Australia 263 (Watson 62; Anderson 5-80; Onions 4-58)
England 116/2 (Strauss 64*)
Andersen and Onions swing the balance in England’s favour as they look to compile a solid reply to Australia’s below par 263.
Day one, all 30 overs of it, belonged to Australia and they began day two on 126-1, with Shane Watson in his new role on 62 and Ricky Ponting on 17, just 8 shy of Allan Border’s all time Australian run record. With more rain forecast for the weekend today would be crucial in deciding how this test would finish.
First ball! Graeme Onions first ball of the day caught Watson sleeping as it nipped back, he was late on it and it cannoned into his pads, plum LBW. 62 from 106 balls, great effort yesterday but no more from him today. Hussey out to join his skipper, and he goes first ball!! Two in two balls from Onions what a start!! Clean bowled leaving a straight ball. Stupid boy, as Captain Mainwaring would say. Wow. Vice captain and Lord’s centurion in next and just about survived the hat trick ball, he did his best to glove it through to Prior chasing a bouncer.
After a much needed break to recharge some batteries after the drama of the opening two Tests, The Ashes was due to resume this morning at Edgbaston, scene of England’s famous 2 run victory in the 2nd test of 2005. Leading up to the game the early news was that Kevin Pietersen would play no further part in the series and he would be replaced at number four by local boy Ian Bell. The weather then dominated the headlines with head Groundsman Steve Rouse saying that following monsoon like conditions the pitch was going to be behind schedule and like jelly. 
England won the first day by 2 sessions to 1. 346-6 at close with the skipper having carried his bat all day for 161 not out. Stuart Broad would accompany him to the crease this morning and with Graeme Swann still to come before the tail starts, England will have been looking at a score of 450 minimum. The Australians would hope that Johnson could put yesterday’s horror show behind him and make early inroads to leave England all out under 400. Just 50 runs the difference between a good morning for England and a good morning for Australia showing how finely balanced this game is after day one.
Since 1896 Australia’s Test record against England at Lords reads played 27, won 13, drawn 13, lost 1. That loss coming as far back as 1934. So it would be fair to suggest that the Australians would have arrived in St John’s Wood this morning as favourites, but would England be galvanised by Andrew Flintoff’s resignation, or distracted by the hype as Ricky Ponting hopes.
