खेळाच्या अशा धीम्या सुरूवातीस आज ब्रेक नेकच्या वेगाने पहिली कसोटी संपली - आणि स्टुअर्ट ब्रॉडने चेकर झेंडा उंचावण्यासाठी काय कामगिरी केली.
नाही फक्त तो क्लब केले 20 विचित्र महत्त्वपूर्ण धावा (नाबाद) इंग्लंडचा डाव वेगवान व निराशाजनक टप्प्यावर आला परंतु त्यानंतर त्याने वेगवान मध्यमगती गोलंदाजी केली आणि न्यूझीलंडच्या निर्णयाला धक्का बसला..
जेव्हा आज ब्रॉड गाण्यासारखे गाणे चालू असेल तेव्हा त्याला थांबवण्याची कोणतीही शक्यता नाही आणि तो अक्षरशः प्ले होऊ शकत नाही. शेवटच्या वेळी जेव्हा त्याने असे प्रदर्शन केले तेव्हा ओव्हल मधील ओल्ड एनी विरुद्ध 2009 ऍशेस फासा. मी त्या दिवसाच्या खेळाचे हायलाइट रेकॉर्ड केले आणि काही वर्षे ठेवले जेणेकरून मी ते पुन्हा पुन्हा पुन्हा पाहू शकेन. त्या दिवशी त्याला 5 डॉलर मिळाला, वॉटसन च्या घोटाळे दावा, पॉन्टिंग, हसी, Clarke and Haddin – so pretty much the Australian top order.
There was nothing any batsman could have done. तसेच 5 wickets there were countless plays and misses and beatings of the bat. तो खूप मिळाला आहे नाही. It was very much like a certain Aussie fast-medium bowler.… his name escapes me.… took a few wickets he did.…oh yes, ग्लेन मॅकग्रा.
And the same today – but this time even more wickets. The trick now is to get Broad firing like this much more often. He clearly has the talent and the self assurance. Interestingly in the Oval test back in 2009 England batted first with Broad, who has been out of form with the willow of late, hitting some important late order runs. Any coincidence?
Broad’s heroics (and let’s not forget James Anderson claimed a 5‑for in the Kiwi’s first innings and two wickets in their second) disguised some England failings with the bat. OK it was a low scoring game but pretty much all of the top order (including Prior who had a game to forget with the bat) अयशस्वी. Root was the only stand out exception and the kid clearly has a massive future. Trott did OK but the jury is still out on Root’s Yorkshire team-mate Bairstow and if KP returns for the Ashes it is likely Bairstow will make way. Eoin Morgan is currently plying his trade in the freak show that is the IPL. He has made that choice and so can stay there. Odds are that it would have been between Morgan and Bairstow for that final middle order spot but Morgan chose riches over glory. त्याच्या कॉल.
The next test is only five days away in Headingley and it’s likely England will be largely unchanged. Bresnan might displace Finn who had a rather muted game (his four wickets in the first innings flattered him a little) but then again my predictions this match left something to be desired.
“लाल / हिरव्या रंगाच्या कमतरतेमुळे गुलाबी बॉल धूसर / निळा दिसतो, त्याच्या तीव्रतेवर अवलंबून. मी रंगाने अंधत्व असलेले एक नक्कल केले…”