Moen Ali's beard and Mitchell Johnson's Moustache

A rather strange day for England today.  Moen Ali of the magnificent black beard and probably England's last recognised batsman battled his way to a fighting 77. Thereafter England were skittled out for 430. An increase of 87 runs from yesterday's total of 343.

Look at that beard superb!

My instant reaction 430 not good enough but a lot higher than expected.  Pitches bizarrely play a huge part in a cricket match and this pitch at Cardiff is most definitely a batting wicket.

One highlight of the morning belonged to an Australian, chocolate hard man Mitchell Johnson.  He's a pantomime character and performed so badly against England in 20111 he even has his own song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LE34IjoZBs

"He bowls to the left he bowls to the right, that Mitchell Johnston his bowling is shite"

Movember is over Mitch

However in the last Ashes series in Australia in 2013/2104 where he was an absolute star and got 37 people out with some remarkable bowling.

Happily this time around Mitchell has got no one out at all so far and has posted his worst bowling figures ever. Zero people out and he's given away 111 runs!!

Australia then went into bat and in all honesty were a bit of a shambles, thankfully. Some superb bowling by the man with the marvellous beard and it has to be said some fine Captaincy by mild mannered Alistair Cook pegged Australia back somewhat and by the end of Day 2 they had scored 264 runs with five men out. Remember England need to get 10 out before they can bat again.  

So Australia at the end of day 2 have it all to do being 166 runs behind.  However don't count them out just yet, too often the Aussie mongrel has bitten the English lion.

Glossary if cricket terms another 5 

1. Night Watchman - a bad batsmen is sent in when getting towards the end of the day to protect more valuable batsmen for the next day's play - he is allowed a pillow, blanket and hot water bottle over night
2. Umpire - basically the referee not often called a wanker by the more sedate crowd 
3. Howzat - a cry to the umpire when the fielders think a batsman is out - bizarrely an umpire cannot give a batsman out unless there is an appeal
4. All - Rounder - a cricketer that is good at bowling and batting - I hate all all rounders as I wasn't good at either of them
5. Expensive - if a bowler gives away a lot of runs in an over its often described as expensive