London, July 18: There is a long, long way to go but England at last began to take control of their destiny yesterday. It was as unexpected as it was remarkable and the possibility is that Australia are merely lying doggo before they come out blazing in the next three days to secure a record that has endured for three-quarters of a century.
But blaze they must if they are to avoid becoming the first Australia team to lose a Test match at the great ground since 1934. Too often yesterday they did not so much blaze as splutter and the suspicion was once more confirmed that despite the tourists’ pre-eminence at Cardiff there is little between these sides. The Ashes are in the balance.
England were all out for 425, fewer than they would have liked at the start of proceedings, but more than they dared hope for not long afterwards when three wickets fell in 17 balls. A thrilling, unlikely and from Australia’s viewpoint wholly irksome last-wicket stand of 47 regained the impetus for England and there it stayed for most of the remainder of the second day of the second Test.
–Agencies