The Ashes, 2009 Home | Squads | History | News
Scores Upcoming Results
25-Jun-2009 01:03:00 GMT
The Ashes, Sussex v Australians, Hove, 1st day

Australia Tail Recover After Sandri Strikes Against Sussex

Hove: Australia recovered from a shaky start as they finished the first day of their Ashes tour opener against Sussex on 349 for seven on Wednesday. 

Australia had been in trouble at 114 for five after South African seamer Pepler Sandri marked his Sussex debut with three top-order wickets, having failed to take one in three games for Sussex club side Hastings.

But a sixth-wicket stand of 114 between wicket-keeper Brad Haddin 69 (119b, 7x4, 3x6) and Michael Clarke 45 (78b, 4x4, 1x6) checked Sussex's progress.

Both men fell in the space of four balls but bowlers Brett Lee unbeaten 47 (80b, 5x4, 1x6) and Nathan Hauritz 65 (not out in 78 balls with 12 boundaries) then added an unbroken 117 against a tiring Sussex attack.

Haddin showed his class as a batsman by striking spinner Ollie Rayner for a straight six, but the bowler had the last laugh when Haddin was caught by Sandri at mid-on.

Sandri, having dismissed Phillip Hughes before lunch, removed Simon Katich for 49 shortly afterwards as Australia lost three wickets for one run in 10 balls.

Left-hander Katich was on course for a fifty when he edged a cut off a full-length Sandri delivery and was taken at slip by Michael Yardy.

Two balls later Michael Hussey (32) was lbw to James Kirtley and, in Sandri's next over, Marcus North, on one, nicked through to wicket-keeper Andrew Hodd.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who won the toss, saw opener Hughes plunder three off-side fours in the first over of the match from Kirtley.

But the opener, who had a brilliant early season spell with English county side Middlesex, was out for 15 when he was bowled middle-stump on the drive by a full-length delivery from Sandri, who finished the day with three wickets for 73 runs from his 13 overs.

Hughes's exit brought Ponting to the crease and the Tasmanian punched two cover-drives off the backfoot in trademark fashion to go to eight.

But Ponting was then out when he edged a lifting ball from Luke Wright through to Hodd.

Australia have one more tour match, against the England Lions, before the first Ashes Test starts in Cardiff on July 8.

Brief Score: Australian XI 349 for 7 (Haddin 69, Hauritz 65*, PSE Sandri 3-73) v Sussex


Scores Upcoming Results
Related links
Series/Tournaments:
The Ashes, 2009
Team:
England | Australia
The Ashes, 2009 News
Ashes Light up Testing Year for England [+]
England started 2009 by losing both their captain and their coach yet they ended it having triumphed in an Ashes series.
Clarke Blames In-accessibility of Indoor Stadium for Ashes Defeat [+]
Australia's acting skipper Michael Clarke has blamed lack of access to the facilities at Oval for their drubbing in the fifth Test, resulting in Ashes defeat.
I Misread Oval Pitch, Omitting Hauritz was a Mistake - Nielsen [+]
Forced into an introspection mode after the Ashes, Australian coach conceded he misread the pitch at The Oval and omitting Nathan Hauritz was a mistake.
Ponting Has Deserted the Sinking Ship - Thomson [+]
Australian pace great Jeff Thomson has lashed out at skipper Ricky Ponting for failing to lead the side during the Ashes series which they lost to England 1-2.
Players Back Ponting's Captaincy After Ashes Loss [+]
Ricky Ponting received the support of his players on Wednesday after they returned home following their Ashes defeat to England at the weekend.
Chappell Bats For Ponting as Jones Talks up Warne [+]
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has come out in support of current skipper Ricky Ponting despite the Ashes series loss in England.
Broad Ambition Stretches Beyond Ashes [+]
Ashes hero Stuart Broad wants England to use their Test series win over Australia as a springboard for further success.
Oval Test Hero Trott Says he Just Tries to be Himself [+]
England's debutant hero Jonathan Trott says he's no Kevin Pietersen, but his own man.
Australia Continue Fatih on Ponting's After Ashes Loss - Sutherland [+]
Calls for Ricky Ponting to relinquish his captaincy in the wake of Australia's Ashes series loss to England are "completely unfair", Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said.
Australia Bemoan Ashes Loss, Number One Status [+]
Having been the cricket world's unremitting bully-boy for nearly two decades, Australia was brought down to earth with an almighty thud, losing the Ashes to England, and their number one status to boot.

Top