Day 3: England in control as tour game ambles into final day
AFP
21 Dec 1998
HOBART, Australia, Dec 21 (AFP) - England amassed a 342-run lead
with eight second innings wickets in hand with one day to play in
their fourth Ashes Test leadup match against an Australian XI at
Bellerive Oval here Monday.
At stumps, England were relishing batting against the depleted
Australian bowling to be 166 for two. Earlier the Australians
declared at 293 for four, 176 runs behind England's first innings
of 469 for six declared.
The second-string Australians have three frontline bowlers on the
wounded list, Michael Kasprowicz, Paul Reiffel and Gavin
Robertson.
Medium pacer Stuart Law became Brendon Julian's unlikely new ball
partner in England's second innings.
Stand-in England captain Mike Atherton, having hit a career best
double century in the first innings, dropped down the order to
give some much-needed batting practice to his fellow out-of-form
Lancastrian John Crawley to open the innings in his place.
Crawley was soon flourishing, especially when Australian XI
skipper Darren Lehmann, recalled to the Australian side for
Saturday's fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne, put himself on and the
Englishman plundered 18 off his opening over of left-arm
spinners.
Lehmann eventually got revenge when Crawley was given lbw trying
to reverse sweep for 63 off 52 balls.
He and Butcher put on 118 in 72 minutes.
With Crawley's departure the tempo dropped. Ben Hollioake was
promoted and, in a desperate search for form, treated the bowlers
with more respect than they deserved.
Hollioake still didn't survive, falling to part-time spinner
Matthew Elliott just before the end.
His comparative inactivity probably cost Butcher his century in
the twilight.
Earlier, Greg Blewett again emphasised his credentials for a Test
recall with another big century.
But there is no place for the foreseeable future for the
Australian opener in the Australian team with Mark Taylor and
Michael Slater averaging 33 and 50 respectively in the first
three Tests and No.3 Justin Langer topping the team's averages
with 67.
Blewett's unbeaten 169 was the highlight of the third day of the
match which, with two declarations already on a friendly pitch,
is becoming a festival romp.
All morning, when the cricket was serious, Blewett and Elliott
showed why they are the best non-Test opening pair in the world.
By the time Elliott got a leading edge to Hollioake and was out
for 81, the pair had put on 206 in 249 minutes.
A mini-collapse followed, however, Corey Richards going for a
duck and Lehmann for a lone boundary.
Law (21) steadied the innings before being caught near tea.
Shortly after Lehmann declared in an effort to breathe life into
a match that has been dominated by the bat.
A week ago Blewett hit 152 here for South Australia in a
Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania.
He was equally dominant Monday driving and pulling with great
authority against an attack that concentrated on containment.
However, his innings was not unblemished as he gave two return
catch chances, a tough one for Dominic Cork on 56 and an easier
one to Hollioake on 116.
He batted for 334 minutes and hit 15 fours.
Lehmann, delighted to be back in the Test team, was unperturbed
by his failure at the crease.
He said he had felt under no pressure.
``I just went out to play cricket and have some fun,'' he said.
``I played a bad shot. That's life.''
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