19-year-old débutante Ashton Agar was the star of day two as he and Phil Hughes put on a world record tenth wicket partnership to keep the first Ashes Test firmly in the balance.
Agar joined Hughes at the crease with the score 117 for 9 and went on to share a 163-run partnership that saw Australia surpass England's total and give the tourists a first innings lead of 65. The Aussie teenager was eventually dismissed two runs shy of a debut hundred, spooning a short pitched ball to a grateful Graeme Swann in the deep. The damage had been done though and the entire Trent Bridge crowd rose to their feet in recognition of a truly remarkable innings.
The day's early exchanges though had all belonged to England. On what looked like an ideal day for batting, Steve Smith (53) threw away the chance to build on his good work the night before when he drove loosely at Anderson and edged to Matt Prior. Another followed shortly after when Swann found some prodigious turn to bowl Brad Haddin (1) just two balls into his knock.
Seven balls later and Anderson bagged his second of the morning courtesy of Peter Siddle's (1) outside edge and Prior's exceptional dexterity. Two overs later and Mitchell Starc (0) also succumbed to Anderson's spell, feathering an angled delivery through to the England wicketkeeper to give the Burnley Express a richly deserved five wicket haul. Swann then made it nine down trapping James Pattinson plumb in front for two.
But Agar had other ideas, and with the help of Hughes was able to carve out an exquisite Test match innings worthy of any top order batsman. Solid in defence and clinical in attack, Agar hit 11 fours and two sixes on his way to a 101-ball 98, eclipsing Tino Best's 95 against England at Edgbaston last summer to record the highest ever score by a number 11 batsman.
Taking inspiration from their new team mate's extraordinary innings, the Australian bowlers then went about consolidating their favourable position in 7.3 overs before tea. Joe Root was first to go, edging Starc down the legside for 5, and the very next ball Jonathan Trott was on his way after the Aussies successfully overturned an LBW shout. Controversy followed shortly after as it emerged that the third umpire had overruled Aleem Dar's decision despite not being able to view Hotspot from the crucial side-on angle as the technology had been cued to show Root's dismissal down the leg side. Slow motion replays indicated that Trott may well have hit the ball before it rapped his pads. The ECB has since requested clarification from the ICC about the decision.
As the day began to come to a close Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen restored some sanity to proceedings grinding out the remaining overs to leave England 80 for 2 at the close, 15 runs ahead.
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