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Sports - Cricket - Ashes - 4th Test - Melbourne - Day 4
My picks of the fourth day:
England have retained the Ashes for the first time in 24 years by thrashing Australia by an innings and 157 runs. It is their biggest win against their bitter rivals since 1956 and made Ricky Ponting the first Australian skipper in 120 years to lose the Ashes three times. Whilst he is out of the last Test and doubtful for keeping the captaincy in general, England captain Andrew Strauss is a proud man and hopeful his side can win the series emphatically by avoiding defeat in the fifth and final Test in Sydney starting on Sunday.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
Australia 258 all out, England beat Australia by an innings and 157 runs: It was only a question of when not if the Aussies would fall and England could celebrate...
Partnerships: Australia resumed batting on day four on 169-6, England needing only three wickets to tie up and finish the match and series successfully with Ryan Harris unable to bat due to injury. Mitchell Johnson (6) fell quickly bowled and beaten by Chris Tremlett's reverse swing (Australia 172-7). But Brad Haddin (55*) and Peter Siddle (40) created a bit of a fight back with a partnership of 86, postponing the inevitable by an hour-and-a-bit. But when Siddle fell, Ben Hilfenhaus (0) followed soon after and after finally getting Australia all out for 258, England were able to let the fun and celebrations begin.
Bowling: Tremlett, Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan took a wicket each on the day making it five and six wickets in the match for the two fast bowlers respectively. Although the bowlers did a great job in the whole match, each chipping in with wickets, James Anderson also with five and Swann finding a bit of his form back with two, batsman Jonathan Trott won the man-of-the-match award and deservedly so for his unbeaten 168 score he contributed to England's staggeringly score of 513 and unreachable lead of 415.
Ups: For the first time I can remember (I was only 1 the last time this happened) England have retained the Ashes and won it Down Under! I am definitely going to buy this DVD-set, that is for sure!!!
Downs: The attendance has fallen just as drastically as and with the Aussies from 84,345 on day one, it went down to 67,149/68,773 the next couple of days and then plummeted to 19,889 on day four. And as far as I could tell, 99% of them were all part of the Barmy Army, chanting and celebrating on!
Hero to zero: It has been confirmed this morning that Aussies skipper Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of the Sydney Test due to aggravation of the fracture to the little finger of his left hand. Michael Clarke will replace him as skipper and Usman Khawaja will make his Test debut with the bat. After scoring only 113 runs in eight innings and averaging only 16.14 this series, I am not too sure whether it Ponting's injury is the only reason which excludes him from Australia's team sheet and would not be surprised if that is the last we have seen of him, as the Aussie skipper at least...
Australia v England fourth Test fourth day as it happened:
Highlights taken from the BBC website:
- WICKET, Johnson bowled Tremlett 6 (Australia 172-7): Brad Haddin is a sinewy character, with uncomplicated with a see-it-and-hit-it philosophy to batting, punching a lovely meaty straight drive past bowler Chris Tremlett towards the mid-on boundary, but Alastair Cook makes an excellent parry to cut the runs down to a single. But Mitchell Johnson's stay ends when he is cleaned up by a Chris Tremlett delivery. It's started...
- Australia 210-7: Siddle gets in on the boundary-scoring antics with an aerial thump over mid-off before adopting similar tactics with a chop over gully down to deep point off Tremlett, who wears the expression of a man who can't quite work out whether he locked the back door before flying out to Australia. Meanwhile, Sid El moves to 14 from 25 deliveries. Decent fight from this eight-wicket duo. Well played.
- DRINKS BREAK, Australia 237-7: Wonderful drift from Swann, moving away from Haddin's bat before turning sharply off the wicket, mesmeric bowling, a real pleasure to watch. Just a single to Haddin from the over and he moves on to 48. A beverage break.
- WICKET, Siddle c Pietersen b Swann 40 (Australia 258-8): Siddle goes for the big guns again and launches another huge swat high into the air, but he doesn't get enough willow to clear the ropes as Kevin Pietersen takes a smart catch just centimetres from the boundary ropes. Get your drink of choice on the go, we're almost there...
- WICKET, Hilfenhaus c Prior b Bresnan 0 (Australia 258-9): That's it - start the car! ENGLAND HAVE RETAINED THE ASHES! Hilfenhaus edges a simple catch to Matt Prior for Tim Bresnan's fourth wicket of the innings. The celebrations have begun - let the fun begin... ENGLAND BEAT AUSTRALIA BY AN INNINGS AND 157 RUNS.
Sports - Cricket - Ashes - 4th Test - Melbourne - Day 2
My picks of the second day:
England lost five wickets and fell to 286-5 on day two at Melbourne with Peter Siddle's name written on all of them in one way (caught two) or the other (bowling two catches and one lbw). It all seemed to be going Australia's way after a nightmare of a first day, until Jonathan Trott (141*) and Matt Prior (75*) took over and stabilised England to 444-5 and extending the guest's lead to 346.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
1st session, England 226-2, 128 ahead at lunch: Australia will be happy with the start to the day, happier than on day one that is for sure, taking two early wickets, breaking the opening partnership and taking out the two top scorers of the match so far.
2nd session, England 304-5, 206 ahead at tea: Australia are taking wickets but are nowhere near taking any control, with no decision going their way, England continuing play, scoring and making it as hard as possible for the hosts, whilst their skipper is losing it and making the job even harder for the umpires and his team.
3rd session, England 444-5, 346 ahead at the end of day two: The day continues going and ends up all England's way with Trott and Prior reaching the highest sixth-wicket Test partnership by England at Melbourne, beating the 140 by Patsy Hendren and Maurice Leyland in 1929 and they are still going...
Partnerships: As mentioned above, Australia were happy to get their first breakthrough early on, ending Andrew Strauss (69) and Alastair Cook's partnership (82) with two quick consecutive wickets with just over half an hour played on the day. Then all hell broke out in the second session, Trott and Kevin Pietersen (51) looking to even things out for England again with a partnership of 92, frustrating and angering the Aussies, refusing to go early and easy. A little crumble followed after KP fell though, Paul Collingwood (8) and Ian Bell (1) following the former skipper to the stands in quick succession. But Trott and Prior made sure the Aussies would have nothing to smile about, falling for nothing, no tricks, no quick flashes of disasters or the like, Trott reaching his fifth Tests hundred in the process for England and moving him to second in the highest run scorer lists in 2010 behind India's Sachin Tendulkar.
Bowling: Siddle took three wickets and caught two off Mitchell Johnson on the day, looking like he was the only Australian player to have turned up and in the right mind today. Ricky Ponting made an embarrassment of himself and whatever his side has achieved on the day with his tantrum to the umpires. Just when you thought Siddle and Johnson were clinching on and scrambling back some kind of control for Australia, their skipper and his impatience and impertinence made sure they would have none of it.
Ups: It was everything else but boring, that is for sure. The umpires did a great job in all the ups and downs and controversy, with and without the third umpire and video review, they kept their cool, hats on and doing their job brilliantly and respectfully (unlike one certain skipper). All together, it has certainly added salt onto the hosts' wounds and spice into the whole match and contest.
Downs: I don't like the fact that half the ground ends up empty as soon as things go against the Aussies. Us England fans have and are used to seeing our side down and thrashed often enough through the years (in any sport)but we still stay and sing on. For the first time in decades the same thing is happening to the Aussies and what do they do?! Come on!
Hero to zero: Well, I will give you three guesses who is the booman at the moment. All the posters and newspapers showed his miserable and/or crying face and he underlined that by how he acted today. If Ponting stays on as Australian captain for much longer after this series, I will be very surprised...
Australia v England fourth Test second day as it happened:
Highlights taken from the BBC website:
1st session:
- England 158-0: The sun is shining - no likelihood of four days of rain to save Australia here - as Siddle charges in to Andrew Strauss, facing for the first time today. The England skipper, with plenty of time on his hands, doesn't play anything he doesn't have to and another maiden ensues.
- WICKET, Cook c Watson b Siddle 82 (England 159-1): Australia's first breakthrough as Cook nudges Siddle to Shane Watson at first slip. Is it too late for the worm to turn?
- WICKET, Strauss c Hussey b Siddle 69 (England 170-2): After a single from Trott, Strauss tries to force Siddle to leg, it loops up off the shoulder of the bat and he's caught at gully! (Rather like Tremlett's dismissal of Watson yesterday, if you saw that).
- DRINKS BREAK, England 188-2: "There's a very chilly wind out there," notes Aggers on TMS as he notices the number of people reaching for coats and fleeces at the MCG. That's a maiden over from "Gentle Ben" Hilfenhaus to Trott - and time for drinkies.
- England 226-2: Trott is watchful against Smith, eventually pushing an all-run four to one of those astonishingly long MCG boundaries at mid-wicket. That's lunch - England have scored 69 for the loss of two wickets in this session, and lead by 128.
2nd session:
- England 240-2: NEW BALL AVAILABLE, Australia are a little ragged in the field as KP and Trott plunder three singles from Smith's over. So, will the new cherry enter the fray?
- England 246-2: NEW BALL TAKEN, Ben Hilfenhaus returns to the attack, KP smashes the first ball of the over back past the bowler for four, and the second new ball is then taken. Pietersen defends the sphere nouveau, taking a two off the last ball of the over.
- England 254-2: Trott guides Hilfenhaus for a two and a single, he's up to 44. KP drives fiercely, Hilfy deflects the ball onto the stumps but thankfully Trott had kept his bat firmly grounded.
- UMPIRE REVIEW: Harris spears in one which goes straight through Trott, who is beaten outside off stump as he tries to force the ball to leg. Geoff Boycott on TMS is purring at Harris bowling in his favoured "corridor of uncertainty". Trott stabs a single, KP straight-drives for four to reach 49, then Haddin appeals for a catch behind and Australia invoke the Decision Review System! NOT OUT: Now, did that brush KP's pad? There's certainly nothing on his bat on Hotspot, the ball looked to go between bat and pad. And there's clearly enough doubt for the third ump to signal "not out", and Ricky Ponting isn't happy, having a right go at umpire Aleem Dar. He really harangues Mr Dar - Punter, just accept the decision and move on. I hope the match referee is watching this, as Punter may well end up losing a chunk of his match fee if he continues to harangue the officials like this. He then goes over to have a whinge at the other umpire, Tony Hill! Sorry, Punter, but that's disgraceful. You may have a fractured finger but you should hang your head in shame. England 259-2: That was the last ball of the over, by the way.
- England 261-2, PIETERSEN FIFTY: More and more replays (and Hotspots) are shown - but whether the technology got it right or wrong (and there was enough doubt for the batsman to get the benefit of the doubt), you do not harangue the umpire for that long after a decision, whether you're Ricky Ponting at the MCG or Joe Bloggs on the village green. Even Jim Maxwell on TMS, an Aussie, says "you accept the umpire's decision". Back in the game, Trott adds a single, and Pietersen clips one off his legs to bring up his half century, to the delight of the Barmy Army. But not the Australian crowd, many of whom boo him.
- WICKET, Pietersen lbw b Siddle 51 (England 262-3): Peter Siddle into the attack, KP trapped back on his crease and he walks off before the umpire even raises his finger. The atmosphere at the "G" is quite electric.
- England 270-3: Trott pushes Siddle to leg, Punter gives chase and sends in a return from the long-on boundary, Trott goes for a dodgy third and has to dive for the crease at the bowler's end. It goes up to the third umpire... and it's too close to call. In one frame, Trott is short of the crease and the stumps are intact, in the next frame Trott is home but the stumps are broken. Third ump's verdict... NOT OUT! Punter may well explode.
- DRINKS BREAK, England 277-3, TROTT FIFTY: Trott punches Harris for a single to bring up his half century, then Colly off-drives and Punter (not fielding in the slips because of his fractured finger) is a ball-magnet at the moment, it's following him around the field. They run three. Trott pushes the last ball before the drinks break for three more. Hopefully the drinks cart might bring Punter some cocoa to calm him down a little.
- WICKET, Collingwood c Siddle b Johnson 8 (England 281-4): Mitchell Johnson into the attack in place of Harris, his first ball is wild down the leg side. He bangs in a short ball to Collingwood, who hooks and it's straight down the throat of the man at long leg. That's 10 scores in single figures from his last 12 innings. Oh, Colly...
- WICKET, Bell c Siddle b Johnson 1 (England 286-5): Johnson drops it short, Bell hooks and gets a top edge just like Collingwood... and is caught by Siddle just like Colly was! Great catch though, he really had to run in from fine leg.
- APPEAL - NOT OUT, England 295-5: As if he's trying to replicate the bouncer that removed Colly and Bell, Johnson is banging the ball in all over the place, but when Prior tries to push the ball into the covers, he edges behind to Haddin and is given out. But Prior stays at the pitch after Umpire Dar calls him back - it may have been a no-ball. And the TV replays show... it was a no-ball! And Prior stays! Astonishing scenes - Punter may lose the plot completely here!
- England 304-5: This should be the last over before tea, as Australia fiddle with the field long enough to ensure we'll go past 0410. After a single from Trott, another lovely cover drive from Prior brings him two runs and ends an enthralling session. England lead by 206.
3rd session:
- DRINKS BREAK, England 347-5: Australia persist with Harris even though Peter Siddle, who's been Australia's best bowler today, hasn't bowled since the 95th over and we're now in the 112th... Prior plays out a maiden, and he and Trott (who now averages 88 against Australia) reach the latest drinks break unscathed.
- DRINKS BREAK, England 388-5: Plenty of heart and effort from Siddle, but Trott's unswerving patience ensures another maiden over. Probably the last drinks break of the day...
- England 393-5: Prior begins the "home straight" of day two with a single, Trott despatches a half-volley for four with a fluent on-drive. England lead by 295... and if Australia were to win this Test, it would be a new world record - as the highest first-innings deficit overturned to win a Test is 291 by Australia against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1992.
- England 400-5: Prior turns Siddle off his legs for a well-run three which takes him to 48, before a marvellous cover-driven four, right off the middle of the bat takes Trott to 125 and England to 400. Rather like yesterday, if you're just waking up in the UK and supporting England... look at the scoreboard and begin the working day with a smile on your face!
- England 404-5, PRIOR FIFTY: Prior latches onto a loose delivery from Smith and smashes it through mid-wicket for four to make sure of his 16th Test fifty. And it's fair to say that from the email reaction his comment has produced, I think Salim at 0610 is on his own with his theory that England may not have a big enough first-innings lead...
- THAT'S A RECORD, England 427-5: Smith takes a rest, Shane Watson is recalled to the attack. Trott helps himself to two with a pull to fine leg, and this is now the highest sixth-wicket Test partnership by England at Melbourne, beating the 140 by Patsy Hendren and Maurice Leyland in 1929. Today's attendance: 67,149.
- CLOSE OF PLAY, England 444-5: Johnson to bowl the last over, and it looks as though he's going to bowl a foot outside off stump with seven men on the off side. Trott won't have anything to do with that. When he does pitch one on the stumps, Trott defends it and Johnson pretends he's going to aggressively throw at the stumps, earning him a pantomime villain-style "boo" from the Barmies. A two off the last ball takes England to 444 - old Shep would be proud. They lead by 346. And that, as they say, is that.
Sports - Cricket - Ashes - 1st Test - Brisbane - Day 5
My picks of the fifth and final day:
Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott broke record after record on the fifth and final day at the Gabba. England declared 517-1, 296 ahead, and took a wicket before tea to make the hosts more than nervous, but in the end Australia survived the last session without losing any further wickets, turning the obvious prediction of the morning into the result at the end of the day and leaving honours and spoils even after the first Test.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
1st session, England 439-1, 218 ahead at lunch: England in dreamland with all top three batsmen scoring centuries for the first time since 1924. Superb morning for batting, Australia would rather forget about it, hardly any fans in the ground apart from a happy, dancing, singing and dancing English bunch.
2nd session, England declared on 517-1, 296 ahead, Australia 11-1 at tea: All records and eyes are on England. Stuart Broad gets the early breakthrough and first wicket of the day - can they do the impossible and get Australia all out in the last innings of the day and match? As we have learnt from this match, nothing is impossible...
3rd session, Australia 107-1, 189 behind, match drawn at the end of the fifth and final day: England could not do the impossible and grab a win in the end, but a draw is still a result-and-a-half for the guests, especially in what fashion and after the first disastrous couple of days! Record breaking match from both sides, draw it is, bring on Adelaide.
Partnerships:
Sir Jack Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe and Frank Woolley were the last top three batsmen to score centuries in the same innings for England against Australia, back in 1924, fourth man Patsy Hendren adding his half-century to the lot. Cook scored his maiden double-century from 361 balls in 537 minutes and is only the second to do so in Australia since WWII, Paul Collingwood the other in 2006, overtaking Sir Ian Botham's record top score for an Englishman in an Ashes Test at the Gabba and Donald Bradman's record of top scorer ever in Brisbane, too. Trott was dropped twice on 34 and 75 by Michael Clarke and ended up scoring 135, his second Ashes century in as many appearances, and building a record partneship of 329 with Cook - breaking the previous record of 307 runs produced by Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin only two days before. In the end, Australia were spared any shocking fall by Ricky Ponting's 51st half century from only 40 balls and his partnership of 102 runs with Shane Watson, ending the day and match with a draw and that bit more honorable for the Aussies.
Bowling: It was more the fielders that let down their sides most with drops all over the place. First Clarke missed a sitter at slip by Trott off Watson, his second drop v Trott (on 34 and 75), then the third umpire reckoned Cook's shot didn't carry to Ponting at mid-wicket who was not happy with the decision as he thought he had gotten his fingers underneath; and to make things from bad to worse the skipper misses a sitter in the slips a couple of overs later, Cook the lucky one again. England didn't go without a drop either - Cook, of all fielders, the one you can always count on, top-catcher, dropping Watson. We will never know if any of those misses would turned the match around again. But, I think we had enough twists and turns for one match, in record-breaking fashion. I can't wait until Thursday night, when the second Test kicks off for us here in the UK...
Ups: There were hardly any Australian fans left - it was a game of spot the Aussie in the crowd on the last day, with the England fans taking over. The little in numbers they were, the louder and more encouraging they were for their team, the 12th man alright on this day. And they were rewarded alright for all their effort.
Downs: As mentioned yesterday, after seeing both sides playing their hearts out, it was a shame to see no result out of all the action and drama and records and blunders and wonders. It is definitely a promising indication of what's to come though and a brilliant promotion for the game and tournament.
Hero to zero: Australia somehow lost the plot. At the end of day three you thought the match was the Aussies oyster and it would give them the best start to this Ashes tournament they could have wished for. But, how do they say, every game has two halves, every match has two innings and England will have thanked god for that in this match. The second innings turned the match around, turning England from zeroes to heroes, and the Aussies... Well, you get the gist...
Australia v England first Test day five as it happened
1st session:
- 152 off 271 partnership and 150 off 302 for Alastair Cook, his third 150, England with a solid start to the morning v Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, 340-1, 119 ahead, Jonathan Trott on 66 off 146.
- Mitchell Johnson on for Australia, looking to find some kind of form. Trott dropped at first slip on 75 off Johnson, straight to Clarke and straight out of his hands, England 365-1 at the end of that over, 144 ahead. Blank Aussie faces, Trott was walking, completing about three steps thinking that was the end of his innings for sure. Trott dropped by Clarke on 34 and 75.
- 17 overs, 61 runs, 0 wickets so far this morning, England 370-1, 149 ahead. Xavier Doherty on for Australia.
- 150 lead comes up for England next delivery. Shane Watson v Cook at the other end.
- 191 partnership highest for England v Australia, Cook's career best on 175, record after record after record for England, 379-1, 158 ahead at the end of that over. 20 overs, 78 runs from it.
- Next ball: 200 partnership off 333 balls, Cook contributing 104 off 157 from his total of 176 off 333 and Trott 83 off 176.
- Boundary after boundary for England, including a sweet 6 for Cook and 8 byes by Doherty, 400 comes up for England, 402-1, 181 ahead, 214 off 344 partnership, healthy run rate of 4.2 so far this morning.
- Highest successful run chase so far at Brisbane has been 236 for Australia...
- Marcus North comes into attack v Trott. Boundary brings up 200 lead for England.
- Btw: It's the first time ever there's no English nor Australian batsman in the ICC top 10, Trott the highest England player on 12th... Surely that will change after this Test's records?!
- More records tumbling... Cook on 199, his highest ever score. Trott on 93.
- Cook hesitant but gets single to give him his maiden double-century from 361 balls in 537 minutes, only the second to do so in Australia since WWII, Paul Collingwood the other in 2006. England 434-1, 213 ahead, 246 partnership, last over before lunch.
- Cook on 201, Trott on strike on 95. Trott v Doherty: 2 0 0 0 3 and a century for Trott before lunch, his fourth century, second v Australia, the celebrations show how much it means to him, 100 off 213.
- 0 off the last ball, 251 partnership, England go to lunch 218 ahead at 439-1 off 133 overs, all top three batsmen with centuries for the first time since 1924. Superb morning for batting, Australia would rather forget about it, hardly any fans in the ground apart from a happy, dancing, singing and dancing English bunch. See how far England can and will want to take it until they declare, if they declare, and if they can scare Australia out of a draw and into defeat. I would think and feel to just smash it in after lunch, treat it like a ODI or 20twenty and see how far the total can go before getting the Aussies in flapping... Just my idea... But I'm not at the crease... And better for it I think! :-P A happy lunch-nap for me... :-D
2nd session:
- Last time all top three England batsmen got centuries was 1924, Hobbs, Sutcliffe and Woolley, Hendren adding his half century.
- Ponting catch, but has it carried? It's sent to the third umpire Tony Hill, no great celebration, given not out, Cook survives on 209, England 457-1. Not sure whether it bounced or the skipper got his fingers underneath, no celebration, I think that's what let the Aussies down, no reaction by anyone, weariness, no appeal whatsoever, whether it's because of the scoreboard or because they had doubts about the catch and whether it's carried is for them to know, but the umpires weren't impressed, that's for sure, so not out stands eventhough and even if Ponting has his objections.
- Cook boundary brings up 250 partnership.
- Appeal for lbw next ball not given, Australia with no reviews left, boundary next ball to add salt onto the wound - replays show it was marginally outside the line but hit the stumps, umpire's call would have stood anyway.
- Aaaaand another drop for Ponting at first slip on the off-side!
- Trott smashes the next ball down the pitch for four, the salt-on-wound trend continues, the England batsmen anihilating the Aussie bowlers.
- Single brings up 300 partnership off 479, England 494-1, 273 lead end of that (146th) over.
- A boundary smashed in by Cook and more byes conceded by Australia bring up the record partnership, highest at the ground, breaking Haddin and Hussey's record that was set a just a couple of days ago and brings up England's half-millennium, 503-1 end of that over.
- 505-1, 284 ahead, and drinks come on end of the next over.
- Cook on 230 breaking Don Bradman's record from the 1930s to become highest scorer ever at this ground, Trott on 128, 317 partnership off 494 deliveries, Johnson and Doherty both conceding over a century each.
- 513-1 after 150 overs, Cool 233, Trott 133, 292 lead. Will England declare? If so, when? When they pass the 300 mark on the lead?
- Stuart Broad has left his seat (to warm up I give it a guess), and yes, Strauss comes out and calls his men in, Cook 235 (sixth highest score ever v Australia - and he could have gone on!), Trott 135, 329 partnership, England 517-1 after 152 overs. 1.5 sessions left, Australia need 297 to win off 41 overs left in the day (required rate of 7.24), England need ten wickets off 246 balls (that means they have 24.6 balls per wicket or in other words, a wicket every 6-7 overs).
- Big cheers for England as they come on, Aus 0-0 & 481; England 260 & 517-1 dec.
- Shane Watson v James Anderson to kick off the last and decisive innings of the match - who would have thought it would have been England all smiles and hopeful, ey?
- First over a solid maiden over, good start for Anderson, defend, defend, defend for Australia.
- Stuart Broad v Simon Katich, slight changes to the field discussed and made, three slips, a gully and one at short leg, Katich off the mark, 2-0 at the end of the second over.
- Katich edges it and is gone, caught by Strauss off Broad, out for 4 off 16, Australia 5-1, first wicket of the day and nine to go...
- Ricky Ponting to the crease...
- Three slips and a gully, short mid-wicket and a silly one on the off-side, the skipper's off the mark with a single from the third delivery he faces, off his glove. 6-1 at the end of that over.
- Four fielders on the legside v Ponting, Anderson going straight at him, Kevin Pietersen conceding four overthrows with a boundary what was just a single for Australia, Anderson not happy at all, 11-1.
- Brilliant over by Anderson to make it 11-1 at tea after 7 overs. All records and eyes are on England.
3rd session:
- Anderson and Broad having their goes at Watson and Broad. Temperaments flowing over a bit. Australia 30-1.
- Graeme Swann into attack, boundary off his second ball. Ponting edges it to first slip but is dropped by Collingwood, should have been a wicket!
- Broad still at the other end, Australia 36-1.
- 43-1, Steven Finn on...
- Australia end the day on 107-1, Ponting reaching his 51st half century and Watson on 40ish. A draw it is but it was everything else but a given, obvious, boring match. Day one and two, you thought England were going to get a thrashing and beating of a lifetime, on day three that trend changed thanks to the last session and 5 wickets for only 45 runs. The last two days were all England and you thought - could they do the impossible and grab a win?! They didn't in the end, but a draw is still a result-and-a-half for England, especially in what fashion and after the first disastrous couple of days! Record breaking match from both sides, draw it is, bring on Adelaide! :-D
