Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome back from the lunch break here on day 1 in Adelaide. It's England batting first here in this second Vodafone test match, and England survived to lunch at 2/78. Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell were both at the crease and playing fairly nicely. Ian Bell played some wonderful strokes before the lunch break, while Pietersen had just walked out to the crease, so he'll need to get going and support Bell who is looking set to play a big innings here this afternoon.
However, it was just 3 balls after the lunch break when Pietersen lost his wicket. Mitchell Johnson continued with the ball after the lunch break, and he was the one that picked up the wicket of Pietersen. A good field was set to the right hander, as the third man was brought up to the edge of the circle, but still around the corner of the batsman's body. Johnson fired in a shortish ball, and Pietersen not wary of the field change, went for the pull shot, but hit the ball straight into the hands of Hilfenhaus who took the catch easily. Not the way the English would of wanted to start after the lunch break, but England are now 3/84.
Good field change from Ponting, picks up Pietersen on the pull
That's a big wicket for the Australian's their. If Pietersen had gotten settled, and with Bell playing nicely up the other end, that partnership could of proven to be a disaster, but the smart field changing from Ponting, avoided the disaster and picked up the wicket of Pietersen. Pietersen would of liked to continue his consistant form their, but it wasn't to be.
Now here comes a man who isn't a stranger to the Test arena. Paul Collingwood comes to the wicket for England. He has certainly been consistant with his scores, scoring 34-38 in the last 2 innings against Australia. He will certainly be looking to keep that average up here in this first innings in Adelaide, and with Bell up the other end, this could be a proven partnership between these 2, if they can maintain there mobility and strength.
Collingwood comes to the wicket to guide Ian Bell
It's been a good start here from the Australian's after the lunch interval. A wicket has fallen, and they have had so many chances in the field. This has been brought on by the changes of bowling, as Nathan Hauritz is brought into the attack for the first time by Ponting. Hauritz, who bowled nicely in the first Test, has a chance to take out this England middle order and slow the runs down. Nathan Hauritz has been Australia's number 1 spinner ever since Shane Warne quit cricket back in 2006. However, Hauritz obviously isn't up the standards that Warne provided, but Hauritz is his own spinner in different ways, and he has proven to be the man for Australia on many occasions.
England have been lucky here not to have failed for more wickets, as luck is on their side at the moment. Edges flying to the slips, but just out of reach, balls just missing the edges from the bowling from Hauritz, and big slog cut shots missed by the batsman, which could have easily found the edge, all those will be shown in the footage below, but it just shows that the gods have a bit of hope for the English just yet. The Australian fielders cannot believe how unbeliveably close those balls came to the edges of the bat, you can even hear the crowd in the background, as they are right behind this Australian bowling attack, they are keen for more wickets. Every time the ball just narrowly missed the bat, there is a big noise go around the ground, it's good stuff here from the Adelaide oval.
Nathan Hauritz brought into the attack + Australian chances in the field
But the Australian's can have a little luck and hope on their side as well. Hauritz bowled a beautifully delivery to Ian Bell who is going well on 45. Hauritz pitched the ball right up their in the block whole to the batsman, and Bell couldn't read the drift of the ball. Bell played the ball completely wrong, and hit him dead in front of the wicket. The umpire has given this out, however, Collingwood down the other end, asked for the review, as he said to Bell that he thinks the ball could be too high and be trailing over the stumps. So we go up stairs to the 3rd umpire to have a look at where exactly the ball would travel.
The umpire has a good look at the footage, and it shows that the ball would just be tipping the top of the stumps, and therefore the original decision stands, as now Ian Bell is walking back to the pavillion. It was a good call from Collingwood to review that, as the ball is just nipping the top of the bails, however, it is still out, and Australia now have their 4th wicket for 111, and are going nicely, and have the dangerman out on 45.
LBW decision taken up stairs to the DRS, but still proven to be OUT
With the LBW decision of Ian Bell, he played nicely for 45, but he'd be dissapointed he couldn't continue his good innings, as he just mis timed that ball from Hauritz, and probably expected the ball to bounce a little more then he expected. It was a good piece of bowling from the right handed spinner that picked of Bell. Andrew Flintoff is the next man to the crease, and he will be feeling the pressure now. Having Hauritz bowling beautifully, and with Hilfenhaus bowling at the other end, he will find it difficult to get off the mark, Paul Collingwood is playing some good shots at the other end, but i will have to say this again, England will need these 2 men to put on a good partnership for England to post a competitive score here on the first day in Adelaide. Flintoff has some good experience and he has saved England on many occasions, but that is with the ball, can he do it with the bat... we we'll hope so.
Flintoff comes to the crease with a lot of work to do
Ricky Ponting kept things rolling for the Aussies, as Flintoff made his way to the crease. It seems everytime the English batsman get a new batsman to the crease, Ponting makes a change in the bowling attack. Maybe this is a strategy from the Aussie captain, but it is certainly working and trying to keep the overs ticking, and not letting the batsman get settled right from the word go when they walk out to the middle.
Michael Clarke has been thrown the ball from Ponting, as this is a strange move, as Clarke doesn't get much of a bowl in the Tests matches usually. Clarke is more known to have a bowl in the One dayers for Australia, around the middle overs of the game. Can Clarke provide something here for the Australian's and pick up a wicket, we know he certainly can be capable of it
Something a little different, Clarke is brought into the attack
Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff put on a little mini partnership which was worth 24, before the next wicket fell. Flintoff made a quick fire 15 from 34 balls before he was dismissed, and it was the bowling change of Michael Clarke that picked up the wicket of Flintoff. Clarke with his left arm spinners was too much for Flintoff, as he pitched the ball outside the leg stump, Flintoff had to move to his left to play the ball, but the ball recishaded of his pads and onto the stumps, a little unlucky for Flintoff, but it was a wonderful piece of bowling by Clarke who made Flintoff follow the ball and made him to play the shot, as Flintoff was looking to score quickly. England are now in trouble here after looking pretty good early in the piece, they are 5/135, and really need Collingwood to hit his straps and make some more runs here, as the wickets are falling down the other end, and he can't do too much about it at the moment.
Good bowling from Clarke makes Flintoff play the shot onto the stumps
James Foster is the new batsman to the crease for the English. Now this man has been the best batsman for the first test in Brisbane, making 116 runs in the first test, he will certainly be looking to continue his good form, and get his side out of this slump, just like he did when he made that quick fire 88 in the first innings when England needed him the most. The keeper and Collingwood need to work together and keep the strike rolling and the runs flowing. This is a very important innings from Foster, and he will need to be on his best to provide for the English.
But you wouldn't believe it. Nathan Hauritz picked up the wicket of Foster for a DUCK. A wonderful piece of bowling from Hauritz which found the extra piece of bounce in this pitch, something that Bell was expecting when Hauritz picked up Bell with the LBW earlier in the afternoon. James Foster after making the most runs in the first test match, provides a duck here in Adelaide in the first innings, now Australia are right on top in this match, and England are having another dirty afternoon. The Australian spin bowlers have ripped through this England middle order and have taken the wickets of the dangerous England players. England have fallen to 6/136 here in Adelaide, and they could be struggling to again reach 200. Paul Collingwood needs a huge innings here.
Jimmy Foster gone for a duck.. Australia in complete control
So we have reached the tea break here on the first day of the Adelaide test. England are in real trouble here, they are 6/149 after 58 overs bowled. 4 wickets were taken for Australia in that afternoon session, as Hauritz and Clarke bowled brilliantly to the England middle order. Ian Bell top scores for England with 45, he played nicely, but was beaten by the spin of Hauritz. Paul Collingwood is playing nicely and he has survived to the tea break , resuming on 23 from 83 balls. Stuart Broad is the new man to the crease and he will be hoping to provide some sort of support for Collingwood, as he is really England's only hope now to make a big score, or a score around 250. 250 and they will be happy England.
Australia have once again bowling superbly. Nathan Hauritz has taken 2 wickets, with Foster and Bell being he's 2 wickets, 2 of the more dangerous English batsman. Foster gone for a duck mind you as well, the leading run scorer in this series. Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Watson and Clarke have all taken a wicket, with only Siddle the only one missing out on a wicket, but he could have his chance after the tea break and into the evening session. So Australia are right on top here as we leave you for the tea break, but we'll be back here to preview the evening session here from Adelaide, it's goodbye for now
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