/ 24 July 2005

Australia trounce England to take Ashes lead

Australia beat England by 239 runs to win the first Test at Lord’s on Sunday with more than a day to spare.

England, chasing what would have been a Test world record fourth innings victory total of 420, were bowled out for 180 after tea on the fourth day.

Resuming on 156 for five, England — after rain delayed the scheduled start by over four hours, lost their last five wickets for 22 runs in 61 balls and 50 minutes.

Fast bowler Glenn McGrath took four wickets for three runs in 23 balls to get rid of wicket-keeper Geraint Jones for his overnight six before the last four batsmen all fell for nought.

Ashley Giles was caught by Matthew Hayden in the gully off McGrath and Matthew Hoggard was lbw to the paceman before leg-spinner Shane Warne had Stephen Harmison lbw for a first-ball duck.

McGrath then finished the match when he had last man Simon Jones caught by Warne at first slip for nought.

Leg-spinner Warne, who finished with innings figures of four for 64, extended his world record for Test wickets to 589.

McGrath had four for 29.

Australia, winners of the last eight Ashes series and unbeaten in Lord’s Tests since 1934, were on the backfoot when they were bowled out for a first innings 190 with Harmison taking five for 43.

But in reply they dismissed England for 155, McGrath taking five for 43 and in the process becoming, along with Warne, one of only four bowlers to have taken 500 Test wickets.

Test debutant Kevin Pietersen top-scored with 57.

Australia then built on their first innings lead of 35 with a score of 384 that saw Michael Clarke, in his maiden Ashes Test, score 91 with Simon Katich (67) and Damien Martyn (65) also making valuable contributions as England dropped several chances.

Warne and recalled fast bowler Brett Lee, playing his first Test since January last year, and worked their way through England’s top order on Saturday.

Pietersen’s 64 not out was again the top score.

That meant the 25-year-old South Africa-born batsman became only the fourth England player after Edmund Tylecote, in Melbourne in 1882-83, George Gunn in Sydney in 1907-08 and former captain Tony Greig, also against Australia, at Old Trafford in 1972, to top score in both innings of his debut Test.

The second match of the five-Test series starts at Edgbaston on Thursday, August 4. – Sapa-AFP