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And hello Paul Moody!
“Hi from Brasil, boa noite.
“Too many lows, but still Aussies at home was a hard ask. Dead rubber that this is, maybe it can give a bit of joy.
“I think South Africa look best of all nations now. I’m an expat, living a stereotype beach life here. But still English at my centre.”
The South African women are doing well too. Peculiar when as a nation they’ve thrown so much towards the white-ball game.
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“I took my daughters on a minor pilgrimage to the West Sussex village of Felpham today, to visit the cottage where William Blake lived for three years and where he wrote Jerusalem.
”My daughter was a little blank, so I hummed the tune that was put to his words, and rehearsed so religiously by the Barmy Army. “I didn’t know he was a record producer” said my youngest, 15.
”Anyway, it felt like a little connection with the Ashes, half a world away from here. And half a mile down the road from Blake’s cottage, at Middleton on Sea, the cricket ground where my father-in-law tells me he played alongside Mike Brearley and Mike Griffiths, back in the day.
”Ghosts and angels everywhere, and happy reminders of the sheer barmy poetry of it all.”
What a lovely email Brian Draper, thank you. I belatedly learnt today that the fugit in tempus fugit is less flies and more flees. Your email gathers that up beautifully.
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It’s minus one here in Manchester, with snow on the ground, due to drift down to minus six by early morning. My tree is drooping but still standing in multi-coloured light gorgeousness, but only it and a panetone are left from Christmas.
Ah, here are the timings for today:
Play commences 10.00am
1st Session 10:00am – 12:30pm
1st Drinks 11:15am
Lunch Break 12.30pm
2nd Session 1:10pm – 3:10pm
Tea Break 3:10pm
Session 3 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Scheduled Stumps 5.30pm
A minimum of 98 overs is scheduled, but an additional 30 mins may be permitted to achieve the minimum overs.
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Preamble
Tanya Aldred
Hello to all those who haven’t run out of steam. Rain and bad light, and perhaps the light touch of administrative caution, drew an early curtain on day one, but England finished firmly on top. For the first time this series, England’s two Yorkshiremen, king and pretender, took the sword to Australia in the way we always dreamt they might.
Root was crisply correct, all succulent drives and gin and tonic nudges. Harry Brook more harum scarum, with audacious brilliance mixed with have-a-go-heaves. Their partnership of 154 was the largest of the series.
Australia need Mitchell Starc to pull them out of the doldrums quick smart, in front of another full house at the SCG. The weather is set fair. Do join us, play starts at 11pm GMT/10am Sydney time.
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Updated at 17.13 EST
