Bowlers give England the edge

December 27, 2013 09:43 am | Updated May 12, 2016 09:58 am IST - MELBOURNE, Australia

England's James Anderson, second from left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Australia's Michael Clarke during their Ashes cricket test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, on Friday.

England's James Anderson, second from left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Australia's Michael Clarke during their Ashes cricket test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, on Friday.

Jimmy Anderson took three wickets as part of a dominant England bowling display on Friday which left Australia in trouble on 164-9 at stumps on the second day of the fourth Ashes test.

After Mitchell Johnson completed a five-wicket haul to help dismiss England for 255 early in the day and seemingly give the hosts the upper hand, Australia’s top and middle order gave up their wickets cheaply, with Anderson (3-50) dismissing David Warner, Michael Clarke and George Bailey in a disciplined bowling display that offered few scoring chances.

Chris Rogers scored a dogged 61 to anchor much of the innings and Brad Haddin provided some aggressive late stroke play, but Australia made just 68 runs at the expense of four wickets in the third session.

Peter Siddle was dismissed for a duck with the last ball of the day leaving Haddin unbeaten on 43 and Australia trailing by 91 runs.

After an aggressive start, Warner was out for 9 when he got a top edge while attempting to flick the ball down the leg-side, giving Jonny Bairstow his first test catch as wicketkeeper.

Shane Watson offered a thin inside edge off Ben Stokes to Bairstow shortly before lunch to take the gloss of Australia’s dominant morning.

Anderson dismissed Clarke in the only wicket of the middle session and a prolonged spell of miserly bowling paid off for England after tea when Steven Smith was tempted by Stuart Broad’s wide delivery and edged the ball to Ian Bell at second slip.

Rogers fell shortly after when he attempted a rare attacking stroke and sliced a Tim Bresnan ball to Kevin Pietersen at mid-off.

George Bailey played cautiously through 19 balls without score before being given out caught behind for a duck off Anderson after a decision review was upheld by the TV umpire, even though the available vision and Hot Spot technology showed no contact between bat and ball.

That dismissal meant England paid no great price for Anderson dropping a simple chance from Johnson four overs earlier.

Ryan Harris made 6 before being caught by Joe Root off Broad.

Earlier, Johnson who took two wickets late on day one with the new ball claimed immediate success on day two, dismissing Bresnan (1) with the first delivery of the morning’s second over and bowling Pietersen for 71 four balls later.

Pietersen, who played an uncharacteristically watchful knock to anchor the England innings Thursday, showed a change of intent by smashing a four off the first ball of the second day.

Scoreboard

Alastair Cook c Clarke b Siddle 27

Michael Carberry b Watson 38

Joe Root c Haddin b Harris 24

Kevin Pietersen b Johnson 71

Ian Bell c Haddin b Harris 27

Ben Stokes c Watson b Johnson 14

Jonny Bairstow b Johnson 10

Tim Bresnan c Bailey b Harris 1

Stuart Broad lbw b Johsnon 11

Jimmy Anderson not out 11

Monty Panesar b Lyon 2

Extras: (10b,7lb,1w,1nb) 19

TOTAL: (all out) 255.

Overs: 100.

Fall of wickets: 1-48, 2-96, 3-106, 4-173, 5-202, 6-216, 7-230, 8-231, 9-242, 10-255.

Bowling: Ryan Harris 24-8-47-2, Mitchell Johnson 24-4-63-5 (1w), Peter Siddle 23-7-50-1 (1nb), Nathan Lyon 22.2-3-67-1, Shane Watson 6.4-2-11-1.

David Warner c Bairstow b Anderson 9

Chris Rogers c pietersen b Bresnan 61

Shane Watson c Bairstow b Stokes 10

Michael Clarke b Anderson 10

Steve Smith c Bell b Broad 19

George Bailey c Bairstow b Anderson 0

Brad Haddin not out 43

Mitchell Johnson c Anderson b Bresnan 2

Ryan Harris c Root b Broad 6

Peter Siddle c Bresnan b Broad 0

Extras: (4lb) 4

TOTAL: (for 9 wickets) 164

Overs: 73.3.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-36, 3-62, 4-100, 5-112, 6-122, 7-151, 8-162, 9-164.

Still to bat: Nathan Lyon.

Bowling: Jimmy Anderson 16-4-50-3, Stuart Broad 16.3-5-30-3, Ben Stokes 14-4-38-1, Tim Bresnan 18-6-24-2, Monty Panesar 9-2-18-0.

Toss: Won by Australia.

Series: Australia leads 5-test series 3-0.

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Pakistan, and Kumar Dharmasena, Sri Lanka.

TV umpire: Billy Bowden, New Zealand. Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.

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