England, after losing the toss, were bowled out for 407 on the first day of the second Test against Australia at Edgbaston here on Thursday. Marcus Trescothick was top scorer with 90 while Kevin Pietersen hit 71 and Andrew Flintoff 68. Play was called off for the day when rain began to fall just as Australia were about to start their reply.
The home side, 1-0 down in the five-match series after being outclassed at Lord's, dominated the morning and afternoon, galloping at a one-day pace to reach 289 for four at tea, with Marcus Trescothick making 90.
Kevin Pietersen, with a run-a-ball 71 and Andrew Flintoff, with an even quicker 68 including five sixes and six fours, put on a century stand for the fifth wicket to keep England on top.
But the world champions, who put England in on a slow-paced Edgbaston pitch, kept chipping away to take the last six wickets for 117. Shane Warne cleaned up the tail to take four for 116.
The 35-year-old McGrath, the man of the match in the first Test with nine wickets, stepped on a cricket ball during a game of touch rugby and damaged ligaments in his right ankle. He is also a doubt for the third Test starting at Old Trafford next week.
Michael Kasprowicz, McGrath's replacement, took three wickets for 80. Strike bowler Brett Lee, however, suffered. Hit for a string of sixes, he ended with one for 111 off 17 overs.
============================================
ENGLAND (1st Innings):
--------------------------------------------
M. Trescothick c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 90
A. Strauss b Warne 48
M. Vaughan c Lee b Gillespie 24
I. Bell c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 6
K. Pietersen c Katich b Lee 71
A. Flintoff c Gilchrist b Gillespie 68
G. Jones c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 1
A. Giles lbw b Warne 23
M. Hoggard lbw b Warne 16
S. Harmison b Warne 17
S. Jones not out 19
EXTRAS: (LB-9, W-1, NB-14) 24
--------------------------------------------
TOTAL: (all out, 79.2 overs, 357 mins) 407
============================================
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-112, 2-164, 3-170, 4-187, 5-290, 6-293, 7-342, 8-348, 9-375
BOWLING: Lee 17-1-111-1 (3nb, 1w); Gillespie 22-3-91-2 (3nb); Kasprowicz 15-3-80-3 (8nb); Warne 25.2-4-116-4.
AUSTRALIA: Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist (wkt), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz.