Siddle puts Aussies in the drivers’ seat

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: August 21, 2009

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London: England’s batsmen missed out on a golden opportunity to take control of the fifth and final test of the Ashes at the Oval as Australia took away the advantage on a low, slow and dry wicket even after losing an important toss.

Peter Siddle took four wickets as Australia reduced England to 307 for 8 on the first day of the deciding test.

At least three England batsmen got starts but then just threw away all the good work as England, on what could easily have been their day, squandered away the advantage. Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss contributed half-centuries to a close-of-play total of 307 for 8, while Jonathan Trott marked his Test debut with a very well composed 41, but once again, no single batsman was able to make the day his own. And as a series century count of 7 to 1 in Australia’s favour will testify, that has been the single biggest difference between the two sides.

England won the toss and elected to bat on a good batting pitch. They didn’t get off to the best of starts losing Cook (10) in the 5^th over with the score at 12 as he edged a Siddle delivery to Ponting at slip.

Skipper Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell then put together a solid partnership to get England back in front. At lunch, England was 108 for 1 with both Strauss and Bell looking very good.

They had advanced from 108 for one to 180 for three at tea, losing both Strauss and Paul Collingwood (24) in the second session. Strauss exited when the left-handed opener simply hung his bat outside off-stump against Ben Hilfenhaus and edged to Haddin. It was a tame end to an innings that saw Strauss complete an 89-ball fifty featuring 10 fours although replays suggested he too had been dismissed off a no-ball.

Siddle accounted for Collingwood as he slashed at one outside the off-stump and was caught at gully by Hussey.

Ian Bell battled hard for 72 but was unable to claim a maiden Ashes hundred in his 13th Test against Australia. Warwickshire colleague Jonathan Trott, making his Test debut, looked good in compiling 41 before he was spectacularly run out by Simon Katich.

In what came as a heartbreak for home fans, Andrew Flintoff – in his last Test before an injury-induced retirement – barely got going before he was caught behind off left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson for seven.

Flintoff walked out to a standing ovation. England’s talismanic all-rounder, who had helped them win the second test at Lord’s and was their highest scorer in the third test at Edgbaston, did not play in the last match at Headingley because the selectors feared that his injured knee would not last the entire match.

Siddle, who took a trio of top-order wickets, ended play for the day when he had Graeme Swann caught behind, the fast bowler finish with figures of four for 63 in 18.3 overs.

“I think we are in a pretty good position,” Siddle said. “To get eight wickets at the end of day and they are 300-odd, it’s pretty even.”

Brief Scores at end of Day 1:

England 307 for 8 (Bell 72, Siddle 4-63) v Australia

Tagged with: Andrew Flintoff, Andrew Strauss, Ashes, Australia, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Haddin, England, Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, London, Paul Collingwood, Peter Siddle

Siddle puts Aussies in the drivers’ seat

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