Bite-sized Ashes: No play on first day makes tomorrow’s coin toss a tricky call
The fickle English weather has had its way with day one of the second Ashes Test overnight — this is what it means for the remainder of the game at Lord’s.
It’s the most bite-sized of bite-sized wraps, because the fickle English weather has had its way with day one of the second Ashes Test overnight — so what you’ve missed actually wasn’t all that much at all.
At one stage the rain held off for the best part of an hour, allowing a pitch inspection and a tentative revised toss time — but with four minutes remaining until the toss, the covers were back out and players were advised to return to the safety of the dressing room.
They did not return. Let’s hope for better weather on Thursday.
Stream over 50 sports live & anytime on your TV or favourite device with KAYO SPORTS. The biggest Aussie sports and the best from overseas. Just $25/month. No lock-in contract. Get your 14 day free trial >
RAIN, RAIN, RAIN
The forecast for day one was as grim as they come, and Mother Nature duly delivered in London on Wednesday.
The rain started to fall around 90 minutes before the scheduled toss, and barely relented throughout the day — save for the brief moment early in the afternoon where it looked like there might be some actual cricket played.
Still, that didn’t stop the hardiest of members lining up from the crack of dawn to line up for the best seats.
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Losing day one of a Test is never a good thing if you’re pushing for a result — which England would’ve been trying to do, given they’re 1-0 down in the series.
But not all hope is lost. There’s still four days play remaining and given the northern summers enjoy late sunsets, they can play cricket deep into the evening to make up for lost play.
An additional 30 minutes can be added on to the end of the remaining four days — which is on top of the extra half-hour available should overrates not be completed in time.
So there’s still plenty of cricket to be played — and plenty of time for a result, although more rain is expected over the weekend.
TOUGH TOSS TO WIN
As players warmed up for an unlikely toss, attention turned to what the rival captains might do … and whether they wanted to win the toss at all.
In normal circumstances you would expect the winner of the toss to bat ten times out of ten — but the prospect of a gloomy hour under heavy skies with a new ball would’ve had top orders from both sides squirming awkwardly in their seats.
But former England captain Michael Vaughan said while it was a tricky task to face an hour of pain, the toss winner had to think about how the match would play out long term — which also extended to how that might impact on team selection, with the game effectively turning into a shortened contest.
“You’ve got to pick a team that’s got to play a four-day game,” Vaughan said.
“You can’t just pick a side that might be required for the next hour or so. It is very dry underneath. The 4mm of grass on top layer, I think you have to bat.
“Forecast (for Thursday) is pretty good. Bite the bullet. I’m sure the Aussies would bat.
“It’s very difficult. The mental side, having been in the dressing room all day, and now there’s a sprinkle of rain … it’s a very tricky position the players find themselves in. but you’ve just got to be able to deliver.”
As it happened, of course, it didn’t matter. The toss was delayed and the winner will now surely bat.
And with practice wickets turning square in the days leading up to the Lord’s Test, with Nathan Lyon looking just as dangerous as he did on day five at Edgbaston, it’s fair to say spin could play a big role late in this Test should the main wicket play similarly.
JOFRA ARCHER WINS DEBUT …
While teams weren’t confirmed — because there wasn’t a toss — Jofra Archer is nailed on to become England’s 632nd Test cricket.
He was handed his Test cap by fellow Barbados-born England representative Chris Jordan with an emotional pre-game tribute.
“I know this is the pinnacle for you,” Jordan told Archer with the Test squad looking on.
“One of the first things you said to me when you came over to England was you wanted to play Test cricket for England. That time has come.”
… AND OPENS UP ON TWITTER FAME
Archer has become a cult figure almost as much for his Twitter fame as for his exciting fast bowling.
During the World Cup Archer’s old tweets were being dredged up and used as methods of predicting the future.
His backlog of nearly 40,000 tweets means that there’s precious little which can happen in a cricket game that he hasn’t already posted on social media — ultimately showing him to be something of a Jofradamus.
But does he find it weird?
“A little bit. But it’s good to see they’re interested as well,” he told BBC Radio before play.
“I actually don’t know people are able to go that far back (to find tweets).
“I tried doing it once and I could only go back as far as 2016. Whoever is doing it has got a really, really good computer.”
And his latest prediction? To get on the Lord’s Honours Board.
“I did that as a joke, really. For the fans,” he said.
No sympathy from Boland as Smith struggles continue
Steve Smith’s poor start to the home summer continued with a controversial LBW dismissal from Scott Boland, plus disappointing openers leaves selection door for spot at top of Australian order wide open.
The King’s return? Warner’s shock call on Test SOS
Dave Warner has sensationally declared his status should selectors send an SOS to the former Test opener for the upcoming series against India. Find out what he said, here.