Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook became England's most prolific opening Test partnership during the first Ashes test yesterday, but their stand of 188 could end up being much more significant than a mere statistical milestone.
After a hammering from the hosts on Friday, England looked to be heading for another in a long line of defeats on Australian soil when the pair walked out to bat under leaden skies on the fourth morning at the Gabba yesterday.
By the close of play, England had lost just one wicket and turned a 202-run deficit into an 88-run lead with every chance of a draw, or perhaps even better today.
Strauss and Cook were also able to overhaul Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe as England's most prolific opening partnership, albeit in more than double the number of Test innings.
Cook was delighted with his innings as he has struggled in the past against the Australians, with an average of just 26.21 in 10 Tests at the start of the tour.
"Over the last 12 months I've had a bit of a tinker with my technique and tried to improve it.
"I'm very happy with the results today," said Cook, who made 67 in the first innings.
If England were accepting praise, Australia were making excuses.
Shane Watson, their opening batsman and allrounder, defended swing bowler Mitchell Johnson.
Johnson boasted ahead of the Ashes that he would target Strauss. But he rarely threatened Strauss yesterday as the England captain stroked his way to his first Ashes century in Australia.
After a sub-par 2009 Ashes, Johnson is still to take his first wicket of this series and has had the worst economy rate in both innings. But Watson, a part-time seam bowler for Australia, said all the bowlers should share the blame for the lack of wickets in England's second innings.
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