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Bell builds platform for England | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Ian Bell's fourth half-century of the series gave England a useful tea-time score of 149-2 on day one of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia. | |
Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook were dismissed either side of lunch to leave England in some bother at 58-2. | |
But Bell (58no) found an able ally in Kevin Pietersen (36no) and together the pair frustrated Australia's bowlers. | |
Glenn McGrath was arguably the pick of them, but went wicketless in the first 15 overs of his final Test appearance. | |
The other illustrious Aussie bowler earning his final international cap, Shane Warne, was kept under wraps until the 40th over. | |
He did not extract huge spin and was not at his most consistent either, but his threat will increase during the course of the match. | |
Play began 70 minutes late after morning rain, so the truncated first session lasted for just 17 overs. | Play began 70 minutes late after morning rain, so the truncated first session lasted for just 17 overs. |
Spectators arriving at the ground early in the morning were hit by a monsoon-like deluge and it was soon clear that despite the improving weather play would not start on time. | Spectators arriving at the ground early in the morning were hit by a monsoon-like deluge and it was soon clear that despite the improving weather play would not start on time. |
Finally, the toss took place at 11.10am local time (0010 GMT) and an 80-minute first session ensued. | |
Strauss immediately looked anxious to score quickly after Andrew Flintoff had won the toss but had difficulty locating the middle of his bat. | |
His first boundary was an edge off Brett Lee that flew only marginally wide of the slip cordon and his second also came off the edge of the bat. | |
He was dropped on 21 by Justin Langer fielding at third slip to McGrath. | |
But it was no real surprise when he was out adding just eight runs to that score - attempting a cut shot at a ball from Lee that hurried onto him. | |
Adam Gilchrist had few problems taking the catch and Lee's first ball at Bell was a short-pitched snorter that the right-hander did well to defend safely. | |
England reached lunch on 58-1 but failed to add to that score before losing Alastair Cook for 20. | |
He contrived to get an inside edge to a Stuart Clark delivery, giving Gilchrist another catch. | |
Bell, and particularly Pietersen, initially struggled on a wicket that offered some pace and bounce and just enough seam movement to keep McGrath, Lee and Clark interested. | |
The scoring rate was slow until Bell raised the fifty partnership by hooking a tiring McGrath for four. | |
Pietersen took 42 balls to hit his first boundary, but with defensive fields in place, refused to be frustrated into doing something stupid. |