Australia vs England 1st Test Day 1 Highlights
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Watch cricket highlights: Australia vs England 1st Test Day 1 of the Ashes from Cardiff. Scheduled start of play is 10:00 GMT on July 8, 2009.
Scoreline: 336/7 Kevin Pietersen 69, Collingwood 64, Prior 56, Flintoff 37 – Hilfenhaus, Siddle, Johnson 2 wickets apiece
Foreplay: So England won the toss and the first half an hour filled me with inconsolable regret that I’d be sitting around covering a series that had Alastair Cook in sublime somniacal touch. Never been crazy about Mike Hussey, but for a moment there, he was heading into a locket round my neck, as the Ashes gasped back to life.
Johnson was disappointing for the most part (in fact, taken off after a brief 3 over initial spell). His 2nd spell however was somewhere close to what he did on any normal day, the whole of this past year.
Pietersen seemed tempered by the situation and the (relatively) spread field and knocked it around mostly with Collingwood, with KPesque flashes in between. A fine knock by him eventually – the only disappointing aspect was that he never really looked serious about going after Hauritz, who seems to be getting whipped worldwide for his mere presence in the team. Not his fault really. More about insane selectors who lose faith in Jason Krejza despite the balls he showed bowling to Sehwag and the other Indian batsmen.
Flintoff returned from injury looking to enjoy himself in the company of yet another wicketkeeper, while also blatantly making his mirth obvious to the Aussies around. Simon Jones almost leapt out of the stands at one point to rain some manly love.
The Prior-Flintoff thing eventually fell to the go-to man for Australia for an end-of-day’s play spell – that light-bosomed guy with whitewash on his lips – which allowed the famed England negativity of recent times to resurface with Anderson sent ahead of Broad and cover-drive specialist Swann. But a very entertaining opening day, all in all.
Preplay: Dirges at the absence of Harmison and Lee humming in my head, but that aside, it now seems that a fairly balanced event looms over the next few weeks.
More Ashes 2009 Test Highlights
Thought I’d plug a couple of pre-Ashes videos that were sent across in the meantime:
Flintoff talking about sledging and the like. Doesn’t particularly say anything new or novel, but worth a watch:
This one features Gillespie and Tufnell being silly
this is it. no more bull****, no 4 day cricket, no cheerleaders, no pink cricket balls… this is the real deal right here. can’t wait… and for once it looks to be pretty even.
…assuming there’s no stray cricket balls to step on.
England 1st Test Day 1 Highlights, 2nd video is not working..
i was laughing at the start
) epic choice of music 
))
Whoever you are……………… a LOT OF THANKS !!!
This is a great site and you are doing a great favor. Doesn’t matter if it ain’t live cricket. There are links floating around for those who want to go that way.
Personally, i don’t mind watching the highlights. Most of the time, I don’t look at the score and watch the highlights AS IF LIVE.
So thanks again. If there is a suggestion box, there is only a MINOR thing i would mention: If you can make the video so that the “SPACEBAR” button works to “PAUSE/UNPAUSE” the video. Not a big deal……still…
Thanks again.
haha……..pedalo race was funny.
The Godfather music at the beginning of day1, was it on purpose?
As an Indian, one can’t really understand the significance of the Ashes as much as say an Aussie or English viewer. Just found the buildup a trifle over the top and so thought of using a Fantomas version of the Godfather to take the piss out of it all - Admin
Nice starting………….FOREPLAY………lmao
interesting start to the series – pretty even day.
Hope the rest of the tests are as competitive. Good to see Hilfenhaus bowl well and judging by highlights Hauritz did ok – was unlucky not to get more.
thanks Admin.