Ashes day 2: Analysis

Date released: 17 July 2009

After day two of the Ashes Test at Lord's we analyse the day's play and look back at some of the highlights.

England bowlers dominate

It all started so badly for England on Friday. Starting on 364-6, England captain Andrew Strauss was unbeaten on 161.

Strauss was out within minutes of the start on day two Within the first three overs of the day Strauss, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad were back in the England dressing room and England's numbers 10 and 11 were at the crease again.

There was no Monty Panesar this time - instead James Anderson had Graham Onions for company. At 378-9, every England fan was praying for the psychological boost of 400.

Just over 40 minutes later the last wicket fell - England were 425 all out. Anderson added 29 and Onions was 17 not out. On the scorecard Anderson outscored every England batsman bar the openers (Strauss and Alastair Cook) and Kevin Pietersen.

Anderson added wag and no little skill to England's tail order Not content with outdoing himself with the bat, Anderson was bowling with fire in his belly too.

With Andrew Flintoff charging in at the other end, Anderson got to work with less fuss and bluster than the ever-popular Flintoff.

Seven overs in and Anderson had retired Hughes gloving a catch to the 'keeper and Australia's talismanic skipper, Ricky Ponting in more controversial fashion.

Initially Anderson appealed for LBW - moments later Strauss went up in the slips claiming the catch. The umpires looked baffled for a moment and the TV umpire was called. With no TV referalls by the teams in this series the umpires could only check if the 'catch' had carried to the fielder.

The answer was "yes" it had, Strauss took it cleanly. However, bat hit foot rather than ball. A quandry for the TV umpire who, like the child's game can only answer yes or no. The answer had to be yes and Ponting was gone.

"Justice" perhaps - Ponting should have been LBW - the correct decision perhaps but for the wrong reasons.

Katich and Hussey - the former scoring a 50, the latter just two runs short - offered stout resitance, moving the score to 103 before the third wicket fell but England's bowlers were not to be denied.

Flintoff charged in with purpose - taking the wicket of the troublesome Hussey England are some way from the paucity of resources on offer to Australia. Injury to Nathan Hauritz and woeful form for Mitchell Johnson left the Aussies with just two front line bowlers.

Once Flintoff tired, Graham Onions was the back up. The line and length bowler was the man who dismissed the doubty and determined Katich.

Three overs later, a rested and rechaged Flintoff returned to wheedle out Hussey - who had batted himself back into form.

Anderson (right) celebrates another wicket It was star-man Anderson who'll take the headlines though. Staunch and skillful restistance with the bat is not what he is in the team for - taking four wickets in a day is. He added Clarke and North to his tally and will start tomorrow needing just one more wicket for his third notch on the Lord's Honours Boards.

Flintoff - retiring from Tests after this Series - has named Lancashire team-mate Anderson as his successor.

In fact 'The Burnley Express' has been leading England's attack for some time - with or without Flintoff. With his batting he may just be pushing for a move up the order too.