Bell foils Aussies
Ian Bell carried on from where he left off as England recovered to 183/4 at tea on Thursday's first day of the second Ashes Test at Lord's.
Bell, whose second innings 109 set up Ashes-holders England's tense 14-run first Test win over Australia in Nottingham last week, was 62 not out after adding 99 for the fourth wicket with Warwickshire colleague Jonathan Trott (58).
Jonny Bairstow, 'bowled' by Peter Siddle on 21 only to be reprieved by the third umpire checking for a no-ball, was 28 not out having helped Bell compile a fifth-wicket stand so far worth 56 runs.
Bell and Trott came together with England in dire straits at 28/3 after England captain Alastair Cook had won the toss and opted to bat on a gloriously sunny day at the 'home of cricket'.
Trott, often criticised for slow scoring, struck 11 fours in almost giddy fashion before he became recalled Australia quick Ryan Harris's third wicket of the innings.
After the teams were presented before play to Queen Elizabeth II, monarch of both Britain and Australia, it was the tourists who bossed the early exchanges.
England were soon three wickets down with Cook, opening partner Joe Root and dangerman Kevin Pietersen all out cheaply.
Shane Watson got the ball rolling for Australia when he brought one back into Cook's pads to have the left-hander lbw for 12.
Harris, recalled after Australia dropped the wayward Mitchell Starc, then took two wickets in an over.
The 33-year-old, playing just the 13th Test of his injury-ravaged career and first in more than a year, then struck with the second ball of his third over when he had Root lbw for six.
Root referred the decision and after all the controversy surrounding the use of the Decision Review System in the first Test, it was no surprise that New Zealand's Tony Hill, now in the third umpire's chair, took several minutes before upholding Sri Lankan on-field official Kumar Dharmasena's decision that the ball had hit pad first.
Four balls later, Harris shaped a delivery up the slope which Pietersen, on two, nicked to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. Trott and Bell repaired the early damage on what was a fundamentally good pitch and took England to 80/3 at lunch.
SCORECARD AT TEA
England (1st Innings): Alastair Cook lbw b Watson 12, Joe Root lbw b Harris 6, Jonathan Trott c Khawaja b Harris 58, Kevin Pietersen c Haddin b Harris 2, Ian Bell (batting) 62, Jonny Bairstow (batting) 28. Extras: (11lb, 2w, 2nb) 15. Total (for 4 wkts, in 53 overs) 183.
FoW: 1-18, 2-26, 3-28, 4-127
Bowling: James Pattinson 13-2-52-0, Ryan Harris 13-4-28-3, Shane Watson 7-3-22-1, Peter Siddle 12-1-48-0, Ashton Agar 8-1-22-0.
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