By Justin Palmer
CARDIFF (Reuters) - A fluent counter-attacking Joe Root made the most of a second-ball reprieve to move within seven runs of a century and help England recover from a poor start to the Ashes series against Australia on Wednesday.
At tea on the first day, England were 190 for three with Root on 93 and Ballance 59.
Root, dropped second ball by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin before he had scored, was in aggressive mood as he and Gary Ballance dragged England back into the first test with an unbroken century stand at Sophia Gardens.
The pair steered the hosts out of trouble after England, opting to bat first on an overcast and chilly morning when the ball swung, were wobbling at 43-3.
Root has been England's most consistent run-scorer in the middle order since being axed for the fifth and final test in Sydney in January 2014 as their dismal tour ended in a 5-0 whitewash.
He scored his runs quickly, taking the attack to the Australian bowlers before lunch and continued in the same vein in the afternoon session, quickly seizing on anything short, wide or overpitched.
Root did have one further moment of anxiety on 62 when Australia unsuccessfully referred a rejected lbw appeal but his fluency prompted a circumspect Ballance to come more out of his shell and he brought up his half-century with a glorious cover drive off Mitchell Starc.
Root came to the crease with England in deep trouble and the blonde-haired Yorkshireman survived a vocal shout for lbw first ball from Starc by getting a thin inside edge.
The next delivery he nicked a swinging yorker-length delivery behind but Haddin could not cling on one-handed.
England's dismal start began when Adam Lyth (six) fell in the second over, caught low down by David Warner at gully off Josh Hazlewood.
There were few demons in the pitch but off spinner Nathan Lyon, introduced in the 10th over, sent back captain Alastair Cook (20).
Clarke's decision to take an early look at Lyon was rewarded when Cook, who had been tied down by 14 dot balls from the spinner, tried to cut him away and edged behind.
Ian Bell's poor form continued as he lasted seven balls before being trapped leg before for one by Starc from a full swinging delivery.
Mitchell Johnson, England's nemesis from the last Ashes when he took 37 wickets with express pace, found no help on a sluggish pitch with 12 wicketless overs costing 55.