The Ashes: 1st Test - The 'Gabba, Brisbane

I've seen this in a lot of tests in the last few years where the follow-on isn't enforced. The logic is, there is a chance that a tiring bowling attack will lose the advantage of 200+ runs that they had. Giving a batting side two goes one after the other is helpful to the batting side, as the other side continues to bowl.

What has happened is Ponting is giving his bowlers a breather. His intention is to throttle any life there is in England, not just for this test, but in the following ones. But he might have been given his bowlers too much of a breather. There was no sense in not declaring again before the close today.

I wonder has Ponting been told that if he did enforce the follow-on, there would've been a very good chance a 4th day sell-out crowd might have been refunded some cash? The cynic in me says it's entirely possible.

Australia 602/9d & 202/1d
England 157 & 293/5 (79.6 ov)
England require another 355 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Day 4 - Close.

100% improvement for England, the Aussie bowling was attacked, but that didn't stop some silly shots to get out; Strauss, Collingwood and Flintoff particularly mistimed. Still ****ed tho!

I wonder how Ponting's back is, as he appeared to do it while batting, he's not fielded at all.

At the end of the day, Giles got 24 (61) and 23 (55), and 1/113 off 30 overs.
Warne on the other hand scored 17 (42), and 4/149 off 44 overs

Now while we all know Warne is God, I think these figures show that the spinners didn't have the best of this match and it was the right decision not to play Monty. Warne's wickets were down to more nervousness of what the pitch could do, and also some awe that got him England's 2nd innings wickets. (Collingwood especially) For the batting and crease occupancy, in a lost cause, Giles did better. The other 3 bunnies below him added 27 between them. As much as it rankled with me at the start of play, it was the right decision not to play Monty.

Thread reaches its century

Harmison was played because as he a fast bowler who was more likely to get more out of the pitch than a spinner, and out of the lumps that England have on tour, I'd still be tempted to play him in Adelaide. It still doesn't forgive him (or team management) for this performance.

Giles was put in to shore up the batting but also it was reckoned that any mere mortal spinner other than SK Warne, would'nt get wickets here, pure and simple, and those 47 runs, while in vain, crease occupancy was also important. I don't think you would get that with Monty, but it was clear than the management didnt want 8-11 all interchangeable in their ineptness.

Monty will feature in Sydney and Adelaide. He might get a 10 wicket haul in either place, but its more spinner friendly than The Gabba.