Late wickets give Australia initiative

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.

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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.

Despite losing the toss it was the Australians who delivered the early blows in a hectic first hour. After James Pattinson’s first two overs were dispatched for 12, Michael Clarke made an inspired early change, bringing Shane Watson into the attack. Two balls into his spell and the allrounder bagged the key wicket of the England captain, Alastair Cook undone by a full swinging delivery trapping him plump in front for just 12.

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. 

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.

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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.

1st Ashes Test: England player ratings

Alastair Cook - 7  Given the circus of hype surrounding the series and in particular the pressure of continuing Andrew Strauss' recent success in Ashes cricket, captain Cook could have been forgiven a nervous performance at Trent Bridge. Yet despite only scoring 13 in the first innings, he came back to score a vital half-century in the second and rescue his side from another early collapse.

As captain he continued his legacy as a calm and conservative operator despite having to manage his team through one of the most frenetic Test matches in recent years. He was also a dab hand with DRS.

Joe Root - 5  Undone by a peach in England's first innings and victim of a contentious decision in the second, Root was unlucky not to make a bigger contribution in his first outing as an England opener. He did however chip in with the ball, bagging Ed Cowan on the stroke of tea on day four to help spark a middle order collapse in the evening session.

Jonathan Trott - 6  Top scorer in England's first innings, he cruised to within two runs of a half-century only to throw his wicket away wafting loosely outside his offstump. He was, however, unlucky to be out LBW in his second outing, replays showing that the Warwickshire strokemaker got a healthy chunk of willow on the ball before it crashed into his pads.

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Kevin Pietersen - 6  A gritty 64 from 150 balls in the second innings made up for failure on the first morning and helped create something of a platform for Ian Bell. A gutsy knock in his first Test back after injury.

Ian Bell - 9  An important innings in so many ways, Bell's century proved to be one of the key differences between the two sides. Constructed in masterly fashion over days three and four, Bell took a conscious decision to avoid playing in the hallowed "V" and instead looked to nudge, nurdle and deflect the ball around the field, steadily accumulating runs and helping to nullify any Aussie pressure. Having already seen batsmen on both sides deceived by the slow and unpredictable nature of the surface, Bell's battle plan was little short of a masterstroke.

Jonny Bairstow - 6  Runs in both innings, he played the game at a good tempo and provided able support for Ian Bell on day three. His eagerness to play across the line of ball though continues to be his undoing.

Matt Prior - 6  Deservedly out for 0 first time out, he redeemed himself in part second time around with a useful counter-attacking display to help shift momentum England's way. Generally tidy behind the stumps he was also instrumental in England's effective use of the referral system.

Stuart Broad - 7  An impressive allround performance from Broad, he bowled with fire and accuracy to bag three vital Aussie scalps while also recording his highest Ashes score with the bat. A feisty and ultra-competitive performer, his decision not to walk in the second innings underlined the arrogance and self-belief that has helped him become a mainstay in England's ranks over the years.

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Graeme Swann - 6   Four wickets in the match was not a bad return for England's jovial tweaker, but he never looked completely settled and struggled with his lengths in Australia's second innings.

Steven Finn - 4  Two wickets in two balls on the first evening remained Finn's only highlight as he was carted around by the Aussie batsman in both innings. Replaced before in an Ashes series, he looks unlikely to feature at his home ground on Thursday.

James Anderson - 10  A masterly display of conventional and reverse swing bowling, no one deserved the man of match award more than Anderson. Bowling almost 56 overs for figures of 10 for 158, he showed craft, control and endurance of the highest order to help keep his side in the contest throughout.

Bell and Broad give England control

England 215 and 326 for 6 (Bell 95*, Broad 47*) lead Australia 280 by 261 runs

Ian Bell and Stuart Broad restored some calm to proceedings on day three adding 108 runs for the seventh wicket to give the home side control at the close of play.

Bell finished the day on 95, just five runs shy of what could be one of his most important ever knocks for England. Often criticised for not making "hard" runs, Bell read the match situation perfectly and played an innings of the utmost maturity. 

It was a fine example of risk management from the diminutive Warwickshire strokemaker who took a conscious decision to avoid playing in the hallowed "V" and instead looked to nudge, nurdle and deflect the ball around the field, steadily accumulating runs and helping to nullify any Aussie pressure. Having already seen batsmen on both sides deceived by the slow and unpredictable nature of the surface, Bell's battle plan was little short of a masterstroke.

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Earlier in the day all eyes had been on Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen. Resuming on 80 for 2 in blazing sunshine, they played out the first hour watchfully, soon guiding England to three figures. Both batsman also notched up half-centuries in the process and things were looking ominous for the tourists halfway through the morning session. However, whilst the sun had given England fans hope of a run-heavy day, the pitch was still not offering the pace and consistency that English batsman traditionally crave.

Instead the Aussie bowlers took advantage of the turgid underfoot conditions. Pietersen (64) played on after James Pattinson lured him into a risky drive outside off, and captain Cook (50) followed soon after trying to push Ashton Agar into the leg side only to close the face of the bat two early and spoon a leading edge to Michael Clarke at first slip. England precariously placed on 131 for 4, with a lead of just 67.

Ian Bell was promptly joined at the crease by Jonny Bairstow as they began to stage a mini-fightback in the afternoon session. The pair amassed 43 runs from 125 balls to help England back onto stable footing before Bairstow (15) was eventually undone by Agar, feathering one behind to Brad Haddin. Bell then shared an almost identically fruitful, yet brisker, partnership with Matt Prior (31). On this occasion it was 44 runs from 79 balls, but like before it was Bell's partner who was first to perish, the England keeper, looking to force the pace, miscuing a pull straight to midwicket.

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Bell then joined Stuart Broad for what was to be the final stand of the day. First came glory as Bell reached fifty and in doing so also passed 6,000 runs in Test cricket, but then came controversy. With England sitting pretty on 297 for 6 Agar got Broad driving at a wide one which he dutifully edged to Clarke at slip. Umpire Aleem Dar though had failed to spot the deflection and Broad stood his ground. Crucially Australia had already wasted their reviews earlier in the day and, despite much protest, were forced to carry on their pursuit for yet another partnership penetrating delivery.

The Ultimate Breeding Ground: England's Young Hopefuls

Now the world’s premier Test playing nation and masters of Twenty20 cricket, England are for the first time in over two decades a happy and settled group of cricketers. A nucleus of selfless, hardworking individuals, they tower over all other popular sportsmen and women as definitive modern day professionals. Such an environment whilst highly prolific in the here and now though, also bodes well for the future of English cricket.

Nurturing up and coming talent has never been a simple task in English cricket. With no consistency in senior performances young players are not often giving the prolonged examination they deserve to prove their worth at international level. Australia’s dominance throughout the past fifteen years has allowed the likes of Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting to develop into global superstars whilst England, under the watchful eye of the country’s more successful ancestors, only sought to find short term solutions to long term problems with young players never afforded the time required to adapt to the limelight.

Yet having toppled the all-conquering India on home soil this summer and with the Ashes having been in English hands for over two years, England now have a stable environment in which to cultivate their fresh-faced hopefuls into the next generation of international cricketers. With a core of experienced and reliable players alongside them, England’s youngsters are not likely to feel the kind of pressure they would have done were they born a decade and a half earlier, thus making the transition between county cricket and the international circuit even more achievable, and the chances of another generation of Graeme Hicks and Mark Ramprakash’s thankfully less and less likely. 

So, with this in mind here is a rundown of my prospective England XI and their chances of making themselves a part of English crickets potentially illustrious future:

Alex Hales

A statuesque opening batsman, Hales has been impressing for his county Nottinghamshire for over three years now. On a difficult Trent Bridge wicket Hales has excelled in all forms of the game. His performances in the shorter form of the game though have perhaps been his most impressive, top-scoring in the 2011 Friends Life t20 with 544 runs at 34 with a strike rate of 146 and earning himself a call up to the England Twenty20 squad in late August. A match-winning partnership with Craig Kieswetter against the West Indies in September in which he amassed an impressive 62 not out showed Hales to be a confident young man with a versatility that could see him become a regular in England’s set up in the near future.

Joe Root

A nuggety and determined opening bat, Joe Root is bred from hard Yorkshire stock. Having garnered praise from a notoriously pessimistic Geoffrey Boycott, Root has been touted for great things. Not yet 21 and having only played 18 first class games Root has already toured with England Lions and is set to do so again this winter. With Paul Collingwood no longer a Test match batsman and Jonathan Trott only now reaching the top of his game, Root may well present England’s best hope for another back-to-the-wall specialist. With flamboyancy an ever-increasing trait amongst young players Root’s back-to-basics approach could be an ideal foil to England’s band of youthful extroverts.

James Taylor

One of the most accomplished cricketers in county cricket it is no secret that England are hoping for big things from Taylor. With England’s top four so settled though the Leicestershire batsman will likely be given a few more years to consolidate his impressive start. Averaging just a shade under 50 runs per innings in both first class and one day cricket Taylor is a bona fide run-machine and unlike many England hopefuls may be one of only a few to begin his international career at Test level. The recipient of a Cricket Writer’s Young Player of the Year Award in 2009 Taylor has continued to build on his success ever since and you get the feeling it is just a matter of time before Andy Flower gives him the nod.

Ben Stokes

Signing a two year contract for Durham when he was only 18 Stokes was earmarked for big things from an early age. A powerful batsman and a talented bowler his ascent to the England ranks though has been marred by a long term finger injury hampering both his bowling and his fielding, something that was evident in his first few outings in international colours. A prolific season in 2011 has kept him firmly on Strauss and Flower’s radar and there is no doubt that his all-round abilities will be called upon again in the near future.

Jos Buttler

Amongst a plethora of young talent at Taunton Buttler has emerged as one of the most explosive cricketers in recent years. An improving first class record is somewhat dwarfed by his extraordinary displays in one day cricket. Even on a helpful track Buttler boasts a cool average of 71.16 in 40 over cricket despite having never passed three figures, a feat he’s managed whilst also keeping wicket for his hometown side. Named Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year just a year ago and now on the cusp of a place in England’s limited overs setup, not to mention batting alongside the likes of Marcus Trescothick, Craig Kieswetter and James Hildreth at county level, Buttler has all the ingredients needed to become a prodigious international cricketer.

Jonny Bairstow

Another in a long line of young wicketkeeper-batsmen, Jonny Bairstow has been on fringes of the England team for over a year now. Picked up by the England Performance Squad at the back end of 2010, he went on to play a major part in the England Lions successful tour of the Caribbean this year and has since gone on to establish himself as Yorkshire’s number one gloveman. Despite being the son of former England wicketkeeper David Bairstow however, Bairstow junior has been touted as a potential specialist batsman. And with an average of 45 in 46 first class games and having knocked a breezy 41 off 21 balls on debut against India at Cardiff Bairstow looks set for England honours with or without his gloves.

To be continued…