A review of day one of the third Ashes Test of the 1981 series at Headingley, written from the perspective of an English cricket fan at the time.
Friday July 17
Australia 203/3 (Dyson 102)
Oh well. I'm not sure I care that much about the Ashes anyway. Australia, aided once again by some inconsistent bowling and yet more charitable fielding, have strengthened their hold on this series. Quite where England go from here I don't know.
The decision to leave out spinner Emburey is looking questionable. The seam attack appeared toothless on what looks a tricky surface to bat on, and when they did create chances then the butterfingers boys returned. Seeing Peter Willey turn a few deliveries on day one must have raised the eyebrows of Emburey too.
We also have to bat last on this strip, after Hughes won the toss and decided to bat first. Throughout the day it looked a wise move. John Dyson (average of 19.21 before this Test) and Graeme Wood put on 55 for the first wicket until inevitably Botham struck with just his third ball back. It made you wonder why Brearley had held him back so long, but he knows Beefy better than us mere mortals.
Trevor Chappell looked shaky, dropped by Gower on three and Botham on seven. He may have only managed to scrape together 27 runs, but his 94-run partnership with Dyson was vital. The 110 minutes lost to rain at least gave us frustrated England fans some respite.
Finally Chappell's luck ran out, with Taylor holding on to a chance offered off Willey's off-spin. Maybe the TCCB should allow all England fielders to wear big gloves? Another Botham blunder saw Dyson dropped on 57 and the opener made us pay. His maiden Test hundred established Australia's dominant position.
Dilley bowled Dyson late on - hitting the stumps seemed the only way of guaranteeing success for England's bowlers, assuming they had not overstepped the mark - but Hughes and Bright took Australia to 203/3 at stumps and if they bat sensibly tomorrow morning then I'm afraid to say we can wave the Ashes goodbye.
England's only hope to me seems to be keeping the Australian score as close to 350 as possible. But you feel that anything over 300 might be a good score on this pitch. Botham leaving the field for the last half an hour due to an arm injury is another concern, yet early indications are that he should be ok to continue tomorrow.
It's really hard watching this England outfit. You feel that there is potential for a good team, yet they continue to disappoint. Quite what Willis has to do to get dropped is beyond me. He's surely bowling for his international career in the next few days. He has been a great servant for the England team but maybe it is time to think of the future?
That can wait for now though. If England don't perform well tomorrow then I might not bother writing this blog in the coming days and weeks. Today we have managed to make John Dyson look like Sir Garfield Sobers, and there is only so much of this that one man can take. I don't like cricket, I love it. But England make loving cricket hard.
What the papers said...
Pat Gibson, Express: "Brearley did not need to be a student of psycho-analysis to know that England have got to pull themselves together if they are going to save the Ashes."
What they said...
Kim Hughes: "It was a turning point in John's career. He was under a lot of pressure for his place in the side."
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