bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

AUSTRALIAN openers Mark Taylor and Michael Slater gave their side a great start in the first Test, in Manchester, after being put in by England.

   They shared an opening partnership of 128.

  After Slater was out, caught by Alec Stewart off Phil DeFreitas for 58, David Boon joined Taylor and chipped in with 11 as the tourists reached 148 for one by tea, Taylor was unbeaten on 70.

   In the shortened opening session, Taylor had reached 26 and debutant Slater 30 as the Australians coasted to 58 without loss by lunch.

  They faced all England's five front-line bowlers in the shortened first session, without encountering much difficulty.

   The innings looked like following the pattern of the last Ashes opener in England four years ago, when Australia amassed 601 for seven declared after being asked to bat first.

   A start delayed by an hour because of a wet run-up area at one end following an overnight thunderstorm had merely heightened the anticipation of the Ashes series opener on a reportedly difficult pitch soaked by rain last Sunday.

   But although new England fast bowler Andrew Caddick did whistle a delivery past Taylor's outside edge in his third over, the pitch did not look a problem for Australia's batsmen.

    Caddick, the 24-year-old New Zealand-born giant, was warned by umpire Dickie Bird for running on the pitch in his second over.

   He can now afford just one more warning before being removed from the attack for the rest of the innings.

   Caddick was one of two new caps in the England line-up, off-spinner Peter Such being the other.

   Australia also had two debutants in their ranks, all-rounder Brendon Julian and Slater, who in the first 22-overs of this series has already shown what a fine prospect he is.

   England decided against selecting a third new bowler in fast left-armer Mark Ilott and instead recalled quick bowler DeFreitas, called up on Wednesday because of an injury to seamer Alan Igglesden.

   For Mike Gatting, it is his first home test since June 1989, when he appeared in the second Test against Australia at Lord's.

   His Test career looked to have come to a premature that year when, after being announced on August 1 as captain of the rebel English side who were defying International Cricket Council regulations by agreeing to tour South Africa, he was given a five-year Test ban.

  The largest pay-out to an individual cricketer - GBP50,000 - is on offer to two England players and two Australians in the six-Test Ashes series.

    A British firm is challenging Graeme Hick of England and Boon of Australia to vie with each other to become the first to score a double century in the series.

    In a second contest, Chris Lewis of England and Craig McDermott of Australia are being challenged to see who can be first to take 10 wickets in a Test. Each of the winners will receive a cheque for GBP50,000.



Aussies off to solid Test start