Lord’s Test: England slip after Strauss ton

England captain Andrew Strauss battled throughout the opening day of 2nd Ashes Test while his team mates seemed intent on squandering their wickets.

England captain Andrew Strauss battled throughout the opening day of the second Ashes Test against Australia on Thursday while his teammates seemed intent on squandering their wickets.

At close of days play,Strauss had reached 161 not out,his 18th Test century and third against Australia,and also passed 5,000 runs in Test cricket. But England failed to take advantage of an opening stand of 196 between Strauss and Alastair Cook (95) and their score of 364 for six was no more than adequate on a bland Lord’s pitch.

Strauss and Cook sped to 126 for no loss at lunch against some wayward bowling,particularly from Australian spearhead Mitchell Johnson,who conceded 53 from eight overs. Australia regrouped,despite the loss of off-spinner Nathan Hauritz with a dislocated finger in his bowling hand,while the England middle-order gifted their wickets away.

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Strauss,batting at the headquarters of his county team Middlesex,took full toll on some disjointed Australian bowling in the opening session as England raced to 126 for no wicket at lunch. He lost Cook,out leg before to a rare straight ball from Johnson,after a splendid partnership which left Australia in seeming disarray after having much the better of the drawn first Test in Cardiff.

Hauritz setback

Strauss was dropped on 52 when he launched a ferocious drive at Hauritz,who got his right hand to the ball and dislocated the middle finger. He left the field immediately for lengthy treatment.

Ravi Bopara drove the ball sweetly through the covers with an extravagant flourish but failed to take advantage of the situation and the conditions. He had scored 18 from 19 balls when he played around a Hilfenhaus delivery for the second time in as many innings and was adjudged lbw.

Kevin Pietersen played a bizarre cameo of 32 which seemed entirely at odds with his side’s requirements. He scampered risky singles at the start of his innings,stole the strike from Strauss and came dangerously close to handling a ball that looked like it was running on to the stumps. An attempted hook off the next ball fell safely on the leg-side. He appeared to settle down after tea,driving two majestic fours before a Peter Siddle delivery that went away and Pietersen edged to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

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Paul Collingwood (16) chipped a simple catch to deep mid-on off Michael Clarke and Matt Prior (8) was bowled by a Johnson delivery through the gap between bat and pad. Andrew Flintoff entered to loud applause for his last Test at Lord’s but departed after only 16 minutes for four.