HELLBW - Mirror.co.uk

James Anderson was left to ponder the cruelty of cricket after two lbw incidents left England staring down the Ashes barrel in the first Test here.

Anderson produced his best ever spell in Australia with the new ball on the third day, but luck deserted the Lancashire paceman.

Aussie pair Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin took full advantage with hundreds that gave them a massive and potentially matchwinning first innings lead of 221.

The agony began after just three overs on the third day when Anderson had an lbw appeal against Hussey given only for it to be correctly overturned by the review system when the ball was seen to have pitched millimetres outside leg stump. But the key moment came four overs later with Hussey, who went on to compile a magnificent 195, on 85.

Anderson trapped him bang in front but umpire Aleem Dar ruled not out, apparently believing the two noises clearly audible meant the Aussie star had got an inside edge.

England were unable to challenge the decision as they had no referrals left.

But replays confirmed that there was no inside edge and the two noises were the ball hitting front and back pad.

Until either the players learn not to gamble with their reviews in the heat of the moment and use it only for howlers, or it is taken out of their hands altogether, the system will remain flawed. agreed said: "hour of the the of Test ever "With and Broad bowling Anderson and pace partner Stuart Broad were like showered with praise for their luckless spell, but that was little consolation as England contemplated a desperate battle to prevent them going 1-0 down in the series.

Former Australian spinner Shane Warne said: "It is hard to see what Anderson needs to do to get a wicket, he is bowling out of his skin, and he's getting no luck."

Out in the middle, Haddin so tough "It Test and we a bit of luck to get through it. Only when we were through it did we start to think about putting on as many runs as we possibly could to put us in a good position."

Hussey and Haddin added a record-breaking 307 for the sixth wicket as Australia somehow crawled out of the mire to finish their innings on 481.

It is on these kind of performances that Australia have built a proud history of not losing an Ashes series at home in 24 years and it would be sour grapes to blame it all on the good fortune they had on Saturday morning.

Their dominance comes from the skill and character to make sure they get a big first innings total by hook or by crook and it is a lesson that England have yet to learn out here.

In 26 Test matches England have made more than 400 in their first innings just twice, while this was the 13th time that the Aussies had done it and at times it was brutal.

Steve Finn provided the day's rare highlight for the travelling England faithful by grabbing 6-125 on his Ashes debut.

But just as Peter Such's 6-67 was overshadowed by Shane Warne's ball of the century at Old Trafford in 1993, so this one was spoiled by a batting master class. "I enjoyed the wicket bits," said Finn. "But it was a tough day of Test cricket for us. I picked up the wickets but I was the least consistent bowler and I'm aware of that.

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"The Aussie pair played really well, they rode their luck and survived the tough times, but that's what it takes to score hundreds like that in Test cricket."

After Anderson's two moments of lbw hell, England's day went downhill as catches were dropped, by Alastair Cook and then Anderson himself, and runs were piled on with hungry relish.

It wasn't until after tea and with a lead of 190 that they finally made the breakthrough with Graeme Swann persuading Haddin to edge the spinner to Paul Collingwood at slip.

Finn then steamrollered the Aussie tailenders, using the short ball well, and even drawing Hussey into a false shot to have him caught in the deep.

His spell of four wickets for 19 runs in 29 balls wrapped things up and would have brought a smile to Andy Flower's face back at the team hotel where he was recovering from having a melanoma on his face surgically removed.

There was just time for Andrew Strauss to survive a referral after shouldering arms to the first ball of the innings.

DAY 3 SCOREBOARD

Australia v ENGLAND:

England 1st inns: 260 (I R Bell 76, A N Cook 67; P M Siddle 6-54).

Second innings A J Strauss not out 11 A N Cook not out Extras (lb1, nb1) 2 Total (0 wkts, 15 ovs) 19

Australia: 1st inns (Overnight: 220-5

(Hussey 81 not, Katich 50): M E K Hussey c Cook b Finn 195

B J Haddin c Collingwood b Swann 136 M G Johnson b Finn X J Doherty c Cook b Finn 16

P M Siddle c Swann b Finn B W Hilfenhaus not out Extras (b4, lb12, w4, nb1) 21 Total (158.4 overs) 481

Bowling: Anderson 37-13-99-2; Broad 33-7-72-0; Swann 43-5-128-2; Finn 33.4-1-125-6; Collingwood 12-1-41-0.

Follow Daily Mirror cricket correspondent Dean Wilson on Twitter at CricketMirror

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