England 289 for 7 (Bell 109, Bairstow 67, Smith 3-18) v Australia
Three quick wickets from part-time legspinner Steve Smith in the evening session ensured Australia held the initiative going into day two of the second Ashes Test at Lords.
Smith took 3 for 12 in 22 balls in an unexpectedly potent spell of legbreak bowling. First Ian Bell was undone by some prodigious spin out of the rough, caught at slip, then Jonny Bairstow gifted Smith his second knocking a full bunger back to the bowler. Smith completed the rout deceiving Matt Prior with a variation ball out of the front of hand.
England won the toss and chose to bat on what looked like an ideal day for run scoring. News from the toss was that Steven Finn would miss out on his home ground and that Tim Bresnan, who so ably replaced Finn in the last series, would get a birth. The Aussies made two changes. Usman Khawaja in for Ed Cowan and the talented Ryan Harris in for Mitchell Starc.
Three quick wickets from part-time legspinner Steve Smith in the evening session ensured Australia held the initiative going into day two of the second Ashes Test at Lords.
Smith took 3 for 12 in 22 balls in an unexpectedly potent spell of legbreak bowling. First Ian Bell was undone by some prodigious spin out of the rough, caught at slip, then Jonny Bairstow gifted Smith his second knocking a full bunger back to the bowler. Smith completed the rout deceiving Matt Prior with a variation ball out of the front of hand.
England won the toss and chose to bat on what looked like an ideal day for run scoring. News from the toss was that Steven Finn would miss out on his home ground and that Tim Bresnan, who so ably replaced Finn in the last series, would get a birth. The Aussies made two changes. Usman Khawaja in for Ed Cowan and the talented Ryan Harris in for Mitchell Starc.
With one came two as Ryan Harris got into the action in the next over. His victim the ever-popular Joe Root. Full and straight and crashing into the pads, Root (6) too was caught on the crease. And, after an unsuccessful review, was back in the hutch with his captain.
And two the became three when Kevin Pietersen (2), always vulnerable early in his innings, edged behind to Haddin off Harris. Six overs in, three wickets down and just 28 on the board and England were in need of a characterful performance from their middle order, and they did not disappoint.
And two the became three when Kevin Pietersen (2), always vulnerable early in his innings, edged behind to Haddin off Harris. Six overs in, three wickets down and just 28 on the board and England were in need of a characterful performance from their middle order, and they did not disappoint.
First Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott steadied the ship either side of lunch. Both men taking full advantage of the batsman-friendly conditions and finding the boundary rope at regular intervals. Trott soon passed fifty and looked set for a bucket load but gave his wicket away shortly after lunch. Harris, again the
man on the money, banged one in just short of a length and Trott (58) took the bait lamely pulling into the legside and sending a top edge flying to Khawaja at deep square.
However, unlike before, England were able to prevent another mini-collapse and Bell set about rebuilding with his new partner Jonny Bairstow. The latter though was lucky to survive the session when in the 50th over he was cleaned bowled by Peter Siddle for just 21. The Yorkshire allrounder was given a second life though when the umpires called upstairs to check on a potential no ball. Replays showing that Siddle had just failed to land any part of his foot behind the line.
After tea Bell and Bairstow carried on where they had left off. First Bairstow passed fifty in a confidence boosting innings
for the young number 6, and then Bell reached three figures. It was Bell's second century in as many innings and, like at Trent Bridge, it was a ton that altered the balance of the game, at least temporarily.
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