Anderson is full of praise for partner Onions after bowlers' 'big half hour'

Published on Friday 31 July 2009 23:31

ENGLAND evoked memories of their 2005 Ashes success as swing unseated Australia in the third npower Test at Edgbaston.

Reverse swing dominated England's 2-1 win four years ago, but it was conventional aerial movement which resulted in Australia slipping from an overnight 126 for one to 263 all out yesterday.

Back in 2005, England bowling coach Troy Cooley was credited with formulating the plans which snared the Australians – and this time credit is due to one of his successors, Ottis Gibson.

"Ottis has done a fantastic job, looking at the footage of their guys," said Anderson. "We've all looked through it ourselves, and I think the plans are working for us at the minute. Australia are ranked number one in the world – so for any player to judge where they are in their game, to perform against the best in the world is a good way of finding out where you're at. To get wickets against the top teams is making me think I am a decent bowler."

Yesterday's pre-lunch display – during which seven Australian wickets tumbled for 77 runs – proved a sharp contrast to Thursday, Anderson's 27th birthday, when runs were gifted with some loose bowling.

Strauss sprang something of a surprise when he threw the ball to Onions first up yesterday morning, overlooking attack spearhead Anderson. But it reaped the richest of rewards.

"It was probably a good decision, because Graham likes to bowl long spells," said Anderson, who later took his five wickets after switching to the pavilion end. "That's what he's done for Durham – he gets into rhythm by bowling a long spell – and giving him the first over has given him a good chance of doing that. It was a good decision. I wasn't too upset by it.

"We knew we had a lot to make up for. The big thing we said this morning was to set the tone. We knew the first half-hour was a big half-hour for us, and Graham bowled fantastically well.

"That first over was very special. It's going to be a team effort throughout the whole series, and we can't just rely on one or two people to get the runs and wickets. If the ball is swinging and you bowl well I think most teams in the world are going to have to play very well to cope with it."

Australia captain Ricky Ponting was one of Onions' three morning victims, to dampen his mood after becoming Australia's most prolific Test batsman in history.

After surpassing Allan Border's 11,174-run career total, Ponting said: "Obviously it's something that I am proud of. I have been around the game for a long time and been fortunate enough to break some milestones and records along the way.

|It is something I will look back on more when my career is over, or even when this Test match is over. At the moment, it is a bitter-sweet feeling."

Ponting played against Border at the start of his first-class career and added: "He was known as a really tough competitor, always there playing the captain's innings when it was required. He typified what it was to be an Australian cricketer back then."

But having stemmed English momentum for a while, Ponting gloved a hook behind – and Anderson got to work at the other end.

"Those guys are good bowlers when it starts to swing – that's why they are playing for England," said Ponting.

"They're masters of their conditions. Both bowled exceptionally well, and it was no fluke that one got five and one got four. The ball swung for them most of the day, and our batsmen found it very difficult. But we know how quickly a Test match or a series can change.

"We saw that last night when I expected us to be able to go on and post a good first-innings total today. But they bowled well, and got the ball to swing around more than it has all series."