Anderson hits hosts for four
Adelaide, Dec. 3: England backed up a sensational three-wicket start inspired by James Anderson to bowl out Australia for 245 on an extraordinary opening day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Australia got off to their worst Test start in 60 years at 2/3 in the opening three overs and then lost their last 5/38 to hand England the inside running on a crucial early victory in the series.
It was a horror performance by Australia, coming off the drawn first Gabba Test and needing to finish ahead of holders England to reclaim the Ashes.
Anderson was the best of England’s bowlers, snaring the crucial wickets of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke in his 4/51 off 19 overs. “We obviously didn’t expect to have them 2 for 3, so we were delighted but we didn’t want to get too carried away with that, and we just created pressure all day,” Anderson said.
“It was a hugely satisfying day for everyone to come to a ground which is a notoriously flat pitch with big first innings scores and I thought it was great to keep them to such a low score.” At the close, England’s openers had negotiated one over to be 1/0. If not for Mike Hussey it would have been considerably worse for Australia with the senior number five batsman showing plenty of spirit in a fighting 93 before 38,615 spectators, one of the biggest Ashes crowds here in decades.
England had a great start when they removed Simon Katich, skipper Ponting and vice-captain Clarke in an amazing opening spell.
Australia were reeling at 2/3 inside the third over with only Lindsay Hassett’s team faring worst at 0-3 in the second innings of the 1950 Brisbane Ashes Test.
Scores: Australia 245 (Hussey 93, Haddin 56, Watson 51; Anderson 4/51, Swann 2/70) vs England 1/0.
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