1st Ashes Test: Cardiff – Day One Review

For cricketing fans across the world, the contest that enthralls the general public is back with the first day of the 2015 Ashes series in Cardiff and we at The Sports Lowdown will bring you the day’s action for each and every day at the test. 

All eyes would be on 22 players as the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff hosted the first day of the contest between the two oldest nations, fighting once again for the famous urn. The toss was won by England who elected to bat despite the overcast conditions.

England: Cook (C), Lyth, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler (WK), Ali, Broad, Wood, Anderson

Australia: Warner, Rodgers, Smith, Clarke (C), Voges, Watson, Haddin, Starc, Johnson, Lyon, Hazelwood

Morning Session

Alistair Cook and Adam Lyth were the opening batsman for England, with the Captain scoring the first run of the contest as he dropped the ball into the covers.It didn’t take long for Australia to get into their stride with Hazelwood forcing Lyth into a false shot to edge to third slip where David Warner took an excellent diving catch to leave England 7-1 after just two overs.

Ballance joined Cook at the crease and was given a thorough working over by the Aussie seamers, who were looking to expose the out-of-form number three, but the Yorkshire batsman dug in and began to build a partnership Cook. The introduction of spin by Micheal Clarke was the downfall of the England captain, who had been looking to take the spin of Nathan Lyon on. With the score on 42, Cook chose to cut a bouncing Lyon ball, with the England skipper hitting a thick edge into the grateful gloves of keeper Brad Haddin.

An out-of-form Ian Bell was next to go for just one, when an out-of-sorts Mitchell Starc got one right, swinging a full ball into the pads of Bell who could do nothing, as he was hit in front. The unfortunate end for England’s number four would be particularly galling as Starc had been wayward before producing a wonderful ball to send the Warwickshire batsman packing.

Root joined Ballance at the crease and though Haddin dropped him third ball off of a squeezed shot that seemed to surprise the experience keeper, he immediately picked up where he left off against New Zealand racing ahead in the scoring, upping the pressure on the Australian bowlers who so far hadn’t been at their brilliant best. As we reached the lunch break, England had began to build a partnership with the flowing elegance of Root, tempered with the watchful Ballance who was showing signs of emerging from his slump.

England 88-3 (England won toss)

Not out batsmen: Ballance 28 (57), Root 33 (24).

Fall of wickets: 7-1 (Lyth 6), 42-2 (Cook 20), 43-3 (Bell 1)

Bowling figures: Starc 6-3-24-1, Hazlewood 8-3-28-1, Johnson 6-0-35-0, Lyon 3-2-1-1.