From the Captain's Mess #7

2nd Test – Day One

Modest Lancastrian James Anderson took 4-51 in a superb England bowling effort as Australia were dismissed for 245 on day one of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
The visitors got off to the perfect start as Simon Katich was run out and Ricky Ponting went first ball. Anderson also accounted for Michael Clarke (FAC2010) before Shane Watson (51) and Michael Mr Cricket Hussey (93) led the fightback. Brad Haddin hit 56 but Graeme Swann took two wickets as England cleaned up the tail and finished on 1-0 at stumps.

Although the two sides were all square after the draw in Brisbane, the momentum was with England after their record-breaking second-innings score of 517-1 declared. England named an unchanged side, while Australia dropped Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus - and drafted Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris into their pace attack.

The hosts had come under fire from the Australian media and former Test stars in the wake of their performance as England piled up the runs in the opening Test, and they provided further fuel for the critical fire as wickets tumbled in an incredible start to the match. Conditions seemed to be in Australia's favour with clear blue skies and a flat, hard pitch to bat on after Ponting won the toss, but their hopes of a big first-innings score were in tatters inside three overs as they made their worst start to a Test innings in 60 years.

The first wicket was a gift for England as Shane Watson attempted to scamper a single but partner Simon Katich was slow to respond and was run out by Jonathan Trott's direct hit from square leg. His diamond duck was followed by a golden one for skipper Ponting, who played forward to Anderson's next delivery, which was on a perfect line and took the edge before being caught by a diving Graeme Swann at second slip. You beauty!

Ponting was grim-faced as he returned to the dressing room with his side 0-2 and his mood must have worsened when Anderson struck again in similar fashion in his next over as a desperately out-of-form Michael Clarke edged a flat-footed drive to Swann, who accepted a far more straightforward chance. Clarke's dismissal left Australia on 2-3, and it could have been 12-4 shortly afterwards if the Lancashire paceman had held a difficult return chance offered by Hussey.

Hussey, a centurion in Brisbane, was content to play the supporting role as Watson took a liking to Steven Finn, hitting him for a series of fours through the covers to bring up his 12th Test half century shortly before lunch. But Watson became Anderson's third victim in the first over after the interval, carving an airborne drive to Kevin Pietersen to provide more evidence that he is a batsman adept at getting starts but not converting them into big scores.

Mr Cricket, though, is a different beast and perfectly willing to drop anchor for lengthy spells in a bid to turn the game in his team's favour. With Swann on for a marathon 23-over spell, the Western Australian teamed with Marcus North to add 60 from 26 overs, North's contribution a tortuous 26 from 93 balls before he shaped to cut a ball from Finn and gloved a catch to keeper Matt Prior.
In his 195 in the first Test, Hussey had taken a heavy toll of Swann's bowling, but with the spinner displaying greater control, he had to settle for accumulation as Adelaide provided a more even battle between bat and ball.

He only hit only eight boundaries, but collected them all around the wicket, and when his fifth wicket partnership with Haddin passed 50 some England fans must have feared a repeat of their 307-run stand in the opening Test. Swann continued to do all that can be expected of a spinner on a first-day pitch down under, as he slowly built pressure and then in the space of two deliveries he swung the match firmly back in England's favour.

Hussey was within sight of a 13th Test century when he prodded at a ball that found slight turn and edged straight to Prior and next up, Harris missed a sharply turning off-break and was given out after a referral despite his obvious belief he had got an inside edge. With the tail exposed, Haddin decided to hit out, but he soon lost the support of Xavier Hollander because of more bad running which allowed England to relay the ball between two fielders to Prior, who removed the bails to run him out for six.

His departure only served to increase Haddin's aggression, as he struck two fours through the off-side before outfoxing Anderson by stepping across his stumps to hoist him over the leg-side for six. But Anderson gained further reward when Peter Siddle clipped a catch straight to Alastair Cook at midwicket and with only number 11 Bollinger left, Haddin eventually top-edged an attempted pull off Stuart Broad which flew to Finn, who took the catch safely.

England's openers had to come out to face one over before the close and despite Harris exceeding 90mph with a couple of deliveries - a sharp increase on the low to mid-80s fare sent down by Australia's seamers in Brisbane - Cook and skipper Andrew Strauss survived to the close. Rival skippers Ponting and Strauss exchanged words as the players left the field, but the reason for the debate remained a mystery. Although it is a telltale sign that Ponting is really feeling the heat.