Perhaps it’s not a good idea to wind up an opening bowler
after all. Just as the taunting from the crowd inspired Stuart Broad on day
one, a similar barrage of abuse seemed to only fire up the rejuvenated Mitchell
Johnson. Each time that the Barmy Army serenaded the man they love to hate, the
left-armer seemed to crank up the pace a little more.
Johnson was almost unrecognisable from the bowler of a few
years ago. He was aggressive, relentless and most importantly he was very
quick, boy was he quick. Johnson bowled with a searing pace that unsettled
England, and left them looking like a quivering wreck amidst all the chaos. At
one stage six wickets fell for nine runs in a remarkable sequence of play.
England were simply unable to cope under the furious Australian pressure.
Earlier in the day, Brad Haddin (94) narrowly missed out on
a hundred after the most ambitious bit of running since Forrest Gump went out
for a jog and didn’t stop for three years. Broad (6-81) had also accounted for
Ryan Harris (9), leaving Australia all out for what appeared to be an under-par
total of 295.
The total was looking more average by the minute as Alastair
Cook (13) and Michael Carberry (40) made serene progress in the first ten
overs. Of course the problem of back-to-back Ashes series for the batters is
that their weaknesses from the previous series are likely to rear their ugly
heads again and again. This was the case for Cook who was caught nibbling at
the ball outside his off stump, the always impressive Harris (3-28) doing the
damage.
The low-key start to the innings was merely the calm before
the storm. As he did so successfully in the One-Day series in England, Johnson
(4-61) went at Jonathan Trott (10). It was a terrific battle. Trott has
stubbornly refused to change his style of scuttling across the crease, yet
again it was his downfall. Australia have intelligently turned Trott’s biggest
strength of flicking the ball through the onside into his biggest weakness. On
the eve of lunch, after already wearing a bouncer and looking increasingly
frantic at the crease; Trott finally nicked one of his hips to the gleeful Brad
Haddin.
Kevin Pietersen (18) couldn’t shine on his 100th
Test. He squandered an earlier lifeline when he was dropped by Peter Siddle
(1-24) by clipping the ball to George Bailey at midwicket off the bowling of
Harris.
Australia sensed blood. The crowd sparked into life again.
Carnage was to ensue. It was like the clock was being wound back to the time
when Australia were on top of the world. They were irresistible, a ferocious tide
that simply engulfed the opposition. Carberry fell after a continued spell of
hostile pressure from Johnson.
Nathan Lyon (2-17) came into the game, profiting from the
extra bounce afforded by the Gabba. England’s form man from the last series Ian
Bell (5) offered up a simple bat/pad catch for Steve Smith. Matt Prior (0) then
followed Bell’s lead with an almost identical dismissal off his very first
ball.
Johnson soon accounted for Joe Root (2) and Graeme Swann (0)
to leave England teetering on 91-8. At this stage avoiding the follow on seemed
to be a huge task. Broad (32) and Chris Tremlett (8) at least avoided that ignominy.
England’s innings was soon complete though, recording a paltry score of 136 as
they folded completely under the intense Aussie pressure.
Australia’s bowling is a lot stronger than their batting and
so it proved here. The quick pitch at the Gabba certainly suited their attack;
they hounded England into submission and dealt several psychological scars to
the opposition batsmen. This could be Australia’s version of the infamous
Bodyline series, England wilted under the short stuff and can expect plenty
more of it between now and the end of the series.
Chris Rogers (15*) and David Warner (45*) compounded England’s
misery by safely negotiating the rest of the day to close on 65-0. Australia’s
lead is a mammoth 224, with the aggressive batters they have and with said
batters now in a rare position of being under little pressure that lead could
grow very quickly on day three.
There is a forecast of thunderstorms for the rest of this
Test. Perhaps the biggest storm happened in the afternoon session today. Still
at least the weather forecast will provide a crumb of comfort to shell-shocked
England supporters who will be limbering up for a prolonged rain dance just in
case. Mind you, should the weather not provide an escape, it’s worth noting
that England got 517-1 batting second at the Gabba three years ago. And that
pitch still looks very flat to me…
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