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Centurion Bell's Brilliant again but it's Advantage Australia after late Smith Salvo

Bell rides to the rescue with century for England but Aussies strike late blows on another day of drama in the Ashes

Daily Mail UK, 18 July 2013



Ian Bell's third successive Ashes century on the first day of the second Test at Lord's brought England back from the brink. But the loss of three late wickets to part-time spinner Steve Smith has left Australia firmly in charge after a thrilling day at the home of cricket.



If all logic pointed to English domination after Alastair Cook had won the toss on a hot day made for batting then Australia had again refused to read the script. Advantage Michael Clarke after another extraordinary day of Ashes cricket.
What a series this is turning out to be, with the first day of the second Test at Lord’s being another tale of the sort of glorious uncertainty that resulted in a Trent Bridge classic. Maybe this really is going to be like 2005 all over again.
Two unexpected bursts of three wickets – the first at the start of the day and the second at the end – ensured that Australia will be much the happier side despite a century from Ian Bell that appeared to have restored England’s order.
This was a day when everything Clarke touched turned to gold, from his early introduction of his old mate Shane Watson into the attack to the spectacular arrival of Steve Smith with England starting to pull away.



Brilliant: Ian Bell's century, his third in three successive Ashes tests, brought England back from the brink



Late show: Steve Smith took three late wickets to put Australia firmly back in the driving seat



In with a shout: Steve Smith (left) celebrates the wicket of Matt Prior



Nightwatchman: James Anderson fends off a short ball

Smith was brought into the last Ashes series to provide a few laughs when Australia were in need of a smile but the gag was very much on England this time after Clarke had gambled on his unlikely joker at the perfect time.
Smith’s humour fell flat two years ago when Australia’s plans to lighten the mood backfired but he delivered his punch-lines to perfection here to become the most surprising of heroes just when his country needed one.
When Bell and Jonny Bairstow had guided England to 271 for four their recovery from a nightmare start was close to complete but Clarke, who marshalled his bowlers superbly throughout, had one last trick up his sleeve.
Enter Smith, who had become a bit of a joke figure to England rather than joke deliverer before justifying his surprise selection at Trent Bridge with the bat and now flourishing in what has become his part-time role as a leg-spinner.
Smith only seemed to be brought on to hurry Australia to the new ball and England were initially untroubled by him, Bell nonchalantly striking a full toss over mid-on for four. Then everything suddenly turned in Australia’s favour.

The next ball, a perfect leg break, was edged by Bell to Haddin and before England could catch breath they had also lost Bairstow to another full toss and Matt Prior edging an attempted cut off Smith.
In just 22 balls Smith had added three more wickets to his paltry Test tally that had stood at four and he had scrambled England’s brains to the extent that Jimmy Anderson emerged as a night-watchman to protect the batting might of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann. They resume today, on 289 for seven, more than a hundred short of where they would have wanted and expected to be.
Smith’s late intervention was even more dramatic than the opening burst which saw Australia rip out England’s top order after Clarke, who had seen James Pattinson make a poor start, made the inspired decision to throw Watson the ball for the fifth over.
With just his second ball Cook was palpably trapped lbw, opening the door for Ryan Harris, surprisingly preferred here to Mitchell Starc, to barge through with two wickets in an over to send back Joe Root and Kevin Pietersen.






Poor start: Alastair Cook was bowled lbw by Shane Watson



Collapse: Ryan Harris then took the wicket of Joe Root for lbw

The burly Harris is capable of high quality very fast bowling, as his record of 47 wickets at 23 before yesterday suggested, but his fitness has invariably let himself down and this was his first Test in close to 18 months.
How he justified the call-up. Harris was once seen here at Lord’s five years ago in a different guise playing for Sussex as a British passport holder against MCC but quickly quit county cricket when it became apparent that carrying on would cost him his Australian status. Sussex’s loss is Australia’s gain.
He has wounded England before, not least in the Perth Test during the last series, and now took two wickets in four balls, with Root failing in his attempt to get his lbw overturned on review and Pietersen walking when he edged behind.
Bell is the most unlikely escapologist but the man who once would only prosper in the slipstream of others squeezed England out of the right old pickle of 28 for three and seemingly set them on course for the big score that would have enabled them to dictate terms on an unusually dry Lord’s pitch.
He initially played second fiddle to Jonathan Trott, who again looked in the form of his life, hitting 10 fours in his half-century, but who again threw it away when well set, lobbing a half-hearted pull to deep square leg. Come back the old, methodical, almost boring Jonathan Trott, all is forgiven.




Big scalp: Kevin Pietersen was dismissed for just two as England suffered a disastrous start



Resistance: Jonathan Trott led the fightback with a good 58

Trott’s demise did not seem overly significant when Bell was joined by Jonny Bairstow, who had one outrageous slice of luck when he was bowled by Peter Siddle off what turned out to be a no-ball, in a fluent stand of 144.
Bell was simply sublime in his caressed drives and guides, the Sherminator of Shane Warne now the terminator of Australia as he became only the fourth Englishman to score hundreds in three successive Ashes Tests.
His 19th Test hundred was a particular cause to rejoice as England have never lost a Test when he has reached three figures but they have much work to do this time if that record is to remain intact now.
Ashton Agar was carrying a leg injury so Clarke turned to Smith and the tables were very much turned. With Australia’s top order batting being so fragile England will not fret yet but they have made life hard or themselves again here.
Tim Bresnan, who scored a century for England against Essex in their pre-Ashes warm-up game, will have the chance this morning to justify his selection over Steven Finn initially with the bat. Then it will be up to him and the other bowlers to try to again make up for the batting frailties of their colleagues. In this Ashes series it is never quite certain what might come next.



Bad decision: But Trott was caught from the bowling of Harris after a poor shot



The remedy: Bell's scoring was slow-going but his innings was exactly what England needed



Three in a row: Bell celebrates his century


Almost: Jonny Bairstow also batted well, reaching 66, but he couldn't see the evening session through to the end



Great spell: Smith is mobbed by his team after a brilliant spell at the death



Cheap: Matt Prior cuts a shot that he should have left and Smith is given another wicket

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