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Armed forces minister quits after Healey exit as defence funding row deepens
Al Carns says the military isn’t “sufficiently funded”, as Dan Jarvis becomes the new defence secretary.
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Key events
31st over: New Zealand 86-3 (Ravindra 14, Mitchell 2) Josh Tongue is a real handful, he cuts Ravindra in two like Paul Daniel’s did Debbie McGee in his pomp. A shorter ball clips Ravindra’s hip and runs away for four.
30th over: New Zealand 81-3 (Ravindra 14, Mitchell 1) Fisher finds some bounce from the Vauxhall End, Mitchell fences away from his body and is fortunate to not feather behind. A drop and run into the off sees ‘The Moose’ off the mark. Ravindra’s bat sounds so good, a satisfying crunch as he shows the makers name and sees out the rest of the over.
England have bowled tight lines since lunch.
(Blowin’ through my mind) and all the while I think of you
29th over: New Zealand 80-3 (Ravindra 13, Mitchell 0) Nicholls will be disappointed with that, he was well set and looked customarily composed at the crease. Daryl Mitchell is the new batter. Tongue sends down a bouncer first up with a leg gully in place. It’s too wild though and Rew has to get his Schmeichel on to prevent four byes.
WICKET! Henry Nicholls b Tongue 24 (New Zealand 79-3)
Chopped on! Tongue finds some extra bounce and it does for Henry Nicholls. A tentative blade and feet in concrete his downfall.
28th over: New Zealand 78-2 (Nicholls 24, Ravindra 13) The Fisher King – as absolutely no one is calling Matt Fisher – continues. Nicholls tucks a single off his hip and Ravindra collects another single with a glance to leg. Steady accumulation.
27th over: New Zealand 76-2 (Nicholls 23, Ravindra 12) Tongue from the Pavilion End. Whistles through a maiden. The OBO’s own Daniel Gallan wanders over from the bleachers and tells me that the smell of braai is actually just his natural musk. With that he disappears, like a South African Keyser Soze.
26th over: New Zealand 76-2 (Nicholls 23, Ravindra 12) Erm… a ball from Fisher keeps low outside off stump and is inside edged past the stumps by Ravindra. Not again please! Just the single off the over, bit of a breeze here at the Oval and it keeps gusting the most phenomenal smell of barbecued meat past the outdoor press box seating. Someone is cooking up a storm on the Harleyford Road it seems, England are trying to cook up a wicket, here comes Josh Tongue.
Right then, the players gather on the boundary edge ready to take the field for the afternoon session. Sunny skies above, Matt Fisher has the ball for England. Nicholls and Ravindra to resume. Let’s play.
Lunchtime Reading:
Lunch – New Zealand 75-2
25th over: New Zealand 75-2 (Nicholls 23, Ravindra 11) Archer tucks up Nicholls with a short ball. The batter then misses out with a cut that he middles straight to Ben Duckett. Archer then squares up Nicholls and an edge is taken but it flies wide of the cordon and away for four. Nicholls leaves the final ball of the session and the players head off for lunch.
Even Stevens for that session I reckon, Joe Root applauds his men and the crowd give a hand too, an absorbing morning session.
24th over: New Zealand 71-2 (Nicholls 19, Ravindra 11) Ravindra has made a positive start, he picks up three with a controlled drive into the covers. Jordan Cox does some neat work on the boundary edge, the ‘cheddar’ of his resplendent ginger mullet billowing in the south London breeze.
We’ll have one more over from Jofra Archer before the delayed lunch break.
23rd over: New Zealand 66-2 (Nicholls 17, Ravindra 8) Shot! Can I confess that I hope Ravindra gets runs here… I love watching him bat. Archer angles one into the pads and is put away with aplomb to the midwicket boundary.
22nd over: New Zealand 62-2 (Nicholls 17, Ravindra 4) Fisher replaces Baker. England have their dander up with about ten minutes to go until lunch. Nicholls is watchful and blocks out a maiden.
“Crikey! Watching on TV in Taiwan while following OBO.” writes Ben Ashton.
“I said to the TV it was a shame Stokesy wasn’t playing. My Taiwanese wife walked past and asked, ‘Isn’t Stokes the bloke who’s the captain with all the tattoos, why’s he not playing?’ I said it’s because he went to a nightclub a week last Monday, she said ‘He can’t still be hungover’. Forget the cricket – hearing a Taiwanese woman use the word ‘bloke’ felt like a greater English triumph. By ‘eck, she’ll be a Yorkshire lass yet!”
21st over: New Zealand 62-2 (Nicholls 17, Ravindra 4) Rachin Ravindra arrives in the middle, he’ll be very keen to rack some up and put his stinker at Lord’s well and truly behind him. That’s a nice start, a half volley on the pads is pinged away for four through midwicket. That’s exactly what Latham was trying to do with the ball before but he was too late on the shot.
WICKET! Tom Latham c Bethell b Archer 27 (New Zealand 58-2)
Four leg byes as Archer spears one down and it clips Nicholls on the thigh pad. Another single follows off the very same. GONE! Latham tries to flick a full ball into the leg side and the leading edge is pouched by Jacob Bethell at gully.
20th over: New Zealand 53-1 (Latham 27, Nicholls 17) A second maiden from Baker, he’s settled well into Test cricket.
19th over: New Zealand 53-1 (Latham 27, Nicholls 17) It is Jofra from the Pavilion End. Nicholls gets inside a wide-ish delivery outside off stump and carves over the infield for four. Archer responds by getting a couple to jag away late. Fifty up for New Zealand, it’s been proper criggit this morning.
18th over: New Zealand 47-1 (Latham 27, Nicholls 11) Jofra is warming up for a pre-lunch spell. Baker has a short mid on in for the leading edge, he gives the middle of the pitch a good going over and it’s a maiden.
Here are the official re-arranged timings because of the early rain:
1st session: 11:30-13:30
Lunch: 13:30-14:10
2nd session: 14:10-16:10
Tea: 16:10-16:30
3rd session: 16:30-18:30
Extra 30 minutes available to bowl the overs
17th over: New Zealand 47-1 (Latham 27, Nicholls 11) Tongue blots his copybook with the final ball of his over, too short, too wide and Nicholls throws his hands at it, up and over backward point for four.
16th over: New Zealand 42-1 (Latham 26, Nicholls 7) New Zealand are accumulating nicely now, seven runs pocketed off Baker’s third. Can’t wait til he’s bowled 12 overs and I can dust off the gag to end all gags.
15th over: New Zealand 35-1 (Latham 19, Nicholls 7) Nasty. Tongue slams down a sharp bouncer at 88mph and Latham does well to sway out of the way.
“Cricket may be a religion for some of us, but we don’t officially use the term ‘canons’ as there are no clerics involved.” Writes John Starbuck. “‘Cannons’ is what you were meaning.”
I stand corrected… said the man in the orthopedic shoes.
14th over: New Zealand 31-1 (Latham 18, Nicholls 4) Latham and Nicholls pinch four runs off Sonny Baker. The sun is beating down now in South London, if New Zealand can negotiate the next hour or so then there are plenty or runs to be scored on this track.
“In light of their disciplinary troubles, have England deliberately gone for more a workman-like attack with a Baker an Archer and a Fisher?” asks Daniel Wilson.
Girds loinded for Henry Candlestick-Maker to make his debut against Pakistan in August.
13th over: New Zealand 27-1 (Latham 15, Nicholls 3) Tongue continues, he strays too straight and Latham pings off his pads for four through the leg side. Latham leaves the next and it canons into his pad, a big appeal from Tongue and the cordon but it was going over and England wisely choose not to review.
Time for our first hydration break of the Test match.
12th over: New Zealand 22-1 (Latham 10, Nicholls 3) Baker’s 90s boyband curtains bounce on his for’ead as he bounds in from the Vauxhall End. Close! That’s a beauty from the youngster, he gets one to pitch and move away late at decent pace, 86mph says the speedo. He beats Nicholls. And again! Baker settling into Test cricket much quicker than he did with the white ball last summer. There’s half an appeal for a caught and bowled off Nicholls but the ball only took thigh pad. Has Nicholls tickled the next ball down the leg side?! England think so and send it upstairs… no dice. Sonny Baker will have to wait for his first Test wicket. Eventful first over though, he can put a positive start down in his oft-mentioned notebook later on.
11th over: New Zealand 21-1 (Latham 9, Nicholls 3) Tongue goes around the wicket and is picked off for a single into the legs side by both Latham and Nicholls. Sonny Baker is going to have his first bowl in Test cricket, deep breaths son!
10th over: New Zealand 19-1 (Latham 8, Nicholls 2) Fisher has been probing and accurate so far this morning on his home ground, he’s around 84mph so quick enough. He nearly has his second with a full ball that scuds into Latham’s front pad but once again it was heading leg side with the angle. Fisher’s third maiden. Tidy.
9th over: New Zealand 19-1 (Latham 8, Nicholls 2) Tongue bustles in around the wicket, he’s back of a length and tucked away off the hip by Nicholls. Tongue is such a likeable bloke and thoroughly exciting bowler. He cranks his speed up into the 90s and has an appeal for an LBW off his final ball to Latham… but it was sliding down.
8th over: New Zealand 17-1 (Latham 8, Nicholls 0) Fisher peels off his second maiden. Josh Tongue is warming up. Remember:
“It’s Tongue as in T-U-N-G, not Tongue like T-O-N-G! What is that? TONG?”
7th over: New Zealand 17-1 (Latham 8, Nicholls 0) Archer beats Latham with a zipper that flies past the shoulder of a poked blade. A neat push into the covers brings three for the Kiwi skipper.
6th over: New Zealand 14-1 (Latham 5, Nicholls 0) Henry Nicholls joins Latham. Poor old Devon Conway, his long haul return results in an innocuous glove down the leg side and a single figure departure.
WICKET! Devon Conway c Rew b Fisher 9 (New Zealand 14-1)
Conway is strangled down the leg side. Jimmy Rew gets his gloves on an early catch and Matt Fisher has his second Test wicket.
5th over: New Zealand 9-0 (Latham 3, Conway 6) Archer reels off a maiden but Latham is happy to let plenty go outside off stump.
“Was Cicero pondering Joe Root when he wrote: ‘It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment’
Anyway – I have day 3 tickets, so what’s your prediction for the state of play by then?”
Let me consult the runes, Robert Hill.
4th over: New Zealand 12-0 (Latham 4, Conway 8) Latham and Conway tuck a too straight Fisher into the leg side. Three runs off the over. I’m sat next to the liquid tongued new host of the Wisden podcast and soon to be OBO debutant Cameron Ponsonby. He leans in coquettishly and whispers… a quite remarkable stat about Jofra Archer’s first over.
The average speed of it was 144.7kph (89.9mph) – the fastest any England bowler has bowled in the first over of a Test since records began in 2006. It’s also the fastest first over of a Test in England in that time.
Wheels.
3rd over: New Zealand 9-0 (Latham 3, Conway 6) Archer cranks his speeds into the 90s. A trumpeter toots and the crowd cheers. It is so nice to watch some cricket. Conway edges behind sketchily for two and there’s an appeal as the ball nips past the shoulder of his blade next ball. Close but no Cuban. Conway flays outside off again and gets four.
“STOP GETTING THE NATIONAL WRONG!” Emails Stephen Downing.
“Tired and blue blazered, fill yourself with… pound coins” is a lyric from Mistaken for Strangers not Apartment Story.
What can I say, I’m a stranger to myself, Steve. Sorry.
2nd over: New Zealand 3-0 (Latham 3, Conway 0) Here comes Matt Fisher from the Vauxhall End, his first bowl in Test cricket since Root’s last Test in charge four years ago in the Caribbean. He gets some immediate movement back in and finds his groove immediately, a maiden to start.
1st over: New Zealand 3-0 (Latham 3, Conway 0) Archer runs in from the Pavilion End, liquid smooth action and a back of a length ball that is clipped away neatly by Tom Latham for a couple into the leg side. New Zealand are up and running. Three slips and a gully for Archer. Penny for James Rew’s thoughts keeping to Jofra for the first time, on his Test debut.
Archer gets some zip and shape away. Latham takes a quick single to midwicket. Devon Conway on strike, he’s had some week too – he flew home to NZ to be at the birth of his new baby and then back again, he’s out there in the middle now facing nigh on 90mph. He plays and misses his first ball outside off. Well of course he does.
Peter Butler knows his Camus from his erm Cicero.
“Albert Camus also famously said, “All that I know most surely about morality and obligations I owe to football”. Which is why he never had a problem going on the piss after midnight.”
Arf.
The anthems are dusted off rousingly. Joe Root leads out England for the first time in four years. Bright sunshine here at the Oval and a bit muggy, Jofra Archer is going to start off with the ball. Let’s play!
“Hi James. Thanks for the Camus piece.” I wouldn’t call it a Camus piece per se, Peter Salmon. Don’t want to get the Philosophy crowd’s hopes up…
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion” might also suit Stokes…
Root back as captain though, does feel like normal service resumed. My favourite detail of the ‘blazer in the garage’ story is that he had 30 team sheets in the pockets. I had no idea this still happens at international level. That simple joy of tearing off one of the serrated sheets at the back of the scorebook, filling it in (first initial if you can’t remember their name) and handing it to the opposite number – love that captains at this level still get to do it. Presumably they also still have to phone around on the day before the match to check everyone is still available, and to organise lifts? “Jamie’s wife’s gone into labour, but James Rew is available and has a van, so can take six…”
Love this.
Nick Wiltsher has my back. I wouldn’t mess with him…
“Dear James, I really don’t understand why people feel they need to email you to ask for this. It’s not some esoteric mystery. Here’s how to find it: go to the BBC’s live coverage page. The link is prominently displayed in the sidebar on the left.
For those who inexplicably cannot manage that simple bit of navigations, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/live/TqXhD0hxPfk
Though if they can’t do the first thing, I wonder how on earth they’ll manage clicking on a link…”
That’s you told!
The stumps are being put in place and there’s blue skies above. We’ll have some actual cricket in about ten minutes.
A follower who wishes to remain incognito “I’m following on the sly…” gets in touch. I dare say you won’t be the only one A.Nonymous.
“Hi James, looking forward to an excellent Test and following the OBO. Is this the lowest number of combined letters in the England XI surnames since the Flower XI with Bell, Root, Cook, Trott etc (No wonder Pietersen felt left out)? Surely an indication that supremacy is once again due?”
I’m going to say yes and leave it at that.
Chris Lintott is in Paris and needs furnishing…
“Looking forward to this as a Somerset fan who has enjoyed the rise of Rew (and we’ll claim the very likeable cricket badger Baker too). Unfortunately I find myself in a shared office in the suburbs of Paris. Anyone got the overseas TMS link?”
England win the toss and choose to bowl first
If the blazer fits… Joe Root tosses the coin and Tom Latham calls… incorrectly. A cheer goes up around the Oval as Root confirms he’s going to unleash his green pace attack.
“I want to make first use of this surface. I think it’s a great opportunity for our attack to get out there and carry on the great work we did last week” he says.
“It’s probably a bit tighter than it was!” he says of the blazer.
“Tired and blue blazered, fill yourself with… pound coins”
There has of course been all sorts written about ‘the situation’ in the last week. Some good, some bad and some downright ludicrous.
I tried to articulate my own thoughts here. By way of Albert Camus. I know. La-di-dah.
There’s a funny bit at the end of the 2022 Ben Stokes documentary Phoenix From The Ashes where host and self-confessed cricket obsessive Sam Mendes quotes Albert Camus to a nonplussed Stokes.
After a confusing but good-natured knockabout on some tatty astroturf on the outfield, both men stand on the balcony of Stokes’ boyhood club, Cockermouth CC, as Mendes paraphrases the Nobel Prize-winning philosopher. Pre-empting the quote by explaining to Stokes that it is one that he himself has found meaningful in the context of a life spent writing and directing film and theatre.
‘A man’s work is nothing but the slow trek to rediscover those one or two great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened.’
Stokes stares at Mendes for a second, and then with perfect timing punctures the lofty atmosphere that has momentarily descended.
‘I’ve got no idea what you just said,’ he says with a small smile. ‘Cut that.’”
The sun is out now at the Oval, we’ll have the toss in ten minutes.
Just enough time to read this from Andy Bull, the piece to read on the Stokes farrago for mine.
The problem here isn’t so much that Stokes broke a curfew. It’s that to begin with, England’s management decided to set one. This Cinderella rule was brought in so they could be seen to be doing something after their own bad management during England’s winter tour, in particular their failed attempt to cover up that situation with Brook, and their decision to send the players away for four nights of rest and recuperation in Noosa, a place best known for its beach, bars, and craft beer scene. This England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regime may be the first in history whose biggest failing seems to have been that they could organise a piss-up in a brewery.”
“Shout out to Sky” emails a B Murdoch emails John Plunkett. “Surely the first time the same player has got the most caps, most runs, most wickets and most catches in the same team. Guess three out of four on a fair few occasions, but maybe never the full house?
Also has one player ever had so many caps compared to the other 10 players?”
Remarkable isn’t it? Fancy another cortex tickler? Joe Root is the only player playing in this Test match who played in the first Test under McCullum back in 2022.
I interviewed Joe before the first Test. Pure class.
Another exciting debutant in this match is Sonny Baker. England have been comparing his speed through the air to Mark Wood, I see a certain amount of Darren Gough in him too, not least in his ebullient, almost puppyish enthusiasm for bowling.
Taha did a nice interview with him a while back:
“What does Rehan Ahmed need to do to get in this team?” ask Ian Batch. “I thought he’d be an ideal replacement for Stokes. Instead, we’re playing a specialist batsman at 7? Why pick Bashir at Lord’s but no spinner here when the Oval has been flat this year?
I get it’s been a chaotic mess since Lord’s but Baz/captain selections to me have been baffling since he took over. Anyway, here’s hoping we get 5 good days of cricket. I’ve optimistically bought a day 3 ticket, madness!”
They definitely like Rehan and I fancy we might see him later in the summer on a drier wicket. Surrey have’t been playing a spinner here at the Oval and despite the weather being set to heat up England want to bolster their batting and feel like they can get overs of spin out of Root and Bethell.
Jordan Cox is a hugely exciting talent to have coming in at seven, he’s in electric knick too.
Hard to know how to feel after the last week but despite everything that has happened there is a real buzz at the Oval, debutants always have that effect and England have three of them. They are also fielding their most inexperienced bowling attack for two decades.
Joe Root is out in the middle with his pads on chatting away to Michael Vaughan and Brendon McCullum. He spoke really well yesterday:
The slightly annoying news is that it has been mizzling here in South London and the covers were all the way across the square when I arrived half an hour ago. The tentatively better news is that it is brightening up and the groundstaff are dragging off the tarpaulins as I type. We should still get the toss in about fifteen minutes.
Scratch that, the man on the tannoy announces that the toss has been delayed until 11am.
Preamble
James Wallace
Gus Atkinson flattened… Matt Henry’s middle stump. Lord’s witnesses England’s first Test win since the crapshoot in Melbourne just after Christmas. Is this another reset? Maybe, maybe not. There’s a nagging feeling it is more a re-emphasis of the end. The following day the text comes though, Stokes and Atkinson, drinks taken, curfew broken, punches thrown. Shock, confusion, despair. Both men dropped. Investigation pending. Cricket regulator, rugby players, Rex Rooms. Stokes sacked? Stokes retired? Stokes silent. Rob Key talks, Stokes not backed, prohibition mooted. Harry Brook as captain? After Wellington? Not likely. Joe Root digs his old blazer out of the garage. It’s crumpled but still fits. Of course it is Rooty, there’ll always be Rooty, won’t there? McCullum speaks, he’s worried about Ben. We all are. Come on. We can’t lose Stokes, over this? We still might lose Stokes over this. Ollie Robinson scan, Ollie Robinson out. Injured again. Bad luck or bad conditioning. Or both? Kane Williamson retires? Not now Kane! Well played Kane. A World Cup starts. Not that one. Edgbaston, are they… singing witches? Why not. A win and a Wyatt-Hodge ton. Distraction from the distraction. Then back. Jofra back, Matthew Fisher back. Debuts for Sonny Baker and Jordan Cox. Jamie Smith swaps his gloves for nappies. Debut for James Rew. Five changes, three debutants. New captain, old captain. 1-0. Remember? The Oval. Deep breath. On we go.
Welcome to the fever dream that is English cricket.
Welcome to the Guardian’s OBO. Play begins at 11am.
Wonder what we’ll talk about until then?
An apology will be issued on behalf of the state over the historic practice, the education secretary says.
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Key events
6th over: Australia 49-1 (Voll 34, Perry 5)
Nahida comes into the attack for her first over. Voll defends the first ball back very cautiously – the low total gives Australia the luxury of being able to get their eye in against new bowlers. But it doesn’t take Voll long to get settled, she scoops the next ball to the boundary for four. Voll and Perry keep the scoreboard ticking over with a couple of quick singles, then Voll drives one for another four, then follows it up with a third four in the over. She is looking very comfortable out there. Drinks are on the field now.
5th over: Australia 35-1 (Voll 20, Perry 4)
Marufa bowls her third consecutive over and keeps Voll to a single first ball. She then takes Mooney’s wicket, bringing Perry to the crease. Perry is beaten for pace first ball, but then gets off the mark with a boundary next ball. Marufa finishes off the over well – a successful one for her.
WICKET! Mooney c Ritu b Marufa (Australia 31-1)
Just when it looks like Australia are cruising through to a quick victory, Marufa gets the breakthrough, thanks to a sharp catch from Ritu.
4th over: Australia 30-0 (Voll 20, Mooney 10)
Khatun bowls her second over and Voll looks a little frustrated – she had got on top of Marufa’s bowling, but can’t quite pick up the pace of Khatun early in this over. But she quickly shakes it off, moves her feet to the ball and drives one for four. She then takes a single to get Mooney on strike and she joins the boundary fun as well, with another nice drive for four.
3rd over: Australia 21-0 (Voll 15, Mooney 6)
Marufa resumes her spell and starts with two dots to Voll. But Voll has quickly had enough of this dot business and gets down on one knee and smacks the ball straight back over Marufa’s head for the first six we’ve seen this game. The commentators talk about the strength coming from her background as a rugby league player and it is quite something to hear the words “rugby league” in a Caribbean accent. A tough over for Marufa, but a very good one for Voll.
2nd over: Australia 10-0 (Voll 4, Mooney 6)
Khatun opens the bowling from the other end, with Mooney on strike. Mooney gets a look at the bowling, then works a single down the leg side. Voll plays a crunching shot, which can only pick up a single and then Mooeny finds Australia’s first boundary for the match with a slog sweep for four.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Voll 3, Mooney 1)
Marufa takes the new ball for Bangladesh and it’s a great delivery to start to Voll, getting swing straight away. There’s a big appeal for lbw on the second ball, but the umpire isn’t interested and Marufa decides not to review. The next ball it looks like a catching opportunity, but the ball falls just short of Nahida. Finally Voll gets off the mark with a single and then Mooney keeps the strike rotating with an effortless single. Voll finishes with a well run two.
Players are heading back on to the field now – the chase is about to get under way!
Bangladesh set Australia 78 for victory
It seemed like Bangladesh may not bat out their overs early on when wickets were raining down all around them. But they held their nerve to get the full 20 overs in, which they will take heart in. Nigar Sultana Joty was the best of the batters for Bangladesh with 27, but her strike rate of 57.45 wasn’t enough to set a strong total for her team. The bowling was a team effort for Australia, with Perry, Molineux (both 2-14), Garth (2-18), Wareham (1-7) and Sutherland (1-12) all in the wickets.
You would have to predict that Australia will make fairly short work of chasing down this total, but Bangladesh will be determined to take some wickets and make them work hard for it.
Stay with us – we’ll be back on the other side of this innings break with the chase!
20th over: Bangladesh 77-8, (Nahida 2, Khatun 0)
Into the final over of Bangladesh’s innings – can they find a few more runs here to give themselves something to bowl at? Sutherland is thrown the ball to finish things off for Australia. She catches a top edge from Rabeya and both Harris and Mooney chase it down, but neither of them can get to it in time and Rabeya dashes through for two. Sutherland finally hits the stumps with a throw after a couple of misses she was disappointed about early in the innings. But Rabeya has her bat grounded by millimetres and is safe. Sutherland gets the breakthrough a few balls later and Khatun comes to the crease for the final ball, which is a dot.
WICKET! Rabeya lbw Sutherland 8 (Bangladesh 77-8)
Sutherland gets the ball keeping low and slides it under Rabeya’s bat for a clear lbw. Again Bangladesh review, but ball tracking shows the umpire got the call correct.
19th over: Bangladesh 73-7, (Nahida 1, Rabeya 5)
Molineux takes the ball at the death, looking to close this match out. She starts the over well, but then Nigar finds some space in the field for a well-played two. She then unfortunately loses her wicket, bringing Rabeya to the crease to try to close out this game with some runs for Bangldesh. She does so with style, getting off the mark with a little flick down past fine leg for four.
WICKET! Nigar lbw Molineux 27 (Bangladesh 68-7)
Nigar has been playing some nice shots, but this delivery gets her all tangled up and she can’t get herself out of the way of the stumps. She reviews, but it’s a pretty clear wicket and ball tracking shows it’s easily hitting the stumps.
18th over: Bangladesh 66-6, (Nahida 1, Nigar 25)
Garth bowls her final over, continuing her very uncomfortable length to unsettle the batters. She loses her line a little midway through the over and Nigar finds the boundary over extra cover for four.
17th over: Bangladesh 59-6, (Nahida 0, Nigar 19)
Wareham comes back for her second over. Grace Harris gives away an overthrow with a very wild throw at the stumps, but next ball Wareham picks up a wicket – the key breakthrough of Ritu.
WICKET! Ritu c Voll b Wareham 16 (Bangladesh 59-6)
Finally Australia get the wicket they’ve been searching for. Ritu gets down sweeping to the leg spin of Wareham, but only succeeds in spooning it straight to Georgia Voll.
16th over: Bangladesh 57-5, (Ritu 14, Nigar 19)
Perry gets another over – Molineux definitely wants a couple more wickets here so as not to let Bangladesh settle. They bring up their 50 from the first ball of the over, then follow it up with a four to Ritu, which gets the crowd on their feet! Australia can’t get the breakthrough they’re after this over, but they continue to make things tough.
15th over: Bangladesh 49-5, (Ritu 9, Nigar 16)
Back from drinks and it’s another King over as we come towards the end of Bangladesh’s innings. King is getting great flight, but Nigar brings her feet to the ball to cut off the spin and is finding ways to score runs, though not as many as she would like.
14th over: Bangladesh 45-5, (Ritu 8, Nigar 13)
Molineux returns for her third over and she gets a top edge from Nigar straight away, but it goes into the visor of Nigar’s helmet and falls just in front of her. These two batters are playing quite patiently, which makes run-scoring difficult, but after losing so many wickets early, it makes sense that they’d be playing cautiously. Drinks are on the field now.
13th over: Bangladesh 43-5, (Ritu 7, Nigar 12)
Exciting times – Alana King has entered the attack! While Wareham seems to be the preferred leg spinner in the Australian team, I think the turn that King gets makes her so dangerous and so exciting to watch. She creates a chance late in the over, getting Nigar hitting on the up, but it lands safely.
12th over: Bangladesh 41-5, (Ritu 6, Nigar 11)
Sutherland continues and both Nigar and Ritu seem to have found a little bit of rhythm now and are swinging with a bit more freedom. If they can build a bit of a partnership here, they could give their team some hope and a platform to build from.
11th over: Bangladesh 37-5, (Ritu 5, Nigar 10)
We get our first look at leg spin with Georgia Wareham entering the attack. Bangladesh find some quick singles to keep the strike rotating early in the over before Ritu gets down low and sweeping to search for the boundary, but unfortunately can only manage another single. A better over for Bangladesh after a tough period.
10th over: Bangladesh 33-5, (Ritu 3, Nigar 8)
Perry bowls her second over and she continues to keep it tight – despite not bowling often these days, she’s demonstrating that she’s still world class. Another strong over from her, just three runs coming for Bangladesh.
9th over: Bangladesh 30-5, (Ritu 2, Nigar 6)
Sutherland bowls her first over and starts with three dots in a very tidy display. Nigar finally scores a run off her, but she looks quite confused about whether she’s hit the ball and where it’s gone before she takes off. A great over from Sutherland, just one run from it.
8th over: Bangladesh 29-5, (Ritu 2, Nigar 5)
Ellyse Perry enters the attack – an increasingly rare sight these days, but it turns out to be just the right move as she takes a wicket on her second ball! The 19-year-old Shorna comes to the crease and tries to get settled against the imposing Perry. The first runs of the over come from a wide, but Perry corrects with a wicket (you can trust an overachiever like Perry to correct a minor misstep with a wicket!) Ritu finds some runs through a thick outside edge to get off the mark.
WICKET! Shorna lbw Perry 0 (Bangladesh 27-5)
Well what an over this is from Perry! The ball jags back in at Shorna’s pads and strikes her fairly high, but the umpire’s finger goes up and ball tracking confirms the wicket with an umpire’s call.
WICKET! Mostary c Molineux b Perry 4 (Bangladesh 26-4)
Well it looked like an unusual move to bring Perry in to bowl, but it turns out to be an inpired one! Molineux sets an attacking field and takes a great catch!
7th over: Bangladesh 26-3, (Mostary 4, Nigar 5)
Molineux continues her spell and she starts the over well with three dots. Then Nigar finds a ball that she likes the look of and cuts it neatly for four.
6th over: Bangladesh 22-3, (Mostary 4, Nigar 1)
Garth bowls her third over on the trot, with Australia hoping to keep the wickets coming. It’s Alana King this time with a throw at the stumps, but the Bangladesh batters are quick enough to make their ground. It’s looking like a tidy over from Garth, but Mostary flicks one nicely around the corner to get off the mark with a boundary.
5th over: Bangladesh 17-3, (Mostary 0, Nigar 0)
Molineux comes into the attack for the first time, bowling to her fellow captain Nigar. She hits the pads first ball and the umpire puts her finger up, but Nigar is quick to review and it’s a good decision, as ball tracking reveals the ball is missing the stumps. But she makes up for it with a genuine wicket late in the over.
WICKET! Sharmin lbw Molineux 5 (Bangladesh 17-3)
Molineux quickly gets over the disappointment of having a wicket overturned early in the over, by taking one that Bangladesh don’t review – Australia is making things happen early.
4th over: Bangladesh 16-2, (Ferdous 8, Nigar 0)
The wicket taker is back, with Garth bowling her second over. Sutherland gets another shot at a direct hit run out, but again her throw is wide. And again Garth takes a wicket next ball. I guess this is the way to get Garth fired up – miss run outs and force her to take matters into her own hands? She loses her line late in the over with a marginal legside wide, but finishes the over with another great delivery.
WICKET! Ferdous lbw Garth 8 (Bangladesh 15-2)
Garth keeps the stumps in play and Ferdous can’t get her bat to the ball, beaten by pace as she’s rapped squarely on the pads and doesn’t even look like reviewing.
3rd over: Bangladesh 14-1, (Ferdous 8, Sharmin 4)
Schutt is back for her second over and she starts with a wide, then tidies up her line, then bowls another wide. Next she bowls a rank full toss, but Sharmin is too surprised by it to take advantage and Schutt gets away with a dot. Ferdous skies one from the final ball of the over, but it lands safely and bounces over the rope for the first boundary of the match!
2nd over: Bangladesh 7-1, (Ferdous 4, Dilara 3)
Garth opens the bowling for Australia from the other end and she has a slip in play early. There’s a chance of a run out on the second ball and it would have been well out with a direct hit, but Sutherland’s throw is wide. But next ball, Garth removes Dilara. Sharmin has intent straight away when she comes in – she gets off the mark with a well-played two and follows it up with a single.
WICKET! Dilara b Garth 0 (Bangladesh 4-1)
It doesn’t take long for Garth to strike – she bowls a nice inswinger and Dilara plays all around it and has her stumps taken out.
1st over: Bangladesh 3-0, (Ferdous 3, Dilara 0)
Schutt takes the new ball for Australia, as she has done so often in the past. She starts with a dot, before Ferdous plays a shot that sounds lovely off the bat and finds a gap, but it’s cut off before the boundary and it’s just a two in the end. Schutt finds some movement in the pitch late in the over – it’s a good over from her.
The Bangladesh opening pair of Dilara Akter Dola and Juairiya Ferdous are out in the middle now and we’re ready to begin!
The teams are on the field now for the national anthems – not long to go until the first ball is bowled!
Of course there is a lot of sport going on across the world at the moment and I won’t be offended if you multiscreen to catch all the action. We’ve got a few other live blogs going at the moment, so get them all set up in the right windows before we get underway here.
Ooh an email! Thanks to Dean Kinsella who wrote in to reiterate that we’re definitely following the superior World Cup.
“It’s a no-brainer to be following this world cup rather than the orange tinted one across the water. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the cricket thus far. I think the Aussies are going to be hard to beat judging by the way the Saffers were dispatched.”
Let’s see how Dean’s prediction pans out – things may be tougher for the Australians now with these injury concerns, but they do have a lot of depth in their squad. I think most teams would be pretty happy to have a Grace Harris and a Megan Schutt up their sleeves to bring in after injury.
The big news out of the Australian camp is that Ash Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield have both been ruled out due to injury. Here’s the official word from the team media manager:
Phoebe Litchfield suffered an acute quad injury while batting against South Africa. She is expected to miss Australia’s next three matches. This is a new injury.
Ashleigh Gardner is also unavailable for selection following an acute ankle inversion injury (sprain).
Bangladesh XI
1. Dilara Akter Dola
2. Juairiya Ferdous
3. Sharmin Akter Supta
4. Nigar Sultana Joty (c) (wk)
5. Sobhana Mostary
6. Shorna Akter
7. Ritu Moni
8. Nahida Akter
9. Rabeya Khan
10. Sultana Khatun
11. Marufa Akter
Australia XI
1. Beth Mooney (wk)
2. Georgia Voll
3. Ellyse Perry
4. Grace Harris
5. Georgia Wareham
6. Nicola Carey
7. Annabel Sutherland
8. Sophie Molineux (c)
9. Kim Garth
10. Alana King
11. Megan Schutt
Australia win the toss and choose to bowl
Sophie Molineux doesn’t hesitate at all to elect to field when the coin lands. After batting first in their last game, it’s not surprising they want an opportunity to chase. Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana reveals she would have chosen to bat anyway, so it’s win-win!
The coverage has started and while there are some clouds in the sky, it looks mostly sunny, so that’s good news!
You can also read about some English woes if you’re that way inclined – captain Nat Sciver-Brunt had to retire hurt in yesterday’s less-than-comprehensive win over Ireland and they’re now waiting to see how the rest of the tournament will shape up for her.
While we wait for the toss, why not keep yourself entertained with this great preview piece on Australia’s approach to this World Cup from my colleague Martin Pegan?
Today’s match is at Headingley and while it looks like there may be a little rain on the Met Office radar passing over Leeds at the moment, it should clear fairly quickly. Let’s hope it doesn’t delay the start of play!
Preamble
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Megan Maurice
Hello! It seems the whole world has come down with a serious case of World Cup fever and I’m certainly glad you’ve chosen this World Cup to follow along with me. Tonight we have Australia v Bangladesh, with both teams coming off wins in their opening games. Australia spun a web to take a comprehensive 65-wicket win over South Africa, while Bangladesh beat the Netherlands by six wickets thanks to a solid 50 from opener Juairiya Ferdous.
While Australia are certainly favourites for this match, I wouldn’t write off Bangaldesh, especially with their tails up following a good win. There’s plenty to discuss, so let’s get into it. Don’t forget if you have any thoughts on the match, you can drop me an email – I’d love to hear from you!
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