England breathe new life into Ashes

England breathed new life into the first Ashes Test, shrugging off their dismal form of the first day to dominate the second on Friday.

In an amazing turnaround, England fought their way back into the match as mistakes began creeping into the Australians' game, the touring side ending on 158 for one in reply to the home team's first-innings 492.

England's bowlers led the unexpected recovery when they ripped through the Australian batting order, mopping up the last eight wickets for 114 runs just after lunch.

Left-arm spinner Ashley Giles captured four wickets and fast bowler Andy Caddick three after Australia resumed on 364 for two.

England's batsmen followed up the excellent work of their bowlers by making a flying start to their reply, still 334 runs behind at the close but in a far healthier position that at the start of the day.

Marcus Trescothick and Mark Butcher both made half-centuries after getting let-offs from the Australians who suffered a rare bout of the fumbles.

Trescothick, despite several miscued shots, finished the day unbeaten on 63 after he was given a life on two when dropped by Damien Martyn at third slip.

Butcher had two lucky escapes before he brought up his 50 just before the close. The Surrey left-hander was dropped in the gully on 14 by Matthew Hayden then Adam Gilchrist missed a regulation stumping off Shane Warne when he was on 30.

Despite needing a little luck, the two Englishmen both batted strongly, hitting boundaries to all parts of the ground in an unbroken partnership of 109 runs.

They came together just after tea when opener Michael Vaughan was dismissed for 33, getting the faintest of inside edges to a steeply rising delivery from Glenn McGrath.

England's hopes of salvaging something from the match after a disastrous first day got an immediate lift when Caddick removed Hayden in the first half an hour.

Hayden added 11 runs to his overnight total, moving on to 197 before he gloved a catch to Alec Stewart, triggering a middle-order collapse that saw Martyn (26), Steve Waugh (7) and Adam Gilchrist (0) all depart in quick succession.

Darren Lehmann and Warne steadied the innings with a seventh-wicket stand of 63 before Lehmann threw his wicket away for 30 when he drove Giles straight to Butcher at extra cover.

Giles trapped Andy Bichel leg before wicket for a golden duck but missed out on his hat-trick as Jason Gillespie safely defended the next delivery.

Gillespie held up his end while Warne went on to reach his eighth test half-century off just 48 deliveries but bowled only three overs in England's reply after a recurrence of a calf problem hampering him this season.

Warne eventually went for 57, out hooking to Caddick, before Giles mopped up the last wicket of Glenn McGrath to finish with four for 101.

Mail Cricket Editor