<p>A disciplined England attack shrugged off the challenge of a bland Adelaide Oval wicket to limit Australia to 273/5 and leave the second Ashes Test delicately poised after the opening day on Thursday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Trailing 1-0 in the five-Test series, England could do little about the toss, but will rue some poor fielding late in the day, with three dropped catches letting Australia off the hook.<br /><br />The third, a regulation chance spilled by two-Test opener Michael Carberry at backward point, spared Brad Haddin in the third-last over and the wicketkeeper survived to stumps on seven not out with Australia captain Michael Clarke on 48.<br /><br />Blessed to bat first on a gentle Adelaide Oval wicket, Australia failed to cash in with four of their five batsmen throwing away their wickets after making promising starts.<br /><br />In the final hour's play, Bailey was the third to score a half-century, his maiden in his second Test, but will regret pulling at a Stuart Broad delivery that ended up in a leaping Swann's sure hands at square leg.<br /><br />Like Chris Rogers (72) and Shane Watson (51) before him, the one-day specialist Bailey was on top of the England bowlers and had carted recalled spinner Monty Pan esar for two sixes over his head and Broad for a third over the square boundary.<br /><br />The England selectors' decision to pick a second spinner was validated as Swann and Panesar gleaned some encouraging turn from a flat deck that offered little for seamers Broad and James Anderson.<br /><br />Captain Alastair Cook may rue the loss of a second straight toss with the wicket likely to break up later in the match, however. England's task could have been yet steeper, however, with Australia having cruised to 155/1 midway through the second session before Watson maintained his habit of failing to convert starts by spooning a catch back to bowler Anderson.<br /><br />That ended a 121-run partnership with Rogers and sparked a collapse as Australia lost three wickets for 19 runs before stumbling to 174/4 at tea.</p>
<p>A disciplined England attack shrugged off the challenge of a bland Adelaide Oval wicket to limit Australia to 273/5 and leave the second Ashes Test delicately poised after the opening day on Thursday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Trailing 1-0 in the five-Test series, England could do little about the toss, but will rue some poor fielding late in the day, with three dropped catches letting Australia off the hook.<br /><br />The third, a regulation chance spilled by two-Test opener Michael Carberry at backward point, spared Brad Haddin in the third-last over and the wicketkeeper survived to stumps on seven not out with Australia captain Michael Clarke on 48.<br /><br />Blessed to bat first on a gentle Adelaide Oval wicket, Australia failed to cash in with four of their five batsmen throwing away their wickets after making promising starts.<br /><br />In the final hour's play, Bailey was the third to score a half-century, his maiden in his second Test, but will regret pulling at a Stuart Broad delivery that ended up in a leaping Swann's sure hands at square leg.<br /><br />Like Chris Rogers (72) and Shane Watson (51) before him, the one-day specialist Bailey was on top of the England bowlers and had carted recalled spinner Monty Pan esar for two sixes over his head and Broad for a third over the square boundary.<br /><br />The England selectors' decision to pick a second spinner was validated as Swann and Panesar gleaned some encouraging turn from a flat deck that offered little for seamers Broad and James Anderson.<br /><br />Captain Alastair Cook may rue the loss of a second straight toss with the wicket likely to break up later in the match, however. England's task could have been yet steeper, however, with Australia having cruised to 155/1 midway through the second session before Watson maintained his habit of failing to convert starts by spooning a catch back to bowler Anderson.<br /><br />That ended a 121-run partnership with Rogers and sparked a collapse as Australia lost three wickets for 19 runs before stumbling to 174/4 at tea.</p>