Ashes 2013 3rd Test, Day 1 England vs Australia - As it happened...

Live updates from the Day 1 of the third Ashes Test.

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Zee Media Bureau SCORECARD» I COMMENTARY»| REPORT» Have a look at the Players to watch out for in 3rd Test» ==================================================================================== Australia, 1st innings: Over 90 || Score 303/3 STUMPS!Australians are back! Their skipper has played a captain’s knock, very well supported by Steven Smith and they have added 174 runs for the fourth wicket. Tiring day for the English bowlers, something they haven’t gone through in Ashes 2013. Meanwhile, an outstanding day for the Aussies as Clarke and Smith left the field to a rousing reception from the crowd. Well deserved! Earlier England took the new ball after the 80th over and Smith slapped Anderson for a boundary through midwicket off the very first ball of the 81st over. Clarke and Smith played the last ten overs facing the new ball with equal ease. Michael Clarke 125* (208b) Steven Smith 70* (150b) ==================================================================================== Over 80 || Score 269/3 Clarke silenced all those who doubted his skills with a stupendous ton, once again proving his worth as a world class batsman. Meanwhile Steven Smith also reached his half-century as he scored a couple off Graeme Swann. It has been an excellent partnership from the Australian perspective, as these two have now added unbeaten 140 runs for the fourth wicket. Michael Clarke 90* (150b) Steven Smith 32* (88b) ==================================================================================== Over 70 || Score 227/3 Michael Clarke and Steven Smith continue to strengthen the partnership which would now be bothering the England skipper. The fourth wicket partnership and swollen to 98 runs which should be a tremendous relief for the entire Australian dug out. Clarke is batting on 90 and he looks all set to score his much-needed century. Michael Clarke 90* (150b) Steven Smith 32* (88b) ==================================================================================== Over 60 || Score 207/3 Michael Clarke is playing a superb knock for his team, a much needed one that could probably lift the morale of the entire team for the rest of the series. Pup is using his feet brilliantly and had played some of the best shots we have been from him this series. Steven Smith is giving him excellent support at the other end, with a body language that should make his skipper proud. The duo has added 78 runs for the fourth wicket and Australian team management would be happy with the way their batsmen are dealing in crucial partnerships. Michael Clarke 77* (117b) Steven Smith 25* (61b) ==================================================================================== Over 50 || Score 178/3 Michael Clarke has scored yet another half-century for his side who would want him to reach the three-figure mark, something which he consistently did in 2012. To give him company, we have Steven Smith at the crease against whom England used a review off Anderson’s bowling as the hosts were confident when Prior took a catch as Smith failed to connect with a drive and the ball went past his bat. The field umpire wasn’t convinced and even the third umpire wasn’t. 43 runs scored in the last ten overs. Michael Clarke 53* (78b) Steven Smith 20* (40b) ==================================================================================== Over 40 || Score 135/3 And when we thought that after 11 innings, an Aussie was all set to hit a ton, England’s trump card – Graeme Swann produced another gem of a delivery to dismiss the left-hander 16 runs short of a well deserved ton. Rogers was looking to play across the line off a full length delivery that struck him on the pads. Clarke and Rogers added 47 runs for the third wicket. CJL Rogers lbw b Swann 84 (114b) ==================================================================================== Over 30 || Score 104/2 Clarke and Rogers have so far stitched an unbeaten 22-run partnership for the third wicket. Rogers has played his strokes with extreme conviction today and he is all set for a big innings here. Rogers’ confidence help Clarke who himself would want to score a big one. ==================================================================================== Over 25 || Score 86/2 Another controversial decision in Ashes 2013. Swann’s ball went past Khawaja’s bat and was collected by Prior as the entire team went up and the umpire raised his finger. Khawaja immediately asked for a review and once again, the hot spot had no signs of an edge, but the final decision was out! Thus the DRS continues to baffle the Aussies. Michael Clarke comes to the crease. UT Khawaja c Prior b Swann 1 (19b) ==================================================================================== Over 20 || Score 77/1 Australia got off to a good start as Chris Rogers played some magnificent shots to increase the run-rate before Shane Watson was dismissed by Tim Bresnan. And it wasn’t lbw this time as Watto edged a delivery straight to Cook at first slip. SR Watson c Cook b Bresnan 19 (49b) ==================================================================================== Over 15 || Score 58/0 Tim Bresnan was introduced into the attack in the 11th over and his first over was a maiden. Off the sixth delivery of the next, Rogers scored his fifth boundary. Off the sixth of the next, Watson got an edge that went safely between gully and point. Off the next came two runs while the 15th over fetched them nine runs thanks to consecutive boundaries by Rogers off the first and second delivery. ==================================================================================== Over 10 || Score 39/0 Rogers scored his second boundary through midwicket region in the sixth over bowled by Broad. Eight runs came in that over including a boundary, a triple and a single. Australia managed to score at least one boundary in the each of the following three overs. Off the 10th came just two runs. This has been a good start by the visitors. ==================================================================================== Over 5 || Score 16/0 Shane Watson and Chris Rogers are in the middle for Australia. James Anderson has the new ball. Watson takes a single off the third delivery to begin the scoring. Rogers opens his account with a boundary off the fifth delivery. Stuart Broad will share the new ball with Jimmy. Watson scores his first boundary off the fourth delivery. Two runs came in the next over while the fourth was a maiden. Off the fifth came five runs – all from the bat of southpaw Rogers. ==================================================================================== TOSS: Australia have won the toss and elected to bat first. Australia are pondering whether to recall controversial batsman David Warner for their must-win third Ashes Test against England at Old Trafford starting from Thursday. Top-order batting has long been Australia`s Achilles heel and so it proved in a crushing 347-run second Test defeat at Lord`s, where the tourists were skittled out for just 128 in their first innings. England lead the five-match series 2-0 and Australia need to win in Manchester if their hopes of regaining the Ashes are not to be extinguished -- a drawn series would see holders England retain the urn. Australia, following a 4-0 series reverse in India earlier this year, have suffered six successive Tests defeats for the first time since 1984 -- they last lost seven in a row in the 19th Century. Warner missed the first two Tests of the current series having been suspended in the run-up to the Ashes for punching England`s Joe Root in a Birmingham bar after Australia lost a Champions Trophy match to their arch-rivals last month. READ THE COMPLETE PREVIEW HERE»