The Ashes 2010, England recover after initial shock
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s attacking leader Mitchell Johnson stayed true to his team’s game plan as they took the important wicket in the first over.
England’s Captain Andrew Strauss faced the first ball of the first session from Ben Hilfenhaus. The captain, who admitted earlier of being frantically nervous, did not react to it and the ball sailed harmlessly by off stump.
The start of the Ashes looked a bit wary for England but maybe it is just the nerves. Strauss tried to play the second ball into the wicket.
However, as the third delivery was thrown at Strauss, the Captain tried to cut the short delivery. It was not at all wide and hence it found its way straight into the hands of a very surprised Michael Hussey.
Strauss got out for a third-ball duck as he won the all important toss and decided to bat first at the Gabba stadium, in Brisbane.
The England fans and the team were stunned as the Captain visibly disappointed made his way back to his team mates. The English supporters held their breath as Jonathan Trott defended his first ball but the damage had been done as Australia gained the all
important psychological advantage.
Strauss’s counterpart, opener Alastair Cook, played it safe in the initial overs. Cook made sure that his side recovered steadily as he drove his team to 86 for the loss of two wickets by lunchtime.
Cook tried to play safe while keeping a watchful eye on the Aussie pace attack. Trott and Cook managed to steer the team into a comeback but shocks followed.
Aussie captain Ricky Ponting and his men referred the umpire’s call to the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) for a leg before, however, it was called off as the umpire’s verdict was in favour of Trott.
But Trott was to go off the pitch anyway just after drinks break as Shane Watson’s last delivery of his off stump.
Kevin Pietersen shared a confident and unbroken third wicket partnership with Cook as Pietersen tried to give debutante Xavier Doherty a hard time.
Just as it looked as if England was ready to settle, disaster struck again as Pietersen attemoted to drive a delivery off Peter Siddle and edged it straight to captain Ponting.
England is now on 172 for the loss of four wickets with Cook completing his half century.
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