Cricket Update: Ashes 2010- Johnson rediscovers himself as Australia take control of third test
Another test match and another torrid start awaited the Australians at the WACA, Perth. On the opening day of the third, and the must-win, test match for the Australians, a deadly combination of some good, accurate and planned bowling and largely inexplicable
shot selection by some of their batsmen saw the host’s slump to 69 for 5 at one point.
Australia’s Mr. Reliable Mike Hussey once more stepped up to the plate and did what he does best in getting his team out of jail. Hussey scored 61 but was brilliantly supported by half centuries from wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, and also
by a determined Peter Siddle who scored a valuable 35. For England, the bowlers shared the spoils, with James Anderson and Chris Tremlett both taking 3 wickets and Graeme Swann and Steven Finn each settling for two.
By the end of day one, having already scored 29 out of Australia’s 268, England must have been fairly happy with their decision to put http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in to bat. They could not have imagined for one moment what was in store for them on the second day, and the
Aussies could not have hoped even in their wildest dreams what did happen on the day.
In the early hours of the day though, there was no indication of a fabulous collapse coming anytime soon, as the openers serenely marched past another 5o-run opening stand. It was when the Cook- Strauss partnership had reached 78 that the fireworks began.
Alastair Cook edged a drive off a Johnson outswinger to Hussey at gully, to finally give Australia a breakthrough.
England were suddenly on the ropes after three rapid punches from the totally unrecognizable Mitchell Johnson, who had left his inaccurate, spraying-the-ball-everywhere self somewhere back in the hut, and was for a change bowling with the swing and pace
that had made him famous initially. He removed Trott, Pietersen and Collingwood, all for scores of under 10, all three of them falling lbw to his in-swinging missiles. Ryan Harris, in the meantime, had caused settled-looking skipper Andrew Strauss to edge
behind for 53 to leave England rattling.
Having slumped to 98 for 5, all England’s hopes now rested on Ian Bell. Although a remarkably different sight form huge, strapping and dangerous looking batsmen of old, the likes of which Australia and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Warwickshire-c862
batsman has certainly been blessed with the talent to match the best in the game. A perfect straight drive, his first scoring shot, was a clear indication that as long as Bell was around Australia were not going to have it all their own way. His supreme timing
remained untroubled by the pressure of the conditions and Johnson’s onslaught, and it was his fantastic innings of 53 that allowed England to reach even the 187 they eventually got.
Australia were clinical in the field today, with their chief destroyer being the mercurial Mitchell Johnson, he eventually finished with 6 wickets in a performance that was probably down to the confidence he must have gained from his batting exploits of
the day before, or perhaps it was just his day.
In their second innings too Australia had to encounter a jittery start. Opener Phil Hughes having been dismissed for just two in the first innings was again dismissed for a meager score, of 12 this time, by Steven Finn as the left-hander edged to Collingwood
at third slip, a man who does not drop many. The Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, must be feeling cursed by now, for what are the odds that a seemingly innocuous glance down the leg-side would become the cause for a batsman’ s downfall the second time in
three tests? That is just what happened to the out-of-form and out-of-luck Ponting who gloved a ball down the leg side to keeper Matt Prior to hand Finn his second wicket of the innings. Vice-captain Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 too could not fare much better as he dragged
a short ball from Tremlett back on to his stumps for just 20.
Mike Hussey and Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 then stepped in to stem the fall of wickets. The duo played positively in their undefeated partnership of 55 to steer the Aussies to 119 for 3 and an overall lead of 200 as they remained not out on 24 and 61 respectively, to
set up an exciting third day.
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