Steven Finn and James Anderson took two wickets each in the final session to spare the host's blushes after England were bowled out on the first day's play at Trent Bridge.
Finn bagged Shane Watson and Ed Cowan in consecutive balls and James Anderson prised out the captain Michael Clarke and opener Chris Rogers to leave the visitors 75-4 at the close of play.
cricinfo.com
The day began with the news that Australia had chosen to hand a debut to 19-year-old left arm spinner Ashton Agar. The Sri Lankan-born bowler replacing Nathan Lyon as Australia's only specialist spin option. There were no selection surprises in the England camp however with Joe Root given the nod at the top of the order and Finn retaining his place in the side ahead of Tim Bresnan.
There were no surprises too when Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat first on what looked like a slow, dry wicket. Clarke was not completely disheartened though as a cloudy Nottinghamshire skyline suggested his bowlers could have something to work with in the morning session. And, after a nervy few overs, he was right.
James Pattinson made the first breakthrough luring Cook (13) into a woft outside his offstump before Peter Siddle mopped up Root (30) with an exquisite inswinging yorker. Trott though looked in fine touch, finding the boundary on numerous occasions in the opening hour-and-a-half, and, alongside Kevin Pietersen, was able to guide England to a respectable 98 for 2 at lunch.
However, after lunch it was all Australia, or, more specifically, Peter Siddle. The Victorian's first victim Kevin Pietersen (14) playing a little too far outside his offstump and edging tamely to Clarke in the slips. Next came Trott (48), who, within sight of his half-century, briefly lost his composure to drag a wide Siddle delivery back onto his stumps. Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow staged a mini fightback, but when Siddle returned for his second spell Bell (25) too fell pray to the fired up seamer. In his next over he made it five when Prior (1), trying to force the pace, attempted an expansive cut into the offside, only to find the grateful hands of Phil Hughes at point. England went in for tea tottering on 185 for 6.
After tea things got little better for the hosts. Fleeting resistance from Stuart Broad came to an end when he top edged back to Pattinson for 24, and when Bairstow (37) and Finn (0) were dismissed in consecutive deliveries by a resurgent Mitchell Starc it was all but over for England. Ten balls later and it was. England all out for 215.
England fought back in the evening session to take four Australian wickets, but with brighter weather forecast for tomorrow Cook's men may well not be out the woods yet.
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