register to 888sport
888sport time:

Preview Based News

Late wickets peg back England

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 10/07/2009

Three players reached half-centuries as England closed the first day of the first Ashes Test at Cardiff on 336-7.

Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior all impressed with the bat as the first 90 overs of the five-Test series ended all-square.

England left Graham Onions out of their starting line-up while the online betting favourite Aussies opted to start with Ben Hilfenhaus, with Stuart Clark dropping down to 12th man.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, England started well until Alastair Cook was dismissed for ten by a superb Mike Hussey catch in the gully off Hilfenhaus' bowling.

Andrew Strauss and Ravi Bopara then added 46 runs for the second wicket before the England captain was deceived by Mitchell Johnson.

Strauss (30) tried to evade a vicious bouncer but only contrived to loop the ball off his gloves to Michael Clarke in the slips.

Bopara made a streaky 35 before gifting Phillip Hughes a simple catch at point off Johnson's slower ball to leave England in trouble just before lunch.

However, Pietersen and Collingwood then added 138 runs for the fourth wicket before the Durham star was out for 64 when he touched a short Hilfenhaus delivery to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

After making 69, Pietersen threw away his wicket when his attempted sweep from a dreadful Nathan Hauritz ball was easily caught by Simon Katich at short leg.

Andrew Flintoff (37) dragged a wide Siddle ball onto his stumps and the same bowler then dismissed Prior (56) just before the close to leave the Test evenly matched.

Can England build on their first-day performance and win the first Test? - Latest Cricket Betting

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler won the fifth stage of the Tour de France following a lengthy breakaway on the road from Le Cap D'Adge to Perpignan.

Voeckler, who was part of an early six-man break away, pulled clear with five kilometres to go and crossed the line for his first tour stage victory.

The plucky former yellow jersey wearer denied British sprint star Mark Cavendish the chance of a third successive stage victory with an intelligent ride.

Cavendish led the chasing pack over the line to retain the green jersey, while Switzerland's Fabien Cancellara kept the yellow jersey from nearest rival Lance Armstrong as both men finished in the peloton.

online betting