Off-spinner Moeen Ali, who is making his Ashes debut, took two wickets and played a gritty 79-run innings to help England take the upper hand against the Aussies on the second day of the first Ashes Test in Cardiff.
It required some disciplined bowling performance from the hosts to leave Australia for 264-5 at the end of the second day’s play, with Shane Watson (29) and Nathon Lyon (6) still at the crease and the visitors trailing by 166 runs.
Mark Wood, who is also making his Ashes debut, took the priced wicket of Chris Rogers for 95 and Ben Stokes struck late in the day to scalp Adam Voges to put England on top.
Meanwhile, Moeen removed inform batsman Steve Smith and skipper Michael Clarke to justify his selection ahead of Adil Rashid as England’s spinner.
Earlier, England had added 87 runs in just 14.1 overs to their overnight total and before getting all out for 430.
