Half-centuries from Joe Root and Ian Bell, and a lower order mini-blitz from Mark Wood left Australia a target of 412 runs to win the first Test of the 2015 Ashes.
Half-centuries from Joe Root and Ian Bell, and a lower order mini-blitz from Mark Wood left Australia a target of 412 runs to win the first Test of the 2015 Ashes.
The tourists have two whole days to plan out what can literally be called a Bradmanesque chase — the last Australia chased a total anywhere near their current deficit was back in 1948 when they scored 404-3 thanks to centuries from Arthur Morris and Don Bradman.
On an extraordinary third day's play at the Swalec Stadium in which 15 wickets fell, an all-round effort by the hosts left them in pole position to take a 1-0 lead in the five-Test series.
After their bowlers shared the spoils in the morning and bowled Australia out within 15 overs, the middle and lower orders all combined to push England's lead past the 400-mark, spearheaded by vice-captain Root.
In the 2013-14 Ashes series, Root scored 192 runs for England in four Tests. He was dropped for the fifth Test in Sydney, a feeling he said he would "never want to go through again".
In the first Test of this 2015 Ashes series, Root has scored 194 runs in the first Test itself. This includes a glorious counterattacking 134 in the first innings that bailed his team out of a probable collapse and an equally free-flowing 60 in the second, that pushed his team all but beyond Australia's reach.
Since being dropped in Sydney, Root has scored 1,512 runs at an average of 84. In 2015, he now has 735 runs in just six Test matches at 73.50. No other batsman in the world has scored more runs in either period.
Root's formula is, well, anything but. He likes to keep things simple — attack when you've got the chance — and it's an approach that seems to be resonating across the England batting line-up.
Root and Ian Bell both scored 60 off 89 balls in the second innings, but it was the latter's knock that would have pleased England even more.
Bell's last nine innings, since hitting 143 against the West Indies in the Caribbean in April, read 11, 1, 0, 0, 1, 29, 12, 1 and 1. Needless to say, the 33-year-old was under pressure.
However, three gorgeous drives through the off-side soon after coming in stated England's intent in the second session. Adam Lyth (37) showed the same kind of positivity up the order after the early dismissals of Alastair Cook (12) and Gary Ballance (0) had left England wobbling at 22-2 at one point.
Lyth and Bell brought on their 50-run partnership in just 49 balls in the afternoon. Later, Bell and Root took just over 20 overs to make 97 runs, making sure that there was no break in momentum in England's scoring after Lyth's dismissal.
Earlier, England bowled Australia out for 308 in the first innings. To put it into perspective, you'll have to go back to 1997 the last time they got a first innings lead in the first Test of the Ashes.
England surprised Australia with their bowling choices. The tourists would have expected Moeen Ali to get the 70-over-old ball to start with, but Alastair Cook chose to go with his quicks. Stuart Broad and Mark Wood kept things simple and straight, and reaped benefits, scalping the overnight batsmen within the first five overs.
"Oh, Jimmy, Jimmy..." sang the crowd at Cardiff, as England's leading wicket-taker in Tests was handed the second new ball by Cook. The 32-year-old responded immediately in his second over with a nipping outswinger bowled on good length to Brad Haddin (22), who edged it to his counterpart Jos Buttler.
Together with Broad, Anderson cleaned up the last three Australian wickets within the space of just 13 balls. After resuming their innings on Day 3 at 264-5, Australia lost five wickets for just 44 runs in less than 15 overs.
In the post-tea session, England themselves lost three quick wickets in the space of as many overs, but Moeen Ali (14*) and Mark Wood (32) put on 43 off 51 balls for the ninth wicket and took the lead beyond 400.
The Barmy Army and the England fans were in full voice during the last hour of play, having downed their fair share of the amber liquid. It was a carnival atmosphere around the ground as the floodlights were switched on, with balloons et al, as every run scored by England was cheered — every run that pushed this match further and further away from Australia.
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