Story Australia's 2010-11 Summer [3rd Test, Day 1, Tea]

[timchrist984]

England Take Advantage From Opening Session

England 2/112, 30.0 Overs (K Pietersen 48*, J Trott 34*, P Siddle 1-22)

After a slow start, England look like they have finally clicked in to gear. Pietersen has been batting brilliantly and Trott is beginning to look comfortable at the crease. If the first session is anything to go by, England have definitely got their mojo back and this test is wide open.

Strauss and Cook batted well to see off the new ball, as Dougie Bollinger was charging in and moving the ball superbly off the seam. The pair put on 17 for the first wicket, before Strauss played on to a Harris in-swinger in the 10th over. Strauss was out for 9 and Australia had the early breakthrough they were looking for.

Jonathan Trott was the new batsman at the crease. Trott and Cook then batted well to take the score to 1/36 at drinks. The pair were looking solid, but it was a shame for England that they couldn't convert their reasonable start in to a decent partnership. On the 2nd ball after drinks, Cook was undone by a quicker ball from Siddle. He was out for 15.

At 2/37, it looked like Australia might do a repeat of their first test bowling performance. However, this wasn't to be. Pietersen and Trott really dug in and have now put on 75 for the 3rd wicket. Pietsersen has been playing an aggressive innings, scoring at a strike rate of 82.76, hitting 5 boundaries and 2 sixes. Trott on the other hand has been playing more of an anchoring roll. He is scoring at a strike rate of just under 60 and has hit just 2 boundaries.

During the opening session, Ponting used all five of his bowling options, with Bollinger, Siddle, Harris, Watson, and Doherty all getting an oppurtunity to bowl. It is unsurprising that Doherty has looked the least threatening of all the bowlers. The pitch looks hard and flat, an absolute nightmare for spinners. This could be a long test for the young Tasmanian.

So, at lunch, Pietersen is on 48 and Trott is on 34. They will be looking to build on their partnership and take England's score to around 200 by tea. Australia, on the other hand, need to break the partnership and get back to the match winning form they showed in Brisbane.

"KP Drives One"​

 

[Gaurav_7]

Aussies have lost on an advantage there allowing KP and Trott to settle down. Now, I can see a big big total on the board for England.

 

[Fenil]

England in good position at the moment but a wicket here can turn things around a great deal.

 

[Aditya]

Hopefully KP gets a century here. Both the batsmen currently at the pitch have different style of batting. One likes to play his shots and one likes to rotate the strike consistently and smash the bad balls away. Looking forward to see whether KP gets a century or not.

 

[timchrist984]

Australia Dominate 2nd Session

England 7-236 (Pietersen 118* Trott 34, P Siddle 3-56 X Doherty 3-56)

After England got off to a good start in the first session, Australia have turned the tables and dominated the 2nd session, taking 5 wickets. Peter Siddle and Xavier Doherty starred as the English middle order batsmen threw their wickets away one after another. However, Kevin Pietersen is still at the crease on 118 not out. This means that at tea on day one, the game is still fairly evenly balanced.

It was the 1st ball after lunch when Jonathan Trott lost concentration and was sent packing for a 58 ball 34. He played a nothing shot to wide ball from Doherty and edged straight to Watson at 2nd slip. This brought the 75 run partnership between Pietersen and Trott to an end.

The out of form Collingwood was the new batsman at the crease. He lasted 7 balls before he skied a short ball from Doherty to deep mid on where Ryan Harris took a safe catch. He was out for 3 and England were 4/124. Ian Bell then came to the crease gelled beautifully with Pietersen. The pair batted well to add 42 runs to the total before Bell was out cutting straight to Katich at gully. Bell hit 2 fours and a six in his run a ball 24.

Matt Prior, the English wicketkeeper came to the crease at number 5. Two balls later he was out again after he left a straight one from Siddle and was adjudged to be out LBW. At that stage England were in trouble at 6/166.

Stuart Broad and Kevin Pietersen then batted cautiously until the drinks break. Just after drinks, in the 52nd over, Pietersen brought up his hundred with an elegant straight drive that went for 4. The barmy army went ballistic as Pietersen saluted the crowd. It was their first real opportunity of the test to make some noise.

Stuart Broad and Kevin Pietersen were batting well and it looked as if they were going to make it safely to tea. However, 11 balls away from the break, Broad cut a short ball from Doherty straight to Hussey at point. He was out for 19 and England were 7/231. Graeme Swann then came to the crease and batted cautiously to make sure he survived until tea.

So, at tea, the score is 7/236. Pietersen is cruising and Swann is batting himself in. Australia have had a good session, but they really need to dismiss Kevin Pietersen. England will be looking to muster up 300+ runs from their lower order.

"Pietersen Celebrates His Hundred"​

Videos:
Trott Wicket
Collingwood Wicket
Bell Wicket
Prior Wicket
Broad Wicket

 

[Gaurav_7]

236 for 7? Wow, that is some comeback from the Australians. Though, KP is still there I'd still say Aussies are ahead at this stage.

Btw, just below the heading it says '336/7'.

 

[timchrist984]

thanks, ive corrected the score. KP really upped the run rate!

 

[Fenil]

Good knock by KP. I still think Australians can dominate this match.

 

[timchrist984]

Doherty & Siddle Roll England Tail

England 10-256, 69.5 Overs ( KP Pietersen 125*, J Trott 34, X Doherty 5-58, P Siddle 4-64)

Despite a brilliant knock from Kevin Pietersen, England have yet again, slumped to a below par score on a good batting wicket. The Australian bowlers have shown what real depth in bowling stocks Australia have. Xavier Doherty and Peter Siddle bowled especially well, taking 5 and 4 wickets respectively.

It was the 3rd ball after tea when Swann edged Doherty to Watson at 2nd slip and was out for 2. The score was 8-237 and Pietersen's partners were dropping like flies. James Anderson was the new man at the crease.

Anderson lasted 8 balls before he fell to Doherty in the 63rd over. He edged Doherty to Katich at gully and was out for 4. Steven Finn came to the crease with the score at 9-241.

Finn and Pietersen put on 15 runs in the next 6 overs before Siddle took the final wicket. He beat Finn for pace and trapped him plumb LBW for 7. England were all out for just 256.

So, Australia will be pleased with their bowling performance and will be looking to put together a good opening stand before stumps. They have a minimum of 20 overs to bat.

Kevin Pietersen's 100

Xavier Doherty's Bowling
​

 

[Gaurav_7]

OMG, what a comeback after the first session! KP, you're bloody brilliant but, what was Doherty smoking, lol. I think Australian openers will be able to deal with the remaining 20 overs easily. At least, I'm hoping for that.

Nice little change there. Appreciate it, I know it's pretty difficult to get those pics from a cam to a pc and up here. But, I like what you're trying to do here. KIU!

 

[Fenil]

What a comeback by the Aussies! I told you Aussies can still dominate the game.

 

[timchrist984]

Aussies One Down At Stumps

England 10-256, 69.5 Overs ( KP Pietersen 125*, J Trott 34, X Doherty 5-58, P Siddle 4-64), Australia 1-63, 20.0 Overs (SR Watson 47*, PD Collingwood 1-9)

After bowling England out for 256, Australia had 20 overs to survive through before stumps. Although both Watson and Katich offered chances, they survived right up until the last ball of the day.

James Anderson and Steven Finn shared the new ball for England. They bowled, perhaps a fraction too full to the Aussie openers, as Shane Watson was blasting boundaries through the covers at regular intervals. Watson began his innings racing along at a run a ball. Katich on the other hand was playing his natural defensive game.

It was the eighth over of the innings when England was offered their first chance. Watson played a firm straight drive straight back to the bowler in Steven Finn. Katich didn't realize Finn had the ball, so he took off down the pitch. Shane Watson quickly told Katich to get back. Finn through the stumps down from about 10 meters away, but Katich was just home.

The very next over the Anderson caught the edge of Watson with a ripping out-swinger and Strauss took a comfortable catch at slip. Anderson was ecstatic until he turned and saw the umpire's arm outstretched, signally no-ball.

In the 15th over, Katich offered England another chance. He drove a full ball from Broad straight to mid on. He decided to take on the fielders arm and had to stretch to make his ground. With just 5 overs until stumps, a run out would have been simply inexcusable.

Andrew Strauss used all 5 of Finn, Anderson, Broad, Collingwood and Swann to try and buy a wicket before stumps. It was the final ball of the day when England got their breakthrough. Collingwood bowled a quicker delivery to Katich who was too late on the shot. He got a healthy outside edge that carried comfortably to Prior behind the stumps. Katich was out for a 53 ball 11 and England had all the momentum going in to day 2.

So, will the Aussie build a solid total and take the lead on day 2. Or will England take their momentum and convert it in to wickets? Stay tuned for more from the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"England Celebrate"

Highlights:

 

[Zohaib]

Great update, loved the video aswell

Australia have made a steady start and Englands fielding has been terrible

 

[Fenil]

I'm sure Aussies will win this one.

 

[timchrist984]

Watson In For A Nervous Lunch

England 10-256, 69.5 Overs ( KP Pietersen 125*, J Trott 34, X Doherty 5-58, P Siddle 4-64), Australia 2-172, 50.0 Overs (SR Watson 99*, MJ Clarke 44*, PD Collingwood 1-20, G Swann 1-30)

After losing a wicket on the last ball of day one, Australia resumed on day two with the score on 1-63. The skipper, Ricky Ponting was at the crease, along with Shane Watson.

The pair put on 15 runs before Ponting played on to Swann in the 25th over. Swann bowled him a full, wide delivery and Ponting went for an ambitious cover drive. He got an inside edge that deflected on to the stumps. Ponting was out for 4 and the score was 2-78.

When Ponting was dismissed, the game looked to be in the balance. However, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke have come together beautifully. They have added 94 runs for the 3rd wicket.

Clarke has hit 5 boundaries in his 85 ball 45. He has been batting brilliantly. He has just carried on from where he left off when he made a hundred in Brisbane.

Watson has also been batting well. He has been tearing the English bowling attack to pieces with his powerful hook shots and fiery cover drives. He is on 99 from 162 balls going in to the lunch break. He will probably be nervous as he has only struck 2 test hundreds in his career despite averaging around 50.

So, will Watson get his hundred? Will Clarke and Watson continue their partnership and take Australia to a score of around 400? Or will England fight back and nab a few quick wickets? Stay tuned for more from the SCG.

'Clarke Plays Through The Off Side'

Highlights: