CARDIFF, Wales: England started and finished day two of the Ashes series opener admirably on Thursday, with Australia still trying to find an edge at sun-bathed Sophia Gardens.
In the morning, the last three England wickets netted an invaluable 87 runs to lift the total to 430 all out. England then dug out Australia’s top order in less than two sessions on the passive pitch, and slowed down the visitors to 264-5 at stumps, still 166 in the red.
“We’re ahead,” England spinner Moeen Ali said.
Australia opener Chris Rogers agreed: “We can’t concede a big deficit, otherwise it’s going to be a big uphill battle for us. We have to get closer.”
At the crease were Shane Watson on 29, and nightwatchman Nathan Lyon on 6.
Rogers looked set to blow away England by featuring in 50-plus partnerships for the first three wickets.
The Australian with the most experience in English conditions, Rogers, who turns 38 next month and playing his last series, effortlessly picked gaps, defended safely, attacked the short ball, and tucked away balls off his legs.
After lunch, he became the fifth batsman, and first opener, to score seven consecutive test 50s. The previous six scores were last December-January at home against India.
After tea, Rogers scored 20 off 17 balls to rush from 75 to 95, and a fifth test century was imminent. But he edged behind, leaving fast bowler Mark Wood to celebrate his first Ashes wicket.
It was the second time in three innings he was out for 95. He used up only 133 balls, hit 11 boundaries and his first six in a test.
“I chose to be positive. In hindsight, I should have got my head down and kept going the same way I’d been going,” Rogers said.
“I’ve got a couple of 90s in my last three innings, and that hurts a bit. But when I got back to the changing room, I thought there’s still a lot of unfinished business here for me, and that’ll drive me for the rest of the series.”
He dominated the opening stand of 52 with David Warner, who was out for 17 trying to drive fast bowler James Anderson but nicking it.
Rogers and the equally prolific Steve Smith upped the ante with 77 together in 19 overs through the middle session.
Smith, the third highest run-scorer in test cricket over the last 13 months at an average of 97, went after Moeen Ali, and was successful at first.
But the third time in the same over that he charged at Ali, the spinner bowled down his legside. Smith muddled trying to adjust his feet and spooned the ball to Alastair Cook at mid-on. He departed for 33, just before tea.
“He’s very aggressive,” Ali said. “He can take you down but he also gives you a chance, and I’m always telling myself I’m one ball away from a wicket.”
Captain Michael Clarke joined Rogers and they clicked, sharing a rapid 51. Then Rogers was out at 180-3, and when Clarke was caught and bowled by Ali for 38, the momentum shifted slightly to England with more than an hour left under blue skies.
Adam Voges confirmed the shift when he miscued allrounder Ben Stokes on 31 and gave Anderson an easy catch 10 minutes before stumps.
By claiming Smith and Clarke, Ali earned his keep, for now, after many English observers believed he should have been dropped for the uncapped Adil Rashid, who was a wicket-taking legspin sensation in the one-day international series with New Zealand.
By stumps, Ali had 2-67, and played his part in putting the brakes on the Australians. He was not surprised.
“In this series, both of us spinners (including Australia’s Nathan Lyon) are going to be attacked quite a bit, and we are going to get wickets,” Ali said. “That’s because the nature of the teams is to attack. I’m pretty happy with that, it brings me to the game more.”
Ali also excelled with the bat, as he marshalled the tail from 343-7 overnight to frustrate Australia for more than 14 overs and 70 minutes.
Ali was picked by England last year as a batsman who bowls, but his demotion in the order and England’s desperate need for a spinner has defined him as a bowler who bats. His bonus 77 in his Ashes debut was his second highest test score, and included 11 boundaries and a six off Lyon.
Mitchell Starc snapped up the last two wickets for his maiden Ashes 5-for, while Mitchell Johnson bowled well without fortune for figures of 25-3-111-0, his worst in a test innings. --A{