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Sessions, test matches and the ongoing test series was completely dominated by England till the 2^nd test match. As the practice game started, a positive outlook was taken with all the top players including Sehwag, Gambhir and Zaheer Khan into the game.

The practice game was over and India already had a sad news to deal with, with Zaheer Khan already injured and doesn’t look like getting into the team till next 4 months atleast.

A series which is very unfortunate for India, with number of Indian players getting injured at the same time. As the 3^rd test match started, India was forced to go in to bat but with the best batting line-up they’ve used in this series so far. But unfortunately India has a disappointing start with Sehwag out for a duck with a ball which is short and bounced unevenly and sharply. Though umpire wasn’t convinced and the DRS came into play. And the result was out.

A partnership was building up between Gambhir and Dravid, though Bresnan soon played the spoilsport and Gambhir was bowled with ball hitting the stumps after getting an inside edge of his bat. Soon the other batsmen also followed him up to the pavilion including the in-form batsman Dravid whose went flying in the air because of an excellent delivery by Bresnan. India’s top order was destroyed because of some supreme bowling performances by Bresnan and Broad. Though Swann as usual wasn’t visible with his mediocre performances totally overshadowed because of magnificent performances by other English bowlers.

Even the apparent Vaseline user, VVS Laxman was set to the pavilion after playing a lazy pull-shot straight into the hands of the fielder. Now, with Dhoni being the only batsman left in the middle, with no form on his side, a score of 150 looked good enough.

But Dhoni fought and how! With a partnership of around 84 runs, the plan to counter-attack worked wonders for the Indian team. A score of 25 and PK got back into the pavilion. Soon Dhoni followed after scoring a magnificent 77, which wasn’t expected from him since he has been looking out of touch since a long time. Not like he wasn’t expected to, but obviously the expectations went down after multiple failures. Soon India was out and out with the score of 224 in their kitty.

With just half the day over, entire Indian team was back into the pavilion. There were things going around about what would the England team do if there were similar kinds of riots in Mumbai and they were playing in India. Since, England had already pulled out of the series which was in the playing mode when the Mumbai terrorist attacks happened in 2008.

England comes out to bat, and Indians come out to field. As a routine for this series, Praveen Kumar starts things off. Slowly the English batsmen start building their innings. Slowly and steadily the fours start flourishing as still there are no teeth in the Indian bowling line-up. As the day gets over, India is already struggling against 2 of the players in the England side who haven’t scored heavily as the rest of the batting line-up has. At 84/0 they were quite in contention to level the scores in no time.

As day 2 started, India was still in search for a wicket. English batsmen were in no mood to give away their wicket that easily. Indian bowlers were trying hard, but not to the impact they would have liked it to be. England was 186/0 already and in no time. Mishra bowling from one of the end, bowled a beautiful ball which sharply turned and went on to hit Strauss’s pads but the appeal was turned down. Patience was rewarded. Again the ball turned sharply and this time it goes right to just clear the stumps. English captain was out after playing a brilliant innings.

Ian Bell soon came in and played his natural shots. Scoring in no time and he was off with a flying start. Scoring boundaries all over, there was a traumatic situation for the Indian bowlers. What has Indian players done right in this test match?

Batting? No! Bowling? No! And now fielding too? Ian Bell was dropped at the slips by Dravid after a superb out-swinger just cut through Bell’s bat. A low catch which should have been taken. Even the fact that Dhoni’s captaincy skills have gone for a toss is true. Commentators have wondered a number of times since the start of the test series whether why do the slips and the wicket-keeper himself stands so away from the stumps that the ball doesn’t even carry properly? Even there have been problems to whether why doesn’t the third-man be in his position for some players and when it is necessary?

Ian Bell was finally out because of a cracking delivery which went past him right to help the stumps flutter in the air. But right before that, Alaistar Cook scored a well-deserved century applauded by everyone. Building up his innings slowly and with all the composure he didn’t give any chance to the Indian bowlers. With Pieterson already in, the platform for India in this test match was already lost.

Scoring at the speed of bullet, Indian bowlers were thrashed all around. Except Praveen Kumar all the bowlers went for runs. While Sreesanth was struggling against the left-handers, Ishant Sharma was struggling against right-handers.

Praveen Kumar again strikes as he gets Pieterson trapped in front of the stumps. Though Pieterson looked thoroughly dejected, hawk-eye showed he was clearly out. But these wickets never made a difference as the other English batsmen just came out and continued to score at a brisk rate. Eoin Morgan another English player who’s already on the verge of scoring a half-century. A life-line was given to him though en-route his knock as Sreesanth dropped a simple catch. The fielding looked as dull as the players, since even Tendulkar couldn’t see the ball coming right towards him which was chipped off in the air by Cook and if he would have just attempted it would have been in his hands.

England at 455/3 are at the top of the game and doesn’t look to declare their innings nor do they give any indication to get destroyed by the Indian bowlers. But with India having a batting line-up as such, you can never under-estimate them even though they haven’t reached a single score of above 300 in the entire series till now.

India - England

India’s tour to West Indies has already kick-started with a win over them each in ODI’s and the T-20 formats. With youngsters giving a chance to prove their mettle in tests as well since the senior players have been given some rest, people are looking forward to the positives coming out of this series as this will prove how strong is India’s bench strength. However, this series hasn’t been the talking point which surprises me quite a lot as India- West Indies rivalry has been phenomenal as years have passed on, though it has lost its touch in the last decade or so.

With India touring England in the month of July this year, the focus has completely shifted on to them. With India playing overseas after a long time, it has to be a tough one to go past. Ganguly said,” India will win in West Indies, but England will be tough”. This looks quite true with the fact that England has been playing phenomenal cricket around and have been going great guns. Retaining Ashes cup at away and defeating Australia at their home ground is no sort of joke. Though their ranking in ODIs is quite higher when compared to their performances but when it comes to tests they’re just looking for a chance to throttle India from the top spot. And when you have the opportunity to defeat India in their own den with flurrying bouncers and swing that takes away the game from the Indian counterparts.

But what makes England a serious competitor to the #1 ranking which India has earned so deservedly. These players are certainly to be credited.

Alastair Cook

Averaging 48 in his test cricket, he gives England a perfect start what a team actually needs. But what has been exceptional, is the way he has come up and shown what he means to his team. He was the main reason to why England retained the Ashes trophy. A run machine for England, he scored 766 runs in 5 tests he played with an exceptional average of over 120. With 3 centuries, 1 double century and 3 more half-centuries he had a splendid series. And that happened in just about 7 innings in which he played. Even in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, he has already notched 335 runs in just 3 innings. Being in blazing form, he is the torch-bearer for England at the moment and certainly the man to watch out for.

Jonathan Trott

An exceptional player, playing just 19 tests has already notched 6 international hundreds which includes 2 double hundreds already. A prolific batsman, he has been in tremendous form this year, winning the cricketer of the year award for England. In the Ashes series tour he was next only to Alastair Cook and Michael Hussey for the number of runs he has scored. An exceptional double hundred in the 1^st test he played against Sri Lanka in the ongoing test series, was an example of his unbreakable defense. Always on the lookout for runs, he is going to be tough one to breakthrough.

Greame Swann

Been considered to become the best off-spinner, he certainly has got the talent to be one. With a career 135 wickets and a splendid economy rate of 2.9, he has always kept on the batsmen and never let him score runs. He always keeps the batsmen in defense and keeps him thinking all the time. The batsman ultimately succumbs to the batsmen and gives away his wicket. Making a debut in 2000 for an ODI, he was called back in 2007 and ultimately cemented his place in the team. Playing his spin is difficult, and with India touring to England in July, it’s going to be a strong but healthy rivalry between the best off-spinners in the world at the moment, Swann and Harbhajan Singh.

James Anderson

The spearhead of the England pace attack, he has been phenomenal this season. With 24 wickets in the Ashes series, he dismantled the Australian batting line up with sheer pace and his swinging ability. An experienced bowler, he is one of the best pacers in the world today along with Dale Steyn, Zaheer Khan and Brett Lee. Though injured at the moment, it’s highly likely that he would recover before India’s tour and would get the perfect rest before such a high-profile series which would decide to who actually deserves the #1 ranking. Pace and swing is all that he’s got, and with the England pitches he wouldn’t need anything more except the experience and intelligence which he’s god-gifted.

Apart from these players, there are many more players who have been in exceptional form. Just the fact, that these players have taken away the limelight from the other players. Andrew Strauss along with Ian Bell and Matt Prior also has notched up some outstanding performances. Ian Bell especially has been consistently performing. Kevin Pieterson, though injured for the moment he has been well impressive for England in a couple of matches himself.  Even in the bowling department, Chris Tremlett has been phenomenal. Picking up 17 wickets in the Ashes tour and demolishing the Sri Lankan side along with Swann to win the test match which was always looking for a draw, he has given England a bowler to support Anderson.

A tough time ahead, India is not going to take this series lightly. M.S.Dhoni, the calmest ever captain the cricketing world would have ever seen, might know it better but it all falls down to square one. Defending the number 1 spot against a team like England is going to be tough. Laxman said,”I never got a 100 in England. Hopefully, it would be very special if I get a 100 at Lord’s and India wins the match,” Preparation has to be tough and I don’t think India will falter at this point atleast. A rivalry to watch out for, India-England has always been exceptional to watch. Right from early days, to taking out shirt incident by Andrew Flintoff and Ganguly mocking the same one, to Yuvraj Singh hitting Stuart Broad for 6 sixes in an over. There might be many more moments which I wouldn’t have been even aware about.

A tough schedule ahead, India-England is going to be an interesting tie to watch.

When the Australians march on to the ground, they have all to play for, as the Ashes would be out of reach if England pulled of another win against the old enemy. The English on the other hand wouldn’t want to lose the initiative and would look to continue their winning momentum. The English have already lost a match after winning a test early in the series, it happened in South Africa and in the last Ashes. However, after headingley they got out of jail due to a certain Andrew Flintoff. England must ensure that they continue in the same vain and play positive cricket right through.
There’s a lot more at stake than the Ashes, it’s perhaps Australia’s greatest ever batsman since Sir Donald Bradman, Ricky Ponting. While, the man, personally might not lose his place in the team but a loss at the WACA could sure mean a loss to his captaincy at test level. If Australia lose, Ponting would be the first ever captain to lose the Ashes thrice ever since the history of the urn began way back in 1882. Also, a loss could mean, England’s first Ashes victory on Australian soil since 1986/87. On a personal note too ponting does not have a hundred to his name in the last 8 test matches and has added a poultry 70 runs to his total in the current Ashes series. It is critical that Ponting returns to his menacing best if Australia have to have any chance of winning a test match not least regaining the Ashes.

At the moment, nothing seems to be going right for the hosts and each player must put in their best stride forward so as to lift the team. The Australian selectors have sprung up some surprises. The series is only 10 days old and both teams have been troubled by injuries. Stuart Broad, is already out of the Ashes with an abdominal strain while Australian opener Simon Katich misses out due to an achilees problem something that Kevin Pietersen suffered from. Chris Tremlett is the most likely replacement to Stuart Broad as his tall frame could help extract some extra bounce from a green WACA wicket. Australia on the other hand have called back young Philip Hughes into the squad who is set to replace Katich come Thursday. Xavier Doherty and Doug Bollinger are the others who have been axed for the third test due to poor performances in the Adelaide test. Johnson has been brought back while uncapped Michael Beer has been brought into the squad as replacement. Beer was a huge surprise selection as he has only played a handful of six first class matches. Another major exclusion has been that of Marcus North who has finally been dropped. Steven Smith should dawn the number 7 slot with Haddin moving up to take North’s position. Johnson’s return will bolster the batting a tad while Beer’s batting credentials don’t seem to stop the world.
However, the main concern with Australia is the toothless attack that they possess. Although Ryan Harris looks to be good but his knee would hold him back from bowling at full tilt and would they love a full firing Mitchell Johnson back. One good thing the seamer has going for him is his record at the ground. Johnson has taken 21 wickets in the three test matches he’s played here previously including the devastating spell of 8 for 61 couple of years back when he ripped through the backbone of the South African batting line up. Australia would want to go in with a specialist spinner which could mean beer could play with Siddle given the axe. However, what is to hear is that the wicket is a result oriented one and strauss could barely discriminate between the wicket and the outfield.
England’s top order has been the biggest worry for the Australian team. Australia have failed to get rid of the English top 4. Cook and Trott have been instrumental in denting the Australian bowlers. Cook who was considered to be the only weak link in the English batting line up has come out to be the biggest shining star. Kevin Pietersen on the other hand, seems to have regained his lost form.
When compared man to man, the English seem to be the better line up on paper. With the exception of Michael Hussey at 5 in comparison to Collingwood the English look far more supreme.
Australia really need to turn everything around and the stakes are huge this time round. What one can be sure of like every India- Pakistan battle, this one sure is to be an enthralling on to say the least.

He was the captain of the Under-19 England team in 2004. He scored a double century against the Australians in 2005, playing for Essex. And he was the saviour of the England national team in his very first Test when he scored a fighting 104 not out against India in Nagpur in 2006. Yes, he is England’s vice-captain and opening batsman, Alastair Cook.

The summer of 2006 proved that Cook was meant for big things in international cricket, in particular Test matches. He scored two centuries against Pakistan, and that was enough for the selectors to pick him in the Ashes squad touring Australia later that year. Marcus Trescothick’s sudden departure back home at the start of Ashes due to a stress-related illness was a turning point in his career. It is because he was promoted to open the batting with Andrew Strauss, from the otherwise No.3 he was occupying in the place of Michael Vaughan. It was still early days for him as he struggled in Australia, despite a pain-staking hundred at Perth.

However, Australia seemed to teach Cook a huge lesson because it was from there that he matured into a reliable opener, which England had been searching for over the years after the retirements of Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart. Since his debut, Cook hasn’t missed out on a single Test that England has played since his debut in March 2006. As a result, Cook and Strauss have been the permanent opening pair for England in Tests and they have been critical in helping them win Test matches in New Zealand, South Africa and Bangladesh apart from winning all their Test series at home since August 2008.

Cook’s stature as one of the world’s best Test batsmen was proven when he scored 118 not out in a drawn match against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2007. However, since then his career graph has been topsy-turvy. Since the Galle innings, he had no hundred to his name till the tour of West Indies in February 2009. He got starts but could not capitalize on them. He then scored a majestic 160 not out against West Indies in the home series in 2009, to set himself and his team up for the Ashes later that summer. He disappointed all though, with just one half-century in nine innings despite England winning the Ashes again at home like 2005. Yet, he seemed impressive in tough conditions in South Africa with a hundred and two fifties as England unexpectedly drew the Test series 1-1 against a strong South African team at home.

This made the English selectors choose him as captain for the tour of Bangladesh in March 2010, when Andrew Strauss was given rest citing a tough international calendar. And he showed that he is the team’s future captain, when he scored two match-winning hundreds in two Tests. However, once again he struck a bad patch throughout the entire home season of 2010. He scored a patchy hundred in the third Test at The Oval against Pakistan, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy his critics who questioned his place in the team for the ongoing Ashes series. Yet, the confidence shown in him by coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss paid wonders to the team’s fortunes as he scored his first double-century of his career to save England at Brisbane in the second innings, apart from his half-century in the first innings. And his ongoing century at Adelaide goes to show that this could be the stage of his rebirth, and expect more from England’s batsmen in this series.

England celebrates their win

The second Test at Manchester promised to provide great entertainment after the outcome of the first Test at Lords. England was expected to win, and they did. However, the victory was very tricky for England as it had to overcome some very solid batting by Bangladesh in both the innings.

Hence, this test was a good chance for England to show that they were the same dangerous side which won the Ashes last summer at home, and would go on to defend it in Australia this year.

Under sunny conditions, Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat first on a slow pitch. Strauss and his opening partner, Alastair Cook gave England a good start. Cook was not amongst the runs, after his exploits as captain in Bangladesh in March.

He looked settled, until Strauss got out to a good delivery by the young Shaiful Islam, giving a regulation catch to a waiting Imrul Kayes at third slip. The score was 44/1 when the double-centurion of the last Test, Jonathan Trott came out to bat. However, it wasn’t long until Shaiful came up with another peach of a delivery which angled into Trott and bowled him comprehensively.

Why wasn’t Shaiful picked for the Lords Test? This must have been the question in every Bangladeshi fan’s mind, after the wicket of Trott. Kevin Pietersen, at No.4, joined Cook. Both of them wanted to build a huge partnership, but were prevented from doing so thanks to Cook falling to spinner Abdur Razzak, off his very first ball of the series.

At lunch, England was tottering at 92/3 with wickets belonging to the two changes that Shakib al Hasan had brought into the team for the Test. Could this session have an impact on the course of the match? It didn’t prove to be, as England showed that winning a session doesn’t necessarily mean that a team has the momentum to do well later in a Test match.

Kevin Pietersen was batting like a free bird, especially attacking the left-arm spinners. He scored 64 runs off just 81 balls, until it was Shakib al Hasan who got him out again!

A very rash shot ended Pietersen’s innings and England were in a Catch-22 situation at 153/4 when the 1-Test old Eoin Morgan came out to bat. It was a good opportunity for him to prove his worth as a Test player.

Morgan took the responsibility to attack, while Bell was quietly at the other end scoring runs by taking the ones and twos time and again. At tea, Bell reached his fifty and he looked to score a lot more.

Morgan was dismissed by an erratic Shahadat Hossain, giving him his first wicket of the match. However, that didn’t stop Bell as he had an able partner in Matt Prior. The duo batted right till the end of the first day putting England in a much better position at 275/5 in 83 overs.

One of the highlights of the second day was Ian Bell reaching a well-deserved hundred. Prior also made a half-century, which was crucial for England to build a challenging first-innings total. However, England suffered a setback with the wicket of Bell, leaving England at 399/7 at lunch.

The last three wickets fell quickly as England were bowled out for 416, just after lunch. The Bangladeshi skipper ended once again as his team’s best bowler with figures of 5/121 in 37.3 overs which included four maidens. Shakib al Hasan’s proved that the Old Trafford was a spinner’s paradise.

In 2006, Muttiah Muralitharan took 10 wickets in the match to lead Sri Lanka to a win against England. In 2008, Daniel Vettori picked five wickets in the first innings, although England went on to win. So it was a good sign for spinners to have a good game altogether.

Tamim Iqbal in my book, is definitely a prime candidate for winning the ICC’s Emerging Player of the Year award this year. And his 108 runs off just 114 balls is justification of my belief. A strike rate of 94.73 only goes to show the mess that he got England into, and what a Sehwag-like impact he can make.

He is proving to be an asset for Bangladesh and his growing maturity was shown even as wickets fell at the other end, with Swann doing good business with the old ball.

The next highest score was 36, by his opening partner Imrul Kayes! Bangladesh were cruising at 126/0, until it was time to watch the Swann show. Quick wickets of Junaid Siddique and Jahurul Islam alongwith Anderson picking Tamim Iqbal reduced Bangladesh to a treacherous 169/4, when Shakib joined Mohammad Ashraful at the crease.

Bangladesh’s two best batsmen also struggled as Shakib fell to Swann’s brilliant flighted delivery outside the off-stump, giving Swann his fourth wicket of the match. Ashraful became the young Ajmal Shahzad’s first Test victim, leaving Bangladesh at 200/6.

From here on, there is nothing much for Bangladeshi fans to even watch, let alone rejoice. Swann ended the Bangladeshi innings in style, with a five-wicket haul as Bangladesh was all out for 216 at the end of the second days play.

It was proved that Swann is extremely effective on a turning track as he went wicketless on a much grassier Lords surface. So Swann would have to improve a lot as Australia isn’t too far away. He needs to recreate the magic that he had displayed in South Africa, if England has to do well to retain the Ashes and rise in the ICC Test rankings.

However, the match was not over by any means even as the end was hasty. Bangladesh was trailing by 203 runs in the first innings, very similar to the situation they were in at Lords.

Strauss had no hesitation in asking Bangladesh to bat again. It was a good chance for Bangladesh to bat better as they would be rejuvenated enough after a demoralizing second day.

However, England’s bowlers were much fresher than Bangladesh’s batsmen because cloudy skies dominated the start of the third day’s play. England took full advantage of the poor weather conditions as they showed that they are very much the dangerous home team that they traditionally have been.

Bangladesh’s second innings was dominated by the English pace duo of James Anderson and Steven Finn. Tamim Iqbal, who had so far scored 266 runs in 3 innings in the series so far, fell of the second ball of the innings to a short-pitched ball from Anderson. Anderson was at his best, as he picked Iqbal both the times in the match.

It didn’t take long for Kayes, Siddique and Jahurul Islam to fall as Bangladesh were left reeling at 21/4 in 8 overs only. Ashraful tried to put up a fight but was dismissed on 14, giving Anderson his third wicket of the innings. The other formalities were completed by the rest of the crop, especially Finn who picked up another five-wicket haul in the series.

Mahmudullah delayed the inevitable by scoring a sedate 38, but these individual performances haven’t allowed Bangladesh to play as a team. And the result was a loss to Bangladesh by an innings and 80 runs. It just took one session for Bangladesh to be bowled out on Day 3.

Shakib al Hasan had every right to be disappointed with the batting, which failed miserably in swinging conditions. The team could be consoled with Tamim Iqbal’s performances which won him the man of the series award. Andrew Strauss was a happier man and rated this victory a lot higher than that at Lords, for obvious reasons.

England have also benefited with Steven Finn sharing the man-of-the-series award with Iqbal for picking 15 wickets in the series. It is good to see Finn coming off age and he could be the next Harmison for England, with the build that he has. However there are still concerns for the team. They need to enhance their game in such a way that they are unbeatable.

Under cloudy skies, England are unbeatable but in sunny conditions, the same cannot be said. Australia would have hard, bouncy pitches and sunny conditions.

The bowling, in particular has to be worked upon as if Bangladesh can win sessions easily, why can’t teams like Australia do so? And if the immediate future is concerned, why can’t a new-look Pakistan team look to win a Test series in England for the first time since 1992?

England batsman Craig Kieswetter’s slammed his maiden ODI hundred as the Englishmen trounced Bangladesh by 45-runs in the third ODI at Chittagong. In the process, the visitors also completed a convincing 3-0 whitewash in the series. Kieswetter, who had struggled earlier on in the series, scored a highly impressive 107, which was chiefly responsible for England ending up with a formidable 284 for 5, batting first on a slowish wicket.

Kieswetter’s ton was well supported by quickfire cameos from Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright. In reply, Bangladesh were never in the hunt, ending up with a disappointing 239 for 9. Only Mushfiqur Rahim and Aftab Ahmed, who scored 40 and 46 respectively, put up some resistance.

Kieswetter began his match-winning knock in a rather sedate manner, looking determined to make up for his earlier failures. He just stood at the wicket during the initial phase and allowed skipper Alastair Cook to do most of the scoring. Cook reached 32 with the help of three boundaries and was looking set for a big knock when he departed, getting caught behind the wickets off the ever-impressive Shakib Al Hasan.

Following the captain’s dismissal, Kieswetter continued to struggle for a while, but did not throw his wicket away and over time began finding his feet.

Mind you, this wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on. Even the aggressive Kevin Pietersen struggled, especially against the spinners. Like Cook, he also got a start, but was trapped in front by Abdur Razzak when on 22. The story was no different for the tenacious Paul Collingwood. As expected though, he hung around with Kieswetter and helped him build a resurrecting partnership.

Even though he departed for 36, which included a solitary boundary, his presence seemed to have been the tonic that was needed to boost Kieswetter’s confidence. The opener reached a hard-earned fifty and from thereon he was a different man altogether. Runs flowed from his bat as he cut and drove his way swiftly towards his maiden ton.

Kieswetter eventually fell for a superbly-constructed 107, when an attempted cut off Razzak found his stumps disturbed. But, not before he and Morgan added a blitzkrieg 67 in the slog overs. Morgan gathered a lucky 36 from 29 balls, an innings during which he was dropped on more than one occasion.

And when was finally dismissed, Wright continued the destruction job. If anything, he was even more deadly, powering his way to 32 in mere 13 deliveries.

If Bangladesh hoped to chase down the total, they needed a solid start. However, that wasn’t to be. The home team lost the talented Tamim Iqbal in the very first over. Debutant Ajmal Shahzad had him caught by Tim Bresnan in the third man region. Imrul Kayes got a start and threw it away.

The only piece de résistance of the Bangladesh innings came in the form of a partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Aftab Ahmed. The duo looked comfortable out in the middle during their 56-run partnership. Unfortunately, just as the innings seemed to be coming on track, Ahmed was run-out for 46 in a frivolous manner and Bangladesh never recovered.

Tim Bresnan took full advantage of the hapless Bangladeshi batsmen, ending with a career-best haul of 4 for 28 as the match headed towards a dull, predictable finish.

Stuart Broad of England takes a catch of Australia's Simon Katich in 2009 Ashes npower Test Series Second Test Second Day

England dominated day 2 of the second NPower Ashes Test match, with a strong bowling performance that has left them well placed with Australia needing 79 runs to avoid the follow on with only two first innings wickets in hand.

Andrew Strauss failed to add to his overnight score – and England as a team didn’t look like adding many more after losing 3 wickets in three consecutive overs. A near half century partnership from no 10 and 11 James Anderson and Graham Onions saw England move well past 400.

After that the day was England’s. Poor batting cost the tourists dear, and England will move into day 3 well on top with the possibility of winning their first Ashes test at Lords since 1934.

Strauss’ resistance didn’t last much longer into day two, bowled leaving a ball off Ben Hilfenhaus – not adding to his overnight score of 161. Graham Swann came and went in the blink of an eye – edging the ball straight to Ricky Ponting in the slips, the Australian captain taking the easiest catch you’re ever going to see in the slips, Siddle picking up his second wicket of the innings.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for England – they did. After previously edging a ball just past the stumps, Broad then chopped on the following ball – England had lost 3 wickets in 3 overs, and were now in danger of not making 400 – despite Andrew Strauss targeting a “minimum” of 450 on the eve of Day 2.

England’s innings wasn’t over yet though, James Anderson partnered by Graham Onions frustrated the Australian attack, passing the 400 mark with a relative amount of ease. Mitchell Johnson’s boundary problems weren’t confined to day 1 either – Anderson striking him for successive fours. The partnership fell just shy of 50 – but it was much needed after a disastrous start to day 2 for England, all out for 425.

England got off to the best possible start, after previously crashing Anderson to the cover boundary – Phillip Hughes gloved the ball off an attempted hook to keeper Matt Prior. England’s start got even better when Ponting inside edged the ball onto his pad, that carried to Andrew Strauss in the slips – Australia slipping to 10/2. Ponting was unhappy with the decision, the bat appear to hit the boot – rather than the ball. However, hawkeye suggested that the ball would’ve been crashing into leg stump – the wrong method to the right decision.

Australia survived the rest of the morning session, and a 4 over stint after lunch before a short burst of rain came. Another short burst of overs was followed by another shower. The teams came back out again at 3:40pm. Australia’s Simon Katich and Michael Hussey worked on building Australia’s score. Although Hussey can count himself lucky that a mis-timed hook shot landed wide at deep backward square. Australia entered tea on 87/2.

After a slow period after tea, Simon Katich miss-pulled Graham Onions to fine leg, Stuart Broad running around took a superb diving catch to dismiss the Australian – Katich falling two short of a half century.

Andrew Flintoff removed Michael Hussey with a 95 mph delivery that Hussey left, the ball did very little – maybe bouncing a little less than Mr Cricket was expecting – but nonetheless – a superb delivery – Hussey going for 51. England’s day got better when – the following ball – Michael Clarke flicked a delivery from James Anderson to Alastair Cook at short mid wicket. With that, both batsmen at the crease hadn’t faced the ball.

And things went from bad – to worse, for the tourists. Marcus North chopping James Anderson onto his stumps, Australia floundering at 139/6. A procession became a rout when Mitchell Johnson hooked Stuart Broad down to Alastair Cook at deep backward square.

Another one – this time Haddin. Australia still needing 78 to avoid the follow on, Brad Haddin pulling the ball to mid wicket. The floodlights – causing shadows – we enough for the umpires to offer the batsmen the light, and Australia naturally took it.

The visitors end day two in deep trouble, the first three overs of the day aside – its been all England. An ill-disciplined batting performance has left their tail needing to do some serious work on just saving the follow on. England will look to skittle Australia out tomorrow, and then hammer home their advantage with possibly enforcing the follow on.

Andrew Strauss‘ unbeaten 161 gave England an excellent start in the 2nd nPower test against Australia. Adding 196 for the opening wicket with Alastair Cook, England dominated the opening exchanges with some very ordinary bowling from Mitchell Johnson in particular.

Australia pegged England back in the final session, taking 4 English wickets as their middle order struggled against the swinging ball. England ended the day 364/6 with the game firmly in the balance.

The first action of the day came from Andrew Strauss, crashing a short, wide delivery from Mitchell Johnson to the cover boundary, two balls later Johnson drifted onto Strauss’ leg stump, and the ball got the same treatment, this time flicked to the mid wicket boundary.

Alastair Cook was then fortunate to survive, a fuller ball from Hilfenhaus edged just to the left of a diving Ricky Ponting. It was Johnson who was struggling however, in a repeat of his previous over, Strauss crashed a short wide ball square, then the next ball Johnson over compensated by bowling a full-ish ball on Strauss’ pads – again the ball was clipped behind square for four.

It wasn’t only Johnson who was being hit for boundaries, a Hilfenhaus short ball just sat up nicely for Cook to pull for four. England passed the 50 mark with little trouble after 15 overs. Johnson continued to bowl some real loose deliveries – which – like the rest of the of them – got the treatment for Alastair Cook. In 7 overs Johnson was going at nearly 7 runs an over – and had conceeded 10 boundaries.

Australia's Ben Hilfenhaus (C) celebrates taking the wicket of England's Ravi Bopara (L) in 2009 Ashes npower Test Series Second Test First Day

Peter Siddle was causing problems using the slope to move the ball away from the left handers. Cook in particular left a couple of deliveries that were mighty close to his stumps. Without success from the other end, Ponting turned to spinner Nathan Hauritz to try and make the breakthrough. England reached 100 without loss off 24.3 overs.

England continued their dominance right up until the lunchbreak – the Australian seamers struggling with their accuracy – and England entering lunch 126 without loss – without question England’s session.

After the break control was still illuding Ricky Ponting, Cook taking on Nathan Hauritz with a slog sweep over mid wicket for 4. Australia began to make mistakes, Ben Hilfenhaus bought an edge from Andrew Strauss, only to hear the no ball call from the umpire – Brad Haddin dropping the ball aswell could do little to help his confidence. Andrew Strauss bought up his 50 two balls later as England passed 150 without blemish.

If things weren’t bad enough for Ricky Ponting, they got worse when Nathan Hauritz dislocated a finger on his spinning hand attempting to claim a return catch off Andrew Strauss , Marcus North was rushed into the attack mid over.

England simply kept motoring along, as Mitchell Johnson‘s return to the attack bought him the same struggles as in the morning session. But as normally happens with wayward bowling, Johnson got one on the straight and narrow, Cook was trapped in front LBW for 95, England were 196/1.

Ravi Bopara came out and played his shots, but his aggression didn’t last very long, as he was too trapped LBW by Ben Hilfenhaus – 18 off 19 balls – a whole lot of nothing. Two out swinging deliveries followed by one which holds its line.

Hiflenhaus immeadiatly caused Kevin Pietersen problems with the swinging ball, Pietersen playing and missing a couple of times in his first over. On the stroke of tea, Pietersen was caught all ends up by a short ball, an attempted hook that – in the end – was played so badly and uncontrollably, it didn’t fall to a fielder. With Pietersen safely off strike, Andrew Strauss struck a three through backward point to bring up his hundred off 178 balls.

Peter Siddle struck after tea, a feather edge from a driving Kevin Pietersen, caught begind, 267/3 and Australia were beginning to creep back into the game. Siddle continued to trouble – Strauss flashing at one that flew through Michael Hussey at gully for 4.

Paul Collingwood was unable to build on his match saving knock at Cardiff, advancing down the wicket against Michael Clarke, he could only skew a ball to Peter Siddle. Matt Prior fell quickly – likewise at Cardiff – to the in swinger off Mitchell Johnson through the gate. Australia weren’t done there, Andrew Flintoff edging Hilfenhaus to Ricky Ponting – England now floundering on 333/6 and struggling against the swinging ball.

Andrew Strauss passed 150 – as he and Stuart Broad batted through to the end of the day , Strauss 161 not out, England 364/6 – the game in the balance once again.