http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s top order lays a solid foundation
In a rain interrupted session, only 18 overs were possible, as Australia mustered 111 runs for the loss of two wickets. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 played resiliently in order to steer their team to solid position against England on the first day of the
fifth Test in Sydney.
The second session of play hung in a balance, as the visitors scalped the important wicket of Watson and the home team racked up 50 runs. The wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground has been sporting, so it was an even contest between bat and ball.
In the post-lunch session, Khawaja, who was making his debut, impressed everybody with his confidence and composure at the crease. The left-hand batsmen raced to 15 runs from his first 8 balls. As the session ended, Usman remained unbeaten for his well-made
26 runs. In the process, the debutant tucked a comfortable two off his first ball, and pulled his second delivery in Test cricket to the mid-wicket boundary.
Khawaja assembled a 50-run partnership with Watson to anchor his team to a decent position. At the same time, Shane Watson, who has been superb with the bat in the Ashes, gathered 45 runs to lay a solid foundation for the middle order. In his resolute innings,
the opening batsmen struck five boundaries in a spanking fashion.
Earlier, Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120, the Australian captain won the toss and elected to bat first on wicket that is due to turn in the fourth innings. However, the batting early on wasn’t easy in the overcast conditions. In the first hour of play, the new ball swung
and moved off the pitch, making it hard for the Australians to score runs aggressively.
In the start of the innings, the Australian openers played watchfully in order to negate the early movement of the new cherry and resultantly, they struck a resolute 55-run opening partnership. The opening pair picked up the length of the ball quite early
and in doing so, they played every ball on its merit.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Phillip-Hughes-c2185 looked composed during his 31-run innings and reduced his array of shot-play in order to survive the opening burst from the opposition bowlers. There is immense pressure on Hughes, as this might be his last chance to impress the selectors
and to prevent the injured Katich from coming back into the Australian eleven.
The England bowlers delivered superbly under the heavy cloud, as the seam bowlers moved the ball particularly in the air, in order to trouble the opposition batsmen.
Chris Tremlett, who has been in an excellent bowling form, was the pick of the seamers for the touring team. The tall fast bowler troubled the opposition willowers with his pace and extra bounce. As a result, Tremlett brought about the demise of Hughes
with a delivery, which landed on around the off-stump, and the batsman edged it through to the third slip, where Collingwood took a clean catch.
Tim Bresnan, who was impressive in the Boxing-Day Test, provided England with the second breakthrough. Bresnan scalped the wicket of Watson with a straight delivery, which landed on the off-stump channel and enticed Watson to drive, but it took the outside
edge and went straight into the hands the first-slip, where Strauss did the rest.
Tags: