Records fall as England destroy early Aussie promise

This year’s first Ashes Test ended in stalemate, but only a fool would deny that the pendulum has swung firmly in the favour of the visiting English. Australian captain Ricky Ponting could have been forgiven for sensing victory at the end of day three, when his side sat over 200 runs ahead of an England team that had just been embarked upon their second innings. Two days and a ton of runs later, Ponting trudged off the field forlornly, and was left with some serious issues to consider before Friday’s second Test in Adelaide.

In the opposite dressing room, Andrew Strauss was in a buoyant mood. Having seen his side capitulate to just 260 all out, after having won the toss too, the England skipper then had to look on as Brad Haddin and Mike Hussey put on a new Brisbane Test record partnership of 307, with Australia finishing on 460 for their first innings. England, though, were not to go out with a whimper as they did four years ago; Alistair Cook and Jonathan Trott smashed that partnership record mere days later, putting on an unbeaten 329 as England declared on 517-1.

Cook, largely unimpressive in The Ashes victory of last year, eclipsed Sir Don Bradman’s record score at The Gabba with a staggering 235 not out. A masterful innings, Strauss describing it as “one of the best hundreds I’ve seen by an England player”, the twenty-five year-old opener looked assured throughout. Alarm bells rang when Ponting was adjudged to have put down a catch, but other than that Cook never seemed in danger of returning to the dressing room unless in the case of a declaration.

Strauss, oft-renowned for being of a cautious nature, wanted to ensure that victory would be well out of Australian reach before declaring. Adding the crushing landmark of 500 runs into the equation, the England captain eventually hauled his batsmen off with about half an hour of the penultimate session remaining; little chance of victory remained, but his side’s display of resilience was one which had visibly rattled their hosts.

For Australia and Ponting, a good start at Adelaide is pivotal. A side widely regarded as the worst Australian one in many a year seemed to have put their demons behind them on day one at Brisbane; by the end of this opening Test they were undoubtedly staring them in the face once more.

By far the biggest question marks linger over the Aussie bowling attack. Mitchell Johnson, once hailed as the new golden boy and Glenn McGrath’s natural successor as Australian’s premier seam bowler, has endured a spectacular fall from grace. Posting match figures of 0-180, Johnson has already been cast out ahead of Friday, with Doug Bollinger likely to be his replacement.

Peter Siddle’s spectacular hat-trick on the first day was the main highlight for the home bowlers, but neither he nor the much relied upon could break through the English resolve in the second innings. Indeed, the only man who did take a wicket was Marcus North; North dismissed Andrew Strauss for 110, though the England captain only fell to a stumping following his attempts to quicken the scoring rate by taking the attack to North’s spin.

Ponting and his men can still take heart from this though. England’s frailties were laid bare for all to see at times in this Test match, both in their first innings, when Strauss fell with just the third ball of the series, and in their bowling performance, with Graeme Swann particularly poor.

Day one at Adelaide will prove the most important. If Australia start well, they will once more believe in their ability to regain the famed urn; if it is England who hit the ground running, then the home side’s belief will take another shattering blow. Either way, The Ashes are underway, and the stage is well and truly set for yet another dramatic series between the oldest of rivals.