How the game of cricket can change in the course of a week. Seven days ago in Brisbane, England fans watched aghast as their team produced the worst three days of test cricket it's possible to imagine. Now, at Adelaide, it is the Australians turn to suffer as England piled up a mammoth 551 for 6 courtesy of a quite stunning double century from Paul Collingwood. His application and concentration was Steve Waugh like, and at no time did he look like getting out, playing Shane Warne and the rest of the Aussie attack with great skill.
Supporting Collingwood was the irrepressible Kevin Pietersen, and his superb 158 demonstrated once again how little he cares for the reputations of Warne or Glenn McGrath, whose first over was belted for 12 runs and who regularly suffered the indignity of Pietersen running down the wicket at him as though he were a club medium pacer.
There are thousands of England fans at the Adelaide Oval, some barmy, some not so barmy. All of them though, stood and applauded the 310 run partnership between Collingwood and Pietersen and there is a real sense amongst those same fans that England can achieve a positive result in this game. Freddie's cameo 38 not out, including a flicked 6 off McGrath which landed just over my head at square leg (to general criticism from my group that I should have caught it), was just the boost the England Captain needed after a very tough week.
His decision to open the bowling himself was a masterstroke, and in his second over, his combination of pace and bounce proved too much for Justin Langer to handle as he tamely lobbed the ball to Pietersen at 4th slip. This prompted ecstatic scenes from England fans all over the ground, and the odd uncharitable word to the 'Boony Army' sitting in front of us in their canary yellow outfits. 'How's that for boring cricket you dyslexic alcoholics?' was one rather blunt question asked of the Boonies, who had been pillorying the England batsmen all day for their perceived slow scoring rate.
Day 3 of this match offers to be equally enthralling. England will look to have Australia four wickets down by lunch if possible, and then attack them with the reverse swing on offer as the ball gets older. The pitch is still good though, and Australia's batsmen will make it hard work for England's five pronged attack. The worry for the Australians is that the wicket may be starting to get a little uneven, with the odd ball keeping low. If England bowl straight, with discipline, and to well set fields, they are in with a great chance of levelling this series. Watch this space....
Wello
