3rd Ashes Test Day 1 Report - Anderson makes the ball walk and talk as Australia suffers a collapse

3rd Ashes Test Day 1 Report – Anderson makes the ball walk and talk as Australia suffers a collapse: After Australia’s nailing comeback in the second Ashes test where they won the match by a mammoth margin of 405 runs, the series had got its spice and crunch with the fate of the series all squared at 1-1. With intensified high voltage, the third test commenced today at Birmingham. As it happened, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first and seemed to apply the ploy of putting a big total pressure upon the English batsmen.

Well the overcast morning session added to the benefit of the English team as their pace spearheads, James Anderson and Stuart Broad were at full swing. And as it happened, the first tremor to the Australian innings came right on the 3^rd over of the day’s play when Warner padded a ball that pitched on middle and leg and was projecting towards the stumps. Thus, despite going for a review, Warner had to walk back right on the 3^rd over of the day and it was James Anderson who brought the first laugh for the English side.

On seeing pressure mounting up on the Australian side, the English captain, Alastair Cook made a gamble by introducing Steve Finn into the attack and incredibly it did pay off for them. Finn managed to clinch the wicket of the top scorer of the previous test, Steve Smith right in his first over and Australia were in some spots of bother. After a span of few overs, Clarke was dismissed and this led to further tremors in the Australian dressing room as they were reduced to 34/3. Rain delayed the play and the wetness of the pitch was going to be a blessing for the English bowlers.

But after the play resumed, Rogers and Voges did manage to take the Australian innings to some sort of balance as the Australians reached to 72/3 at lunch. Just after the commencement of the play in the second session of the day’s play, Anderson made the ball talk with incredible swing and took back to back wickets of Voges and Shaun Marsh in a span of 2 overs and Australia were put into a pit of amplified trouble, having lost 5 of their top batsmen at the score of just 82 runs.

Things did not stop here. In his next two overs, James Anderson struck the wickets of the Australian batsmen Peter Nevill and Mitchell Johnson and the tail of the Australian line up was on. Having lost 7 wickets at the score of just 94 runs, things looked tormenting from the Australians’ perspective. But the most consistent batsman of Australian line up of late, Chris Rogers was on the crease and that brought some sorts of hope for the Australian side. Rogers completed his half century but was dismissed soon after that at the score of 52 runs by Stuart Broad.

After that, Broad and Anderson took a wicket each to put the last nails to the coffin of the Australian first innings. Australia were bundled at the score of 136 runs and Anderson was the star performer with figures of 6/47.

England came into bat at the brisk of tea and were poised at 7/0 at tea. In the third session of the day’s play, England batsmen did keep their calm was progressing towards taking a lead. In the 8^th over of the innings, Lyth was dismissed by Hazlewood. This was followed by a glamorous partnership from Bell and Cook and it took England to a convincing position and England were poised at the score of 72/3 when Cook had to leave the crease after being dismissed by Lyon. However Bell carried on with the good work and Joe Root assisted him well. After completing his half century, Bell was dismissed by Lyon.

Finally, rain came in after that and play was called off for the day with England poised at 133/3. The test is progressing towards a decisive one. But since it’s the Ashes, we can expect further twists and turns in the second day of the test. Lets wait till then.

Brief Scores:

Australia 1^st Innings –136/10 (Chris Rogers 52, James Anderson 6/47)

England 1^st innings –133/3 (Ian Bell 53, Nathan Lyon 2/3) trail by 3 runs.