Siddle sends Aussie odds tumbling
The Ashes 
/ Andy Morris / 26 November 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market
With such a performance, the odds for Australia to win the Test match at a venue where they have never lost in the last 28 years have shortened to 1.46
Andy Morris applauds a history-making day for Peter Siddle that has put Australia in the box seat for the Ashes.
Peter Siddle vindicated the selectors' faith in him by picking up six English wickets on the first day of the first Ashes Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane.
His six-wicket haul, which was also his best ever, also included a hat-trick that broke the back of the English innings, sending them packing for 260.
Batting first after winning the toss, England lost Andrew Strauss in the very first over off the bowling of Ben Hilfenhaus. Jonathon Trott was lucky no-one appealed to a faint edge to the wicket-keeper but was bowled off a floating swinger from Shane Watson.
It was the third wicket stand of 76 runs between Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen that carried the side to relative safety, with both looking good to get to their respective milestones. Pietersen was aggressive from the very start and took on the left-arm spin of Xavier Doherty as well, while Cook looked composed at the other end.
Despite two quick wickets in the second session of the first day - Pietersen (43) and Paul Collingwood (4) gone to Siddle - England went into tea at 172/4. It was a decent position to be in and one from where England would have looked to add another 100 in the final session for the loss of one wicket at maximum.
Unfortunately for them, Siddle bowled the spell of his short career as he got Cook, Matt Prior and Stuart Broad from successive balls to notch up a hat-trick as the English side collapsed from 197/4 to 228/8, before being bowled out for 260. Apart from Cook's 67, Bell was the only major contributor with a 76 to his name.
Doherty ended the English innings with a couple of wickets to wrap up the visitors for 260.
In reply, Australia played out the seven overs from the English bowlers without the loss of a wicket, ending at 25/0.
With such a performance, the odds for Australia to win the Test match at a venue where they have never lost in the last 28 years have shortened to 1.46, while England have an offer of 6 for their win. The chances of a drawn game after ten wickets have fallen on the first day are low and odds of 6.4 are offered for it.
