Oval Test, Day 3, Tea
Saturday, August 25, 2001

With about ten minutes to go until tea, that was probably England's session, but Afzaal's dismissal just goes to show how hard it is, not only to get on top of these Aussies, but to stay on top. I thought his innings was brilliant, authoritative from the start, and he didn't do a lot wrong, even when he got out. There weren't many men on the leg side, and he hadn't been tested with the short ball, but McGrath just got it in the perfect place.

We didn't see much of Warne in this session. England batted well against him, so Steve Waugh took him off. It didn't exactly bother the Australians, because Mark Waugh came on and did a pretty good job. Warnie'll be used in short, sharp bursts all through the afternoon, and that last ball to Stewart before tea showed what England can expect.

It's definitely been a pitch for the old pros. Gillespie and Lee haven't got much out of it, though Dizzy pulled his figures back a bit, after going for 35 in four overs last night. As for Lee, he won't have anticipated much joy from this track. He will be best employed as a strike bowler, bowling fast, short if he likes, and making things happen, getting the blood racing among his team-mates as well as the batsmen.

Ramprakash meanwhile has played really well. He's taken a couple of blows - nodded one and taken another on the shoulder - but he's showed sound technique. He's in the forties though, and he often gets out about now. And if one of these two go...

Ian Healy made a record 395 dismissals in 119 Tests for Australia, and was on the winning side in the last six Ashes series. His comments are appearing on Wisden.com at the end of every session of the Oval Test. He was talking to Andrew Miller.

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