Reliable Rogers paves way to Test history

Australia opening batsman Chris Rogers joined elite company on day two in Cardiff, becoming the just the fifth man to record seven consecutive scores for 50 or more in Test cricket.

Recap and highlights: First Test, day two

Rogers joins West Indian pair Sir Everton Weekes and Shinarine Chanderpaul, Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman and former England coach Andy Flower, and Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara, and is the only member without a century in the string of successes.

Rogers hits his first ever six in Test cricket

"It’s a nice stat I guess," Rogers said after play when told of the his achievement. 

"Shame none of them were hundreds. As an opener it’s so important to be consistent and by doing that you’re doing a job for the team so I can be quite proud of that I think."

Rogers fell five runs short of his fourth Ashes century in the evening session of the second day in a knock that was equally classic as it was creative.

Australia opener Chris Rogers passed fifty for the seventh time in a row during the first innings against England at Cardiff (Australia only video)

Ruthless on anything overpitched, Rogers drove with authority throughout his innings, but as he drew closer to his ton the more expansive he became, hitting his first six in Test cricket and even ramping Stuart Broad for four over the wicketkeeper.

But on 95, Rogers played at a ball too close to cut, edging behind to give Mark Wood his first Ashes wicket and see him enter the record books amongst some of the game’s batting giants.

Entering the first Ashes Test with a sextet of scores between 50 and 99, Rogers’ journey to his exclusive new club started eight months ago on a polar opposite pitch in both geographical distance and liveliness.

The 37-year-old’s record run began in the first innings of the second Commonwealth Bank Test against India last summer in Brisbane with a brisk 55 from 79 balls before gloving a Umesh Yadav wayward delivery down the leg-side.

Rogers went at an even faster clip in the second innings, taking a leaf out of his whirlwind opening partner David Warner’s book to register his second 55 for the match, this time from 57 balls with 10 boundaries.

In Melbourne, Rogers returned to his more sedate ways, tallying 57 in the first innings until Mohammed Shami found his outside edge to India captain MS Dhoni in his last Test for his country.

Rogers says England are in top in the first Test

The gritty left-hander was getting closer to his elusive fifth Test ton in the second dig, reaching a composed 69 only to drag a Ravi Ashwin off-break back on to his stumps and exit 2014 with four fifties on the trot.

Triple-figures beckoned in the New Year, but after combining for 200 with century-maker Warner, Rogers fell within one shot of raising his bat for a second time in the match, out for 95 playing Shami on to his wicket.

Rogers put the disappointment of the first innings behind him to close out the series in Sydney with 57 from 77 balls to set up today’s record-breaking knock under brilliant Welsh sunshine on a benign batting wicket.

Before this Test Rogers gave amazing insight to cricket.com.au

There were no guarantees that Rogers would return to the top of the order for the first Test after missing both matches in the preceding series in the Caribbean with symptoms of concussion suffered from a blow to the helmet in the nets prior to the first Test in Dominica.

Western Australia’s Shaun Marsh replaced Rogers in the 2-0 series romp of the West Indies, scoring a second innings 69 in Kingston to muddy the selection waters when Rogers returned to full fitness.

And when the senior Marsh of the 17-man Ashes squad scored a century in the first tour match in Canterbury, speculation grew that the veteran southpaw may have played his last match wearing a Baggy Green.

But scores of 84, 45, 21 and 32 against Kent and Essex, and his vast experience in British conditions, Rogers was granted a recall by the National Selection Panel in what will be his last series for his country.

Highlights of Rogers's Australian Test career, at home

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