My picks of the first day:
Australia won the toss and that was the only thing that went their way on the first day of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval. England, their own clumsiness and a bit of misfortune tore them up to 245 all out. James Anderson is the man of the day with four wickets after giving Australia most pain and vain. England finished the day on 1-0, 244 behind, full of confidence and high expectations after all spoils went to them on the first day.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
1st session, Australia 94-3 at lunch: England could not have dreamt up this start, Australia in dismay. After a chaotic nightmare start to the morning at 2-3, the hosts recovered a little bit before the break thanks to Watson and Hussey.
2nd session, Australia 159-5 at tea: England again as happy as Larry, keeping Australia under pressure constantly, giving none of their batsmen time or room to settle and build up a solid base of runs and a partnership.
3rd session, Australia 245 all out, England 1-0, 244 behind at the end of day one: England finished the day as they started and kept it - under total control. Australia drawing a frustrated and sad picture with their skipper left wondering how and where everything went so drastically wrong after winning the toss.
Partnerships: The top three partnerships in runs show how the day has been for the batting side: After a nightmare start and their side shaking on 2-3, the partnership of 94 runs between Shane Watson and Mike Hussey steadied the ship a bit before the lunch break giving them the hope for the innings to stabilise and become a bit more of a competition again in the afternoon. But Watson gave away an easy catch after the break (51), inept to convert the start into a big and more competitive score. Marcus North came on to join Hussey for 60 runs, another start but North ended any hope of a partnership by being caught behind (26). Just when you thought Hussey was running out of partners, he set up a good partnership with Brad Haddin, but ended it himself on 51, being caught at slip before reaching his 13th Test century, disappointing after his 195 in the first Test and the record partnership the two set up at Brisbane. With his departure Australia's hope for salvation vanished too, Ben Hilfenhaus replacement Ryan Harris falling the next delivery and the last three falling for only 38. They just never got in there.
Bowling: Anderson enjoyed most of the wickets and pressure on the Aussies for the first half of the day. Then the change to Steven Finn and Graeme Swann meant more wickets and doom and gloom and the end for Australia. Stuart Broad at least had one wicket to cheer about, but is not at half of his best yet. Anderson is definitely the man of the day, his speed and beauties kept Australia on their toes and made them slip and trip up on more than one occasion. Swann was lucky to get the lbw decision against Harris as it looked like the ball gave a hint of a touch onto the bat, however, he definitely did his part to keep the hosts frustrated and dismayed too.
Ups: What a day of cricket! What drama! What disaster! What mayhem! What action! What's next?! That's what the fans pay and come for. Can't get enough of it! Those fans that came in a bit late at the start of the day and missed the opening three wickets will be biting themselves - they'll be spot on time tomorrow I bet you!
Downs & Hero to zero: When nothing's going your way, nothing's going your way. That's definitely what Ricky Ponting will have felt - but there's no need to have a spitter and spatter with Andrew Strauss at the end of the day - it won't change the scoreboard!
Australia v England second Test day one as it happened
1st session:
- Day one of the second Ashes Test from the Adelaide Oval under a clear blue sky. Australia win the toss and choose to bat. Australia won by six wickets when the two sides met on this ground during the 2007 series. Andrew Strauss is not too gutted about losing this toss to Ricky Ponting, saying this pitch has bounce and movement in it, used and bowled the right way, the hosts may regret their choice, wait and see.
- Two changes for Australia, in the bowling attack, Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris in for Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, England unchanged. Marais Erasmus and Tony Hill are the two umpires. 90 overs to be bowled today.
- James Anderson kicks the day and match off v Shane Watson - and what a start! Jonathan Trott picks up Watson's soft shot at square leg, throws the ball back and hits the stumps easily and comfortably and Simon Katich is out without facing a ball, long way out, guilty of ball-watching, schoolboy error.
- Ricky Ponting is on much earlier than he would have liked and expected, bad communication and confusion between Katich and Watson. And the skipper is out first ball! Edge and catch by Graeme Swann at second slip, out for a duck! England will love to have lost the toss after this start! Brilliant delivery, dismay for Australia! Golden duck in Ponting's 150th Test.
- Michael Clarke on, off the mark first ball he faces. That was the last ball of an unbelievable over, 1-2 after the first over. Dream start for Anderson and England. Dramatic nightmare for the Aussies.
- People are still arriving at the sold out ground and will bite themselves for missing the crunch-crash start. Stuart Broad at the other end, against a nervous Clarke and Australia. 2-2 after 2 overs.
- Anderson at full length, Clarke edges it and is gone for 1 run off 6 balls, a comfortable catch for Swann at second slip, his second of the day. Clarke's and Australia's misery continues, 2-3, Anderson will think he's still asleep dreaming.
- Mike Hussey on and off the mark with the first ball. First boundary of the day makes it 11-3 at the end of the third over.
- Broad v Hussey, England appeal for a catch behind, there was a noise, but it was the bat nudging the pad, long way off the ball, Strauss knows it and doesn't bother to have it reviewed.
- Maiden over for Broad, 11-3 after 4 overs.
- Anderson lbw appeal v Watson, first review used, the bowler is confident as always, replays show it bounced too high though, big stride by Watson, umpire's decision stands, not out, England lose one of their two reviews.
- Another maiden, 11-3 after 5 overs.
- 12-3 after 6 overs.
- Anderson continues v Hussey - and misses a catch low to his left, the ball bouncing off his fingers, ugh, he knows! Anxious times for Australia. 14-3 after 7 overs.
- Watson's smash and boundary makes it 24-3 after 8 overs.
- Anderson v Hussey, inside edge drops short in front of Swann at second slip. Australia everything else but off the hook. 25-3 after 9 overs, pressure still on the hosts.
- Steven Finn comes into the attack, on for Broad at the Cathedral end, v Hussey. Single, followed by a square drive for four by Watson and another single. 31-3 after 10 overs, 29-run partnership off 47 deliveries, Watson on 17, Hussey on 12.
- 36-3 after 11 overs.
- 42-3 after 12 overs.
- Anderson gets a warning from the umpire, his foot on the line of the stumps, has to be careful. 43-3 after 13 overs, time for drinks.
- Australia 94-3 at lunch.
2nd session:
- Watson gone for 51 (94) caught by Pietersen, 7 fours 1 six, Australia 96-4, 94 partnership off 156 balls.
- North v Anderson, two slips, two gullies, all wickets by Anderson so far apart from the run out.
- Hussey on 37 (71), v Swann, edge bounces off silly point's pad, close one, 97-4.
- Anderson stays on, boundary by Hussey brings up 100 for Australia, not much applause and cheers for that. 101-4 end of the over.
- North 26 (93), 4 fours; caught behind off Finn, soft dismissal, 156-5, 60 partnership off 159 balls. Hussey on 71* (138); 6 fours, 0 sixes; will he run out of partners? Haddin on 2* (6).
- 159-5 at tea after 57 overs.
3rd session:
- Swann v Hussey, just a couple off the over. 161-5.
- Anderson v Haddin at the other end. Haddin scores with ease and conviction v Swann, 174-5.
- Hussey is out for 93 (183), caught at off-slip by off Swann, Australia 207-7.
- Harris is out next ball, lbw, big shout, given out, he sends it straight to review saying he's hit it, replays show maybe a feather of an inside edge, ball hits both pads, clipping the outside of leg stump, the umpire's decision stands. Cruel one, still out though, looked dead first hand, Australia 207-7, Swann on a hat-trick v Xavier Doherty, two dot balls to finish the over.
- 212-7 after 75 overs.
- Swann v Haddin lbw shout not given, sent to be reviewed, replays show, the ball hits the pad outside the line, decision stands and England have no reviews left, Australia 224-7.
- Oh oh, another mix up, Doherty run out for 6 (19), should have been an easy single, the ball picked up by Strauss who causes the confusion between the batsmen, throws it to the wicketkeeper who stumps it, Australia 226-8, Haddin on 40, Peter Siddle on as the new batsmen.
- New ball taken and the fast bowlers are back on.
- Anderson is back into attack from the river end, on for Finn, v Siddle, 227-8.
- Broad from the cathedral end, v Haddin. Haddin reaches his half century with a smashing 6, 53 (86), Australia 242-8.
- Siddle out next over, caught by Cook off Anderson, easy chip-catch, 3 (21), last man Doug Bollinger on, Anderson figures so far 18.3-4-51-4, Australia 243-9. 85th over.
- Broad starts his 19th over. Haddin smacks the ball up into the air into Finn's hands off Broad, comfortable catch, had enough time to set himself, Haddin's out for 56 (95), Australia 245 all out.
- England have an uncomfortable over ahead before the end of the day... Ryan Harris maiden 1-0 at the end thanks to an extra, 244 behind. Ponting's having a go at Strauss on their way to the pavilion, both in each other's face. Tense times for Australia.
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