England make solid start in quest to win back Ashes

ENGLAND will resume their attempt to regain the Ashes this morning with the first Test delicately poised after an encouraging first day in Cardiff.

Andrew Strauss’s men recovered from the loss of three wickets before lunch to finish on 336-7, thanks largely to a 138-run stand between Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood.

Matt Prior and Andrew Flintoff also batted positively later in the day, making 56 and 37 respectively, before Australia hit back when Peter Siddle removed them both in consecutive overs.

Having won the toss and opted to bat, England captain Strauss and fellow opener Alastair Cook made steady if unspectacular progress – until the eighth over.

Essex left-hander Cook (10) nudged a wide ball from rookie Aussie bowler Ben Hilfenhaus – preferred to Stuart Clarke – allowing Michael Hussey to catch acrobatically in the gully.

Strauss (30) was next to fall, a Mitchell Johnson bouncer clipping his gloves and looping to Michael Clarke at first slip.

And England found themselves reduced to 90-3 when Johnson’s second wicket cut short Ravi Bopara’s fluent 35, a checked drive finding Phillip Hughes at point.

Pietersen and Collingwood restored the home side’s momentum after lunch, patiently at first, before hitting Nathan Hauritz and Clarke for boundaries as England reached tea 194-3.

But the tourists ended the lengthy stand when Collingwood (64) edged Hilfenhaus to an airborne Brad Haddin, and England slumped to 241-5 when Pietersen (69) recklessly swept a wide Hauritz ball to Simon Katich at short-leg.

Prior and Flintoff made hay against the spinners, the wicketkeeper making his half-century off just 54 balls and the all-rounder crashing a quickfire 37.

But England’s enthusiasm was dampened when Siddle claimed both in the dying stages, Flintoff inside-edging onto his stumps and Prior (56) dismissed by a booming inswinger.

SCORECARD ENGLAND (1ST INNINGS)
A Strauss           c Clarke         b Johnson             30
A Cook               c Hussey       b Hilfenhaus          10
R Bopara            c Hughes       b Johnson            35
K Pietersen         c Katich        b Hauritz               69
P Collingwood     c Haddin        b Hilfenhaus        64
M Prior                                    b Siddle                 56
A Flintoff                                 b Siddle                  37
J Anderson         not out                                         2
S Broad              not out                                         4
  Extras               (11nb 2w 9b 7lb)                        29
  TOTAL (7 wkts, 90 overs)                                336
  Fall: 21, 67, 90, 228, 241, 327, 329
  Bowling: Johnson 18-2-68-2, Hilfenhaus
  23-5-61-2, Siddle 23-3-93-2, Hauritz 19-1-67-1,
  M Clarke 5-0-20, Katich 2-0-11-0