Closing in on the Ashes

The Oval. Fifth Ashes Test - day two

Preview

Every other critic seems to have hedged his bets but my feeling is - after a good night's sleep - that England have the upper hand on one of the worst day one pitches I can remember. Surely those dry footprints, that crusty surface and the turn will only get more helpful. It is a result pitch and a great chance for England to win back the Ashes.

I watched the infamous game at Christchurch in 1984 when the pitch was so bad that England were twice bowled out for under 100 and their captain Bob Willis was able to yank a huge piece of turf out of the pitch soon after the match finished. I also saw the game at Edgbaston when Curtly Ambrose's first ball leapt high to the ropes without batsman or keeper laying anything it. Both Tests ended in just over two days.

The worst pitch of all may have been at Old Trafford in 1956. The former Australian leg spinner Bill O'Reilly was still in a rage about it 35 years later. Jim Laker took 19 wickets - several of the England fielders shook his hand as they left the field and he drank a pint in a pub unrecognised that same evening - but the Aussie memory is of a pitch made to suit Laker and Tony Lock.

To lunch

Patience everyone! England add another 25, sketchy, runs to total 332; not enough but plenty if they bowl well.

Their four bowlers put in sterling performances and Simon Katich and Shane Watson, clear they do not need to win this Test to keep the Ashes, trot along at two and a half runs an over until rain stops play four minutes before the interval.

A dull morning - and I say that even though I do not find yesterday's play as meaningless as some know-nothing critics - in which England do not make an inch of progress. Lets hope those back in the pavilion have a bright idea.

Time to give Stuart Broad a bowl, I reckon. He seems to have umpire sympathy with lbw shouts and that could turn their luck.

To tea

Of course, no self-respecting critic says I told you so.

Immediately after a long rain break Broad bowled and in the next two hours, in which he sent down 12 overs, Australia lost eight wickets for 72. Watson was plumb lbw, Ponting played on, Hussey groped for the ball and was lbw, Clarke was caught low on the drive - all off Broad. Four in a row.

He completed his second successive five wicket haul when he bowled Haddin - the best ball of his long spell which was turning into an application for the Andrew Flintoff job, soon to be vacant - and the other three fell to some beautiful off spin from Graeme Swann. North lbw, Katich, still trying his socks off, caught at short leg and Johnson, hitting, caught behind were all victims of a magical box of tricks.

Naturally there were standing ovations for Broad at the end of every over. I did warn you he might be England's hero but he owed nothing to the umpires. It was the best Ashes show by England for four years and surely it must mean victory here and the return of the little urn.

Happily Strauss does not have to decide the follow-on strategy. He leads an England run fest and then . . . but this time I don't need to tell you what will happen. I do reckon you wont need that Sunday ticket though.

To close

When Australia were all out for 160, 172 behind, England dreamed of a long lead by the end of the day. No such luck; but they were still on top, still favourites and we knew they would have to work hard to throw this one away.

Strauss, highly praised for his innovative changes - which I suspect were arranged in the dressing room during the rain break - showed his true quality with two hours of high level concentration.

He lost Cook, Bell and Collingwood, all dithering, while he showed a grim face to the world and a big bat to the bowlers. It was his day almost as much as Broad and Swann's; his reward was a lead of 230 with seven wickets to fall and the chance to set the Aussies an unreachable target.

But keep your fingers crossed. It is not all over yet.