end and watch Usman Khawaja make a 30-ball duck. In the end, Australia went for Marnus Labuschagne – presumably on the basis that he’s been close to being dropped for a good long while now, so maybe opening would finally tip the balance.
You know how men’s and mice’s plans are wont to gang agley though, don’t you? You do. You’re always going on about it. In this case Marnus made 17, which at the time of writing makes him the most successful opener in this match.
Kudos to him then for pre-emptively fleeing Klerksdorp and qualifying as an Australia cricketer so as to sidestep Mitchell Starc’s opening over. Smart decision-making is a hallmark of all the best opening batters and Aiden Markram would soon highlight the wisdom of that move by getting out six balls into South Africa’s innings. Starc does this so reliably, you wonder why Pat Cummins doesn’t bowl him in one-over spells.
After that, stumps continued to be regularly hit and runs were scored not a great deal more frequently. The game’s progressed significantly and South Africa are in a legit pickle.
Earlier this morning, Gideon Haigh made the point that there’s a sixth day available for this match, so maybe they could squeeze in a series after all.
Anyway, like we say… crucial session coming up.
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Having thought about it deeply I have determined that The First Hour Will Be Key
On balance, we’d say it’s ‘big’.
Your earnest reporter is already at the ground and can confirm that everyone he has interviewed believes the first hour to be key and. indeed the first session to be pivotal.
Except those who said the first hour would be pivotal and the first session key.
These first few overs are vital.
Clear that South Africa “will enjoy their lunch”, but still the afternoon session could be critical…
At a certain point you go from the next hour being critical to a good next hour getting you right back in this.
Indeed!
Looks like Australia could be all out shortly. I foresee a “tricky passage of play at the end of the day” for SA…
Goodness me. That was good.
Poised, it is, this match. The first hour tomorrow could be crucial.
Just rereading to see whether we can get away with changing the ‘two’ at the end of the headline to a ‘three’.
On balance, there’s a few too many specifics (kicking ourself for that). But then it iiiis Friday tomorrow, so…
It’s quite possible this is the ‘through the weekend’ thread.
Can any learned friends tell me what is the cross-cutting they do to the wicket, why is it done, and could it be contributing to the difficulty all are having batting on a wicket that is otherwise low and low?
low and slow, obs.
Cross-cutting is something that governments often claim to be doing but hardly ever do.
The sages at Lord’s agree that it is the atmospherics, not least unusually high humidity and dense cloud cover at times, that is making things a bit difficult for the batsmen.
Plus, taking two antipodean teams with good bowling attacks, who have not played red ball cricket for months and putting them on an English pitch with a Dukes ball.
Yeah, think there’s a lot in that last point. Drop-in teams are never quite settled and ready for a full five-day game.