Strauss, Bell set England's platform
Friday, 21 August 2009
Lunch England 108 for 1 (Strauss 50*, Bell 41*) v Australia
Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell produced a chalk-and-cheese partnership of 96 for the second wicket, as England's batsmen capitalised on winning an important toss and pushed through to lunch on the first day at The Oval on 108 for 1. Not for the first time this summer, Strauss set the tone for his team-mates with a serene 50 not out, scarcely offering a chance or breaking sweat for 94 deliveries. Bell, on the other hand, endured another torrid morning with bouncers aplenty whizzing past his armpits. But crucially for England's prospects, he made it to the break with his wicket intact.
Compared to their experiences on the first day of the last Test at Headingley, England's morning was one to savour. They lost just the one wicket, compared to six up at Leeds, and they were also able to name the side of their choosing at the appointed hour, with no late fitness scares disrupting their preparations. Andrew Flintoff duly returned in place of Graham Onions, with Jonathan Trott taking up residence at No. 5, as his much-anticipated debut was confirmed.
Australia resisted the temptation to tinker with a winning side, and so retained Stuart Clark over the spinner, Nathan Hauritz. But it was Peter Siddle who made their first breakthrough of the morning - somewhat out of the blue - in the sixth over of the morning, when Alastair Cook poked loosely at a lifting delivery on off stump, and Ricky Ponting at second slip snaffled the chance in the palm of his right hand. Up until that point, Cook had been looking composed with two fours in his ten deliveries, including an emphatic slam through midwicket when Siddle dropped short. But, as is so often the case, his first mistake was also his last.
Cook's error brought Bell to the crease at his re-promoted position of No. 3 in the order, and back to the venue where, in 2005, he was dismissed by the two balls he faced in the match to complete an ignominious pair. This time around he avoided the indignity of a duck, but only by the skin of his wrist, as Siddle banged in a vicious fifth-ball lifter that evaded his glove by a whisker.
Utilising a new, more upright stance to combat the lbw threat from the swinging ball, Bell looked distinctly uncomfortable against the short ball instead, as Australia's bowlers sensed an opportunity to blast him from the crease. Mitchell Johnson, confirming the return to form that earned him five wickets at Headingley, produced a searingly quick first over with three consecutive rib-ticklers, the last of which would have hopped off Bell's gloves and straight into the hands of the vacant leg gully. England 191/4 at 10:30 pm. -Cricinfo
But Bell survived, and even began to thrive with Siddle offering him room to work the ball off his toes into the leg-side. However, the introduction of Clark posed a new threat. Throttling his pace right back to the high 70mphs, Clark settled into a tight and restrictive off-stump line, and a frustrated Bell might have been caught in the gully as he snatched a rare hint of width and skewed a drive through third man for four.
At the other end, however, Strauss just waltzed into his innings, aloof to the big-match nerves, just as he had been on this ground in 2005, when he rose above the occasion to set England's platform with a first-day century. He was given a range of welcome sighters when Ben Hilfenhaus served up his most disappointing new-ball spell of the summer, then hurtled to his third half-century of the series with three fours in an over from Siddle, including a sublime clip off the toes to finish.
Bell couldn't hope to match such sang froid, but to his credit he did not buckle, as he raced through the 30s with a brace of fours off Hilfenhaus, before signing off for the session with one last nervy moment, as Hilfenhaus responded with an inswinger that shaved his stumps on the way through to the keeper.
England 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Jonathan Trott, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Andrew Flintoff, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Steve Harmison, 11 James Anderson.
Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Mike Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Stuart Clark. -Cricinfo
Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell produced a chalk-and-cheese partnership of 96 for the second wicket, as England's batsmen capitalised on winning an important toss and pushed through to lunch on the first day at The Oval on 108 for 1. Not for the first time this summer, Strauss set the tone for his team-mates with a serene 50 not out, scarcely offering a chance or breaking sweat for 94 deliveries. Bell, on the other hand, endured another torrid morning with bouncers aplenty whizzing past his armpits. But crucially for England's prospects, he made it to the break with his wicket intact.
Compared to their experiences on the first day of the last Test at Headingley, England's morning was one to savour. They lost just the one wicket, compared to six up at Leeds, and they were also able to name the side of their choosing at the appointed hour, with no late fitness scares disrupting their preparations. Andrew Flintoff duly returned in place of Graham Onions, with Jonathan Trott taking up residence at No. 5, as his much-anticipated debut was confirmed.
Australia resisted the temptation to tinker with a winning side, and so retained Stuart Clark over the spinner, Nathan Hauritz. But it was Peter Siddle who made their first breakthrough of the morning - somewhat out of the blue - in the sixth over of the morning, when Alastair Cook poked loosely at a lifting delivery on off stump, and Ricky Ponting at second slip snaffled the chance in the palm of his right hand. Up until that point, Cook had been looking composed with two fours in his ten deliveries, including an emphatic slam through midwicket when Siddle dropped short. But, as is so often the case, his first mistake was also his last.
Cook's error brought Bell to the crease at his re-promoted position of No. 3 in the order, and back to the venue where, in 2005, he was dismissed by the two balls he faced in the match to complete an ignominious pair. This time around he avoided the indignity of a duck, but only by the skin of his wrist, as Siddle banged in a vicious fifth-ball lifter that evaded his glove by a whisker.
Utilising a new, more upright stance to combat the lbw threat from the swinging ball, Bell looked distinctly uncomfortable against the short ball instead, as Australia's bowlers sensed an opportunity to blast him from the crease. Mitchell Johnson, confirming the return to form that earned him five wickets at Headingley, produced a searingly quick first over with three consecutive rib-ticklers, the last of which would have hopped off Bell's gloves and straight into the hands of the vacant leg gully. England 191/4 at 10:30 pm. -Cricinfo
But Bell survived, and even began to thrive with Siddle offering him room to work the ball off his toes into the leg-side. However, the introduction of Clark posed a new threat. Throttling his pace right back to the high 70mphs, Clark settled into a tight and restrictive off-stump line, and a frustrated Bell might have been caught in the gully as he snatched a rare hint of width and skewed a drive through third man for four.
At the other end, however, Strauss just waltzed into his innings, aloof to the big-match nerves, just as he had been on this ground in 2005, when he rose above the occasion to set England's platform with a first-day century. He was given a range of welcome sighters when Ben Hilfenhaus served up his most disappointing new-ball spell of the summer, then hurtled to his third half-century of the series with three fours in an over from Siddle, including a sublime clip off the toes to finish.
Bell couldn't hope to match such sang froid, but to his credit he did not buckle, as he raced through the 30s with a brace of fours off Hilfenhaus, before signing off for the session with one last nervy moment, as Hilfenhaus responded with an inswinger that shaved his stumps on the way through to the keeper.
England 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Paul Collingwood, 5 Jonathan Trott, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Andrew Flintoff, 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Steve Harmison, 11 James Anderson.
Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Mike Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Stuart Clark. -Cricinfo