Watson Vindicates Opening Spot

Despite losing six hours of the day to rain and wet outfield conditions, Australia were still able to stamp their mark on the 3rd test at Edgbaston in the 30 overs permitted at the end of the first day in Birmingham.

After winning the toss the tourists finished the day on 126 for 1 with opener Shane Watson vindicating his countries decision to give him his first start at the top of the innings with a well crafted fifty.

Simon Katich went earlier on, lbw to Graeme Swann, who was the most effective bowler of the five used by captain Andrew Strauss.

Whether damp conditions on the outfield were affecting the run-up’s of the seamers or not, but none of the four including injury hindered Andrew Flintoff were able to hit top gear in the evening session.

This might be down to the ultra flat pitch we have in the midlands this week, and with the outfield bound still to be wet the ball would have been doing very little for the bowling quartet.

The omission of Phil Hughes was the main story of the day before play began, a development that was broken on his own twitter page by his management company; a curious way of announcing you’ve been dropped for a test match.

Watson in truth diminished all thought of Hughes’ tweet, with a superb innings of 62, not one of a player opening the innings for his country for the very first time.

Nor was it a performance of an England side who had taken a rare early lead in an Ashes series, very soon after the Australian batsman got set did the mood become somber in the field.

A huge 22 boundaries were thrusted through that field, and with Swann achieving the only break through, Andrew Strauss will have plenty to think about ahead of what we hope is a full Friday.

It sounds like any of the play we got today was down to the hard work of the ground staff, who I’m sure will get a slating in the press tomorrow over the time it took for play to start despite the beautiful overhead conditions.

The only worry for the Australian’s will be the injury to Brad Haddin, who has been replaced in the test side by Graham Manou, a late change after the toss had been made.

A passing thought ahead of tomorrow’s play and any more lost play in the rest of the match; why on earth did we go off when conditions overhead were perfect?

Yes, had we had 90 previous overs before the end of play then a break would have earned by both players, but we had just 30, was there not time for another half an hour’s play to make up for some of the lost time?

I know I’m effectively arguing with the rules here, with a finishing time usually arranged for 7 pm or the end of the permitted overs, whichever first, but maybe there should be some room for manoeuvre from the ICC, especially when so much time has been lost already.

The umpires can bring the players off at any time in the match, why can’t they keep them out there for a few more overs to help eek out the time we’re already lost, and as it usually goes it’s never made up fully.

Will either side be rueing this decision come Monday evening? We’ll wait and see.