Chaotic Australia crash all out on first day

Dec 03, 2010 |

Adelaide

Tags:

ashes

England backed up a sensational three-wicket start to bowl out Australia for 245 on an extraordinary opening day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval today.

Australia got off to their worst Test start in 60 years at two for three in the opening three overs and then lost their last five wickets for 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.

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.

James Anderson was the best of England's bowlers, taking 4-51 off 19 overs. At the close, England's openers had negotiated one over to be one without loss.

England had a sensational start when they removed senior opener Simon Katich, skipper Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Michael 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. Katich set off a calamitous day for Australia when he was run out by a direct hit from Jonathan Trott side on at square leg.

Shane Watson hared off for a single off an lbw appeal on Anderson's fourth ball of the innings and Katich had the misfortune to be out without facing a ball, a victim of chaotic communication with his opening partner.

There was more calamity to come for Australia when Ponting edged Anderson's outswinger to Graeme Swann at second slip for his fifth Test first-ball duck.

The hosts plunged into deeper trouble when out-of-form Michael Clarke on two went hard after a moving Anderson delivery and snicked to Swann in the slips for the spinner's second catch.

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