Australia started the day at their overnight score of 235/3. Jonny Bairstow came on the field for the injured Stuart Broad. Watson signalled his early intent by carting Swann for 2 fours and a six of the 1st over of the day which was bowled by swann. Then again after a few overs, Watson hit 3 sixes and 1 four and once again it was Swann who was at the receving end of some excellent power hitting by Watson. Just One over before the new ball was due, Stokes got the wicket of Smith. The ball was dug in short and Smith picked out deep midwicket on the pull. Smith connected with the shot pretty well but didn't keep it down and sent the ball straight to the man coming in off the fence. This meant the arrival of George Bailey, coming in with Australia at 301/3 looking to make some fast runs and give their bowlers some extra overs to get England out again in the 2nd innings. Watson completed his century off the bowling of Anderson by hitting a four. It was his fourth century and a second in four Ashes Tests. Cook did a bowling change for the next over, bringing in Tim Bresnan, replacing Stokes and Tim Bresnan did what his captain would have wanted. Watson top-edged, high into the sky, but Bell dropped it and then Watson was run out. He'd already given up on the cause when his swipe across the line went almost perpendicular, Bell had ages to settle under it but butchered the catch, only for the alert Bresnan to snatch the ball up, shrug off the disappointment of missing out on a wicket and throw down the stumps at the non-striker's end. Brad Haddin joined Bailey. Bresnan got the better of Haddin in his next over. He bowled a length ball, Haddin hacked across the line, it went a bit further, over the head of point but Swann took a decent catch on the run. Mitch Johnson joined Bailey who was looking calm till now with 11 runs of 24 balls. In the next over, Bailey smashed Anderson for 28 runs with 3 sixes, 2 fours and a double, equalling Brian Lara's Test record and that was enough for Michael Clarke, who called his batsmen in, thus setting England 504 to win.
Ryan Harris had the new ball in hand with Cook facing and Harris did something which no one could have imagined. He bowled the 'Technically Correct' Cook on the 1st ball of the innings. The ball shaped back and flipped the off bail. Cook played a little inside the line, hoping the bounce would save him but it was a terrific ball, hinting at inswing and then nibbling a fraction to ping the bails. It was also Cook's first golden duck in Tests. England seemed to go along weel with a 61 run partnership between Root and Carrberry but then Clarke did a bowling change and like it has been in this whole test, the change worked and Watson produced the goods his captain wanted. The ball was full at the pads, it deflected up to the keeper, there was another appeal and Bowden gave it out. The ball angled in, was very full, and Carberry was late coming down on it and trapped in front of off stump. Another decent little innings from Carberry but no evidence so far that he can take his starts further. It would have been umpire's call on hitting in line, so it was a decent decision from Billy Bowden. Soon afterwards, Jhonson got Root caught behind with England left reeling at on from Billy 76/3. The ball was full and wide, Root chopped down on it and there was a thin edge. It was taken brilliantly by the diving Haddin and Erasmus gave it but the batsman immediately asked for the review. Root possibly thought it was a bump ball, or the effect of the bat thumping into the ground confused him but there was a clear deflection and the decision was upheld. Just when a partnership was budding between Pietersen and Bell, Lyon got Pietersen out. Pietersen came down the wicket and whacked down the ground and it went, high up in the air, Harris was at long-on and he clinged onto a fine catch, that was a right old steepler and Pietersen had gone trying to play another big shot. Yet again, Lyon complimented the Australian seamers really nicely. A good partnership developed between Bell and Stoken before Bell tried to ramp A Peter Siddle ball over the slips and there was a thin sound. Australia were convinced but it was not given by Erasmus and they had to resort to the DRS. There was no visible deflection, nothing on Hot Spot either but Real-Time Snicko detected a small blur of noise in the frame after the ball passes the bat and that was enough for Tony Hill, who overturned the decision. Bell's spritely resistance was thus over. Well, whether there was enough evidence to overrule the on-field call is one for better men/furious online debate. I should say there was a definite sound. Prior and Stokes saw through the day without any further hiccups with England's score reading 251/5 with the tail going to start afterr the dismissal of any one of the batsmen currently on the crease plus England dont have Broad so they are left with wickets in total to bat with. England now require another 253 runs with 5 wickets remaining.
Ryan Harris had the new ball in hand with Cook facing and Harris did something which no one could have imagined. He bowled the 'Technically Correct' Cook on the 1st ball of the innings. The ball shaped back and flipped the off bail. Cook played a little inside the line, hoping the bounce would save him but it was a terrific ball, hinting at inswing and then nibbling a fraction to ping the bails. It was also Cook's first golden duck in Tests. England seemed to go along weel with a 61 run partnership between Root and Carrberry but then Clarke did a bowling change and like it has been in this whole test, the change worked and Watson produced the goods his captain wanted. The ball was full at the pads, it deflected up to the keeper, there was another appeal and Bowden gave it out. The ball angled in, was very full, and Carberry was late coming down on it and trapped in front of off stump. Another decent little innings from Carberry but no evidence so far that he can take his starts further. It would have been umpire's call on hitting in line, so it was a decent decision from Billy Bowden. Soon afterwards, Jhonson got Root caught behind with England left reeling at on from Billy 76/3. The ball was full and wide, Root chopped down on it and there was a thin edge. It was taken brilliantly by the diving Haddin and Erasmus gave it but the batsman immediately asked for the review. Root possibly thought it was a bump ball, or the effect of the bat thumping into the ground confused him but there was a clear deflection and the decision was upheld. Just when a partnership was budding between Pietersen and Bell, Lyon got Pietersen out. Pietersen came down the wicket and whacked down the ground and it went, high up in the air, Harris was at long-on and he clinged onto a fine catch, that was a right old steepler and Pietersen had gone trying to play another big shot. Yet again, Lyon complimented the Australian seamers really nicely. A good partnership developed between Bell and Stoken before Bell tried to ramp A Peter Siddle ball over the slips and there was a thin sound. Australia were convinced but it was not given by Erasmus and they had to resort to the DRS. There was no visible deflection, nothing on Hot Spot either but Real-Time Snicko detected a small blur of noise in the frame after the ball passes the bat and that was enough for Tony Hill, who overturned the decision. Bell's spritely resistance was thus over. Well, whether there was enough evidence to overrule the on-field call is one for better men/furious online debate. I should say there was a definite sound. Prior and Stokes saw through the day without any further hiccups with England's score reading 251/5 with the tail going to start afterr the dismissal of any one of the batsmen currently on the crease plus England dont have Broad so they are left with wickets in total to bat with. England now require another 253 runs with 5 wickets remaining.
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