England have won the toss and batted on Day One of the First Ashes Test of 2009 at Cardiff.
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Led by a 138-run partnership between Paul Collingwood (64) and Kevin Pietersen (69) during the afternoon session, England built a strong position for middle order stroke makers Andrew Flintoff (37) and Matt Prior (56) to propel the English to a strong position of 7/336 at the close of play.
Best for Australia were Ben Hilfenhaus (2/61 off 23 overs) and Mitchell Johnson (2/86 off 18) with the ball as Hilfenhaus got the early breakthrough of Cook and key wicket of Collingwood in the final session and Johnson snagged Strauss and Bopara before lunch.
The attack may have been able to stem the Collingwood-Pietersen partnership if the selectors had been smart and picked Stuart Clark... but alas they have stuck with Peter Siddle and although he took two late wickets thanks to inside edges - his previous spells were average at best as he bowled too short of a length.
Nathan Hauritz didn't bowl badly but he didn't bowl particularly well either. On occasion he'd flight the ball and get some turn but by and large he was too fast and flat and was gradually picked off by the Collingwood-Pietersen pair.
DAY ONE HONOURS: ENGLAND
Close of play Day One:
ENGLAND 7/336 (K Pietersen 69, P Collingwood 64, M Prior 56, A Flintoff 37, R Bopara 35, A Strauss 30; B Hilfenhaus 2/61, M Johnson 2/68, P Siddle 2/93, N Hauritz 1/67) v AUSTRALIA.
@ Cardiff, Wales, July 8-12, 2009.
AUSTRALIA:
Simon KATICH, Phillip HUGHES, Ricky PONTING (c), Michael HUSSEY, Michael CLARKE, Marcus NORTH, Brad HADDIN, Mitchell JOHNSON, Nathan HAURITZ, Peter SIDDLE, Ben HILFENHAUS. 12th Man: Stuart CLARK/Andrew McDONALD.
V
ENGLAND:
Andrew STRAUSS (c), Alistair COOK, Ravi BOPARA, Kevin PIETERSEN, Paul COLLINGWOOD, Andrew FLINTOFF, Matt PRIOR, Stuart BROAD, Graeme SWANN, James ANDERSON, Monty PANESAR. 12th Men: Young Fit Fielders who will never play Test Cricket.
Here's The Ashes Blog from Day One with Question #02:
AUSTRALIA:
Simon KATICH, Phillip HUGHES, Ricky PONTING (c), Michael HUSSEY, Michael CLARKE, Marcus NORTH, Brad HADDIN, Mitchell JOHNSON, Nathan HAURITZ, Peter SIDDLE, Ben HILFENHAUS. 12th Man: Stuart CLARK/Andrew McDONALD.
V
ENGLAND:
Andrew STRAUSS (c), Alistair COOK, Ravi BOPARA, Kevin PIETERSEN, Paul COLLINGWOOD, Andrew FLINTOFF, Matt PRIOR, Stuart BROAD, Graeme SWANN, James ANDERSON, Monty PANESAR. 12th Men: Young Fit Fielders who will never play Test Cricket.
Here's The Ashes Blog from Day One with Question #02:
