The day started with Bell and Stokes on the crease facing Harris 1st up. Harris got the wicket of Bell in his very second over of the day. Bell was hit on the front pad but Erasmus shook his head but Australia decide to review and Hawk-Eye had it clattering into the top of middle stump. That was the wicket Australia would have wanted and England's best hope of pulling off a pre-Christmas miracle disappeared. Matt Prior came in to join Stokes at the scoreboard reading 190/5. Soon afterwards, Jhonson got the prized wicket of Stokes,caught behind. The ball was pitched up and invited the drive, Stokes edged it and was gone. Stokes wasn't forward enough to play that shot, swishing away from his body at a wide delivery and that was catching practice for Haddin. Just when it seemed Prior and Bresnan were going well, Clarke's bowling change to replace Jhonson by Siddle worked as he got Prior on the 3rd ball of his spell,caught behind. The ball was slightly back of a length, Prior pulled across the line and got a thin bottom edge. Siddle got the better of Prior for the 11th time in Tests. It was not a shot he needed to attempt, particularly after playing and missing twice, and his woes continued. As did England's. Stuart Broad came in at No. 9 With the new ball due in less than three overs. After a flurry of fours from Bresnan of the bowling of Watson, Clarke did another bowling change, bringing back Jhonson in place of Siddle and once again the bowling change worked as he got Broad lbw with a toe crushing yorker. The ball was full, fast and pinning Broad in front. Swann joined Bresnan with the score reading 229/8. Clarke brough Harris into the attack and in his 2nd over of the spell he got Bresnan caught behind. The ball was pitched at good length, seaming a touch and Bresnan feathered through to Haddin, trying to take his bat away. He got caught on the back foot, hanging his bat out and there was a fatal tickle before he realised the danger. This meant the arrival of the last man, James Anderson with England reeling at 233/9. Siddle cabe back in replacing Jhonson and ended the last wicket stand of 18 runs. The ball was pitched short, Anderson turned his head and spooned the ball off the shoulder of the bat, straight to the man at short leg giving Australia a 1st innings lead of 134 runs.
David Warner started the innings in fashion, getting off the mark with a four off the bolwing of Bresnan in the 2nd ove of the innings. Some excellent display of stroke and temperament from Warner and Rogers took Australia to 104/0 in just 26 overs. They stitched together an opening stand of 157 runs before Bresnan got the better of Rogers in the 44th over of the Australian innings. It was a length ball wide of off stump,Rogers slapped it to point where Carberry dived to his left to take a smart catch. It was a loose stroke by Rogers, trying to carve it away but not getting right into the stroke, flashing the ball in the air and Carberry pouched it easily. Warner got to his century in just 127 balls by hitting a ball past point for four and he celebrated in typical reserved style, a four-pace run-up before a leap into the air with his helmet in the right hand. Finally, Swann took the wicket of Warner, giving England supporters some cheer. A total miscue of a slog sweep and it went a long way up but not very long and Stokes had to shuffle in a few yards to steady himself for the chance, which he took easily ending another blistering innings from Warner. Clarke joined Watson at the crease but was bowled by Stokes when he was at an individual score of 23. Stokes hit the seam and brought the ball back a fraction as Clarke went for an expansive drive down the ground but was done through the gate and sent on his way with a crash of ash. Steven Smith appeared in the middle with Australia's lead above 350 with seven wickets still in hand. Australia ended the day at 235/3 with Smith and Watson fighting out the last few overs with much ease.
It was a familiar tale of England's underperformance followed by a lot of hard yakka in the field. The bowlers would be feeling stiff tomorrow - particularly as England were without Stuart Broad, another Johnson victim in the morning - and they may have to take some more punishment before Australia are done. They could probably bat another session and a half and still be confident of seeing England slip down a crack in the WACA wicket, though given Clarke's attacking instincts, it may come down to a quick thrash to get up above the 414 chased by South Africa here five years ago, then unleash hell (part III).
David Warner started the innings in fashion, getting off the mark with a four off the bolwing of Bresnan in the 2nd ove of the innings. Some excellent display of stroke and temperament from Warner and Rogers took Australia to 104/0 in just 26 overs. They stitched together an opening stand of 157 runs before Bresnan got the better of Rogers in the 44th over of the Australian innings. It was a length ball wide of off stump,Rogers slapped it to point where Carberry dived to his left to take a smart catch. It was a loose stroke by Rogers, trying to carve it away but not getting right into the stroke, flashing the ball in the air and Carberry pouched it easily. Warner got to his century in just 127 balls by hitting a ball past point for four and he celebrated in typical reserved style, a four-pace run-up before a leap into the air with his helmet in the right hand. Finally, Swann took the wicket of Warner, giving England supporters some cheer. A total miscue of a slog sweep and it went a long way up but not very long and Stokes had to shuffle in a few yards to steady himself for the chance, which he took easily ending another blistering innings from Warner. Clarke joined Watson at the crease but was bowled by Stokes when he was at an individual score of 23. Stokes hit the seam and brought the ball back a fraction as Clarke went for an expansive drive down the ground but was done through the gate and sent on his way with a crash of ash. Steven Smith appeared in the middle with Australia's lead above 350 with seven wickets still in hand. Australia ended the day at 235/3 with Smith and Watson fighting out the last few overs with much ease.
It was a familiar tale of England's underperformance followed by a lot of hard yakka in the field. The bowlers would be feeling stiff tomorrow - particularly as England were without Stuart Broad, another Johnson victim in the morning - and they may have to take some more punishment before Australia are done. They could probably bat another session and a half and still be confident of seeing England slip down a crack in the WACA wicket, though given Clarke's attacking instincts, it may come down to a quick thrash to get up above the 414 chased by South Africa here five years ago, then unleash hell (part III).
No comments:
Post a Comment