• 98 per cent of all deliveries within the center session of the fourth day had been brief
• But England stopped Australia from making runs and took invaluable wickets
• The remaining Tests will solely see extra short-pitched bowling from each side 

That session of just about continuous short-pitched bowling from England on Saturday afternoon was not like something I’ve ever seen earlier than in Test cricket. Together with the morning it was an unbelievable passage of play. At occasions it was farcical. It was definitely surreal.

Spells of bouncers and individual short-pitched duels between quick bowlers and batters have at all times been a part of the sport however this was totally different.

Ninety eight per cent of all deliveries within the center session of the fourth day at Lord’s had been brief and we went two hours earlier than a single ball was pitched up.

Not solely did it result in wickets for England nevertheless it additionally stopped the stream of runs for Australia and I preferred the actual fact Ben Stokes and his facet had been so dedicated to the tactic. There was little question of their minds what they had been aspiring to do.

When each ball goes to be brief many of the fielders might be positioned sq. of the wicket and batters then need to both duck out of the way in which ball after ball, which takes bravery and self-discipline, or have a hook and a flap and threat dropping your wicket, as England did too typically within the first innings.

The health ranges wanted to place in a stint like which can be extraordinary and Stuart Broad, Josh Tongue and Ben Stokes can be getting away from bed in instalments on Sunday.

When Stokes grew to become captain of this England facet he mentioned he would by no means ask anyone to do one thing he wouldn’t be ready to do himself and he confirmed that once more yesterday with that 12 over spell.

He gave the impression to be hobbling by the top of his first over so to hold on the way in which he did was some effort. In the top he put himself out to deep sq. leg as a result of he didn’t wish to do any working. Not that the ball was ever going to be pushed previous him at mid-off as a result of there have been by no means any balls pitched up.

You do fear in regards to the captain if you see him like that. You don’t need that knee to be so unhealthy it impacts his batting in addition to his bowling as a result of he can’t run. The very last thing England want is for Stokes to place himself out of the collection.

Then to cap all of it got here the sight of Nathan Lyon popping out to bat barely being able to walk due to his calf damage and for some time, as Mike Atherton mentioned on Sky, it was like a scene from the TV programme MASH.

Batters on each side will know what they’re going to get now. There goes to be an terrible lot extra short-pitched bowling within the three remaining Ashes Tests.

But whether or not the bowlers can do it to the identical impact at Headingley, Old Trafford and the Oval stays to be seen as a result of it might simply be this barely two-paced Lord’s pitch that has led to this. Certainly Manchester, for one, can be faster and which means you may play your photographs or get out of the way in which extra simply.

There was a distinction between the way in which the groups performed that brief ball. When you’re caught on the boundary, as so lots of England’s batsmen had been within the first innings, folks can react with horror. But is it actually totally different to fend it off making an attempt to defend?

The backside line is it’s about scoring runs and England should study from the errors they’ve made right here. I noticed Harry Brook practising in opposition to the brief ball within the nets yesterday morning and whereas he was then undone by a magnificence from Pat Cummins he is aware of he’s going to be peppered with males again for the remainder of this Ashes.

So, was England’s method within the discipline opposite to their vow to entertain? Well, at occasions it was extremely boring on Saturday as a result of spectators knew what ball was going to be delivered and the place the batters had been going to hit it.

It was a secular coverage, sure, however I preferred it as a result of it took a hell of a variety of effort and it was profitable for England, no less than till it was their flip to bat once more.

As I mentioned earlier than a ball was bowled on this Test, England have to consider profitable. The leisure issue follows on from that.

Mark Waugh made a superb level in Australia in a single day. Entertainment is not only smashing the ball out of the bottom. It may also be about what Atherton, for instance, did to fight Allan Donald at Trent Bridge in 1998. We nonetheless discuss that duel now.

England have all of it to do now on this Ashes they usually solely have three or 4 days earlier than they need to go once more within the third Test at Headingley.

But one optimistic they’ll take from this match no matter occurs right this moment is the efficiency of Tongue. He appears the half and was each hostile and skilful in that lengthy spell yesterday. If he can keep match he has a giant future at this degree.