Australia v England, Brisbane Cricket Ground

Old stagers Waugh and Healy wrest control from England

BRISBANE, Australia, Nov 20 (AFP) - A stubborn partnership from seasoned veterans Steve Waugh and Ian Healy seized the initiative for Australia late on the opening day of the first Ashes Test against England here on Friday.

Waugh and Healy, the two most experienced players at the Gabba with 214 Tests between them, dug in to steer Australia to 246 for five at close of play after England had reduced the unofficial world champions to 106 for four.

Waugh was working towards his sixth Test century against England on 69 not out while the adventurous Healy was unbeaten on 46. The pair added 68 runs for the sixth wicket.

Both Waugh and Healy were dropped in the final session of play off the bowling of English paceman Darren Gough, much to the relief of Aussie coach Geoff Marsh.

``England bowled well line and length, but in the end the day finished = even,'' said Australian coach Geoff Marsh.

``Steve and Ian wanted to bat positively in the last hour and England missed those two chances to give it back to us. It's a good wicket and we had to work hard for our runs.''

Waugh was dropped on 68 by Nasser Hussain at second slip and Angus Fra= ser, at third man, spilled a top-edged hook from Healy when he was on 36.

Play went 54 minutes beyond schedule after a 35-minute interruption fo= r bad light and a slow English bowling rate.

England had begun the five-Test Ashes battle confidently with Leiceste= rshire left-armer Alan Mullally and Derbyshire paceman Dominic Cork leading the bowlers with two wickets each.

England, who have won just three of their last 11 Tests against Austra= lia, were determined to get their Ashes campaign off on a sound footing after memories of their wretched starts in the last two tours when they lost the opening two Tests.

The four-prong England pace attack kept the Australians under pressure and reduced the hosts to 106 for four before Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting started Australia's revival.

Steve Waugh, so often the rock of the Australian innings, had an early life on 29 when he was judged by the third umpire Peter Parker to have beaten Alec Stewart's throw at the stumps after some indecision with Ponting.

Mullally got his hands in the way of Stewart's throw preventing the ru= n out at the bowler's end, and Waugh was given the green light by the video umpire.

Ponting, surprisingly preferred ahead of Darren Lehmann at number six, appeared set for a good score before Mark Butcher snapped up an instinctive low catch in the covers off a meaty drive off Cork's bowling.

Ponting's 94 minutes at the crease netted him 21 runs and he shared in a 72-run partnership with Waugh for the fifth wicket.

The pair bolstered the Australian innings after persistent tight Engli= sh bowling prised the wickets of Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh and captain Mark Taylor.

Taylor, playing in his 100th Test and on the verge of his 39th Test half-century, fell to Cork for 46 in the middle session when he edged to Hussain at second slip.

England, bowling tightly and responding to skipper Stewart's thoughtful field placements, restricted the Australian scoring tempo after Taylor had won the toss.

The tourists, bidding for their first Ashes series in 11 years, were rewarded with the wickets of Slater and Langer to have the hosts at 106 for two before the quick loss of Waugh and Taylor in the space of three balls.

Mullally, who played his formative cricket in Australia before returning to the country of his birth, snared the scalp of fluent-stroking Waugh for 31 when he edged to wicketkeeper Stewart.

After a brief delay Waugh walked from the crease after the third video umpire was called to adjudicate.

Taylor was out on the second ball of Cork's next over to leave Austral= ia wobbling at 106 for four.

Taylor stubbornly kept the English bowlers at bay for 191 minutes, hitting six boundaries and putting on 47 runs for the third wicket with Waugh.

Australia lost Langer trapped lbw by Darren Gough for eight, with the circumspect West Australian again failing to consolidate his Test position after scoring his maiden Test century on the recent tour of Pakistan. Langer batted for 55 minutes and his wicket left Australia at 59 for two.

Slater was out for 16 just after the first hour's play when he got a thick edge to a Mullally delivery that surprised him with extra bounce and Butcher snapped up a two-handed chance above his head at third slip.

Players left the field for bad light at 3.06pm AEST (0506GMT) to boos = from the crowd. Play resumed after a 35-minute break with the lost time added onto the end of the scheduled day.

Day 2:England rue missed chances as Australia take control of Test

BRISBANE, Australia, Nov 21 (AFP) - England face a daunting task to save the opening Ashes cricket Test after Australia's tail-end batsmen tormented the tourists' bowlers on the second day at Brisbane's Gabba ground on Saturday.

After watching Australia plunder runs at will to amass a formidable first innings total of 485, England then lost stalwart opener Mike Atherton for a duck.

At the close, England - chasing their first Ashes series success in 11 years - were 53 for one with Mark Butcher on 23 and Nasser Hussain on 23. Aussie vice-captain Steve Waugh, who along with wicketkeeper Ian Healy completed a century on Saturday, said the home team had won a psychological battle.

``There's got to be a few scars there - we've won the last five Ashes series,'' he said. ``And if you can open a few of those wounds up, that's what Test cricket is all about. You have to work on the mental side of things.''

With three days left, England's now face an uphill struggle to save the Test and head for next week's second Test in Perth still on level terms in the best-of-five match series.

England coach David Lloyd said his team had been punished for a series of missed chances. ``The opportunities were there, we didn't take them, as simple as that,'' he said. ``We had a real mix-up on the run out (Steve Waugh on 29) which went horribly wrong and three missed catches as well, for which we paid dearly

``With people like Ian Healy and Steve Waugh these half-chances are going to be crucial.'' It was a confidence-sapping day for the tourists, slaving in the field for nearly 11 hours and then losing Atherton early. Former captain Atherton lasted 14 balls before he was out for his fourth duck against Australia - the 10th time he has fallen victim to Glenn McGrath. McGrath forced Atherton to give an edge, which Mark Waugh snapped up at second slip to leave England on 11 for one.

Earlier in the day, Healy scored 134 for his fourth Test century while Waugh notched up his 16th Test hundred with a disciplined knock of 112. It was seam bowler Damien Fleming who piled on the agony for the tourists, hitting his highest first class score - an unbeaten 71 including 11 boundaries - with good support from leg-spinner Stuart McGill.

McGill cracked four fours in a brisk 20 and the last three wickets of a supposed suspect tail added 120 runs. England's bowlers shared a draining workload of 158 overs. Alan Mullally expended 40 overs to take a Test-best 5-105, Darren Gough was erratic in his 1-135 off 34 overs, Dominic Cork sweated through 31 overs for 2-98, Angus Fraser bowled 28 overs for 1-76 and spinner Robert Croft took one wicket at a cost of 55 runs off 23 overs.

Gnawing away at England during Saturday was the thought that Healy and Waugh should not have been there -- both had been dropped off Gough's bowling late on the opening day. Waugh, on 68, was missed by Hussain at second slip and Fraser, at third man, had time but spilled a top-edged hook off Healy when he was 36. They paid dearly for their sloppiness as Waugh and Healy piled up a 187-run partnership, helping Australia recover from 106 for four mid-Friday.

Healy thrilled his home crowd with a perky innings that featured 14 fours in 305 minutes off 229 deliveries. He got a rousing reception as he departed, leaving Australia at 420 for eight. Mullally finally accepted a two-handed catch to dismiss Healy to give Fraser his only wicket of the innings.

England removed Waugh 19 minutes after lunch when left-armer Mullally got him to edge to wicketkeeper Stewart. He had been at the crease for 330 minutes in his innings of 232 balls with 13 fours. Three balls later Mullally dismissed Michael Kasprowicz for a duck for his fourth wicket, but it would be another couple of hours and 120 more runs before England could mercifully leave the field.

Butcher back to best as England strike back

BRISBANE, Australia, Nov 22 (AFP) - Opener Mark Butcher led a spirited England fightback in the first Ashes cricket Test here Sunday, scoring a majestic century as the tourists cruised past the danger of the follow-on England were 299 for four in response to Australia's first innings total of 485 when a lightning storm ended the third day's play an hour early at the Gabba.

Butcher, supported by half-centuries from Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe, spearheaded a positive and refreshing day's cricket from England. The tourists wiped away the initial threat of defeat when they reached the follow-on target at 286 for four 30 minutes after tea - meaning Australia must bat a second time with just two days' cricket left.

Butcher vindicated his selection after scoring just nine runs in five first-class innings on the tour. He had also taken a fearful blow over his right eye which required 12 stitches while batting against Western Australia in Perth.

The 26-year-old Surrey left-hander cracked 116, equalling the score in his other Test century against South Africa in the fifth Test at Leeds last August. His innings was the perfect tonic for England, who had slaved for two torrid days in the field, missing a host of chances, as Australia piled up the runs.

Butcher's second Test century was supported by vice-captain Hussain with his 59 off 99 balls and No.5 Thorpe, who was unbeaten on 70 with Mark Ramprakash on 29 when the storm struck.

Butcher, seen as a batting liability in the leadup to the Test, always had the unwavering support of coach David Lloyd and his teammates. ``The great thing about the dressing room is the way everyone supports you,'' Butcher said.

``The help you get from your teammates is exemplary, everyone's been very helpful and it kept me thinking positively ... and it seems to have worked.'' Asked what he had been doing wrong in the earlier tour matches, Butcher quipped: ``I was using my head instead of my bat.

``But to be honest, I don't know ... it's a funny thing, some days you feel great and can't miss the middle of the bat and other days you can't get a bat on it at all and nothing has really changed. Perhaps a bit more of a positive outlook.''

England were positive from the outset, batting purposefully and fluently to take the sting out of the Australian attack missing the menace of leg-spinner Shane Warne, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. The tourists attacked the Australian bowling with relish, with Butcher and Hussain notching up 74 runs in the first hour of play.

Even though Hussain became wicketkeeper Ian Healy's 363th Test dismissal when he was snapped up off Michael Kasprowicz for 59 and captain Alec Stewart went for eight, England blazed 126 runs in the opening two hours to go to lunch at 179 for three.

Stewart was left fuming with himself after sweeping a simple full toss from leg-spinner Stuart MacGill down the throat of Kasprowicz at deep backward square leg to continue his run of low scores on tour. He lasted just nine balls and had earlier been dropped by Justin Langer off MacGill. England's spirited reply was structured around Butcher, who put on a 134-run second wicket partnership with Hussain and 72 for the fourth wicket with Thorpe.

Butcher was finally out 20 minutes after lunch to a magnificent leaping one-handed caught and bowled by off-spinner Mark Waugh to leave England at 240 for four.

He belted 16 fours in his stylish innings, which lasted 280 minutes. The run chase was carried on by Thorpe, a thorn in the side of the Australian bowlers with an average of 49 in his previous 14 Tests against the unofficial world champions. Thorpe and Ramprakash had little difficulty seeing off the second new ball as threatening storm clouds swept over the Gabba in the late afternoon. They ran sharp singles and placed their shots cleverly.

horpe was within sight of his seventh Test hundred after hitting six boundaries in his 192-minute stay at the crease. Monday's fourth day's play will start half an hour earlier and finish 30 minutes later than scheduled to make up for Sunday's lost playing time.

Taylor sets England record target

BRISBANE, Australia, Nov 23 (AFP) - Australian skipper Mark Taylor set England's fragile batting order the stern task here on Monday of scoring a record Ashes fourth innings total of 348 to win the first Test.

Taylor was given the upper hand after Glenn McGrath took six wickets for 85 as England collapsed to 375 all out. Michael Slater then hit 113 as Australia moved to 237 for three before Taylor declared 347 runs in front.

Mike Atherton and Mark Butcher took England to 26 for no wicket at the close of the fourth day, but the tourists still face a tense final day needing another 322 for victory. England's record fourth innings total to win a test against Australia was 332 - 70 years ago at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

England will be bitterly disappointed at the batting display after getting back into the Test on Sunday. McGrath tore through the England lower order - three of whom were out for ducks - as they lost six wickets for 76 runs in the morning session. The pace spearhead took 5 wickets for 19 runs off 10.2 overs in the session.

It was the 11th time McGrath has taken five or more wickets and took his total to 184 wickets in 41 tests. Mark Ramprakash was left stranded on 69 as he watched a procession of batting partners come and go. The end came seven minutes before lunch. A chill went through English supporters as Graham Thorpe, Dominic Cork, Robert Croft, Darren Gough, Alan Mullally and Angus Fraser all fell cheaply.

England manager Graham Gooch was furious. ``Those guys don't need me to tell them where they went wrong, they know that.'' Gooch added: ``If we are going to compete with Australia we are going to have to do better than we did today.'' At one stage McGrath was on a hat-trick but last man Fraser saw off the threat before he became the strike bowler's sixth victim.

Thorpe gave away his wicket with a poorly-executed pull shot off a McGrath ball after adding seven to his overnight total of 70. Cork lasted 11 balls before he went back for a duck after another wretched attempted pull shot straight to Stuart MacGill at mid-on. Offspinner Croft put on 41 runs in 51 minutes with Ramprakash before he was bowled by Michael Kasprowicz for 23. Gough did not play a shot when he was leg before to McGrath for a duck and Mullally was out first ball when he hit McGrath's next ball to Kasprowicz at mid-on.

Australia put on a scintillating batting display. Slater clubbed 13 fours and hoisted a six straight over Croft's head in his 190-minute barrage as he reached his century off just 129 balls. His innings ended when he was caught and bowled by Fraser. When he reached his ninth test century, his fifth against England, with a cheeky single he kept running towards the pavilion with his helmet off, arms outstretched in jubilation, to a standing ovation.

Slater and Justin Langer set a new record for a second wicket partnership against England at the Gabba. The pair scored 162 runs in 177 minutes after Taylor had played on from Cork to be out for a duck in the fourth over. Langer made 74 in 202 minutes. England strained to keep Australia's scoring in check with captain Alec Stewart sending four men out to the boundary fence, one-day style, to counter Slater even before Croft bowled his first ball of the innings.

Yet some of the fielding was sloppy, particularly when Mullally made an awful attempt at covering a Slater shot, only for the ball to go through his hands to the boundary. Twice England's strike bowler Darren Gough was taken out of the attack after conceding 28 runs off his first three overs and another 22 off his next three overs. Gooch said he expected England's lower order to give greater support this time, but they must bat positively and not just look to survive.

``If we go through to lunch losing only a wicket and we've got 100 or so, the Australians may be thinking they have a game on their hands. It could be an awkward day, or a good day for us, but we'll go out positively,'' he said.