Siddle’s hat-trick leaves England in despair on the first day of The Ashes
Peter Siddle stunned England as he decimated England’s batting line-up by taking a hat-trick on the first day of The Ashes opening Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Siddle was a hurricane on course for the Englishmen in front of a packed crowd at the Woolloongabba, Brisbane. In the process, the Victorian registered his third five-wicket haul of his career.
The tourists were coasting at a decent score-line of 4/197. Alastair Cook and Ian Bell were batting nicely in the middle of the innings and added 62 runs for the fifth wicket partnership.
England did not expect Siddle to perform they way he did. The right-arm bowler ran in for his second spell of the day. He had already been venomous with the red cherry as it swung, and swung late for the first three deliveries of the 66th over.
Cook became his first victim of a stunning hat-trick on his third delivery of the 66th over. Siddle pitched it further up as it angled across Cook, who edged it into the hands of first slip, where Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 completed a simple catch.
Matt Prior arrived at the crease hoping to survive against the fiery Siddle. But the Australian pacer was too hot to be handled as he was like a cat on a hot-tin roof. It was a perfect delivery for a new batsman, as it swung-in late into the right hander.
The absolute beauty went straight through Prior’s defences to rattle his stumps.
The crowd at the Gabba was truly behind their star bowler. Siddle ran towards his mark to deliver the final punch. Stuart Broad was Siddle’s third victim. Broad was too slow to react against Siddle’s in-swinging full delivery. It struck Broad’s boot plumb
in front of the stumps to give Siddle his first ever Test hat-trick.
Furthermore, Aleem Dar raised his finger to give Broad leg-before-wicket. To add to the climax, England asked for the review system, but in vain as the referral supported the umpire’s decision.
Previously, Peter Siddle started off the proceedings in an emphatic manner when he grabbed two crucial wickets in his first spell. He sent a well set Kevin Pietersen and a dicey looking Paul Collingwood back to the pavilion, courtesy of some brilliant new-ball
bowling.
Later on, the quick bowler added one more wicket to his tally by dismissing Graeme Swann. Overall, the Victorian grabbed career best figures of 6/54 to route England for a modest first innings total of 260 in the first innings.
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