Flying Swann fires England.

GRAEME Swann's blitz with the bat charged England to 435 against Australia on the second morning of the Ashes in Cardiff.

Swann launched a remarkable assault to firmly place England into the ascendancy to finish unbeaten on 47 after coming in at number 10.

His audacious approach was integral to the hosts adding 99 runs to their overnight 336 for seven in just one-and-a-quarter hours.

He pushed England beyond 400 with a cheeky reverse sweep for four, the third of three consecutive boundaries off spinner Nathan Hauritz in an over which cost 16 runs.

When nightwatchman James Anderson holed out to mid-on off Hauritz it culminated a stand of 68 runs in just 53 balls.

And on a surface already offering prodigious turn, Hauritz wrapped up the innings seconds after having Swann caught in the deep off a contentious no-ball, by having last man Monty Panesar caught behind.

Stuart Broad fell early on the second morning but it did not curb their positive intent in the first npower Test.

Broad, who started the day with a glorious cover drive for four off Peter Siddle and claimed two more boundaries off the same bowler in the third over, succumbed in unfortunate circumstances.

A delivery from left-armer Mitchell Johnson was veering down the leg-side until it clipped his trousers and was re-directed into his stumps.

Anderson showed a surprising degree of confidence by deliberately lifting a delivery from Johnson over the off-side field via a cut for three in just the second over. Like his top-order colleagues, the fast bowler showed a desire to play shots and reaped reward as he pierced the gaps to maintain a fast scoring rate.

That was sparked by the arrival of Swann, whose cover driving was particularly impressive.

England stacked up their first 50 runs in just 7.4 overs this morning, in fact, as the match was given a limited-overs feel.

Swann targeted Hauritz and used his feet to loft a couple of fours.

His fondness for the aerial route also extended to Ben Hilfenhaus, who was lifted for a one-bounce four.

SCOREBOARD ENGLAND - FIRST INNINGS A J Strauss c Clarke b Johnson...........................30 A N Cook c Hussey b Hilfenhaus.........................10 R S Bopara c Hughes b Johnson.........................35 K P Pietersen c Katich b Hauritz...........................69 P D Collingwood c Haddin b Hilfenhaus..............64 M J Prior b Siddle....................................................56 A Flintoff b Siddle....................................................37 J M Anderson c Hussey b Hauritz........................26 S C J Broad b Johnson..........................................19 GP Swann not out..................................................47 MS Panesar c Ponting b Hauritz.............................4 Extras (b 13, lb 11, w 2, nb 12)............................ 38 Total (all out, 106.5 overs)................................... 435

Fall of wickets: 1-21 2-67 3-90 4-228 5-241 6327 7-329, 8-355, 9-423, 10-435.

Bowling: Johnson 22 2 87 3; Hilfenhaus 27 5 77 2; Siddle 27 3 121 2; Hauritz 23.5 1 95 3; Clarke 5 0 20 0; Katich 2 0 11 0. AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS PJ Hughes not out..................................................20 SM Katich not out......................................................1 Extras (lb 4, w 1)........................................................5 Total (0 wickets; 4 overs)........................................26 To bat: RT Ponting, MEK Hussey, MJ Clarke, MJ North, BJ Haddin, MG Johnson, NM Hauritz, BW Hilfenhaus, PM Siddle.

Bowling: JM Anderson 2 0 8 0; SCJ Broad 2 0 14 0.

CAPTION(S):

AUDACIOUS: Graeme Swann's reverse sweep off Nathan Hauritz brings up England's 400