Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Chris Woakes delivers in Edgbaston Ashes homecoming for England

The dependable England bowler justified his selection for the opening Ashes Test to the delight of the local supporters

On a slightly showery first day of Ashes cricket, in between marshalling the humming hover cover and painting the crease lines, the local lads roped in to bolster the Edgbaston groundstaff were able to watch one of their own step up for England.

Back in 2005, when Michael Vaughan’s side were blazing their way back into that summer’s epic series, a young Chris Woakes was among the additional cover-wallahs at the ground, doubtless performing his duties in much the same dependable way he plays his cricket these days.

Previously in their shoes, here Woakes was part of a depleted attack charged with filling the more sizeable ones of Jimmy Anderson. The 37-year-old had sent down four overs in the morning, before being bussed off to hospital at lunch for scans on a re-injured calf muscle. With Australia having recovered to 83 for three, a sense of creeping English dread was looming.

And so while Steve Smith’s marvellous lone hand century made it Australia’s day – ensuring Tim Paine’s decision at the toss was not as duff as his Winston Churchill reference 24 hours earlier – that England remain in the contest owes much to the work of Woakes and Stuart Broad in the early afternoon.

The centrality of Edgbaston draws punters from all parts but there is little doubt about the county loyalty of the crowd. This was reflected during the interval when Ian Bell received arguably the loudest cheers of all as six members of the victorious 2005 side were paraded on the outfield.

But the Brummie bellow had gone up a notch further by 2.18pm when another of their own, Woakes, added to his earlier dismissal of Usman Khawaja – caught behind on review to a ball that seamed away – by removing the well-set Travis Head on 35 and Matthew Wade for one in the space of nine balls.

In the case of Head, who had put on 64 precious runs with Smith, it was the ideal right-armer’s set up from over the wicket, firing three across the left-hander’s bows before getting a fourth to nip back in and smash the pads in front.

For Wade, the one-time loudmouth wicketkeeper playing his first Test back as a specialist batsman after barging his way in by weight of runs, it was a similar delivery, albeit one that beat a more whippy and ill-judged shot, with Woakes rightly talking Joe Root into a review on a day to forget for the umpires.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×