The Australian media are never ones to miss an opportunity to have a pop at the English and Friday was no different following the tourist's disastrous start to the 2010/11 Ashes series.
Starting the first test brimming with confidence and playing a side out of form and riddled with self-doubt, England gave the sort of performance that only their worst nightmares could imagine.
Skittled out for just 260 after winning the toss, the highlight of a disastrous day was a hat-trick by Peter Siddle that sent England spinning from 172-4 to 172-7 and turned the game on its head.
Ending the final session 25-0 is was most certainly the host’s day and one the press enjoyed immensely.
Every Australian would have loved watching the live match score come in and England’s poor start is a ‘scar that will cut far deeper than their exit for just 260,” according to the Courier-Mail.
Their dismissal 'shunted the tourists back onto the backfoot where they have lived an inferior, downtrodden life in Australia for more than 20 years.”
Ouch!
The Daily Telegraph were less abusive but no less accurate when they described Strauss’ early dismissal as an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and after two ‘incredibly and bizarrely tight’ sessions ‘Siddle ran amok….to leave England on their knees.’
In a battle that will run both on the pitch and in the news stands the first blow is definitely with the Australians, with England collectively gathering their breath after being winded by those
vicious early Australian blows.
Andy Flower’s men arrived down under determined to prove their worth to those studying the live cricket scores as one of the World’s best test teams. Thanks to Siddle and co the gauntlet has been laid down in brutal and comprehensive fashion.
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