Ashes: Australia put England on mat, lead by 224 in the 1st test
Brisbane, Australia: Pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris bulldozed England for 136 on Friday, and later openers David Warner and Chris Rogers compounded the misery for the tourists on day two of the Ashes series
Brisbane, Australia: Pacemen Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris bulldozed England for 136 on Friday, and later openers David Warner and Chris Rogers compounded the misery for the tourists on day two of the Ashes series with an unbroken stand to increase Australia's lead to 224 runs.
Australia was 65 without loss at stumps in its second innings with Warner on 45 and Rogers on 15 after being untroubled for the last 90 minutes.
A dozen wickets fell after Australia resumed its first innings on the second morning at 273-8. Australia was dismissed for 295 within eight overs, with Brad Haddin last man out for 94 and Stuart Broad finishing with six wickets for England.
The English were coasting at 55-1 in reply before Johnson and Harris embarked on two hours of carnage, including a slide of six wickets for nine runs in 58 balls in the middle session in which spinner Nathan Lyon narrowly missed a hat-trick.
Opener Michael Carberry (40) top-scored for England in his second test and Broad, the pantomime villain for the local crowd, scored 32 in a rearguard innings to continue his excellent form after taking 6-81 with the ball.
The Australians had an unexpected 159-run first-innings lead after Johnson (4-61), Harris (3-28) and Lyon (2-17) exploited the bounce in the Gabba wicket to unsettle the England batsmen.
It was only three years ago that Johnson conceded 170 runs and didn't take a wicket in his previous Ashes test at the Gabba, where he grew up and made his name playing for Queensland state. His return to Australia's starting XI, after missing the last tour to England, will no doubt give him confidence. He also contributed 64 in a valuable 114-run seventh-wicket stand with Haddin on day one after Australia had slumped to 100-5.
The critics considered the first innings another failure from the Australian top order after winning the toss and opting to bat on a pitch that appeared to be ideal for scoring runs.
But England was quickly undone by the conditions.
After coasting to 55 for the loss of only captain Alastair Cook (13), England crumbled after Jonathan Trott (10) edged a legside catch to Haddin off Johnson.
Kevin Pietersen, playing in his 100th test, got a reprieve on eight when Peter Siddle put down a sharp return catch, but his dismissal for 18 by Harris triggered the stunning collapse as England slid from 82-2 to 91-8.
Left-armer Johnson started bowling around the wicket at Carberry and hit him once on the chest with a short ball, sent one skidding over his head and then had him caught by Shane Watson in the slips in an inspired piece of bowling as England slipped to 87-4.
Off spinner Lyon chimed in with wickets on consecutive balls after opening with three straight maiden overs. He had Ian Bell (5) caught by Steve Smith at short leg and Matt Prior (0) out in the same manner next ball -- after the Australians referred the decision to the third umpire at Smith's adamant insistence.
Broad, the main destroyer for England with the ball, received another loud boo when he walked to the crease to bat and didn't have to play a shot at the hat-trick ball, allowing it to drift past.
He watched from the other end as Johnson's next two strikes had England reeling at 91-8, with Joe Root (2) caught in the slips while slashing at a wide ball and Graeme Swann (0) caught by George Bailey.
Broad and Chris Tremlett helped England avoid the follow-on before Harris broke up the ninth-wicket stand. Broad continued with No. 11 Jimmy Anderson in a determined 46-ball rearguard innings before he miscued a Siddle short ball and was the last man out.
Coming off a 3-0 series win at home three months ago, England is aiming for a fourth consecutive Ashes series win, something it hasn't achieved since the 1800s. Australia hasn't won any of its last nine tests.
Australia was 65 without loss at stumps in its second innings with Warner on 45 and Rogers on 15 after being untroubled for the last 90 minutes.
A dozen wickets fell after Australia resumed its first innings on the second morning at 273-8. Australia was dismissed for 295 within eight overs, with Brad Haddin last man out for 94 and Stuart Broad finishing with six wickets for England.
The English were coasting at 55-1 in reply before Johnson and Harris embarked on two hours of carnage, including a slide of six wickets for nine runs in 58 balls in the middle session in which spinner Nathan Lyon narrowly missed a hat-trick.
Opener Michael Carberry (40) top-scored for England in his second test and Broad, the pantomime villain for the local crowd, scored 32 in a rearguard innings to continue his excellent form after taking 6-81 with the ball.
The Australians had an unexpected 159-run first-innings lead after Johnson (4-61), Harris (3-28) and Lyon (2-17) exploited the bounce in the Gabba wicket to unsettle the England batsmen.
It was only three years ago that Johnson conceded 170 runs and didn't take a wicket in his previous Ashes test at the Gabba, where he grew up and made his name playing for Queensland state. His return to Australia's starting XI, after missing the last tour to England, will no doubt give him confidence. He also contributed 64 in a valuable 114-run seventh-wicket stand with Haddin on day one after Australia had slumped to 100-5.
The critics considered the first innings another failure from the Australian top order after winning the toss and opting to bat on a pitch that appeared to be ideal for scoring runs.
But England was quickly undone by the conditions.
After coasting to 55 for the loss of only captain Alastair Cook (13), England crumbled after Jonathan Trott (10) edged a legside catch to Haddin off Johnson.
Kevin Pietersen, playing in his 100th test, got a reprieve on eight when Peter Siddle put down a sharp return catch, but his dismissal for 18 by Harris triggered the stunning collapse as England slid from 82-2 to 91-8.
Left-armer Johnson started bowling around the wicket at Carberry and hit him once on the chest with a short ball, sent one skidding over his head and then had him caught by Shane Watson in the slips in an inspired piece of bowling as England slipped to 87-4.
Off spinner Lyon chimed in with wickets on consecutive balls after opening with three straight maiden overs. He had Ian Bell (5) caught by Steve Smith at short leg and Matt Prior (0) out in the same manner next ball -- after the Australians referred the decision to the third umpire at Smith's adamant insistence.
Broad, the main destroyer for England with the ball, received another loud boo when he walked to the crease to bat and didn't have to play a shot at the hat-trick ball, allowing it to drift past.
He watched from the other end as Johnson's next two strikes had England reeling at 91-8, with Joe Root (2) caught in the slips while slashing at a wide ball and Graeme Swann (0) caught by George Bailey.
Broad and Chris Tremlett helped England avoid the follow-on before Harris broke up the ninth-wicket stand. Broad continued with No. 11 Jimmy Anderson in a determined 46-ball rearguard innings before he miscued a Siddle short ball and was the last man out.
Coming off a 3-0 series win at home three months ago, England is aiming for a fourth consecutive Ashes series win, something it hasn't achieved since the 1800s. Australia hasn't won any of its last nine tests.