The Ashes / Andy Morris / 17 December 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Australia's Ashes continues to slip away from their grasp, although Andy Morris hasn't quite given up hope for the Aussies yet.

On what was a reasonably bowling-friendly track at WACA, Australia failed to negotiate the early morning bounce, pace and seam, and were bowled out for 268 in the first innings of the WACA Test match.

In reply, England managed not to lose a wicket and added 29 to their tally.

It was a poor start for the Aussies after they had been put into bat by Andrew Strauss. Shane Watson survived a close caught-behind appeal before the Aussies scored a run.
Phil Hughes was not so lucky at the other end when bowled by Chris Tremlett in the second over of the game.

Ricky Ponting would have been as worried about the results as his own form but he started off positively. Unfortunately for him, a couple of boundaries into his innings, he fished outside the off-stump and edged one from James Anderson to the slips. Michael Clarke also failed to get going, and when Watson had been declared out LBW by the umpire, the Aussies were in deep trouble at 36/4.

Michael Hussey has been Australia's saviour in this series so far and he did it again with a fine 61 to his name. He was ably supported by wicket-keeper Brad Haddin who came in to bat after Steven Smith failed at the number six position. Mitchell Johnson ensured that the Aussies would get something respectable with another half century as the home team recovered from 69/5 to get to 268.

Tremlett was clearly the pick of the bowlers in his comeback game and troubled most Australian batsmen with his tendency to get the bounce. He finished with 3/63.

Fortunately for the Australian bowlers, there seems enough bounce in the surface for their pace bowlers to exploit. Even in the 12 overs that England batted on the first day, they did not look entirely comfortable and were lucky to escape without losing one or two wickets.

Currently, the odds offered for an Australian win is 5.4 but if they can get two or three early ones on the second morning, then it could be anybody's game.

For now, though, England are firm favourites to wrap up the Ashes at Perth with the odds of 1.66 for their win here.