Ashes day 3: Analysis

Date released: 18 July 2009

After day three of the Ashes Test at Lord's we analyse the day's play and look back at some of the highlights.

England surrender momentum with follow-on call

Ricky Ponting got the better of the captain's contest in Cardiff The ebb and flow of Test cricket is one of the great strengths of the five-day format. It was exemplified perfectly on a see-sawing day's cricket at Lord's on the third day of the npower Ashes Test at Lord's.

Andrew Strauss was knocked down by the press as having been 'out-captained' by Ricky Ponting in Cardiff.

After his first innings 161 the pendulum swung back and suddenly Strauss was a cricketing marvel again.

As Australia tottered and then fell, all out for 215 on day three it was Strauss again with attacking fields, smart bowling changes and clever field placements who was the skipper with a skip in his step.

Then came the ebb tide.

Most people around the ground expected England to enforce the follow-on. Andrew Flintoff had been held back from the 12 overs it took to remove the last two Aussie wickets - a hint perhaps he was being held back to open the second innings, follow-on attack.

It was not to be. Strauss scampered off as the last wicket fell and returned moments later, pads on as England opted to bat again.

Declaration tactics

Strauss opted to bat again Strauss's declaration tactics in the Caribbean earlier in the year were questionable - as England reliquished winning chances, traded in for tame draws.

There are two schools of thought on declarations: do you leave enough to 'dangle a carrot', enough to tempt the opposition into playing attacking strokes and offering chances to take wickets?

Or do you just bat the other team into the far, far distance - trampling any chance they have of victory - leaving enough time to take 10 wickets.

Strauss (and presumably coach Andy Flower) favour the latter. Safety first would be the mantra.

They'd certainly be vilified if they left too generous a carrot and turned an almost certain win into defeat but striking the right balance is tricky.

By placing the target so far into the distance they have ensured Australia won't hit it but also that they won't even go for it. They needn't. With ten wickets in hand and batsmen of the calibre of Ponting, Katich and Clarke in their side they need only resist to 'steal' a draw - much as England did in Cardiff.

Precious time

Time will tell if Strauss has made the right call. Andrew Flintoff's windmilling arm gestures to the England balcony as the lead passed 500 showed what he thinks of the tactic.

The view of the floodlights from the Pavilion In Strauss's defence, it was too late by then - with the floodlights on and the light fading any Australian batting would have lasted mere moments before they would have scampered off in poor light, eating more valuable time.

Ah time - a precious commodity when it's limited. Five days seems so much but it can barely be enough when you need it. Which brings into question the almost bizarre batting of Kevin Pietersen and Ravi Bopara.

Usually two of England's most extravagent shot-makers the two shuffled, prodded and probed as Australia dried up the runs midway through England's second innings.

After his declaration-style batting in the first innings, Pietersen misjudged the mood again, batting this time as if it were England and not Australia who were trying to suck up time and salvage a draw.

Pietersen played just 21 scoring shots from 101 balls faced - Bopara just 13 scoring strokes from 93 - Monty Panesar would have been proud.

Bopara finally fell, Pietersen followed seven overs later and Matt Prior - under similar pressure after some batting failures - batted like a man without a care in the world.

Prior scored 61 from 42 balls, thrilling the crowd with nine boundaries and even an all-run four. He didn't just lift the tempo - he put a rocket under it.

He inspired Paul Collingwood too, he also notched a half-century. When these two were out and 27 ball 30 from Flintoff left England on 311 - 521 runs ahead.

The rain came down as Broad came out to bat and he walked back up the steps closely followed by everyone else.

Surely England won't let Broad face a ball tomorrow. Two days to take 10 Australia wickets should be enough - but if the rain continues to disrupt play Strauss may be left to rue another declaration decision turned bad.