Key events
6th over: Australia 16-0 (Warner 7, Khawaja 7) Anderson sends down England’s third maiden in a row. He beats Khawaja with a swinging delivery off the final ball. “Ooh Jimmy” exclaims Usman as the ball passes. This sounds a bit more Frank Spencer written down than it perhaps actually was in reality. Chris Woakes is coming on to replace Broad.
5th over: Australia 16-0 (Warner 7, Khawaja 7) Close! Broad gets a jagging delivery to take the shoulder of Warner’s bat and the edge flies towards Ben Duckett at third slip but lands plenty wide in the end. Duckett does well to pull off a Peter Shilton esque save to stop the boundary.
4th over: Australia 16-0 (Warner 7, Khawaja 7) Anderson has looked more threatening than his opening partner in the early exchanges, he bowls a maiden but Warner scampers a leg-bye off the final ball to keep strike.
A lovely email from Adam Simpson pings into my inbox:
Hi James – I’m a long-time friend of Robert Lewis (see pre-play hijinks, 11:17 BST). One of the ways we maintain our friendship is by looking out for each other’s comments when posted here on the OBO. I highly doubt we’re the only ones who enjoy this little ritual, so this seems like a good opportunity to thank you for all the unseen joys that the OBO brings to so many of us around the world. Keep doing what you’re doing!”
3rd over: Australia 15-0 (Warner 7, Khawaja 7) Another good over for Australia, five singles taken easily as Broad struggles with his line, it’s all been a bit too leg side so far from him. There are a few spots of rain falling here at the Oval.
2nd over: Australia 10-0 (Warner 6, Khawaja 3) Khawaja flicks Anderson through mid-wicket for three runs, Broad hauls the ball in to another big cheer. Moeen Ali looked a bit ginger chasing that but is apparently ready to bowl when called upon. Warner and Khawaja pick off a single each.
“Batting looks so easy here, 384 is going to be a doddle” suggests Jim Maxwell on TMS. I think he was joking. Gloomier still at the Oval, rain might not be too far away.
Moeen Ali, also bowing out after this, on the field and intending to bowl if called upon
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) July 30, 2023
1st over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 5, Khawaja 0) Broad goes full to Warner, nearly sneaking a full ball through the defences but Warner jams down on it just in time and sneaks a single off the first ball. A bye as Jonny Bairstow fumbles a leg-side take brings Warner back on strike. The crowd begin their ooooaaaahs… ah leg side ball. Then four, nice shot from Warner, leaning on a full ball and it races away to the fence.
Jimmy Anderson to start from the Vauxhall End.
Stuart Broad to David Warner…
Here come the players… Broad is going to start with the new ball. Moeen is on the field at mid-on, that’s got to be good news for England.
@Jimbo_Cricket I sense I know the answer but reckon anyone in test history has ever hit a six with their last ball faced AND taken a wicket with their last ball bowled?
— Ian Truman (@IanTruman22) July 30, 2023
“Great start from the Retirementhawk, surely at least seven wickets for him by teatime…” chirps Tom Hopkins.
“When an old cricketer… There’s surely nothing like the Summer Game for bringing out the pathos. I bet there were tears in eyes all over the world when Broady came out for the last time. There certainly were here in Istanbul, and even my Turkish wife got it for once. Cheers, and thanks for everything.”
Robert Lewis getting misty eyed…
The English lead the world in fast-medium swing and seam bowling, five-day cricket crowds and nauseating sentimentality. Perfect storm
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) July 30, 2023
This made me chuckle, Barney with an alternative view.
The clouds are filling in here at the Oval and it has got a bit cooler. There is some weather around, let’s hope it stays away.
“Thanks again for being with us all summer!”
The pleasure is all ours, Sean Roberts.
“I’m sure that lots of broad memories are being sent in for us to share today, one I’ve never been able to find is his interview on tour in new Zealand when the sandpapergate controversy exploded.
Broad, angel eyed, expressed his shock and claimed it must have been the first time they’d done it or someone would have noticed (paraphrasing), immediately widening the lens of the story to the ashes just past when Australia were getting the ball reversing early.
Summed him up – never better than when he’s got that twinkle in his eye and an opponent to wind up. Haven’t always been his biggest fan, there were a few periods in his career when it felt like there must be better new ball bowling options out there, but he always came back to prove me and whoever else doubted him wrong.”
WICKET! Anderson lbw b Murphy 8 (England all out for 395)
That’s it for England’s innings. Anderson is adjudged lbw by Umpire Wilson and the DRS confirms it. Broad sprints off to get his bowling boots on, his last act as a batter in Test cricket was to spank a six off Mitchell Starc.
Australia will need to chase 384 runs to win and take the series 3-1. England need ten wickets to level it 2-2.
In a curious move, Todd Murphy is coming on to bowl. The crowd sing Happy Birthday to Anderson. It’s all gone a bit pantomime out here.
81st over: England 395-9 (Broad 8, Anderson 8) Broad survives the first ball, and the first over. Trying to mow the first few balls from Starc but doesn’t connect with any, he turns down a few singles in the process. Last ball incoming… STUART BROAD SMASHES A SIX AND THE OVAL ERUPTS! Has there been a cricketer with more of a sense of his own theatre than Stuart Broad?
The Australian’s give Broad a guard of honour as he enters the field and the crowd are on their feet applauding, whooping and whistling. Special atmosphere here at the Oval. The camera pans to Broad’s parents in the stands looking proudly down.
“He’s gonna get out first ball, isn’t he” a mischievous colleague leans over to whisper in my ear. Here we go then. Buckle up knuckleheads.
Here come the Aussies, the crowd are on their feet already.
“Surely Ulysses (Odysseus) returned to Ithaca?” Not now Anthony Newey!
Will we see Broad and Anderson come out to bat together in a few minutes? My hunch says – YES – there’s been no sign of the roller on the wicket so it doesn’t look like England have declared, much to Dean Kinsella’s chagrin…
“Good morning James. Please tell me that England have declared. It was uncomfortable enough just watching Anderson getting battered last evening so it must have been jolly painful for him. And farewell to the Night Hawk, though something tells me we’ll be seeing and hearing plenty of him despite his retirement. Thank you for years of unstinting effort and excellent entertainment.”
I reckon the epic reception from the crowd and striding out to the middle with his partner in crime over the last decade or more might take the sting off that Starc induced bruise for Anderson. Still, if I was Australia I would definitely be bowling short and hostile. In and amongst the valedictory farewells – there’s a game on the line here.
McGrath on Broad:
“Let’s head toward the danger for potentially one final time together…”
Patrick in Italy is getting his Sunday morning Tennyson on:
“Very poetic and epic James. Reminds me of ‘Ulysses’ by Tennyson. Ulysses, having got back to Athens, gets bored and decides to sail off one more time:
“T’is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.”
Thanks for a great summer of OBO!”
Thanks to Simon in Luxembourg for doing the honours with the TMS overseas link:
“Morning James,
If it is needed, here is the TMS overseas link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoTMUtg51aw
Will be hoping to see something special from Broad today. He set the scene very nicely last night. As a fellow Forest fan, I wish him and his family a happy future.”
It is bright and sunny here at the ground, though I’m hearing some reports of a bit of rain later. It couldn’t, could it?
Good morning and thank you to James Fielding:
“Bom dia from a beautiful morning in Lisbon!
So, was out the door at close of play last night for a few pre dinner sagres with some Portuguese friends, thought I’d scan the OBO for 1 last time in the bar, saw the news re SB and let out a blood curdling OH MY GOD! Was genuine concern amongst said friends and I just about managed a Stuart Broad-Ashes-retired-cricket. I can only describe the looks I received as a mixture of confusion and contempt, bless their Southern European socks, they just don’t get it! I’m now sitting here waiting for the start of play a complete emotional wreck!
Would just like to say, I have not missed a ball between TMS and the OBO all series and would like to thank the whole OBO team, you’ve made this English immigrant very happy.
What a man (SB) what a series, Ashes, Bazball, bloody hell….”
Preamble
James Wallace
And now, the end is near, and so we’ll see the final knee-pump…
Hello and welcome to what could be the final OBO of this Ashes series. What a day it was yesterday. England rattled along to 389-9, cheered along in south London sunshine by a vociferous crowd at the Oval.
Crawley biffed, Duckett clipped, Stokes hooked, Root ramped, Bairstow clubbed and Moeen, ah Moeen, for one last time he unfurled. By the close, Jimmy Anderson was reverse-sweeping and scything for four off the final over and the whole place was in danger of erupting.
And yet, Australia kept taking wickets. A chastening day staring down the rifling on the Bazball bazooka it may have been for Pat Cummins and co but they hung in admirably and chipped away. A late flurry of wickets in the evening session has kept them in this game and they still have a sniff of taking the Ashes outright, they’ll just need one of the all-time great fourth innings run chases to do so.
Stumps on an enthralling day then and time to file copy and head for a well earned… WHAT? – STUART BROAD IS RETIRING?!
A genuine blond bombshell landed just after the close – Broad will hang up his white headband for the last time at the close of this match. Looking completely at peace with the decision (and why wouldn’t he?) Broad spoke articulately as ever:
It’s been a wonderful ride, a huge privilege. I’m loving cricket as much as I ever have… I always wanted to finish at the top and this is one of the best I’ve ever played in. I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks. England v Australia has always been the pinnacle for me. I’ve got a love affair with Ashes cricket and I wanted my last bat and bowl to be in Ashes cricket.
I told Stokesy last night and the changing room this morning. It just felt like the right time. I was a bit emotional, and even until last night I wasn’t entirely sure. Once I went to Stokesy’s room and told him I just felt really happy. I’m content with everything I’ve achieved in the game. Ultimately, I knew I wanted to retire while I still loved cricket, and my lasting memories being of a really enjoyable changing-room. I wanted to walk away while playing with a group of players I love to bits.”
It promises to be an amazing day here at the Oval, the match and series situation coupled with Broad (and Moeen, again) bidding farewell, the old Gasometer that looks down on this ground might even feel itself go weak at the foundations.
Jim here with the call this morning and early afternoon til Rob takes you through to the close later. As ever, do get in touch and let’s head toward the danger for potentially one final time together…
