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England Vs Australia 1st Test 2001

After a poor start to the season, losing 2-0 to Pakistan by over 200 runs each time and finishing bottom of the triangular series v Pakistan and Australia, the writing was seemingly on the wall again for England as they tried to win back The Ashes against an Aussie side who were the best side in the World at the time.

The Squad
M. Trescothick
M. Atherton
G.Hick
G. Thorpe*
A. Stewart
A. Giles
M. Bulbeck
G. Hamilton
A. Caddick
J. Ormond
k. Dean

I decided to choose Kevin Dean over Jimmy Ormond as Dean had a bit more pace on what was a decent pitch for pace bowlers. I decided to bring back Gream Hick in instead of Nasser Hussain as Hick was avereraging over 100 in the 6 county games that he had played, Hussain only managed 23, 12, 0, 5 in his 4 innings V Pakistan

England 1st Innings
After winning the toss, I elected to bat first as although the wicket was average for pace bowlers, it was a very sunny day and the outfield was good.
In the first over, I wondered if I had made the right choice batting first as first Atherton then Trescothick saw the ball fly past the edge of their bats. But soon I was feeling more comfortable as the score crept up to 53-0 and Atherton in particular was playing some beautiful drives. But just 4 overs and 6 runs later Atherton was caught LBW. Next in came Hick, who immediately showed his intentions by smashing his first ball through the covers for 4. Trescothick started to look comfortable, playing shots around the ground until he was bowled by Gillespie for 66. He and Hick had amassed a partnership of 95 runs. Graham Thorpe scored 22 before being bowled by Brett Lee. Alec Stewart was next, only managing 12 from 23 balls. Vaughan came in late on and he and Hick steadied the ship and made it through to the close of play. Disaster struck almost immediately as Hick was caught by Steve Waugh off the bowling of Gillespie for 112. Giles came in at seven, making a 41 run partnership with Vaughan before the Yorkshire batsmen was caught behind once again off the bowling of Gillespie. Giles was bowled soon after, managing only a 16 run partnership with Bulbeck, he scored 29 and so did Bulbeck. Gavin Hamilton scored 61, making a 56 run partnership with Andy Caddick and 28 with Kevin Dean.
England managed 453 all out, an excellent start.

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