Australia are well on top of the 3rd Ashes test at Old Trafford, having put a big first innings total on the board, before declaring in the evening session and take 2 England wickets before the close of play, as they go for a what would be a series saving victory.
Australia started well on the second day, surviving the first hour and adding 40 to their overnight score, before Steve Smith went after Graeme Swann in his first over of the day. An attempted big hit, picked out Jonny Bairstow who took a decent catch, to give England their first breakthrough of the morning. He will definetly feel that he gave away the chance of a century, getting himself out on 89. David Warner was the next to arrive at the crease to a chorus of boo's from the crowd. He didn't stick around long either, as he nicked a Swann delivery that popped off of Matt Prior's leg to give Jonathon Trott a simple catch at slip. Warner then reviewed the decision as he was unsure, having smashed into his pad at the same time that the ball clearly made contact with the bat. Needless to say that Warner went back to the dressing room to increased boo's from the Manchester crowd.
Brad Haddin was the next man in, and he upped the run rate, with Michael Clarke still going strong at the other end. The pair put on a nice 62 before Michael Clarke tried to cut one that was too close to him, chopping a Stuart Broad delivery on to the stumps. This gave Stuart Broad his 200th Test wicket something he waited a long while for since his 199th dismissal. Meanwhile, Clarke's innings of 187 is one of his best and most important innings for Australia - right when his team needed their captain to step up the most. A fantastic knock from him. Graeme Swann was soon back into the act, picking up his fifth wicket, as Peter Siddle was bowled trying a swipe across the line. A very patient and hard earned five-wicket haul for Graeme Swann and one that takes him to 18 wickets for the series, showing us how important he is to England and one of the world's best spinners.
Brad Haddin then put on an unbeaten 97 run partnership for the eighth wicket with Mitchell Starc, who finished on 66 not out from 71 balls and Haddin on 65 not out from 99 balls. Michael Clarke then decided to declare 4 overs after the tea break with his side on 527-7.
England had a hard task ahead of them as Alastair Cook and Joe Root opened their first innings on what is still a good pitch though. The opening pair put on their best partnership of the series, but Joe Root had opted for a heavily defensive approach and, for me, got bogged down. He'd made it to 8 from 57 when he nicked a good Peter Siddle delivery to keeper Haddin, to give Australia their first wicket with England on 47-1. This bought a night watchmen in Tim Bresnan to the crease with around 30 minutes of play left in the day. Bresnan was doing a decent job before he was wrongly given out caught behind off of Peter Siddle, with ball hitting his trousers rather than the bat. Yet Bresnan didn't review the decision as he was unsure and assumed it had hit the bat. This also showed the lack of confidence players now have in the DRS due to the incompetence of the umpires. Alastair Cook (36*) and Jonathon Trott (2*) saw out the rest of the day for the hosts, as England finished on 52-2, a deficit of 475 with 8 wickets in hand.
The Australians look good with Nathan Lyon getting just as much turn as Graeme Swann did and troubling captain Cook more than once. Peter Siddle has once again proved that he is Australia's game changer and go to bowler and he could well bowl a lot of overs tomorrow along with Lyon. These 2 will be the key bowlers if Australia are to bowl England out on Day 3.
A very good day for Australia and another one tomorrow could well set-up a 3rd test victory for the touring Aussies. I'll be back tomorrow to round-up things, and see if Australia have managed to increase their advantage.
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