OVERVIEW:

Mike Hussey's unbeaten 81 pulled Australia towards a first innings lead as rain shortened the second day of the first Ashes Test against England at the Gabba. Australia closed on 5/220, 40 runs behind England's first-innings total after an absorbing day's play.

England needed to get off to a positive start but Shane Watson and Simon Katich coasted through the first hour.

Watson (36) fell shortly before lunch as England's bowlers found their groove but it was difficult to foresee the carnage the afternoon session would bring. Katich (50), Ricky Ponting (10), Michael Clarke (9) and Marcus North (1) all fell between lunch and tea as England took a foothold in a game that was slipping out of their grasp.

As wickets tumbled around him Mike Hussey remained resolute. Apart from edging his first ball just short of Graeme Swann at second slip, he batted majestically. His pulling in particular was authoritative, depositing Swann to the midwicket boundary whenever the English spinner dropped even a fraction short.

Hussey eventually found a lasting partner in Brad Haddin. The Australian wicketkeeper played an unfamiliar support role as he dug in to frustrate England as Hussey dominated at the other end. Haddin's 22 has come from 71 balls.

England's bowlers performed well on the whole, reflected in Australia's scoring rate of a stodgy 2.75 rpo. James Anderson (2/40) was the pick, finding his length quickly and beating the outside edge on a number of occasions. Steve Finn (2/61) improved as he settled into his surroundings while Stuart Broad (0/41) deserved some reward for a number of testing short-pitched deliveries. Swann's impact will be of slight concern to England. His 1/59 did not contain the number of wicket-taking deliveries that could have been expected on a turning pitch and the ease with which Hussey picked off anything short ensured he was never allowed a swarm of fielders around the bat.

THE VIEW FROM AUSTRALIA:

Australia should be satisfied with its position after two days of an old-fashioned Test match but must have expected to be in a more dominant position after being 1/96 at lunch chasing just 260.

Once again the openers did their job but once again the middle-order collectively failed. Clarke's form and injury concerns will soon become a distraction if they continue and North must be thankful the scheduling of the second Test does not allow his rivals much opportunity to impress.

The major plus is obviously the form of Mike Hussey. Despite plenty of calls for his removal in the last year, he has repaid the faith of the selectors with an innings of real class. Australia will hope he is able to convert his form into a hundred and take the game away from the tourists.

THE VIEW FROM ENGLAND:

England will be pleased with its efforts today, particularly in the afternoon session, but will be disappointed not to dislodge Hussey or Haddin and get into the long Australian tail.

Victorian David Saker has clearly had a positive impact on England's bowling unit, which displayed terrific resilience and concentration while things went against it early on. Saker spoke before the series of his work with James Anderson in particular, convincing him of his defensive role when the ball is not swinging. That team ethos and maturity shone through in the Lancastrian today as he led England's attempts to wear Australia down.

Andrew Strauss will back his bowlers to strike early with the new ball tomorrow morning and the depth of any inroads will shape the course of the rest of the match.

HERO:

Mike Hussey. Take Hussey's 81 out of that Australian card and it's difficult to imagine England would not be batting before the end of the day. Not only did Hussey frustrate the tourists he took the attack to them and Graeme Swann in particular. In this form, Hussey answers all his critics and he and Australia must hope he continues in this way for the rest of the series.

VILLAIN:

Marcus North. How many failures will it take for Marcus North to lose his place in the side? His 1 today is his fifth score of 10 or under in his last six innings. He has now passed 20 only twice in his last eleven innings.

North's younger rivals may not yet provide a compelling case for inclusion but the case for North's axing is almost cast-iron. It will take a miraculous run of scores to see North start the final Test in Sydney in January.

I'M NOT SURE ANYONE ELSE NOTICED, BUT:

Umpire Aleem Dar has had five of his decisions reviewed by the third umpire this Test match and all five have been upheld. That's why he's the ICC Umpire of the Year for both 2009 and 2010.

WHAT'S NEXT:

Play will begin half-an-hour early on Saturday in an effort to reclaim the 17 overs lost to bad light and rain.

England will begin the third day with a new ball and will expect to take early wickets. If Australia rides the first hour without much damage it will expect to take a first-innings lead of more than 100.

TAB Sportsbet odds:

Australia $1.47            England $4.25                        Draw $6.00

Close Day 2: Australia 5/220 - Hussey 81*, Haddin 22*

England 260,

TEA REPORT

England roared back into the first Ashes Test with a much-improved collective performance in the afternoon session. Australia took tea at 5/168, losing four wickets for just 72 runs with only Mike Hussey, undefeated on 46, batting with any fluency.

The pressure England had built up before lunch took just two balls of the afternoon session to pay dividends. With lunch still being digested, James Anderson took the wicket of Ricky Ponting with probably his worst delivery of a probing spell. The Australian captain was unlucky to glove a leg-side glance straight to Matt Prior for 10 but Anderson and England richly deserved the reward.

Three overs later, Steve Finn announced himself in this Ashes contest with a smart caught and bowled opportunity to remove Simon Katich. Katich had just reached a typically obdurate 50 but Finn's consistent full length after lunch told when the New South Welshman spooned a leading-edge back down the wicket which the lanky England paceman did well to stoop down and collect in his follow through.

Mike Hussey could then have departed first ball as he edged Finn millimetres short of Graeme Swann at second slip. Thereafter Hussey uncorked his ‘06 vintage, dispatching Swann to all parts. The scratchy Hussey of recent months was nowhere to be seen as he repaid the faith of the selection panel.

The same cannot be said of Michael Clarke or Marcus North. Clarke in particular never looked comfortable in his 50-ball nine. He was smacked in the helmet by a Broad lifter, survived a close UDRS review after appearing to nick an inside edge behind and eventually fell top-edging a pull from the rejuvenated Finn to Prior behind the stumps. It almost felt humane that Australia's vice captain had been put out of his misery. His form and fitness should be a real concern for Australia.

Not that his replacement Marcus North did any better. He made just one before propping forward to a regulation around-the-wicket off-spinner from Swann. Paul Collingwood snaffled the resulting thick edge at first slip. Doubts remain about North's ability to prosper in adversity and his habit of boom or bust continues.

Following England's first day collapse and Australia's serene first session procession the game is now very much alive and both sides will be looking to the final session to take control. Much will now depend on Mike Hussey who's ability to tease runs from the tail will prove vital if Australia is to post a challenging first-innings lead. England's $7 odds of last night are beginning to look generous.

Tea, Day 2
Australia 5/168 - Hussey 46*, Haddin 9*
England 260

Earlier, Australia had fought its way to 1/96 at lunch, with Shane Watson the only batsman to fall in the opening session.

In a session expected to test the concentration and resolve of Australia's openers, both deserve pass marks with Katich still in line for honours. England flattered to deceive, particularly in the first hour, with all three seamers failing to find a good length on a flat Gabba wicket.

Katich's crab-like shuffle across the crease played havoc with England's line and he worked anything around middle behind square on the leg-side. Watson, by comparison was compact and elegant, getting behind anything telling and gracefully driving anything overpitched in the ‘V' on both sides of the wicket.

Australia's progression benefitted from some indifferent English bowling. Broad looked lively but only threatened with his short ball while Steve Finn struggled to find the right length. From his height, anything short of a good length can be left easily in Australian conditions while the punishment he received from Watson frightened him into finding the full end of a good length. Finn needs his captain's backing to bowl full and not worry about being driven down the ground. That is how Australia and Siddle in particular earned their wickets yesterday.

Jimmy Anderson also struggled for line and length from the Vulture Street end but once switched to the Stanley Street side he began to find some rhythm and swing. It was from this spell that England began to look threatening. First, Simon Katich was adjudged LBW by Billy Doctrove, a decision overturned on review. England then reviewed an LBW decision of their own, against Shane Watson, which again went in the batsman's favour.

Anderson eventually got his reward though, finding the edge of Watson's bat with a good length delivery. Captain Andrew Strauss at first slip doing the rest. While all runs have the same value on the scoreboard, Watson's 36 will have greater significance in the Australian dressing room, achieved as they were at a testing time for his side.

Australia is very much in control of this Test match at lunch on day two. As the sun beats down and the wicket increases in pace Katich and Ponting will expect to cash in and drive Australia to a healthy first-innings lead by the close of play.

Lunch, Day 2
Australia 1/96 Katich 46*, Ponting 10*  
England 260