My picks of the first day:
England took full control in familiar fashion on the first day of the third Ashes Test, bowling Australia out for 268 after winning the toss at the Waca in Perth. Stuart Broad replacement Chris Tremlett justified his selection by taking three fine and crucial wickets on the day. England's bowlers showed focus, patience and stamina wiht only three extras in the whole of Australia's innings, all leg byes. England's openers finished the day safe and dry on 29, 239 behind with 10 wickets in hand.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
1st session, Australia 65-4 after 26 overs at lunch: England in control after Australia lost the toss. Only 3 extras so far, all leg byes, shows England's focused bowling. Not at their best yet the guests, but they are still getting the breakthroughs and wickets.
2nd session, Australia 179-6 after 64 overs at tea: England keep control in the afternoon, Australia getting starts but England spoiling and ending any promising looking batting or partnership. An all too familiar picture in this series for the hosts.
3rd session, Australia 268 all out, England 29-0, 239 behind with all wickets spare at the end of day one: England's day, all day. Advantage to the guests as they take a firm grip on the third Test and the Ashes urn with it.
Partnerships:
It was an all too familiar story for Australia, starts but no control, no centurions. Mike Hussey (61), Brad Haddin (53) and Mitchell Johnson (62) all scored half centuries before a last-wicket stand of 35 between Peter Siddle (35) and Ben Hilfenhaus (13) boosted the total. Haddin shared the two top scoring partnerships of 68 and 52 with Hussey and Johnson respectively, looking the most promising but failing just the like in the end, caught behind at second slip. There were some spectacular catches and bowling, but in the end, Australia failed in many ways, not able to cope with the bowling attack and gain any control.
Bowling:
Australia were 69-5 just after lunch, which reflects what control and grip England's bowlers have on the hosts' batsmen. The lower order did save the Aussies some blushes, each and every bowler doing their part to fell them down. James Anderson was everything else but at his best but still took 3 wickets for 61 off 20 overs. Man of the day Tremlett shows similar figures with 3 wickets for 63 runs off 23 overs. Spinners Steve Finn and Graeme Swann contributed a couple of breakthroughs and wickets each for 86 and 52 respectively. Some spectacular fielding and catches grabbed all the attention and advantage too, Paul Collingwood with the catch of the day at third slip, one-handed, at full stretch, jumping to his right.
Ups: For England, everything is looking up at the moment. All advantage to the guests, on the day, in the match and series - a win would see England retain the urn, Australia losing control and options.
Downs: I may sound a bit premature and spoilt, but, if England would win this Tests, wouldn't that spoil the rest of the contest? Wouldn't it take the fire out of the last two Test matches? I don't think so, because England are growing hungrier and hungrier with every successful day - they want to thrash the Aussies badly and give the back some of their own medicine England had to suffer under all the years/decades. What do you think? Please feel free to add your comments and discuss...
Hero to zero: Sad for Shane Warne that the only thing he can make headlines these days is his love life. That just exemplifies and shows what the Australian cricket has fallen to... Tut-tut...
Australia v England second Test day one as it happened
1st session:
- So, it is 0-1 to England after two tests, three tests to go and all eyes are on the Waca in Perth.
- Australia need a win desperately and have rung in changes: The hosts have gone all pace with four fast bowlers in attack. Spinner Michael Beer is left out and new man Steve Smith and Phil Hughes replace Marcus North and Simon Katich joining recalled Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus who are in for Xavier Doherty and Doug Bollinger.
- England, with a win, can retain the Ashes before Christmas. Chris Tremlett is brought into attack replacing injured Stuart Broad, the only change to the in-form England side.
- England win the toss and Andrew Strauss chooses to have a bowl. Ricky Ponting would have gone the same way.
- James Anderson kicks the match off, Shane Watson joining Phil Hughes in a new opening parternship for Australia. Brilliant catch down the legside by the wicketkeeper Matt Prior with his left glove, given, England all cheers, Watson sends it straight to review, the ball seems to pass the bat and glove, the sound coming from the ball scraping the pocket, the decision is reversed, Australia relieved, no wickets off the first over, a maiden over for Anderson.
- Stuart Broad replacement Tremlett faces Hughes on the other end, who is off the mark with a couple off the fourth ball - and bowled with the last ball off the over! What a cracker! A short one! Australia 2-1 after 2 overs! England have their breakthrough!
- Skipper Ricky Ponting already at the crease. 4-1 after 3 overs, Watson getting another couple off Anderson.
- Ponting faces his first delivery against Tremlett, I would give a penny on his thoughts right now. He clips one through floating slip/gully, no one there for the catch, it goes for four. Kevin Pietersen curses it, and the field is changes straight away, another gully put on. Another teasing boundary on the onside, fine shot, 12-1 at the end of the 4th over.
- Watson edges the next ball up and high, Strauss gets his left hand to it up in the air but no grip around, dropped on 2, followed by a single and another boundary by Ponting, the third of the morning. Paul Collingwood takes a brilliant catch at fourth slip, stretched out and on a jump with his right hand, it would have been another definite boundary if it would have slipped through, the Aussie skipper is out for 12 off 10, Australia reeling 17-2, Michael Clarke in on number 3. 17-2 after 5 overs, one wicket each for the opening bowlers, a wicket chance every over so far, two taken.
- Watson single brings Clarke against Tremlett who goes short, 18-2 after 6 overs, run rate of 3 per over.
- Another single by Watson, Anderson a bit off the mark, wide, this morning, Clarke sending the ball through the gap between the two gullies, off the mark with a boundary. Anderson needs to go fuller. Australia 23-2 after 7.
- Tremlett goes a bit fuller, Watson smashes him for four, he's unbeaten on 9; correction: on 10 after another careful single, the first Australian into double figures today. And Prior gets his 100th catch in Test cricket (in only 38 matches), the pace and bounce, Clarke beaten by a short one, finds a thin edge and out for 4 off 10, Australia 28-3 at the end of the 8th over.
- Mike Hussey on, Watson standing through a maiden against Anderson, it stays 28-3 after 9 overs...
- ... For now as Hussey faces Tremlett... And is off the mark with a single off the last ball, Austria 29-3 after 10 overs.
- Steven Finn comes on for Anderson against Hussey and starts with a maiden, Australia 29-3 after 11 overs.
- Tremlett stays on the case against Watson, who leaves one that comes back on him and clips the next from an awkward angle and ball falls just short of short-leg. Watson in all sorts of trouble. Another maiden. Still 29-3 after 12 overs.
- Hussey slices Finn away for four through the slips. Finn switches to around the wicket, much better... 33-3 after 13 overs and the end of the first hour, drinks are on.
- A maiden for Tremlett v Watson, Australia 33-3 after 14 overs.
- 35-3 after 15 overs, Finn still finding his way.
- Anderson is back on for Tremlett, Strauss giving him a spell from the other end before lunch, just a single from it, Australia 36-3 after 16 overs.
- Watson's given out lbw against Finn, Aus 36-4, it looks stone-dead, but Watson sends it for review, the ball definitely hits the boot first but was it high or outside the line, nope, JUST half-half, in/outside the line, umpire's call stands, stone-dead he is, Watson out for 13 off 40, that was just a gamble-review, one wasted, 36-4 it is, Finn off the mark with his first wicket. Steve Smith is on. Off the mark with a single off the second ball he faces. A couple of boundaries at the end of the 17th over, Australia 45-4.
- 46-4 after 18 overs. The debate is raging whether the ball was outside the line on Watson's lbw, even the 3rd umpire is seen discussing with the other officials, I think it was 50%-50%, not enough to overturn the umpires decision.
- Australia clutching onto straws on 47-4 after 19 overs.
- And just another single off the 20th over, Australia 48-4, Hussey on 13 off 39 and Smith on 4 off 15.
- 49-4 after 21 overs, they are still discussing the lbw decision, now saying it may have just bounced before hitting the foot meaning it was in-line... It is out, final, full stop!
- Maiden over by Anderson v Smith, 49-4 after 22 overs.
- Awkward Hussey single brings up 50 for Australia. Another single is followed by a six from Hussey, everything else but confident or flashy but still the maximum boundary, followed by a four off an attempted full toss, Hussey wacking and cracking a bit against Finn now, Australia 62-4 after 23 overs.
- Tremlett back on for Anderson just before lunch v Hussey on 25. Single, Smith edge off the last ball drops well short of slip, Australia 63-4 after 24 overs.
- Not Graeme Swann but Paul Collingwood is on just before lunch, v Hussey. 65-4 after 25 overs, parternship of 29 off 53, Hussey on 28, Smith 5.
- Tremlett takes the last over before lunch and completed a maiden, Australia 65-4 after 26 overs. 26 overs, 65 runs, 4 wickets, 13 over rate, 2.5 run rate this session. England haven't even been at their best bowlingwise this morning, Anderson especially and still Australia are in tatters.
2nd session highlights:
- 69-5 Smith caught by Strauss at slip...
- 137-6 Haddin is out, caught behind and out for 63, not given at first but Prior is sure sending it straight to review without a split second deliberation, the decision is overturned, Swann gets his first of the match.
- Australia 158-6, Haddin on 46, Johnson on 11.
- Tremlett back on, single from the over, Australia 159-6.
- Johnson hits a four, the only run from the over, 163-6.
- Half century comes up for Hussey, his 7th Test fifty, Australia 171-6. 177-6 after 63 overs.
- Collingwood on just before tea. A couple of singles make it 179-6 after 64 overs and that's tea. 28 overs, 114 runs, 2 wickets, 14 over rate and 4.07 run rate in the second session of the day and match. England's day so far.
3rd session highlights:
Taken from the BBC website as I had to go to work... :-(
- 50 off 91 balls partnership, Aus 187-6, Haddin contributing 17 off 41 from his total 53 off 78, Johnson 32 off 51.
- WICKET Haddin c Swann b Anderson 53 (Aus 189-7): Play is held up by what Aggers describes as "a renegade sightscreen" (sorry, no "renegade sightscreen" graphics available), which shoots off in the wrong direction and forces several spectators to move. But then Haddin flashes at Anderson, and Swann leaps to take another great catch above his head at second slip!
- WICKET Harris b Anderson (Aus 201-8): Johnson is swinging at everything, hoicking Anderson past mid-on with an unorthodox jab for four that takes him to 41. A nudge off his legs scatters a few seagulls, while JL on TMS apologises for the lack of the usual "crystal-blue" Perth sky. Harris is finally off the mark in the series as he square-drives Anderson for three, but after Johnson rotates the strike with a single, Harris is yorked off his pads by the Burnley Express!
- DRINKS BREAK Aus 225-8: I've been impressed by the Australian lower order. They've frankly shown far more sense than the more celebrated players above them in the team. Lovely pull shot here from Siddle, two runs for him off Tremlett. "That was a beautiful shot," says an admiring Michael Vaughan.
- Aus 229-8: Tremlett finally bowls the last ball of the over. That took a while to come after an lbw appeal by Tremlett off Siddle was reviewed by England and given NOT OUT - It was slightly too high and a fraction leg-sidey, but it's taking an age to get the right sort of camera on board to save Siddle. Anyway he is saved. If it had been given out and Siddle had challenged it, he would have remained out, but this way England lose a review. That's modern cricket!
- WICKET Johnson c Anderson b Finn 62 (Australia 233-9): Great fielding off his own bowling by Finn as Johnson attacks. And now he pulls one straight to square-leg. Bye bye, Mitch.
- WICKET Hilfenhaus c Cook b Swann 13 (Aus 268 all out): Not before time, Strauss goes back to Swann, and his spinner gets the wicket that wraps up the innings. Bat-pad catch to short-leg, Hilfy hung around hoping to get lucky, but the umpire finally gives him out.
- Well that was an annoying tail-end bite, more than a sting. Tremlett was marvellous throughout, Swann and Anderson were dependable as ever, and Finn? Two vital wickets, but he went at nearly six runs an over and won't be getting an invite into the one-day squad any time soon.
- CLOSE OF PLAY Eng 29-0 (Strauss 12, Cook 17): England's openers leaving so well on length. You can do that when facing the new ball in Perth, only the Aussies chose not to. Johnson bowls a ball that's so short he almost hurls it onto his own toes, and Haddin had to jump very high to collect that. Good yorker from Johnson, but these two can play yorkers. And the last ball of the day is calmly played down the ground. England's day.
