Australia will feel they can breathe a little more easily after they picked up four wickets in the final session of the first day’s play of the second Test at Lord’s. But there is still the matter of dismissing Andrew Strauss.
The England captain overcame the early loss of Kevin Pietersen in the session after tea and saw Andrew Flintoff and Matt Prior depart and yet continued on the mission he had avowed, that of not throwing away valuable starts. With a little luck like help from Mike Hussey, Strauss pushed past the 150 mark.
364 for six is not a bad way to end the first day. But England will still feel that they had underachieved again given that there was no real innings of responsibility after the opening pair of Alastair Cook and Strauss. The final session yielded 109 runs but England also lost two wickets in the process. Perhaps Paul Collingwood’s dismissal by Michael Clarke was an example of how much more England could have capitalized on Australia’s bowling today.
However, England still have the opportunity to extend their hold on the match so long Strauss does not run out of partners as he did in the post tea session. Australia will sleep better but on a day rather ordinary.
Ashes T 2 Day 1 Lunch & Tea: Strauss & England on Top, Australia Wayward
Ashes at Lord’s: Warne Resumes his Battle with Bopara
Flintoff Makes Retirement Announcement, Tests Out
Atherton: England Should not Grieve over Andrew “Second Hand Car” Flintoff
Ponting Cries Foul; Umpire Disagrees; Duncan Slams
Boycott Digs into KP, Calls him “Spoilt Child”
Flintoff, Monty in Trouble, Harmison and Onions vie for Spot, Aussies Unsympathetic
Ashes T1 day 5: England Complete a Houdini, Draw with Australia
Mitchell’s Mother Moans CA’s Disregard for Parents
Vaughan retirement:
Michael Vaughan Set to Retire?
