Rogers In charge
Australia’s Chris Rogers in action on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test at Chester-le-Street on Saturday—AP
Chris Rogers and Shane Watson kept a revived England at bay after they were both dropped on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test at Chester-le-Street on Saturday.
Australia, 2-0 down in the five-match series and no longer able to regain the Ashes, were in trouble at 76/4 shortly after lunch.
But at tea they’d recovered to 148/4, 90 runs behind England’s seemingly modest 238, on the back of an unbroken stand of 72 between left-handed opener Rogers (71 not out) and all-rounder Watson (38 not out).
Before lunch Stuart Broad took three wickets, including Australia captain and batting linchpin Michael Clarke. Broad, making use of the overcast conditions, struck in the fourth over of Australia’s reply when he seamed one back in to clip the top of left-hander David Warner’s off-stump.
And 12/1 became 12 for two when Broad, taking two for none in seven balls, had Usman Khawaja, uncertain whether to play or leave, caught behind for a duck off the bottom edge by wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
Once again Clarke, Australia’s best batsman, who made 187 — the tourists’ only century of the series so far — in the drawn third Test at Old Trafford, took guard with his side in trouble.
The latest controversy involving the Decision Review System this series came when Tony Hill gave Rogers out caught behind off Broad on 20.
Rogers reviewed and the much-criticised Hot Spot element of the DRS indicated he hadn’t hit the ball.
Although the ball hit Rogers’ back pad, Hawk Eye tracking technology said the ball was just clipping the bails and the ‘umpire’s call’ verdict meant Rogers, who subsequently hit several well-struck boundaries, was not out lbw either.
But there was no dispute when Clarke, without moving his feet, drove at a Broad outswinger on six and England captain Alastair Cook held a sharp chance above his head at first slip.
Early in the second session, Steven Smith fell for his lunch score of 17 when he edged a good-length delivery from Tim Bresnan to Prior.
England, 238/9 overnight, failed to add to their total before last man Anderson was bowled by Jackson Bird.
SCORECARD (AT TEA)
England (1st innings, o/n 238/9): A. Cook lbw b Bird 51, J. Root c Haddin b Watson 16, J. Trott c Khawaja b Lyon 49, K. Pietersen c Haddin b Lyon 26, I. Bell c Harris b Lyon 6, J. Bairstow lbw b Lyon 14, M. Prior lbw b Siddle 17, T. Bresnan (not out) 12, S. Broad c Warner b Harris 3, G. Swann c Lyon b Harris 13, J. Anderson b Bird 16. Extras: (b5, lb1, w3, nb6) 15. Total: (in 92 overs) 238.
FoW: 1-34, 2-107, 3-149, 4-153, 5-155, 6-189, 7-193, 8-198, 9-214.
Bowling: Harris 19-3-70-2, Bird 22-9-58-2, Watson 13-6-21-1, Siddle 18-6-41-1, Lyon 20-7-42-4.
Australia (1st Innings): C. Rogers (batting) 71, D. Warner b Broad 3, U. Khawaja c Prior b Broad 0, M. Clarke c Cook b Broad 6, S. Smith c Prior b Bresnan 17, S. Watson (batting) 38. Extras (b2, lb9, nb2) 13. Total (for 4 wkts, in 48 overs) 148.
FoW: 1-12, 2-12, 3-49, 4-76.
Bowling: Anderson 16-7-39-0, Broad 14-4-41-3, Bresnan 10-2-38-1, Swann 5-2-9-0, Trott 3-0-10-0.
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