My picks of the second day:
Mitchell Johnson (53) and Ben Hilfenhaus (34) made a fine revival for Australia with a smashing 76-partnership in 15 overs after the home side fell from 134-4 to 189-8 on day two of the fifth Test in Sydney. Australia were eventually all out for 280 and saw England openers Andrew Strauss (60 off 58) and Alastair Cook smash in a 98-partnership before the skipper fell. England dropped a couple more wickets before the end of the day, leaving Cook unbeaten on 61 and England on 167-3.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
1st session, Australia 230-8 at lunch: After losing four wickets for only 55 runs, Johnson and Hilfenhaus survived and performed a good recovery, sparing Australia from a total collapse and an embarrassing low total.
2nd session, Australia 280 all out, England 73-0, 207 behind at tea: England finally broke the Johnson-Hilfenhaus partnership and Australia fell all out soon after. England will be happy with their strong opening partnership and start of reply.
3rd session, England 167-3, 113 behind at the end of day two: England frustrated Australia, no decisions going the hosts' way and the batsmen making it as difficult as possible for the bowlers whilst keeping the scoreboard ticking and opener Cook holding and scoring on well.
Partnerships: England must have gone into the day thinking they will be batting before lunch not expecting the 76-run partnership with a smashing half-century innings by Johnson (53) and fine contribution from Hilfenhaus (34). Once Johnson fell, bowled by Tim Bresnan, Hilfenhaus followed soon after, caught behind off James Anderson and Australia were all out for 280, a more respectable total than feared and expected by the home side after collapsing to 189-8. England in reply made a fine opening with skipper Strauss smashing in 60 off 58 and a 98 partnership with Cook, who is still standing on 61 after being given out on 46, caught at mid-on off debutant spinner Michael Beer, but reviews showed it was a no-ball. After Strauss was eventually bowled by Hilfenhaus, Jonathan Trott followed soon after also bowled by Johnson and out for his first duck, it looked like Hilfenhaus and Johnson were there to spoil the show for England again. But Kevin Pietersen (36) calmed England's nerves and evened things out again with a fine little stint before he was caught by Beer from the long-leg boundary off Johnson and nightwatchman Anderson had to take over.
Bowlers: Hilfenhaus (34 runs and 1 wicket) and Johnson (53 runs and 2 wickets) are without a doubt the stars of the day, with bat and ball, sparing Australia from total embarrassment and leaving them in this match with more than a shout. Beer got his debut wicket too - on a no-ball, which is unforgivable for a spinner! It was most certainly not all sweetness and light and saviour for the Aussies as England smashed and bashed in well enough to frustrate and sour the taste for them. Anderson took four wickets including the last one with Hilfenhaus. Paul Collingwood and Bresnan contributed with one each, the latter getting the most crucial break and victim with Johnson. They all made it a juicy, action-packed day, see how and against whom it will turn tomorrow...
Ups: Just when you thought the Aussies were on their knees, their lower-order decides to smash and spoil the show and make a match of it - that makes one perfect, spicy encounter!
Downs: I can't find one thing to moan about really, makes a change!
Hero to zero: From centurion, record scorer and man of the match to zero, Trott will not want to remember this one. After just six deliveries, the duck left the field after dragging the ball onto his stumps and left fears of a crumble for England. It all belongs to the game and every strong player has had it and has to come back stronger from it. It all belongs to the experience - ask most of the Australian batsmen!
Australia v England fifth Test second day as it happened:
Highlights taken from the BBC website:
1st session:
- WICKET, Haddin c Prior b Anderson 6 (Australia 143-5): Haddin with a proud looking punch into the covers for two as the sun makes its maiden appearance in this match. Anderson gets a spot of in-duck that tucks Haddin up... and he's gone next ball! Feet staked to the turf, a wild and windy waft outside off and Prior has him on toast.
- DRINKS BREAK, Australia 158-5: Smith remaining watchful against Swann, just the one run from his over, a squirt down to fine-leg for one. Bresnan to continue and he tests Smith out with a bit of chin music - not particularly well-played, an attempted hook without much control. One run for it, here comes the drinks cart...
- WICKET, Hussey b Collingwood 33 (Australia 171-6): Collingwood drags one in short and Hussey's rocks back and tugs him away for a couple. I was introduced to The Only Way Is Essex over the Yuletide period... SHUT UP DIRS, COLLINGWOOD'S CLEANED UP HUSSEY! Nothing shot from Hussey, inside-edge onto pad, stumps splattered...
- WICKET, Smith c Collingwood b Anderson 18 (Australia 187-7): Sorry Aussies, I just jinxed your boy - awful shot from Smith, looking to trolley Anderson over cover and edging to Collingwood at third slip...
- WICKET, Siddle c Strauss b Anderson 2 (Australia 189-8): England keep picking up wickets at the right time, and the Aussies aren't exactly making them graft for them - poor shots from Haddin, Hussey and Smith, who handed Anderson his 19th wicket of the series. Siddle squirts through imaginary fourth slip for a couple and he's gone two balls later, edging to Strauss at first slip - England dropping nothing.
- INTERVAL, LUNCH - Australia 230-8: Tremlett loses his line and Johnson fills his boots, tickling the ball to the boundary. Tremlett goes leg-side again and Johnson heaves him away for one more before Hilfenhaus edges past Bresnan at gully for one. Not sure why Bresnan's at gully - they started off with KP, then it was Anderson, now it's Bresnan. That's lunch, the Aussies throwing back before the break...
2nd session:
- MITCHELL JOHNSON 50 - Australia 261-8: Johnson getting stuck into Swann now - first he hoicks him through mid-wicket for four before upping the volume, heaving him over the top for six. And there's his fifty - neat shot that, a checked dab into the leg-side. The SCG crowd rises, Mitchell has given them hope...
- WICKET, Johnson b Bresnan 53 (Australia 265-9): Two more for Johnson, who now has six Test fifties, courtesy of a drive into the covers before Hilfenhaus misses out with an attempted hook. Bresnan gives him the look, Hilfenhaus grins and shrugs... Johnson's gone two balls later! Bresnan with a ball that comes back a touch and he rips out Johnson's off-stump.
- WICKET, Hilfenhaus c Prior b Anderson 34 (Australia 280): That's all folks - Anderson does the trick with his first ball since lunch, Hilfenhaus having a woof at a short ball and feathering to Prior behind the stumps...
- Very irritating runs from Johnson and Hilfenhaus, from an England point of you, very valuable from an Aussie point of you - it's late runs like that that can make all the difference...
- APPEAL - NOT OUT, England 20-0: Bored of full inswingers, Hilfenhaus switches to bouncers and watches Strauss pull both of them for four. Back to plan A? Indeed, and here's an lbw appeal but that's not out and there's no review. We still haven't had a review in the match which means umpires Bowden and Dar are on hot form.
- England 50-0: Siddle to continue and he does what Michael Vaughan thinks he should do, ploughing a line on the top of off-stump. Watson doing some stretches, we could have him into the attack soon. Cook leaving well, and as Watson has already shown, that's a pretty good shot on this pitch... so is that, a swivel-pull to bring up the fifty partnership in only 10 overs.
- INTERVAL, TEA - England 73-0: That is crackerjack from Strauss - over-pitched from Siddle and the England skipper laces him through the covers for four. Laminate that and stick it up on your bedroom ceiling. That's tea time, what a session for England, the momentum ripped back from the hosts - for now...
3rd session:
- WICKET, Strauss b Hilfenhaus 60 (England 98-1): Strauss is a goner! Hilfenhaus has been threatening to do that, getting the ball to swing back in to the England skipper before nipping it away off the seam and ripping out off-stump - to be fair, almost unplayable.
- WICKET, Trott b Johnson 0 (England 99-2): Too straight from Johnson and Cook nurdles him for a single... TROTT'S GONE! One wicket brings another, as often happens in cricket, the Warwickshire man dangling his bat and dragging Johnson on...
- DRINKS BREAK, England 118-2: One for Cook before Pietersen slams a size 12 down the pitch and laces Hilfenhaus through the covers for four. Drinks.
- UMPIRE REVIEW: A first Test wicket for Beer?! Cook looking to heave him over mid-wicket and holing out to the man at mid-on! Hang on a minute! The umpires are going upstairs, Bowden reckons it could be a no-ball! Surely not, he's spinner after all... NOT OUT, England 145-2: Deary me, Umpire Bowden's got it right, Beer overstepped - that is unforgivable from a spinner, and a huge boon for England. Not only is it a life for Cook, Beer will feel as though he's just had his head skimmed off. Cook picks up one to mid-wicket before Pietersen picks up a couple with a flick off his pads. Big moment...
- WICKET, Pietersen c Beer b Johnson 36 (England 165-2): PIETERSEN'S GONE! A well-directed bumper from Johnson, KP throws the bat at it and your man Beer takes the catch running in from the long-leg boundary. He's just not learning...
- CLOSE OF PLAY, England 167-3: Johnson with the final six balls of the day... short-leg wheeled into place, as well as a leg slip, three slips, two gullys and a short extra cover - and that's horrible from Johnson, short and fast and Anderson plays that very, very well. That's a ripper from Johnson but Anderson plays it well again, dropping his hands on it and watching it scoot through... well played James Anderson, real tough situation that and he acquitted himself well - stumps.
