Brisbane Test Day One - Session 3After a couple of blips and some solid partnership building the England fans were starting to get positive, Bell who had come of age in South Africa last winter was looking on great nick. He was continuing where he had left off due to injury in the summer. If Cookie could slowly accumulate and support Bell as he picked and chose the right balls, we could be in for a good score and take a grip of the first day.
Then we got to the 66th over
This could be the defining moment in this Ashes series, from a fair boxing match that was probably being matched punc for punch, England suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves on the ropes as Siddle ripped through the batsmen and took the first ever hat-trick at the Gabba and I was there to see it !!
First Cook succumbed to a wider ball for the first time today, edging to Watson at first slip, then to a huge roar as he ran in beat Prior all ends up to what could be questioned as whether he was actually playing a shot, it certainly wasn"t a shot I"ve ever seen documented in the history of cricket.
As Broad stepped out to the wicket he was greated to a wall of noise, I"ve been in a few sporting venues in my life but I can honestly say the noise being generated as Siddle stood at the end of his run up was blood curdling. The Gabba was a cauldron and it must have been difficult to comprehend what Broad was thinking as he stood there. Siddle bowled a great hat-trick ball, straight, quick and pitched up, wrapping Broad on the foot as he tried to get his bat on it, the whole ground seemed to appeal as one, the Aussies anyway, and Aleem Dar raised his finger !!!
The ground was rocking, the Ausies were bouncing and shouting all over the place and they certainly let you know they have just taken the advantage. One of the most amazing sporting experiences I have experienced !!
To be fair Bell did well to guide England to 260 all out, and after 5 lacklustre overs at the close England will need to pull their socks up and get back into this game. One over has put England on the ropes, can we fight back ??
Tomorrow is another day............................