Ashes - Hussey curbs England recovery

Fri, 26 Nov 07:42:00 2010

Mike Hussey made an aggressive 81 not out as Australia reached 220-5 at stumps on the second day of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.

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England's bowlers took four wickets, including that of Australia captain Ricky Ponting, after lunch but Hussey and wicket-keeper Brad Haddin (22 not out) took the hosts to within 40 runs of England's first innings total of 260.

James Anderson got the only wicket to fall in front of another packed house during a sunny morning session, having Shane Watson caught in the slips by Andrew Strauss for 36.

But after labouring hard in the morning, Anderson came out firing after the break and got immediate reward when Ponting was caught behind by wicket-keeper Matt Prior for 10 in the first over.

His fellow quick Steve Finn kept up the pressure with his first Ashes wicket when he caught and bowled opener Simon Katich, who had survived a couple of scares to make 50, his 25th Test half century.

Hussey, under pressure for his place in the side after a thin run of form, tried to take the game back at England, hitting 18 runs off spinner Graeme Swann's second over of the day, including the first six of the contest over long-on.

England's bowlers retook the initiative, however, with another two wickets in quick succession.

Michael Clarke had endured a torrid 81-minute examination, including a TV review of a suspected inside edge and a bang on the helmet from a Stuart Broad bouncer, when Finn snared him caught behind by Prior for nine.

Swann, tipped to be a big influence on the series, had tightened up his line and style of attack and got his reward when Marcus North was dismissed for one courtesy of a good low catch by Paul Collingwood at slip.

But then Hussey and Haddin shared an unbroken 77-run partnership with the former hitting 13 boundaries in his 144-minute innings before bad light stopped play just as England were about to take the second new ball.

The series began with a bang on Thursday when Australian paceman Peter Siddle took six wickets, including only the third Ashes hat-trick in the last century.

Australia have not lost a Test match at the Gabba since 1988 but even if they extend that record the series looks like being as close as many had predicted.

Day 2 Timeline (All times UK):

00:00 - Australia 25-0 (7 overs) - RESUMPTION

00:26 - Australia 42-0 (12.2 overs) - Simon Katich sets off on a single but is sent back and Alastair Cook's throw at the stumps is over the top with the batsman short of his ground.

01:18 - Australia 67-0 (23.1 overs) - Katich suffles across the crease to Jimmy Anderson and Billy Doctrove gives him out lbw but after TV review the decision is overturned.

01:27 - Australia 78-0 (25.1 overs) - England call for a review for a lbw against Watson but the ball was missing leg stump and Doctrove's not out is ratified.

01:28 - Australia 78-1 (25.2 overs) - Anderson strikes next ball after a regulation edge to skipper Andrew Strauss at slip.

02:00 - Australia 96-1 (33 overs) - LUNCH

02:42 - Australia 96-2 (33.2 overs) - Ricky Ponting goes second ball after lunch as he tickles Anderson off his pads and Prior takes the catch down the leg-side.

02:49 - Australia 100-2 (34.4 overs) - Katich brings up his 50 off 103 balls with five boundaries.

02:55 - Australia 100-3 (36.1 overs) - Steven Finn takes a superb, low return catch as Katich chips the ball back to the bowler.

03:06 - Australia 101-3 (38.3 overs) - England call for their second and final review for a catch behind off Michael Clarke's inside edge but Aleem Dar's not out decision is ratified.

04:03 - Australia 140-4 (51.2 overs) - Finn strikes again as Clarke gets an edge on an attempted pull and Prior takes the catch.

04:11 - Australia 143-5 (52.5 overs) - Marcus North is a victim of a classic off-spinner's dismissal from Graeme Swann, the ball turns away from the left-hander who edges low to Paul Collingwood at slip.

04:40 - Aus 168-5 (60 overs) - TEA

05:08 - Aus 175-5 (62 overs) - Mike Hussey's 22nd Test fifty comes up off 85 balls with nine boundaries and a six.

06:19 - Aus 220-5 (80 overs) - Bad light stops play.

Reuters

Comment 56 - 75 of 75

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  1. P, pithy as ever ever, why use one word, where ten will­ do! Good game to win, draw more hopeful!

    From MATTHEW ROBINSON, on Sun 28 Nov 7:37

  2. 76. I think you need to recharge your batteries maite!!­ I bet you couldn't do what a 6 year old could do?­ So you expect a 6 year old to show you how its done??­ You are so vain!! By the way, did the Aussie­ "Saviour" Doherty do any better?? At least­ Swann got the title as the 'Best Spinner in the­ world'!! So what has your 'Saviour'­ Doherty got?? He has not got anyone to save him­ except some barking mad dingos!! Let's wait and­ see what happens in the England second innings before­ we pre-judge the outcome of this game. If England can­ get past the Aussie total and put a decent defendable­ target, this game is up for grabs. Swann might be the­ key man to play his song to get those dingos hopping,­ skipping and diving for cover on the last day!!

    From P, on Sat 27 Nov 19:50

  3. swans supposedly the best spinner in the world­ haha
    pffft who are you kidding, ive seen 6yr olds bowl­ better than him

    From seanbattrick, on Sat 27 Nov 12:21

  4. oh you poor brits with sleep loss plus
    your sorry­ excuse of a team keeps you up in the wee hours to watch­ them get humiliated!!!
    poor broad bowling his shoulders­ off
    swann your balls flying literally over the boundary

    From steeve, on Sat 27 Nov 11:23

  5. to all u poms who think that australia is a massive­ dessert,
    80% of the poppulation lives within 100km of­ the coast and 65% of the poppulation live in the 6­ major cities.
    Oh and another interesting fact people­ from the UK make up 55% of immigrants to Australia
    it­ must not be so wonderful in that smelly hole where you­ live?

    From seanbattrick, on Sat 27 Nov 10:57

  6. so much for the poms bowling us out in the first­ session haha
    I come form a land down under,
    You better­ run, you better take cover,
    Come on Aussies

    From seanbattrick, on Sat 27 Nov 10:33

  7. I agree heartily about the awful new commentary thread­ Ricmeo. The banter was the best part of the service.

    From Bobito, on Sat 27 Nov 9:16

  8. Evening all.... I'd say after two days it's­ pretty even stevens... Agree with some of the more­ sensible posts here that the first hour in the morning­ could be pivotal... If we can manage to knock Hussey­ over, methinks we could be batting again by lunch... ­ YAHOO !!.. Give us back our old commentary thread, an­ Ashes series and we can't have any discussions and­ or live banter with those of the Lemon & Lime­ persuasion... It's just not cricket.. :-(

    Welcome­ back Rob / mirandola..

    From ricmeo67, on Sat 27 Nov 6:49

  9. It beggars belief that some of the posters on here can­ call themselves sportsfans.

    From tani1959, on Sat 27 Nov 6:34

  10. Roy, what a shame, ignore the nonsense, its a shame­ some idiots use these forums to express their ignorant­ opinions on other nationalities they have probably­ never met before.
    Great day of cricket, Australia­ looked better at the start, then a great fight back­ from England, and an even better fight back from Mr­ Cricket. If it continues in the way the first two days­ have, the series could go either way, and probably very­ similar to the 2009 series. Saying that, the Poms­ looked more comfortable generally on both days, even­ though they are probably just behind the 8 ball at the­ moment.
    I think any true cricket fan would agree with­ me here, and hope that Mr Cricket makes a century, a­ true battler, a gentleman, a good sport and represents­ cricket very well. Come on you aussies

    From Phillip, on Sat 27 Nov 6:17

  11. Had to wade through miles of garbage posted on here­ just to get to intelligent comments on the CRICKET. If­ it's going to be like this for the next six­ weeks........Pass.

    Sorry to all the regular fellas on­ here, but for me this will probably be too much to­ handle.

    From roy, on Sat 27 Nov 5:14

  12. BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!!­ BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!!­ BODYLINE!!!
    BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!!­ BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!!BODYLINE!!!­ BODYLINE!!!
    BODYLINE!!!BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!!­ BODYLINE!!!BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!! BODYLINE!!!!­ BODYLINE!!!

    From T EDWARDS, on Sat 27 Nov 5:13

  13. Please confine your comments to CRICKET

    From Lancey, on Sat 27 Nov 4:57

  14. Good game of cricket here so far, keep it going

    From jerry.nissen, on Sat 27 Nov 4:57

  15. Two wickets in the first half hour tomorrow­ morning.Early start, new ball.We'll be right back­ in it before midnight(our time)

    Get Bell up the­ order.He is in the form of his life and mustn't be­ left to bat with the tail.He will score big runs if he­ bats at four.

    Come on England

    From Lancey, on Sat 27 Nov 4:55
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    well done the aussies, keep it up and hit the­ englunders hard. the english are only famous for­ gloating.

    From A Yahoo! user, on Sat 27 Nov 4:37

  17. Paul - there are just a***holes, full stop

    From mirandola, on Sat 27 Nov 4:11

  18. What I've learnt from this thread - there are­ a*seholes here and on the opposite side of the world!

    From C, on Sat 27 Nov 3:28

  19. getting fed up with all the name calling on here
    if­ @#$% goes in first 30 mins it will be game on
    if he­ bats well gets a big hundred
    then aussies test 4 the­ taking
    we shall see

    From Willow, on Sat 27 Nov 3:08
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    There is loud and clear talk in bookie circles that­ some English players have taken enormous amounts of­ money to lose the match. No wonder Peter Siddle did his­ Hat-trick .

    From shahid, on Sat 27 Nov 2:07
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