July 18, 2009
Tea England 425 and 130 for 2 (Pietersen 28*, Bopara 19*) lead Australia 215 (Hussey 51, Anderson 4-55) by 340 runs
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Andrew Strauss edges to slip, England v Australia, 2nd Test, Lord's, 3rd day, July 18, 2009
Andrew Strauss was caught at second slip soon after lunch on the third day
Matches: England v Australia at Lord's
Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of England and Scotland
Teams: Australia | England
The MCC decreed that Saturday was "spirit of cricket day", but another contentious umpiring decision severely strained relations between the Australian and England teams in the over prior to tea. Rudi Koertzen, a magnet for controversy in this Test, referred Nathan Hauritz's claimed catch off Ravi Bopara at mid-on to the third umpire, Nigel Llong, who found replays to be inconclusive.
Koertzen subsequently ruled Bopara not out, prompting Ponting to address the umpire, and then Kevin Pietersen, the non-striker, personally. The South African official, standing in his 100th Test, had previously adjudged Ponting caught at first slip to a James Anderson delivery he missed, and the Australian captain was less than amused at the decision to allow Bopara to continue batting, despite Hauritz's claims to have caught the ball fairly off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson.
Hauritz had earlier removed England's openers shortly after the lunch break, but Australia squandered several other opportunities to claw their way back into the second Test during the second session on Saturday. Within the space of five deliveries, Ponting missed a chance to run out Pietersen and dropped a dolly off Bopara at second slip as England advanced their overall lead to an intimidating 340 runs.
Hauritz provided the Australians with their first glimmer of hope in days when, in the second over after lunch, he dismissed Cook lbw for 32. The mode of dismissal was a familiar one for Cook - playing around his front pad - and came after a morning session in which the hosts had ruthlessly dominated their antipodean foes. Hauritz followed that effort by removing Cook's partner, Strauss, in his next over with a beautifully flighted delivery that gripped, kissed the outside edge and floated to Michael Clarke at first slip. England, suddenly, were 74 for two, and Australia sensed an opportunity.
But once again they would fluff their lines at the critical juncture. Following a raucous lbw shout by Peter Siddle, Pietersen strayed from his crease momentarily but was spared an embarassing dismissal when Ponting's shy at the stumps missed the mark. Worse was to come for the Australian captain in that over when, in attempting to take a low catch with fingers up, he spilled an easy chance off Bopara at second slip.
Curiously, Ponting did not bowl Hauritz again after he claimed his second wicket, preferring instead to bowl Hilfenhaus unchanged for 90 minutes from the Nursery End and experiment with Johnson from both over- and around-the-wicket in front of the pavilion. Johnson turned in a far more disciplined performance in his second spell, conceding just 11 runs from seven overs, and will count himself unfortunate not have had the wicket of Bopara just prior to tea.
Pietersen and Bopara made the most of their reprieves, advancing England's second innings total to 130 for 2 without ever truly finding their rhythm. Pietersen turned in one of his most attritional innings in recent memory, advancing to 28 not out from 73 deliveries at tea, while Bopara headed to the break unbeaten on 19 from 78 balls.
Earlier, Strauss sought to turn the screws on the Australians by again sending them back into the field, despite them falling 10 runs shy of the follow-on target. Graham Onions snuffed out the final wickets of Hauritz and Siddle on a morning in which Australia's tail gave a better account of itself than the top-order.
Hauritz and Siddle combined for a 44-run ninth wicket stand - the second-highest partnership of the Australian innings - before the former flashed at Onions' third delivery of the day and was caught by Paul Collingwood at third slip for 24. Hauritz had displayed immense courage to that point, batting with a dislocated finger on his right hand which was clearly causing him discomfort. On many occasions, Hauritz withdrew his hand from the bat shortly after making contact, but held firm for 47 balls and 67 minutes.
Siddle and Hilfenhaus took Australia within 10 runs of the follow-on target, before Siddle was dislodged by Onions for 35. Onions finished the innings with figures of 3 for 41 from 11 overs - including 2 for 9 on Saturday - and was far more effective than Stuart Broad, whose short-pitched strategy seldom threatened. In total, Australia added 59 runs for the loss of two wickets from 14 overs on the third morning.
Upon the fall of Siddle's wicket, Strauss and Cook jogged from the field, indicating England's intention to bat again. The last time England enforced the follow-on against Australia was at Trent Bridge four years ago.
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