Australia vs England: The Ashes, 5th Test, Day 1, Sydney – As it happened...

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Zee Media Bureau SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» | MATCH REPORT» ============================================================ England 1st innings Stumps Over 6 || Score 8/1 England trail by 318 runs with 9 wickets remaining. England started off the day well claiming five wickets at 97 runs, however, Brad Haddin and Steve Smith's partnership rescued the hosts and took them to a respectable total of 326 runs. England lost one of their openers in form of Michael Carberry early on. Mitchell Johnson's sixth and last over for the day added one run to the England total of 8 runs. Anderson: 1* (10b) Cook: 7* (17b, 1x4) =================================================== Over 5 || Score 7/1 Openers Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry have begun the English innings while Ryan Harris started with the Aussie proceedings. After three dot balls, the fourth was hit for four runs by Cook. Mitchell Johnson joined Harris from the other end. Johnson's second over was a maiden while in Harris' third Cook took a quick single. Aussies have got their first breakthrough! Mitchell Johnson has struck in the fourth over. Michael Carberry goes for duck! Carberry hit the ball towards Nathan Lyon at leg slip who took an easy catch to dismiss him. James Anderson comes as the night watchman. The fifth over by Harris is a maiden. Carberry c Lyon b Johnson 0 (9b) =================================================== Australia, 1st innings: Over 76 || Score 326 The 76th over got three wickets for England and brought an end to the Aussie innings. It was Ben Stokes' over who claimed the three wickets taking his day's tally to six wickets. He dismissed Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle in first two deliveries and finally centurion of the day Steve Smith in the last ball. What an over for Stokes! Harris c Anderson b Stokes 22 (27b, 2x4, 1x6) Siddle c Bairstow b Stokes 0 (1b) Smith c sub (JE Root) b Stokes 115 (154b, 17x4, 1x6) =================================================== Over 75 || Score 325 /7 It seems seeing Smith on a roll, Harris has gained some momentum from his partner. The duo are going for big shots and have added 36 runs. The England bowlers have taken a beating from all over the park. It is literally raining boundaries for Australia. It's hard to believe that at one point they were 5 wickets down at paltry score of 97. =================================================== Over 70 || Score 289 /7 Steve Smith completed his century in style, with four runs hit through the mid wicket. This is his second century of the series. Smith: 104* (143b, 16x4, 1x6) =================================================== Over 68 || Score 272 /7 Borthwick gets his first Test wicket in form of Mitchell Johnson. So, the hosts are now 7 wickets down. Smith is still steady, scoring for the team. 300 seems to be the Aussie target right now. Ryan Harris comes in. Smith is in his 90s now. Johnson c sub (JE Root) b Borthwick 12 (32b) =================================================== Over 61 || Score 240 /6 At least the run flow has reduced a bit post Haddin's departure. 14 runs added in last five overs. Smith is at 65 runs off 108 balls while Johnson is at 4 off 19 deliveries. =================================================== Over 56 || Score 226/6 Finally at the post tea-session, England got a big wicket, that of Brad Haddin. Stokes gets his third wicket of the day. The wicket-keeper batsman has played an important knock of 75 runs at the right time for his team. He nicked the ball straight to the England skipper Cook at the first slip. The partnership of 128 runs finally comes to an end. Mitchell Johnson is the new man in. Haddin c Cook b Stokes 75 (90b, 13x4) =================================================== Over 52 || Score 201/5 The last two overs before tea have added 13 runs to the Aussie scoreboard. The Haddin-Smith partnership has crossed the 100-run mark. England began the day by dismissing the Aussie top order quickly, but this partnership has resurrected the stumbling Aussies, putting them back on track. =================================================== Over 50 || Score 188/5 After free flowing runs for the Aussies, Stuart Broad conceded a much needed maiden 46th over. But right in the Borthwick's next, the batting duo added 9 runs, making up for the maiden. Broad has been bowling exceptionally well today. His 48th over was again a maiden. Haddin completed his 50 off 70 balls. He is definitely playing crucial knocks for his country. Ben Stokes began the 49th over, three runs off it. Anderson is back in the 50th over. Right off his first delivery, Haddin hit a boundary, towards the cow-corner, adding four runs in the over. England need wickets now! =================================================== Over 45 || Score 170/5 The hosts, high on confidence, despite losing 5 wickets don't look troubled at all. Runs have been flowing in smoothly. Smith and Haddin are going for big shots, putting up a partnership of 73 runs. Scott Borthwick, on his debut, bowled the first ball of his Test cricket career in the 42nd over. This is the guy retired Graeme Swann talked about. With a boundary in the last ball of the 43rd over, Smith completed 1000 Test runs of his career. Meanwhile, Rankin who began the 44th over, was troubled by hamstring injury and left the field with the physio. Stuart Broad took over and continued. Three runs off the over. Borthwick began the 45th over, conceding seven runs off it. Haddin is nearing his 17th Test half-century. =================================================== Over 40 || Score 144/5 One run off Anderson's 36th over. England have held the Aussies on a tight rope, at least the bowling department has been able to restrict the hosts. Now, it is up to the English batsmen, who have not been in form in last four Tests, to avoid a complete whitewash. Rankin conceded 9 runs off his next. Smith hit a lovely boundary in the over, off the wide delivery, taking the tally to 121. Stokes was back in the 39th over, replacing Anderson. Ten runs off his and Rankin's next. The Aussie partnership has started sealing. Haddin could spell trouble for the visitors. Stokes' 40th over was a big one for the Aussies. Haddin hit three boundaries, including one off a marvellous cover drive. 13 runs added in the over. =================================================== Over 35 || Score 111/5 There has been no let from the tourists, skipper Cook continues to deploy the same attacking field. But in between, Haddin has just reached his individual 400 runs in the series. And, once again, he has applied himself to the basics. Consider his last couple of innings! To follow in the Aussie order - the wagging tail. =================================================== Over 30 || Score 97/5 In the last five overs of play, Aussies have only able to add another three grand runs in the expense of two crucial wickets, in Watson and Bailey. If the script here is to be followed, the Ashes which has already been decided, could have been altogether a different affairs! Then there! =================================================== Over 25 || Score 94/3 Australia lost the big wicket of Michael Clarke who edged one to Bell at second slip off Stokes. Meanwhile, Shane Watson continues to play some good looking strokes as the bowlers are still aiming his pads. 26 runs added in the last five overs. MJ Clarke c Bell b Stokes 10 (29b) =================================================== Over 20 || Score 68/2 Stokes picked his first wicket of the match as he dismissed Rogers who dragged one onto the stumps. Clarke survived a run-out chance when he worked a delivery from Broad on the off-side and went for a non-existing single. These two have added unbeaten 18 runs s far. CJL Rogers b Stokes 11 (39b) =================================================== Over 15 || Score 50/1 Watson and Rogers have been cautious in their approach and these two have added unbeaten 28 runs for the second-wicket partnership. Rankin began his spell on his debut and is getting a fair amount of bounce. Australia reach their 50 as well. =================================================== Over 10 || Score 36/1 Stuart Broad got England their first breakthrough as he pitched one full to Warner and it nipped away and hit the top of off-stump as the left-hander missed the line of the delivery. Shane Watson came to the crease and drove the first ball he faced thrrough covers for a boundary. DA Warner b Broad 16 (20b) =================================================== Over 5 || Score 19/0 The Australian openers have made a confident start and while Chris Rogers scored a boundary off Anderson, David Warner on the other hand scored three boundaries from Stuart Broad's second over. Expectedly, Warner has done most of the scoring so far. =================================================== TOSS: Cook has won the toss and he has decided to bowl first. Michael Clarke and his boys would leave no stone unturned in order to seal the fifth and the final Test against England to claim the series 5-0. Australia have overshadowed England in all departments of the game right throughout the series, and the Clarke would be very happy with the way all the players have chipped in with significant performances. While batsmen like David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson and the skipper himself have scored centuries in the tournament, the bowling attack spearheaded by Mitchell Johnson has been the main reason behind Australia`s phenomenal success. While the left-arm seamer has caused the most of the damage to the vulnerable English batsmen, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle too have got breakthroughs for the team every now and then. Nathan Lyon too made his presence felt in the fourth Test where he picked a five-wicket haul and also completed his 100 Test wickets for Australia. When England came to Australia to play the Return Ashes, nobody would have expected them to be trailing 0-4 after the first four Tests. Alastair Cook would be a worried skipper after a poor show from his boys and how bad has been the form of the English batsmen can be ascertained from the fact that the selectors decided to drop a crucial member of the team – Matt Prior – following his consistent failures with the bat. England would want to salvage some pride by putting up some fight in the fifth Test. Nothing seems to have worked for the Alastair Cook-led side as they haven`t managed to deliver as a team.