BIRMINGHAM, England, (Reuters) – England fast bowlers James Anderson and Graham Onions ripped out Australia for 263 on the second day of the third Ashes test yesterday.
England had reached 116 for two in reply when bad light ended play more than an hour early with captain Andrew Strauss on 64 and Ian Bell on 26.
England, 1-0 up in the series, took inspiration from outstanding swing bowling from Anderson and Onions who took seven wickets in the morning session.
“We didn’t bowl too well last night and we wanted to make up for that,” Anderson told a news conference after completing figures of five for 80.
“We bowled consistently well with the swinging ball and now we are in a very good position but we need to kick on and bat really well tomorrow.”
The England pace attack had struggled on the rain-disrupted first day but Onions made a devastating start after Australia resumed on 126 for one.
He trapped Watson lbw for 62 with the first delivery of the day and bowled Hussey next ball when the left-hander misjudged the line and offered no stroke.
Captain Ricky Ponting became Australia’s highest test run-scorer when he reached 25 but added only 13 more before edging a catch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior as he attempted an ambitious hook.
Michael Clarke was badly dropped by Andrew Flintoff at second slip but he had made only 29 when he missed an inswinger from Anderson and was adjudged lbw.
Marcus North drove loosely at a wide ball from Anderson and was brilliantly caught one-handed by the diving Prior for 12, Mitchell Johnson was trapped lbw first ball and Anderson bowled Graham Manou with a perfect outswinger.
Australia’s last two wickets added 60 useful runs.
Peter Siddle was caught by Prior off Anderson for 13 and Ben Hilfenhaus caught by Graeme Swann in the gully off Onions for 20.
Onions finished with figures of four for 58 and Ponting was impressed.
“Both Onions and Anderson bowled exceptionally well and swung the ball,” Ponting said. “We needed a big partnership but unfortunately I got out at a bad time and that exposed some of our batsmen.
“We saw today how quickly a match can change.”
Australia made an early breakthrough when Siddle dismissed Alastair Cook for a duck, the opener edging a slanting delivery through to keeper Manou.
But Strauss looked composed, stroking 10 fours to continue the good form which brought him 161 runs in the first innings of the last test at Lord’s.
Ravi Bopara, on 23, played a ball from Hilfenhaus on to his stumps just after tea but Bell gave his captain solid support.
He lifted Nathan Hauritz for a huge six over long-on and survived a massive lbw appeal off Johnson before the players were forced off.
