3rd Ashes Test, Day 1: England vs Australia - As it happened...

The opening day of the 3rd Ashes Test, being played at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, certainly belonged to the England. 

England 1st Innings

29 July 2015

23:06 PM

Over 29 || Score 133/3 (Root 30*,  Bairstow 1*)

Rain brings premature end to day one. The opening day of the 3rd Ashes Test certainly belonged to the hosts. First they bundled out the robust Australian side on a humble total of 136 runs, in their first innings. And then went on to score 133 runs for the loss of three wickets to reduce the lead to mere three runs. In the lively wicket of Egdbaston, English bowlers bowled their heart out and kept taking wickets at regular intervals. Start of the day was undoubtedly the spearhead of England attack, James Anderson, who picked up the six-wicket haul. At stumps, Root and Bairstow were unbeaten on 30 and 1 respectively.          

22:57 PM

Over 29 || Score 133/3 (Bairstow 1*, Root 30*)

Rain once again interrupted the proceedings. 

Immediately after completing his fifty in style, Bell played an irresponsible shot to throw away his wicket. Lyon was the bowler on the occasion, who flighted the ball well to trap the set batsman. It's Lyon's 2nd wicket, that too, on his tenth ball of the match. Comeback man Jonny Bairstow is the new man to the crease. But the hosts are still looking solid as they are trailing by mere three runs in the 1st innings and have seven wickets in hand.

IR Bell c Warner b Lyon 53 (56b)

22:23 PM

Over 23 || Score 109/2 (Root 47*, Bell 13*)

At a time when skipper Cook was looking well set alongside Bell, the southpaw proved unlucky. He pulled the short ball by offie Lyon towards on side, but the ball stuck to Voges standing at short leg. Root walked in to the crease to join Bell in the middle. Root is still playing with a positive intent and has reached to 47 of 45 balls with the help of nine boundaries. Now the hosts are trailing by mere 27 runs in the first innings.   

AN Cook c Voges b Lyon 34 (48b)

21:55 PM

Over 17 || Score 76/1 (Cook 34*, Bell 28*)

Hazlewood gave the visitors their first breakthrough when Lyth edged to Voges at slips in the 8th over. Then walked in, out of form Bell, who is playing aggressive brand of cricket. He has quickly reached to 28 off 26 balls with the help of five boundaries. On the other end Cook is playing sensible cricket. Both the senior batsman have added 50-run partnership for the 2nd wicket. Now England are trailing by mere 60 runs. 

A Lyth c Voges b Hazlewood 10 (30b)

20:48 PM

Over 3.5 || Score 7/0 (Cook 6*, Lyth 1*)

The hosts have scored seven runs without losing any wicket in their first innings before the rain once again interrupted play, for the third time. Hazlewood and Starc have shared the new ball as Mitchell Johnson is still to bowl his opening over.  

20:20 PM

Australia 1st Innings

Over 36.4 || Score 136/10 (Hazlewood 14*)

Riding on a superb bowling display by James Anderson and Finn the hosts have managed to bundled out Australia on a humble total of 136 runs in their first innings. If Anderson picked up six wickets than Finn too grabbed two crucial wickets to keep the Tourists at bay. Opener Rogers only managed to give some fight with the help of his hard earned 52-run knock. Wicket at Edgbaston is looking quite lively and Australian speedsters too have a chance to exploit the conditions.      

MA Starc c Buttler b Broad 11 (20b)

​NM Lyon b Anderson 11 (11b

19:55 PM

Over 33 || Score 119/8 (Hazlewood 8*, Starc 11*)

Rogers Out! Australia's biggest hope in the form of opener Rogers also walked back to the pavilion after being trapped in front of the wicket off Stuart Broad. Though, the southpaw used the referral but that also went in favour of the Hosts. Outstanding fast bowling display by English bowlers. Tailenders Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are batting in the middle for Australia. 

CJL Rogers lbw b Broad 52 (89b)

19:18 PM

Over 29.2 || Score 99/7 (Rogers 50*, Starc 4*)

Rain once again stopped play for some time.  

Anderson completed his five wicket haul. The strike bowler first bowled a peach of a delivery to hit the bails of Nevill and then he managed to got the better of Johnson, who got out cheaply. In the meantime, Opener, Rogers completed his half-century in the 28 over by taking a double off Broad. Australia are in deep trouble, whereas, England are on top. Mitchell Starc has come to the middle to join the opener. Tourists are still one run short to take their score to three figure mark.      

MG Johnson c Stokes b Anderson 3 (6b)

PM Nevill b Anderson 2 (9m 8b)

18:54 PM

Over 24 || Score 85/5 (Rogers 40*, Nevill 2*)

Immediately after coming back from lunch, pace spearhead James Anderson gave Tourists two blows in the form of Voges and Marsh. Both the batsmen got caught behind. And with that half of the Australian batsmen are back in the hut and they are still to reach the three figure mark. Finn and Anderson have set the tone for the hosts in the 3rd Test. Peter Nevill has joined Rogers in the middle after the fall of Marsh's wicket.    

MR Marsh c Buttler b Anderson 0 (3b)

AC Voges c Buttler b Anderson 16 (43m 34b)

17:18 PM

Lunch Break

Over 19 || Score 72/3 (Rogers 35*, Voges 12*)

Match resumed after slight rain interruption. After losing three wickets in a heap, openers Rogers and Voges made sure they didn't lose any further wickets till lunch. Voges, new to the crease, looked quite comfortable in the middle. On the other end, unlike other Australian top order batsmen, Rogers also negotiated the new ball quite well. Pair of Voges-Rogers has started rebuilding the innings after the top-order collapsed. Both have added 38 runs for the fourth wicket. But the first session of play certainly belonged to the hosts, who picked up three wickets in it and gave away mere 72 runs. Finn emerged as the destroyer as the lanky speedster picked up two crucial wickets of skipper Clarke and in form Steve Smith.        

16:53 PM

Over 12.2 || Score 38/3 (Rogers 14*, Voges 0*)

Rain stops play. Groundsmen have covered the pitch. 

16:28 PM

Over 12 || Score 34/3 (Rogers 9*, Voges 0*)

Finn on fire. The comeback man picked up his 2nd wicket as he clean bowled skipper, Micheal Clarke for ten. It was a full length delivery with a hint of away movement. Clarke, who has been going through a poor patch with the bat, reacted a bit late but by then the ball crashed into his stumps. Hosts are on top. Adam Voges is the new man to the crease.  

MJ Clarke b Finn 10 (10b)        

16:10 PM

Over 8 || Score 18/2 (Rogers 9, Clarke 0)

What a return to Test cricket for Steven Finn. Steve Smith, who plundered runs aplenty at the Lord's became the first victim of Finn upon recall. The Aussie batsman failed to read the length of the delivery and ended up offering an nice, easy catch to Alastair Cook at first slip. 

Steve Smith c Alastair Cook b Steven Finn 7 (18b)

Aussie skipper Michael Clarke joined Rogers in the centre.

16:03 PM

Over 7 || Score 14/1 (Rogers 9, Smith 3)

Another great over from James Anderson, conceded a single - to Steve Smith - off the second ball. Then, Chris Rogers played out the remaining four balls, giving enough respect to the England bowler.

Earlier, Stuart Broad also got his first maiden over of the match. The sixth over was consumed by Rogers, for nought. Australia are scoring precisely at the rate of two runs per over.

16:02 PM

Over 5 || Score 13/1 (Rogers 9, Smith 2)

First maiden over of the match to James Anderson, played out by a circumspect Steve Smith. Before it, Rogers got his second boundary off the last delivery of the fourth over, sending a wide-ish delivery from Broad through the long leg boundary.

The sky looked bit heavy with dark cloud looming large, and ball moving just about enough to trouble the batsmen.

15:48 PM

Warner's wicket confirmation

Warner is gone and England will get an early look at Steve Smith. http://t.co/4mc8FjkOAT #Ashes pic.twitter.com/IK72S1oFMW

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 29, 2015

15:47 PM

Over 3 || Score 8/1 (Rogers 5, Smith 1)

James Anderson provided the vital breakthrough, removed dangerous David Warner with a leg before, which at first looked little high. But Marais Erasmus got the decision right, Warner's call for review turned out positive for the umpire. That happened in the second delivery of the third over.

David Warner lbw b James Anderson 2 (6b)

Steven Smith is the new batsman.

Four balls earlier, Rogers got the first boundary of the match off Stuart Broad, with well-timed clip through the mid-wicket area.

15:35 PM

Over 1 || Score 3/0 (Rogers 1, Warner 2)

James Anderson started with a peach of a delivery, just shaping away from the middle stump, as Chris Rogers just hold his back his bat. Then, some anxious moments for David Warner, taking the first run, he had to dived full length to get himself out of trouble with the direct from Stuart Broad at covers hitting the stumps.

Off the fifth delivery, Warner showed full face of the blade and guided towards the third-man for a couple. A dot to end the over.

One eventful over to start the third Test.

15:11 PM

Both the captains agreed that there's a hint of grass on it, but it still looks like a great pitch to bat on. If England fail to exploit whatever amount of grass on it, then it's game over. Remember, Australia scored 820 runs for 10 wickets at the Lord's and they are not done yet.

15:07 PM

TOSS and PLAYING XIs:

Michael Clarke won the Toss and Australia will bat first. Australia are unchanged.

Australia win toss and elect to bat. Aus unchanged. Eng Bairstow, Finn in; Ballance, Wood out #Ashes pic.twitter.com/9cjYEUT3Be

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 29, 2015

Aus XI: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke (capt.), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

England skipper Alastair Cook said, he would have opted to bat firt. He brought in Steven Finn and Jonny Bairstow for Mark Wood and Garry Ballance.

Eng XI: Adam Lyth, Alastair Cook (capt.), Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson

14:51 PM

Players are already out, warming up. And both the teams are expected to field their best XIs. But don't be surprise if Steven Finn makes his return in the England XI. The lanky fast bowler is one of the surprise names cropping up following Mark Wood's fitness concerns made English camp uneasy.

Finn last played Test in July 2013, against Australia at Nottingham.

14:40 PM

That's from Edgbaston 2005

It continues today... The Investec #Ashes #Comeon https://t.co/YyDJZaAnvU

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 29, 2015

14:18 PM

And here's the first look of the pitch

Closer look at the pitch. Looks to be some cracking #Ashes pic.twitter.com/M13m58cBi3

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 29, 2015

14:16 PM

Like any other high-stake sporting encounter, there's enough pre-match talk with enough debatable conclusions. But the biggest and more important of those were of Ricky Ponting rooting for Brad Haddin as a certain Peter Nevill seemed to have robbed the season glovesman his spot in the Aussie line-up.

From the England camp, the talks were mainly focused on Ian Bell's batting position. The 33-year-old batsman has endured probably his worst playing phase and even termed Test cricket as a 'brutal environment' ahead of the third Test.

And the premonition - 128 runs in his last 12 innings! 

Also, there were talks of Edgbaston 2005 reminiscence. Andrew Flintoff consoling Brett Lee, et all.

13:42 PM

And here's two premier fast bowlers, one each from each camp...

A pitch for the bowlers? @glennmcgrath11 takes us out to the middle at Edgbaston. WATCH http://t.co/OP5GgduP6S #Ashes pic.twitter.com/emdUCYGY8Q

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) July 29, 2015

13:30 PM

Two matches and two contrasting results so far. If it was a perfect Test match from the English players in the first match at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, then Australia produced a dominating show at the Lord's in London.

With both the matches completing within four days, it's surprise and a healthy one at it, considering how eulogies have been written about and how the Test cricket has supposedly succumbed to its own dead.

Here, what we can derive from those two matches is, Test cricket is still alive and kicking. And there will be no dull draw, at least when these traditional rivals play against each other.

So, the probability of another high-octane cricket match is on the cards. Read PREVIEW here.

England squad

Alastair Cook (capt.), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler (wk), Steven Finn, Adam Lyth, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood

Australia Squad

Michael Clarke (capt.), Steven Smith, Pat Cummins, Fawad Ahmed, Brad Haddin (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mithcell Starc, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson

Match officials:

Umpires - Aleem Dar (PAK) and Chris Gaffaney (NZL)
TV umpire - Marais Erasmus (RSA)
Match referee - Ranjan Madugalle (SL)
Reserve umpire - Rob Bailey (UK