First ASHES Test (Cardiff)

FIRST INNINGS
England were in huge trouble at lunch with the top 3 wickets gone after Australia bowled very accurately. After lunch Pietersen and Collingwood brought back memories of Adelaide in 2006 with a 138 run partnership that began to dominate after Tea. The last session saw a fight back from Australia as both batsmen were dismissed to leave things balanced but England took the upper hand with a blistering attack by Prior and Flintoff that threatened to boost the total to 400 in 1 day. This could have been possible even after Flintoff was out to Siddle but England tripped when a nightwatchman was sent in that put pressure on Prior - ultimately he was dismissed too; 330 for 7 and honours even.
Day Two saw some lacklustre Australian bowling punished by Swann, not to be underestimated with the bat (one lofted drive will linger in the memory), and the total was suddenly 435 all out. England will be happy with that total on a slow pitch but they must bowl well and inflict dents to the Australian batting confidence (their most experienced facet) if they want to win the test and eventually the series.

SECOND INNINGS
I admit I didn't see that coming - 674 for 6! Some may recall 2006/07 when Australia posted over 600 in Brisbane or perhaps back to Lords in 2001 where Gilchrist blasted them to an impressive lead like Haddin did but for me you have to go back to the 1989 series to understand what Australia are doing. They have no Warne or McGrath so runs become the pressure and a normally aggressive lineup has changed its method in order to crush England the 'old fashioned way'.
There were 9 centuries in that innings: Katich (122), Pointing (150), North (123*), Haddin (121) and then 5 English bowlers that conceded hundreds. The lead is 239 and unless rain takes out a couple of sessions, England will struggle to get out of this hole

THIRD INNINGS
That is more like it! The contest finally began with a frenetic last day's play and memories of Old Trafford (2005) or Adelaide (2006) were on everyone's mind as Paul Collingwood defied the Australian attack for 5 hours and 44 minutes to score 74 (245) after England looked like they would capitulate at 70-5. The tailenders did their part too as they blocked out the last 11.3 overs and with just 1 wicket the difference, the score line remains 0-0

THOUGHTS
Although England will feel better having drawn a thriller, they really are in trouble for the following reasons:

• Despite good form leading into the Test, Cook looks out of sorts and his early dismissals put pressure on Bopara
• Pietersen had no form before this game and it showed with too terrible misjudgements accounting for his wicket in this game
• The highly-rated spin attack returned appalling figures of 73-12-246-1 on a turning wicket
• To expand on this point, in the game, England took only 6 Australian wickets. This was largely due to the failure of Anderson and Broad to trouble the batsmen for any length of time. I had doubts over Broad's ability at this level to open the attack and these were largely confirmed
• the only positives were that any swing that was obtained still troubled all the Australian batsmen and don't expect them to concede 674 again in the series.
• Flintoff may develop a hold over Hughes (similar to Gilchrist in 2005) which will be crucial because the bowling of the other paceman simply feeds is offside play

For Australia:

• The bowling of Hilfenhaus and Hauritz will be reassuring. They were accurate and picked up wickets despite being written off before the game began (Boycott claimed, at age 69, he could bat against the latter). They picked up figures of 42-8-124-5 and 61-13-158-6 respectively.
• They had FOUR centuries in just one innings - more than they scored in the whole 2005 series. Ponting's form in particular should be a worry for England after the way he mauled them personally in 2006/07
• Johnson is the main concern as his ability to swing the ball both ways has not yet eventuated and his control of the Duke ball is in question.
• Hussey's form problem has not yet been rectified either
• For Lords I would recommend keeping an eye on Siddle. He was a bit expensive in this game but the slope at the Home of Cricket should assist his bowling

Overall:
England need to lift their intensity with bat and ball if they want to win this series and they had better do it soon because the next test begins in just 3 days but more frighting - it's at LORDS