England fought its way into the ascendancy on the opening day of the first Ashes Test on Wednesday before two late wickets put Australia firmly back in the match. At the close in the first Test match ever staged in Cardiff, England was 336 for seven after winning the toss, a satisfactory but by no means commanding total. After the host had been reduced to 90 for three in the opening session, Kevin Pietersen (69) and Paul Collingwood (64) revived its fortunes with a 138-run fourth-wicket partnership. Andrew Flintoff (37) and Matt Prior (56) then added a breezy 86 from 95 balls before Peter Siddle earned due reward for a splendid display of fast bowling by dismissing both with the second new ball. Ben Hilfenhaus made the breakthrough for Australia when Alastair Cook (10) fended a wide delivery to gully where Michael Hussey dived acrobatically to his right to take the catch. Siddle, who bowled with great heart, good pace and little luck, made an immediate impact when he rattled Ravi Bopara's helmet grill. Bopara fended the next delivery perilously close to short-leg. Andrew Strauss reached 30 before Mitchell Johnson got a delivery to lift spitefully at his throat. The ball brushed Strauss' glove and lobbed high over the slip cordon for Michael Clarke to take the catch running back. Bopara (35) mixed sublime drives with a series of streaky shots but appeared to be settling down when Johnson held the ball back with no discernible change in action. Bopara was too early on the shot and ballooned the ball to Phillip Hughes at cover. At 90 for three, England was in trouble but it dominated the afternoon session with the Australian spinners unable to extract anything from the pitch. Flintoff, making his comeback from injury, inspired some of the loudest applause with a fierce back foot drive for four and a majestic pull to the square-leg boundary. But he was bowled off an inside edge playing a wild, flat-footed drive. ICC brings forward Champs The start of this year's Champions Trophy in South Africa has been brought forward by two days to Sept. 22. The ICC had orignally scheduled the eight-nation tournament from Sept 24. to Oct. 5. “But now on the recommendations of some countries, the tournament will start two days earlier,” a Pakistan Cricket Board source told Reuters on Wednesday.
