ASHES TEA REPORT: Joe Root and Gary Ballance shine as England fight back after poor start

[RoterTeufel]

ASHES TEA REPORT: Joe Root and Gary Ballance shine as England fight back
after poor start
 
JOE ROOT was on the verge of a century at tea time after a fantastic afternoon partnership with Gary Ballance left England at 190-3.
 
 The 24-year-old Batsman racked up 93 runs, while Ballance notched 59 as England lost no further wickets in the two hours since lunch.
 
 The hosts needed rescuing after a disastrous start saw the duo come together at 43-3 when Australia had removed Alastair Cook, Adam Lyth and Ian Bell inside 15 overs.
 
 But by tea the Yorkshire pair had added 147 runs leaving England looking in a much more comfortable position.
 
 Ballance and Root have got history as a double act, after scoring 114 in the Test in Antigua and 165 in Grenada earlier this year.
 
 It took Ballance 127 balls to reach his 50 but his innings is a major boost for England after his lean spell against New Zealand.
 
 Australia had been delighted with their morning's work after losing the toss and being forced to field first.
 
 Lyth, Cook and Bell all lost early wickets to leave England in terrible shape.
 
 New boy Lyth was first to fall after a slight rain delay, with fellow Ashes debutant Josh Hazlewood's delivery at the end of the second over getting a leading edge low to gully where David Warner was lurking.
 
 The visitors didn't take long to claim two more cheap wickets.
 
 Captain Cook was next, just after the first drinks break when he attempted to cut Nathan Lyon but edged the ball into the hands of Brad Haddin behind the stumps to make it 42-2.
 
 It got worse when Ian Bell, a hero on home soil in 2013, lasted five minutes and seven balls before an in-swinger from Starc caught him out lbw.
 
 But Root hit 33 after being dropped off Mitchell Starc by Haddin and Ballance added 28 more to counter the Aussie's pacey attack and leave the home side at 88-3 for lunch.
 
 Vice-captain Root was exactly what England needed and after surviving Haddin's drop and a big lbw shout he put on a rousing performance to give Cook's men hope for the evening's action.