LONDON, 23 July 2005 — Michael Clarke threw away the chance of a century on his first appearance at Lord’s but left Australia in total command of the first Ashes Test with a majestic batting display yesterday.
The 24-year-old, who scored centuries on his home and away Test debuts, made 91 and put on 155 with Damien Martyn for the fourth wicket as the world champions closed the second day on 279 for seven, 314 ahead of England.
The partnership in a low-scoring match, Australia made 190 in their first innings to England’s 155, transformed the contest from close-run to one-sided in just over a session. England, however, did battle back with four wickets for 24 runs near the end.
Only one team has made 300 or more to win a Test at Lord’s, West Indies reaching 344 for one in 1984 chasing 342 for victory. England have only scored more than 300 in the fourth innings on three occasions to win a Test.
Steve Harmison was England’s best bowler with two for 35 off 18.2 overs, including the wicket of Shane Warne off the last ball of the day. Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff also took two wickets each. Kevin Pietersen, who had made 57 for England in his first Test innings during the morning, dropped Clarke off a routine chance when he had made just 21. Clarke refused to throttle back after getting into the 90s, slashing an inside edge into his stumps off Matthew Hoggard.
The right-hander from New South Wales faced 106 deliveries and hit 15 fours.
Next ball, Steve Harmison cut one back to get rid of Martyn for 65. The pair had come together just before tea with Australia on 100 for three, 135 ahead, and proceeded to dismantle the English attack.
When Clarke was dropped by Pietersen, Australia were on 139 for three. There would be no second chance, only a series of rasping, boundary-bound drives either side of the wicket.
Clarke’s 50 came up off 64 balls with a mid-wicket boundary off Ashley Giles’s spin and the partnership killed off the tension that had bubbled throughout the opening two sessions. England had resumed on 92 for seven in the morning and Pietersen, selected ahead of Graham Thorpe who announced his Test retirement yesterday, went on the attack after losing Hoggard early.
