Essex takes revenge for 1948

Essex v Australia, Chelmsford, 3-4 September 2005
Stumps Day One

Essex First innings  				Runs  	Balls  	4s  	6s
WI Jefferson 			b MS Kasprowicz 64 	73 	10 	1
AN Cook 	c JN Gillespie 	b MS Kasprowicz 214 	238 	33 	1
RS Bopara 			b SW Tait 	135 	220 	17 	2
ML Pettini 	c ML Hayden 	b SW Tait 	8 	16 	1 	0
+JS Foster 		not out 		38 	61 	0 	0
JD Middlebrook 		not out 		26 	30 	0 	0
Extras 	(b 4, lb 5, nb 8, w 0) 	17
Total for 4 wkt 	(105 overs) 	502 	 
	
Bowling  	Overs  	Maidens  Runs  	Wickets  Extras
B Lee 		13 	0 	69 	0 	-
JN Gillespie 	22 	3 	80 	0 	-
SW Tait 	15 	1 	72 	2 	-
SCG MacGill 	24 	0 	128 	0 	-
MS Kasprowicz 	19 	2 	85 	2 	-
BJ Hodge 	12 	1 	59 	0

Unfortunately for Alistair Cook and Ravinder Bopara, this is not a first-class match. It's not quite the 721 that the Aussies (except for Keith Miller) plundered at Southend in 1948, but in those days they got through 129 overs in a day...

If I understand the playing conditions of this weekend's game, Essex have to close their innings overnight, and Australia have all day to score 503 to win. On the other hand, being a two-day game, Australia needs 404 to avoid the follow-on.