Cricket: England made a solid start to the pre-Ashes clash with Australia. Openers Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell shared an 83-run stand after Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss in the must-win ICC Champions Trophy match.
Whichever of the two fierce rivals loses the Diwali day-nighter will almost certainly be eliminated from the competition.
At the halfway stage of their innings, England were well positioned on 109 for two, with Strauss 50 not out, on the two-paced pitch used last Sunday in the defeat to India.
England lost that opening Group A contest against India, while the Australians went down by 10 runs to West Indies on Wednesday night.
Ponting's decision was influenced by the potential dew later this evening and Australia also selected fast bowler Mitchell Johnson at the expense of Brad Hogg because of concerns that spinners will struggle to grip a wet ball.
Playing on the same surface used for the defeat to India, England began tentatively but three Bell boundaries in quick succession boosted the run rate.
Strauss then greeted the introduction of veteran Glenn McGrath by dispatching his first two deliveries for four, a pull followed by a cut.
Both batsman attacked McGrath, who should have profited when a checked drive from Bell looped to mid-off, only for Martyn to make a botched attempt.
The breakthrough did not arrive until the 19th over, in fact - at the same point last weekend England had lost half their side - when Shane Watson's second ball was hit straight to cover by Bell (43).
Surprisingly, given captain Andrew Flintoff's commitment to batting at number three during this tournament, it was Kevin Pietersen who came in at first wicket down.
But he did not stay long as, having received a flier which struck the splice of the bat from short of a length the previous delivery, he nicked Johnson behind.
That saw Flintoff join Strauss in the middle and the pair sought stability after Australia's swift double strike.
Strauss reached his half-century from 78 balls, moments after steering Brett Lee to the rope at backward point.