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Ashes Second Test

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An Tarbh

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England may be without Michael Vaughan after he picked up an elbow injury when he was hit by a Chris Tremlett delivery today in practice. Lousy luck if he does miss out especially after finding some form with a century on Sunday for Yorkshire.

Robert Key would be likely to replace him if he doesn't make it with Trescothick captaining the side in his absence.

With delays in pitch preparation due to a tornado in Birmingham England have called up Paul Collingwood after it was admitted that it may be a slow pitch.

Australia seem set to stick with Jason Gillespie despite Michael Kasprowicz picking up a five wicket haul in the match at Worcester. In fairness Gillespie managed to pick up some wickets at Grace Rd which was more than he managed at Lords.
 
good news for the poms mcGrath is almost certian to be ruled out after an injury due to stepping on a ball in pre match warm ups.

from cricinfo

Glenn McGrath has been injured in pre-match warm-up ahead of the second Test after stepping on a ball. He was carried off the field on a buggy and is now a doubt for the Test, which starts at 10.30BST. He is currently undergoing extensive physio in the dressing with a hope that he could still play. Australia have until the toss at 10.00BST to make a decision, with Michael Kasprowicz the favourite to replace McGrath if he is ruled out.

England (probable) 1 Marcus Trescothick, 2 Andrew Strauss, 3 Michael Vaughan (capt), 4 Ian Bell, 5 Kevin Pietersen, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Geraint Jones (wk), 8 Ashley Giles, 9 Steve Harmison, 10 Matthew Hoggard, 11 Simon Jones.

Australia 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Simon Katich, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Jason Gillespie, 11 Glenn McGrath or Michael Kasprowicz

live audio of the game available here http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/sportsextra/schedule.shtml just click on availbe online on the righthand side next to each day
 
1st day at lunch and aus are getting put to the sword. England are 132/1 off just 27 overs with a run rate of 4.89
 
England end day one on 407 all out, half centuries from Trescothick, Flintoff and Peterson, haven't seen any of the earlier wickets fall, saw Peterson get out, sloppy shot although he was going well. Cracking run rate from England at 5.13. All in all nicely poised after day 1.
 
yeah superb effort by england to get 400 on the board and on the first day as wll. Game on now england have a good total to defend against with aus needing to bat well to get a good lead
 
Advantage England after day 2, Australia made 308 all out, Justin Langer top scoring with 82. Giles and Flintoff were the pick of the bowlers picking up 3 wickets each.

Frustrating for England to lose the wicket of Strauss so close to the end of play at the start of their second innings.

Into day 3 England are 25-1 and lead by 124 runs.
 
england in a great positon at the moment. Have a handy lead after bowling aus out. and what a test it has been so far only 2 days gone 700 runs scored 21 wickets have fallen. England have to not panic and just play like they did in the first innings by taking the attack to the australians. Australia need wickets and also need to bowl better to limit how many runs they need to chase for vicotory
 
If England can keep Shane Warne quiet, not easy I know, they should be able to build up a substantial lead. Big if though, Warne looked worryingly awesome in that last over yesterday from an England viewpoint.
 
2 shocking decisions to give KP and Bell out, with flintoff also unlikely to bowl there goes our chance of winning
 
yeah its not looking good for england at the moment. 95/6 with a lead just under 200 and still 2 full days to play. ENglandwould need at least 300 to have a chance proabbly closer to 400 to have a real go at wining
 
yeah its not gonna happen Flintoff can barely hit the ball with his shoulder, looking like 150 all out and the aussies winning by lunch tomorrow
 
I didn't think Bell's decision was wrong but Peterson's was dubious to say the least, although in fairness there were a couple of dodgy decisions in the Australian innings. Big pressure now on Jones and Flintoff.
 
Heroics from Flintoff to keep it going for England, making 73 with his shoulder problems, Warne the key man not surprisingly for the Aussies picking up 6 wickets and only 7 short of 600 test wickets.

Australia need 281 for victory, the highest score made in a 4th innings chase at Edgbaston is 211, so evenly poised still. Bright enough start to the Aussies second innings currently 22-0.
 
Crikey wickets have been falling at alarming rates in this series first day 1 at Lords there was 17 wickets now today we get 16 wickets at Edgbaston. England well in control, Flintoff the hero for England with bat and ball and Harmison finishing the day nicely with a corker of a delivery to remove Clark and England with only 2 wickets needed for victory.
 
Aussies have started the 4th day well and only need 66 to win. Looking more and more likely at the moment. Wouldn't have expected that after yesterday.
 
England won by 2 runs... bloody tense finish! If only Gilchrist had scored a few more runs! Seriously though, Australia probably should never have got so close, so it was satisfing for them to get within reach.
 
I've never seen such an exciting test match, fair play to Lee and Kasprowicz for hanging in there, certainly should have been easier for England but I doubt they care. The Aussies might start whingeing when they see the replay of Kasprowicz's dismissal, when he had a glove off the bat but he should have been given out lbw earlier so swings and roundabouts.

Certainly sets it up nicely for Thursday.
 

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