Light years behind

Headingley Fourth Ashes Test - day two

Preview

Sorry to leave you to Greg's outlandish triumphalism at the end of the first day but somewhere in mid-afternoon I remembered that John Arlott refused to describe the cricket on the day England were bowled out for 52 at the Oval in 1948.

It struck me that Andrew Strauss's England had reached a similar low point and that as a form of protest if nothing else I should go into my shell, bunker or slit trench for a while.

All the bad luck - early morning fire alarm, Matt Prior's mishap, Andrew Flintoff being sidelined, winning the toss - turned from Australia to England who have to be thankful the gods were on their right hand for so long.

The good news is that the bravest of the brave can take advantage of 9-1 England. It's as good a way to lose a quid as any I can imagine; who is there in this team to lead a revival now that Freddie is back home?

To lunch

For the second morning in a row England's supporters - reduced to silence for most of the two hours - must have wished that the rebuilding of the ground could include curtains so that they did not have to watch their team played so ineptly.

The attack started by bowling too short on a pitch that rewards those balls of full length so that Michael Clarke, early on, and Marcus North, as his confidence grew, could score at will.

Eventually, 30 minutes before lunch with Australia close to 200 ahead, Andrew Strauss remembered Graham Onions, who trapped Clarke lbw at 93 and Graeme Swann who at least kept control of the run rate.

As for Steve Harmison, Stuart Broad and James Anderson - they probably went to lunch thinking they would prefer a curtain round the ground too.

To tea

North pushed Australia to 445, all out a few minutes into the interval with a lead of 343 and the chance of completing victory in two days. North has been the rock linking the middle and lower orders throughout the series with two hundreds and a 94; innings you might expect from an elite batsman not a stranger.

Broad showed just what he has to offer - a grumpy, grumbling disposition, overlaid with abundant talent; a mix of top class deliveries combined with a scattergun approach. He finished off the innings to take 6-91. He was not the best of the England attack but there is no doubting his quality when everything goes right.

In what you might call the old days Broad would have gone back to his county and mopped up dozens of lesser victims and some old pro wisdom. In this era he has to learn his trade at the top. It may be a problem.

To close

England almost went down to defeat in two days after 35 minutes that left them without a prayer.

Strauss and Alastair Cook put on 58 before Strauss and Ravi Bopara were both lbw to Ben Hilfenhaus in successive ball. Hilfenhaus would have had a hat trick if Ian Bell had been good enough to touch the next ball.

Bell was out at 67, caught at slip off Mitchell Johnson, who had Paul Collingwood lbw to his inswinger and Cook caught behind at 78. If North had clung on to a chance from Matt Prior off the last ball Ricky Ponting would have claimed the extra half hour.

England, 82-5 light years behind the Aussie aggregate, are a beaten side, with their grip on the Ashes getting looser every over.