England tightened their grip on the Ashes in Perth yesterday, restricting Australia to a first-innings total of 268 after a feisty rearguard fightback on day one of the third Test.
England’s seamers blasted through Australia’s first four batsmen for only 36 runs during a fiery morning session, but were plundered for another 232 by the last six as the greentop pitch flattened out under a baking hot sun at the WACA.
Andrew Strauss, on 12, and Alastair Cook (17) survived 12 overs in the last session to see the tourists to 29 for no loss at stumps.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Tail-end cameos by pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle delighted home fans, but served to underline a missed opportunity by Australia’s top order to weather the early attack and build a big total.
After resuming on 179-6, England quick James Anderson struck in the fourth over after tea when wicketkeeper Brad Haddin nicked a thick edge to Graeme Swann at slip to go for 53.
Anderson then bowled paceman Ryan Harris for 3 in his next over, before Johnson celebrated a brave half-century in a solid return to the side after being dropped following the first Test in Brisbane.
Johnson’s heroics were ended by Steve Finn, however, who dismissed the paceman for 62 after enticing him into a poorly hit pull shot straight to Anderson at square leg.
Spinner Graeme Swann then had Ben Hilfenhaus out for 13, caught by Cook at short-leg to leave Siddle stranded on 35 not out.
Chris Tremlett earlier continued his brilliant return to the Test team by removing Steve Smith for 7 shortly after lunch for his third wicket to leave Australia reeling for 69-5.
Hussey threw caution to the wind in a defiant stand with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, however, and brought up his half-century with a boundary off Steve Finn.
It was up to Swann to stop the rot and he duly delivered in his second over after being introduced to relieve the England seamers as the temperature soared above 30°C.
Swann was carted for three boundaries by the enterprising Haddin in his first over, but responded by having Hussey caught behind for 61 just before tea.
The breakthrough ended a 68-run partnership between Husssey and Haddin and exposed Australia’s long tail with more than a session left to play.
Australia trail the five-Test series 1-0, but already appear in survival mode with England needing victory in Perth to take the Ashes home for the first time in 24 years.
Strauss landed the first psychological blow by winning the toss and the call proved correct as Tremlett bowled Hughes with his sixth ball, then removed Michael Clarke for 4 in his fourth over.
Anderson clinched the key wicket of Ricky Ponting for 12 to continue a dismal run for the Australia captain, who failed twice in the second Test at Adelaide.
Finn compounded the hosts’ morning misery by dismissing Shane Watson LBW for 13 shortly before lunch after landing a yorker plum on the opening batsman’s toe in a decision confirmed by TV review.
The fiery morning spell recalled England’s furious attack at the Adelaide Oval that saw the hosts lose three wickets for two runs within three overs of their first innings of the second Test.
After dismissing Australia cheaply in that innings, England then romped to an innings and 71 run victory and will now hold similar hopes of repeating the feat at Perth.
S AFRICA VS INDIA
REUTERS, CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA
Heavy rain delayed the start of the first Test between South Africa and India at Centurion yesterday, with no play possible before lunch on the first day.
Local emergency officials even issued a warning that cars parked on the Hennops River End of the ground could be washed away as the river had burst its banks.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set