Aussies set a scorching pace

By Ted Corbett

LONDON, AUG. 23. An opening stand of 158 by the new left-handed partnership of Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden at the Oval on Thursday enabled Australia to wipe out memories of its defeat by England at Headingley this week and return to its over-bearing ways of the first three matches.

Hayden has not had a much better series than Michael Slater, left out because his runs have dried up, but he was first to fifty in 99 balls and first out at 68. Jason Langer, who had languished on the pavilion balcony since the Chennai Test, was his old self again, crouching low over his bat, keen to get on to the front foot to attack and running his singles as if his life were at stake. They make a complementary pair and the first left- handed combination since Mark Taylor was Hayden's partner three years ago.

Nothing went right for England. The lady who tells us about the coming weather each morning promised a day of 27 degrees in this corner of the country but, as everyone knows, forecasters are second only to journalists in being unable to tell us how tomorrow will dawn.

``It will be lovely for those of you who enjoy the sunshine,'' she said, but the clerk of the weather, knowing that the English are not all that happy in temperatures above 19 degrees, proved her wrong. As far as one could see-to the MI5 building just down the road, to the Houses of Parliament, to the great metal circle of the London Eye-there was thick, unsavoury smog, a product of heat and industrial muck that made one or two Indian cities seem heavenly in comparison.

Did I mention that Nasser Hussain lost the toss to the born-again Steve Waugh? No, but you knew that already. That makes one success in 15. England preferred James Ormond to Richard Johnson and Phil Tufnell to Robert Croft. Both the spinners are being shown up by Richard Dawson, a 21-year-old Yorkshire off- spinner, who will no doubt be left to learn his trade in county cricket until all his originality and flair have died.

Everyone thought that the smog blanket might aid swing but if it did we all missed that delivery. Darren Gough, out of rhythm, and Andrew Caddick, out of luck, did most of the pre- lunch bowling.

Immediately after a short rain break, Caddick had Hayden lbw so plumb that some eccentric batsmen might have walked but umpire Peter Willey must have nodded off but that gross injustice apart there were only a couple of nicks into the short leg area where Usman Afzaal proved once again that he has no business fielding in a Test even if he has any right to bat there.

At lunch Australia was 66 off 24 overs but, without adding more sweat to the output demanded by the weather conditions, it reached 100 in the 31st over and both batsmen had fifty soon afterwards.

Ormond began his Test career with a maiden-the 12th over of the day-and bowled ten overs for 22 runs; a bustling, quickish, hard- working county bowler with that extra yard that makes, for instance, Craig White at his best such a menace. It might have been just the pitch for White but instead he has just completed the 183 that will ensure Yorkshire win the championship.

What a waste. Tufnell, another wasted force, allowed a flurry of runs but the old magic was still in evidence. Chris Lewis, Phil Tufnell, Craig White. England have made too little of their talent.

By the 41st over the pair had 150 but in Tufnell's eighth over Hayden tried a slog-sweep and was caught at mid- wicket; Australia had already made too many, too quickly for England to contemplate another consolation win.

By tea at 203 for one Ormond had bowled three overs of off-spin, his second-best trick. The new Colin Miller? I'm not sure cricket needs another rainbow warrior.

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