High: 29°C | Low: 18°C		Wind: SW at 9 km/h, Humidity: 79%
Match	Australia v England	-	Date	23rd - 27th November, 2006
Match Type	1st 3 Mobile Test Match	-	Umpires	BF Bowden and SA Bucknor
Toss	Australia	-	Decision	Bat
Result	Australia Won by 277 Runs	-	Venue	The Gabba  - Scorecard
Australia	1st Inns: 9/602 declared (Ponting 196)	-	2nd Inns:	1/202 dec (Langer *100, Ponting *60)
England	1st Inns: 157 All out (McGrath 6/50)	-	2nd Inns:	370 All Out

Day 1

The eagerly awaited rematch began with the coin toss, a special silver coin, half an hour before play began. The game which marked the 100th Test Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath had played together began under high humidity and clear sunshine. Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat.

Fourteen boundaries were hit in the first session, Australia going in to lunch at 1 for 109 with Hayden the only man to fall for a pedestrian 21. Harmison bowled a wild couple of overs that played Langer in, indeed the West Australian helped himself to 10 boundaries in the 2 hours of play, the majority coming through the vacant third man area.

Flintoff yet again was the pick of the bowlers but even he didn't look likely to take a wicket until he accounted for Hayden. It was a lovely length ball that had Hayden beaten and all he could do was guide it to second slip and a jubilant Paul Collingwood. Flintoff elated continued with a good line and length despite little support from the other end. Harmison ended the session having bowled just six overs for 37 runs. Australia's session without doubt, Langer looking back to his attacking best.

Throughout the day England looked nervous an suffering from stage fright in one of cricket's greatest contests. The scene was set with the very first ball when Harmison sprayed the ball wide to second slip – he never recovered often brought back on for the odd over just to be taken off by the captain. In his later overs he concentrated on bowling very short and wide to keep the run rate down but it was negative bowling.

Both Hoggard and Anderson bowled the odd ball to cause concern but it was left to captain Flintoff, the pick of the bowlers by far, and Ashley Giles to stem the run flow. Flintoff experimented with Ian Bell for one over but the 12 runs conceded ended any hope he would get a second over. Pietersen put a lot of effort into his spell and managed what Giles failed to do, spin the ball. Warne would be rubbing his hands at the sight.

The day belonged to two players, both for Australia. Langer who's 82 helped shape the innings and Ponting's unbeaten 137, sharing in an unbroken stand of 148. Ponting who had been lacking in form and practice gained a lot of confidence from his knock for Tasmania last week and carried his good touch to the Gabba. It was vintage Ponting who quite often in recent times was prone to falling over the ball and succumbing to leg before early in his innings. There was no danger in that today.

Ponting's hundred came from a push through the onside off Hoggard and equalled Steve Waugh's record of 32 hundreds for Australia. On this form he'll certainly be pushing to make it 33 by the end of the five match series. Australia end the day in a commanding position and will look to push their advantage home on the resumption of play tomorrow.

Day 2

The first session was again dominated by Australia with both Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey edging closer to the 400 mark. Flintoff was the pick of the bowlers for England although his obvious discomfort with his recovery from injury is still troubling him as he continued to bowl in short spells. He had to rely on his bowlers for support but apart from Anderson it really wasn't there, yet again Harmison struggled and when the crowd smell blood they attack, cheering Harmison's first delivery as it sailed through to Jones behind the wicket.

Ricky Ponting eased his way to a 150, the 11th time in Test cricket and together with Hussey at the other end the pair broke a 31 year old partnership for the 4th wicket of any team at the Gabba. The previous record holders Lawrence Rowe and Alvin Kallicharan (198) in 1975 lost that series 5 to 1.

The batsmen although not scoring at the same rate as yesterday took things easy and never looked in any trouble. Flintoff came closest and it was no surprise that it was the England captain that accounted for the only wicket to fall in the session, that of Hussey for a well crafted 86. Bowling around the wicket as he had done with so much success in England last year he delivered an unplayable ball and clean bowled Hussey. Despite a few scares Clarke saw out the remaining overs and together with Ponting saw Australia close at lunch on 4 for 427. 81 runs were scored in the session at a rate of 3.12 per over.

England improved in the second session bowling a better and more productive line, interestingly there were also signs of reverse swing for Harmison. Matthew Hoggard dismissed Ponting and Adam Gilchrist in the same over, Ponting falling just four runs short of a deserved 200. Hoggard was unlucky not to have claimed Gilchrist's wicket earlier after two shouts for leg before we turned down. The fielding was poor, possibly due to five sessions in the field. Anderson failed to take a diving catch to dismiss Warne and Clark was given a reprieve when Cook failed to get under a top edge, Harmison the unlucky bowler.

When Warne was caught behind, giving Harmison his first and only wicket, England were looking to finish the innings. Unfortunately for England Clark took full advantage of his earlier let off scoring 39 quick runs that included two sixes off Jimmy Anderson. Brett Lee joined in with an unbeaten 43 and the pair put on a ninth wicket stand of 50 off just 44 balls. It was a highly entertaining end to a magnificent innings for Australia and Glenn McGrath waiting to come in at number 11 watched on in admiration. Flintoff took his fourth wicket of the innings when he finally put paid to the partnership, Clark falling to a magnificent yorker.

It was left to Lee and McGrath to take the total past 600 giving Ponting chance to declare early. England had 17 overs to face before the close of play, Brett Lee bowling at well over 90mph and mr reliable McGrath opening from the Vulture end showed England how to begin an innings. Both openers had lucky escapes through the slips and passing the edge of the bat. However with the score on 28 McGrath accounted for Strauss and with Lee off the field following a collision with Hussey while he took the catch to dismiss Strauss, McGrath sent Cook packing the very next ball.

With Lee unable to continue Stuart Clark fresh from his cavalier 39 with the bat played his part with the bat sending Collingwood back to the change rooms for five with a catch behind. It was left to Pietersen and Bell to see England to stumps without further damage. The day belonged to Australia who are in complete command of this match.

Day 3

After loosing Kevin Pietersen and Freddie Flintoff in successive overs Ian Bell together with Geraint Jones fought a rearguard battle for England as they slumped to 118-5 at lunch on day three of the first Ashes Test against Australia.

Pietersen, very much a dangerman for England fell for just 16 runs when he left a ball from McGrath, only to see the ball move off the seam and trap the cavalier batsman leg before. Television replays suggested he was unlucky to be given however to the naked eye it was plum. Flintoff lasted just three balls before a fiery Brett Lee bowling at over 90mph forced an edge to Gilchrist without scoring.

Jones and Bell steadied the ship somewhat putting on 47 for the sixth wicket before Jones became McGrath's fourth victim when he was trapped leg before for 19. Bell looked to carry his earlier form forward as he played the patient game against a buoyant Australian attack.

Before Jones' dismissal he managed to strike Billy Bowden on the hip who was standing at square leg. The Welshman was attempting to sweep Shane Warne and the full blooded strike went straight to Bowden who tried to evade the red missile but he only succeeded in falling flat on his face with hat, sunglasses and walkie talky flying to all parts. Bowden became Australia's 12th fielder as it saved a certain boundar.

Bell's dismissal for 50 when he sliced the first delivery of a Clark spell to Ponting in the slips heralded a collapse with only Ashley Giles reaching double figures. The off spinner was extremely fortunate to escape a duck when the same fielder dropped him second ball off McGrath.

Gilchrist teamed up with both Clark and McGrath to close the innings, McGrath finishing with 6 for 50 in his first Test match in nine months, something Steve Harmison should note.

Ricky Ponting's decision not to enforce the follow on surprised many but it was a clever decision. It allowed the bowlers to rest up ahead of what will be a long bowling stint when they resume tomorrow. Langer (88) and Ponting (51) both reached half centuries showeing England how easy the conditions were to bat but with the wicket breaking up, Shane Warne should come into his own after bowling just nine overs in the first innings.

With a lead of 626 and growing, surely only the Brisbane weather can save England now. No doubt Ponting will bat on for an hour to give Gilchrist a knock and then attempt to turn the screws on an England team desperate to show some fight.

Day 4

Ricky Ponting wasted no time in declaring today ensuring Justin Langer scored the 12 runs required to reach his 22nd Test century. However it appears that he has paid the price and has injured his back after an incident while attempting a run in the 25 minutes Australia batted. The team physio was called for but not used and he continued to bat in wincing pain. As soon as Langer reached three figures he congratulated his team mate and the pair walked off. England have been set 648 runs to win in 11 ½ hours play.

Glenn McGrath may also be in doubt for Adelaide with a sore heel and could only bowl at a reduced pace. If Australia do go with two spinners in Adelaide McGrath may miss out.

England began well in the monumental run chase with Cook and Strauss looking to play shots off the poor deliveries. However as in his first innings Strauss threw his wicket away for just 11 when he hit a rising ball from Stuart Clark straight to substitute fielder Ryan Broad at fine leg.

After failing to take a wicket in England's first innings, Warne soon made his mark when Ian Bell miss-read the slider, a front-of-the-hand delivery which goes straight on, and umpire Steve Bucknor adjudged him lbw for a duck. Bell wasn't pleased but it was the correct decision. Collingwood who replaced him struggled early on, playing and missing on numerous occasions to Clark while Warne had the measure of Cook at the other end.

Warne accounted for Cook, breaking a 55 run partnership with Collingwood. Bowling from around the wicket the Victorian hit the rough and Cook had no answer to the leg-break and Mike Hussey took the chance at short leg. Collingwood and Pietersen then took the game to Australia with a wonderful partnership that lasted 34 overs and 153 runs before Warne spun his magic once again. Collingwood on 96 had a rush of blood to his head and charged the delivery but failed to connect leaving Gilchrist with a simple stumping chance.

To confound matters Andrew Flintoff picked out Langer at long-on with an ugly back-foot heave and was out for just 16. With five wickets down it will be a tall order to save this match but if there's anyone that can do it, Pietersen is the man for England. If only he had five other players capable of staying with him tomorrow.

Day 5

Australia required just 20 overs to wrap up a convincing victory in the first Test match by 277 runs. Kevin Pietersen failed to add to his overnight score when he chipped a ball to Damien Martyn at Mid-Wicket, Lee the bowler. Jones and Giles then shared in a 35 run partnership before Jones played on to McGrath with a ball that kept low.

Ponting who was missing for most of yesterday due to a back injury led the team out today and his bowling change reaped benefits immediately with Clark accounting for Giles 20 runs later. Hoggard became Clark's third victim and Shane Warne's second catch at slip for eight and despite an attacking Harmison, Clarke and McGrath combined toe end the innings on 370.

Ricky Ponting was named as man of the match for his 196 and 60 not out in the second innings. Both teams now move on to Adelaide for the second Test starting on Friday.

Australia

RT Ponting, SR Clark, MJ Clarke, AC Gilchrist, ML Hayden, MEK Hussey, JL Langer, B Lee, GD McGrath, DR Martyn, SK Warne

England

A Flintoff, AJ Strauss, JM Anderson, IR Bell, PD Collingwood, AN Cook, AF Giles, SJ Harmison, MJ Hoggard, GO Jones, KP Pietersen