Perhaps it was the chilly conditions and overcast skies that brought the best out of England but a day of old fashioned test batting has given them every chance of getting into a position of authority come tomorrow evening. At 266 for 3, England have done everything they needed to do in drawing the early sting of the Australian attack and cementing a stable foundation for a really big first innings total.
The early loss of Strauss and Cook suggested England fans were in for another glum day, and many of the Aussie crowd around us sensed another England batting collapse. It was not to be, due in the main to another superb, professional performance from Paul Collingwood, a man completely at ease with his own game and always up for the fight. Though he scored slowly, Ian Bell's contribution was crucial, holding an end up and making the Australian attack work.
His dismissal to a poorly executed pull shot brought in Pietersen, who is recognised by all Australia as being a special player, one who can really take the attack to the bowlers. As the second ball he faced from Brett Lee raced to the midwicket boundary off a fiercely hit pull stroke, you realised that that was exactly what he was going to do.
The reputation of Shane Warne holds no fears for Pietersen, and he played the great leg spinner with relative ease, lofting him over the top when he pitched up, then cutting him for 4 whenever he dropped short. Pietersen's aggression also sparked Collingwood into pulling Warne for successive boundaries and it is to England's credit that both Warne and McGrath, the two legends of the Australian bowling line up, went wicketless in conceding 140 runs between them.
There are signs that the Adelaide wicket might begin to keep low as the game goes on and if so, England will look for LBW and bowled as their main method of dismissing the Australian batsmen, in conjunction with catches in front of the wicket. Their next task is to bat at least another two sessions and get somewhere near the 500 mark and with Flintoff and Jones to come, they have every chance of achieving it. The morning session tomorrow will be absolutely crucial in the outcome of this match.
Wello
