The England number eleven contrived to field a waist-high ball from Jackson Bird on his helmet before being skittled on middle stump two balls later.
Tim Bresnan will have only been marginally annoyed having looked in the first over like a man on 65, with some good Australian fielding close in saving a couple of lusty drives from flying to the boundary.
The ball was doing all sorts under the heavy grey skies at Chester le Street, with both Stuart Broad and Anderson getting some immense swing early on.
David Warner, who’d looked aggressive and in good touch, was undone by a peach from Broad which pitched and nipped back catching the batsman trying to play after he’d intended to leave. The Aussie opener’s off-stump was knocked back and Warner was traipsing back to the hutch.
Broad looked in great form and soon added Usman Khawaja to his tally for a duck; again catching the batsman looking to leave the ball which nicked the toe-end of the bat and flew through to Matt Prior.
Chris Rogers looked to be joining the parade of the Aussie top order after he was given out edging through to Prior from the rampant Broad.
Rogers reviewed the decision. Hot Spot showed no evidence of a nick, for whatever that’s worth, the slow-mo suggested no edge, with the ball looking to have flicked the back pad, which Hot Spot duly confirmed.
Rogers was not-out caught behind, but Marais Erasmus then had to check the lbw with Hawk Eye suggesting the ball was going on to just clip off-stump. The decision was of course umpire’s decision, but the umpire hadn’t given a decision on lbw, he’d given Rogers out caught behind.
Aleem Dar was firm, the decision was not-out.
Rogers and Micheal Clarke looked to be putting together a useful partnership when the Aussie captain was out, uncharacteristically, wafting at one from Broad that leapt off the pitch, edging high to Cook at first slip who took the catch above his head.
Rogers and Steve Smith managed to get through to lunch without further DRS controversy or appeals of note for 75.
Suggestions that a score of 330-350 were par for this pitch are beginning to look wayward, as Australia were put under the kosh for almost the entire session.
However, with the potentially destructive Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and an impressive tail to come, they’ll still be hoping to post a lead.
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