Michael Clarke carried the weight of Australian cricket on his shoulders with immense tenacity as he plundered 187 in their mammoth 527 for seven declared as England were 52/2 in their reply at stumps on the second day of the third Ashes test on Friday.
England lost Joe Root after Peter Siddle picked his wicket for 8 runs. Tim Bresnan followed next. Skipper Alastair Cook aws not out on 36 batting along with Jonathan Trott. Earlier, Michael Clarke led from the front with his under-pressure side 2-0 down in the five-match series and he racked up his highest test score against England before tiredness finally got to him and he was bowled, awkwardly playing on to Stuart Broad.
Australia had not managed a century in the series but Clarke, 125 overnight, began to turn the tables on those who laughed at his prediction of a 3-2 series win after the second test humbling at Lord’s.
His wicket was Broad’s 200th in test cricket but it was scant consolation for England, who have laboured under the Old Trafford sun and have seen Steve Smith (89), Chris Rogers (84), Brad Haddin (57 not out) and Mitchell Starc (54 not out) rack up handy scores on a largely flat pitch.
Graeme Swann did take five for 149, removing Smith when the number five gave away his wicket by skying a top-edged sweep to Jonny Bairstow in the off-spinner’s first over of the day.
David Warner was initially watchful but got a thick edge on five off Swann, the ball hitting wicketkeeper Matt Prior’s knee and bouncing up for slip Jonathan Trott to take the catch. Warner reviewed, but replays showed a clear nick.
The jubilant crowd waved Warner back to the dressing room with glee, leaving Haddin to come in and steady Australia, although his inside edge was dropped on 10 by Prior off the unusually misfiring and wicketless James Anderson. Mitchell Starc and Brad Haddin played beautifully as both batsmen registered half centuries to help Australia to 527/7. Peter Siddle (one) was Swann’s fifth victim when bowled hitting across the line as spin looked to be the way forward with the pacemen struggling to extract enough reverse swing. agencies