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It's a blast Australia flails England at Edgbaston
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -- Adam Gilchrist hit a gloriously uninhibited 152 and Damien Martyn stroked his maiden test century as Australia tightened its stranglehold on the first Ashes test during a rain-interrupted third day Saturday. Australia extended its overnight 332 for four to 576 all out midway through the final session, with Martyn's 105 and Gilchrist's highest test score coming on their first appearance against England as they shared a sixth wicket partnership of 160. Having bowled out England for 294 on the opening day, that gave the touring team a first-innings lead of 282 with just over two days remaining, and it soon plunged the home country into trouble when they batted a second time. Immediately after a 25-minute interruption for bad light, Glenn McGrath had Michael Atherton edging to Mark Waugh at second slip -- the 14th time in 26 test innings he has dismissed the former England skipper. This time he went for four. England was 48 for one when worsening light forced an early close at Edgbaston, with Marcus Trescothick having made an unbeaten 21 and Mark Butcher 15 not out. Its agony in the field had earlier been prolonged as Gilchrist and McGrath, who contributed a single, smashed 63 for the last wicket off 50 balls in 36 minutes. If Gilchrist, who was dropped early in his innings, ultimately stole the spotlight, the individual honors were certainly shared by Martyn, who won his test place ahead of the out-of-form Justin Langer and repaid the selectors' faith handsomely, both in terms of his strokeplay and his discipline and concentration. Although he made his debut in the 1992-93 home series against West Indies, Martyn is playing only his 12th test. His previous highest score was an unbeaten 89 against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2000. Before Martyn and Gilchrist put England's bowling to the sword in their contrasting but highly effective styles, the home country had a brief moment to savor. In a mirror image of the start to Friday's play, Darren Gough dealt an immediate blow on a warm and overcast morning in front of another capacity crowd. Having dismissed Michael Slater with the seventh ball on the second morning, the Yorkshire paceman this time accounted for Steve Waugh for 105 with the 12th ball of the day. The Australian captain, having added just four to his overnight score, played back to a full-length delivery from Gough and was trapped lbw. He had batted 244 minutes, faced 181 balls and hit 13 fours. Waugh had added 69 in 116 balls for the fifth wicket with Martyn, who now carried the attack to the bowlers, twice lashing Gough through the off side for four in one over. He and Gilchrist took their side to 381 for five before bad light, followed by a downpour, kept the players off the field for 160 minutes, including the lunch break. When they returned, England compounded their problems by missing two chances in quick succession. Gilchrist, on 14, sliced Andrew Caddick past a diving Craig White in the gully and in the next over Martyn, on 65, edged Gough and was dropped by wicketkeeper Alec Stewart as he flung himself in front of Atherton at first slip, who looked well placed to take the catch himself. Martyn and Gilchrist made the most of their good fortune by pressing home Australia's advantage with speed and conviction, completing their century partnership from 139 balls. The stand was finally broken by Butcher, whose medium pacers accounted for Martyn with the aid of a brilliant, diving catch at backward point by Trescothick. The Western Australian made his runs from 165 balls and hit 15 fours and one five. Butcher, getting movement both ways, now cut through the tail. Starting with Martyn's wicket, he had a spell of four for five in 14 deliveries, though Gilchrist went on playing strokes in a wonderfully entertaining style. Gilchrist smashed Butcher for 22 in one over -- three sixes and a four -- and when he finally fell to a catch at long-on he had faced just 143 balls, hitting 20 fours and five sixes. He beat his previous test best of 149 not out against Pakistan at Hobart in 1999.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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