Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Johnson’s four-wicket haul sparked Australia’s counter-attack
Australia’s bowlers launched an awe-inspiring counter-attack against England on the second day of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.
After Australia were humiliated by England on day one, their bowlers returned the favour as they left the tourists in absolute tatters by bowling them out for a dreary 136.
To add insult to injury, Australia’s opening pair of David Warner and Chris Rogers registered a brilliant 65-run partnership to give the baggy greens a massive 224-run lead at the end of the second day.
Starting out the day on 273/8, Australia vice-captain Brad Haddin and pace bowler Ryan Harris only managed to add nine runs onto their eight-run partnership before Harris edged a delivery from Stuart Broad, who took his 11th five-wicket haul yesterday, straight to Matt Prior behind the stumps when trying to get his bat out of the way.
Brad Haddin managed to score 94 runs before he was tragically run out when attempting a suicidal second run.
Haddin’s outstanding knock of 94 came off 153 balls and included eight boundaries and a six.
Haddin’s dismissal meant that Australia were bowled out for 295.
Broad was the pick of the England bowlers with an incredible six wickets, while James Anderson snapped up two and Chris Tremlett chipped in with one.
Trailing by 295, England got off to a rocky start as captain Alastair Cook managed to score 13 runs before dabbling at a delivery from Harris, which ended up landing safely in the hands of Haddin behind the stumps.
Jonathan Trott failed to make a major contribution with the bat as he got a thin edge, which was gobbled up by Haddin, when trying to work a delivery from Mitchell Johnson down the leg side.
Trott’s wicket marked a milestone in Haddin’s career as it was his 200th Test dismissal.
Kevin Pietersen, who is playing in his 100th Test match, also failed to produce a magical innings as he was initially dropped on eight by Peter Siddle, but after scoring 10 more runs, the South African-born batsman clipped a delivery from Harris straight to George Bailey at midwicket.
Michael Carberry worked extremely hard for his 40 runs before he threw his wicket away by edging the ball to Shane Watson in the slips to become Johnson’s second victim of the day.
Things went from bad to worse for England in the very next over as Ian Bell hit the ball straight to Steve Smith at short leg to give off-spinner Nathan Lyon his first wicket of this Ashes series.
Lyon struck again the very next ball as Prior got out the exact same way Bell did.
Prior was initially given not out, but after captain Michael Clarke asked for a review, Hot Spot showed a massive inside edge off Prior’s bat and the umpire reversed his decision.
Just as if things could not get any worse, Joe Root was on his way back to the pavilion for just two runs after prodding at a delivery from Johnson, which ended up nestling safely in the hands of Smith at third slip.
Johnson picked up his fourth wicket soon after as Graeme Swann inside edged the ball onto his pad before it ballooned up to Bailey at short leg, where he took the simplest of catches.
Chris Tremlett was the next to go as he got a thick edge off a short ball from Harris, which went straight to Lyon at gully.
England were eventually bowled out for a dismal 136 when Broad was caught by Rogers at deep midwicket when attempting a pull shot off the bowling of Siddle.
England only managed to score eight runs for their fourth to eighth-wicket partnerships, which is their second-lowest in Test cricket history.
Their worst still remains the five runs their fourth to eighth-wicket partnerships accumulated against the West Indies in Kingston in 1954.
England’s team total of 136 is also their sixth-lowest first innings score in Test matches in Brisbane.
It was also the third-lowest score in the first innings of an Ashes series at the venue.
Johnson was the most successful Australian bowler with four wickets, while Harris picked up three, Lyon snapped up two and Siddle chipped in with one.
With a 159-run lead in hand, Australia got off to a magnificent start as Warner and Rogers put together an unbeaten 65-run partnership before the umpires brought play to an end for the day.
Warner finished on 45 off 55 balls, which included four boundaries, while Rogers remained undefeated on 15 off 77 deliveries, which included one boundary.
Australia ended the day on 65/0 and will resume batting tomorrow at 10:00 local time or 00:00 GMT.