the ASHES 4TH TEST - DAY THREE REPORT

(Karthik Narayan)

A big lead was in the offing and England as usual were in for a thrashing, that is, like I mentioned a big time miracle of rain, or a magnificent display of sterling stubborn batting.

Anyway, this test isn’t going to be any different – the result didn’t matter, England were already demolished and had little to say. Not can they hope to salvage an Aussie collapse, or a rain miracle, the latter being more likely.

England bowled out Australia for 419. Warne made a beautiful 40* off 54 balls and once again proved his mettle with the bat. Why this man wasn’t able to get a test century is anybody’s guess. He still remains with his record of most runs in tests without a century. A record un-enviable…

Batting in their second innings, England had a lead to cut down and if possible, make Australia bat again. That demanded they be good to themselves and settle down for a big innings. Their batsmen had ideas of going back to the hotel and relaxing in the sun, I guess, because Clark prised Cook’s off stump, Bell saw a finger rise from down below in the slow pace that Umpire Rudi has shown us all his career out there, Pietersen let Clark pick up his off stump with a stunning delivery and Paul Collingwood let Brett Lee sing a “bye bye bye” ala N’Sync back to the pavilion. England were cruising – cruising back to their hotel rooms – 75/4.

Lee had more songs to sing – this time to Strauss (who by now is getting more famous being the “No.700 man”). Signaled 90/5 for England and plenty to think about for the future.

Flintoff hung around for a 45 ball 25. Umpire Rudi saw Clark (bowling with nip, pace and guile), Flintoff missed the ball, ball hit pads. That was good enough. “Out, ye go mate”.

Warne felt left out of the action all this time, because the faster bowlers were operating. It wasn’t until the 30th over that Ponting even met eyes with this great bowler! By that time, most of the work had been done. But knowing Warney, you would see the hunger in his eyes and the magic between his fingers.

Sajid Mahmood got a ripper of a flipper, Warne was up and at ‘em!! England were staring at a 4-0 and this test was still in the 3rd day!

"Oh mighty sun, make way for thy clouds to gather and assemble for one holy breakthrough to save this English team!!" prayers, prayers...

Nothing worked, England crashed hard – Warne added two more to his name. He now has 999 international wickets. Clark was the hero of the day. The Ball had done all the damage in this test, the bat doing nothing much beyond that stiff partnership between Hayden and Symonds.

Brett Lee completed the English tail and ended up with best figures against England – 4/51.

Australia won by an innings and 99 runs within three days. This whole series has become salt-less and sugar-less for the Englishmen.

THE ASHES 4TH TEST - DAY TWO REPORT

(karthik Narayan)

If bowling is Australia’s strength, so is batting! It was a gift of God that these natural athletes are born winners in any sport (except maybe football and table tennis).

Hayden came out of his lean patch (he showed a minor recovery of form in the previous test) and scored a brilliant ton (153) in the company of Symonds (156) and together they put on a mammoth partnership for the 6th wkt – shook England from what they thought was trouble for Australia (84/5 was a bit interesting, but these two broke that flow of wickets).

Hayden has completed 27 test centuries now in such a short span of time that he looks a force to reckon with in the test arena. Slowly but surely the big man has silently made his presence felt. Ricky Ponting just got beyond Steve Waugh, but Hayden is fast catching up!!

Day two at stumps: Aus 372/7

THE ASHES 4TH TEST - DAY ONE REPORT

MCG, BOXNG DAY TEST; DEC 26-29, 2006

(Karthik Narayan)

England won the toss and elected to bat in what is normally called “the Pride of the vanquished” match. Have England become normal cricketers by getting defeated 3-0 in the Ashes from the “Immortal” status they enjoyed in 2005?

Cook didn’t make much sense of 36 balls and Lee struck with the score at 23/1. It was a business day for Australia!

Warne was in his element, approaching his 700th wicket. Who would be that lucky one to get out as No.700 to the greatest bowler of the world was the only question. Good for Warne, it was going to happen sooon. But not before the English hundred was up.

Strauss was the lucky hero (he can now say, “I got out to Warne” to his grandchildren); so for cricketing trivia that may pop up – remember that part.

101/4 with Warne completing 700 – that only meant he was licking his lips for more. He bagged Pietersen, Read (the keeper), Harmison and Panesar to complete a five for on the first day of a test on a pitch dubbed “heaven to the faster bowlers”! which speaks for itself.

England all out for 159, Warne with a five-for. The day’s honors were his for the taking. He basks in the glory that was set for him.

At stumps, day one, Australia were 48/2, a little trouble, but not enough to lose sleep on.

3rd test - DAY FIVE REPORT:

(Karthik Narayan)

English hopes of putting up a fight rested on the shoulders of Flintoff, Pietersen and the tail. Warne as always bowled with his wizardry to spindle out some batsmen, to surmount the pressure on England again. Clark chipped in with two useful wickets, McGrath had done the damage late on day four with two wickets off 3 balls.

England had nowhere to hide now. It was all but over, with Pietersen resisting the assault.

Day five was a test for the Aussie bowlers, how often they can gather wickets, how better they could take catches, how accurate their bowlers were at hitting the stumps and how good their appeals (read screams of “howie”). If it was anything else, do let me know. It was Aussie might against Aussie might – more on the lines of a net practice.

Englishmen lasted, squirmed, played around, did their gardening, tried wasting time at the crease. One thing was sure, both the teams had done better than their first innings, but for England, it would not be enough.

Flintoff’s 51 delayed the obvious, but when Warne had succumbed him to a “bowled” victim across his nearing 700 list, it was 336/6, good, not good enough.

Jones, Mahmood, Harmison and Panesar hit nothing but the dust and by lunch on day 5, England were 349/9, hanging on to dear mother earth for nothing, really. As soon as they were back, Warne bowled Panesar, and that was it!

Aussies had regained the Ashes, and that too in clean straight wins.

There was no doubt regarding the Player of the Match – Mike Hussey. Australia won by 206 runs, with Warne needing just one wicket on his home test to get to the magic figure of 700!

3rd test - DAY FOUR REPORT

(Karthik Narayan)

England had a bad start, Strauss and the team didn’t trouble the scorers, but they recovered with good partnerships from Cook and Bell, Cook scoring his 4th century before he has turned the age of 22, something commendable for a youngster.

That partnership of 170 set up the platform for a decent fightback from England – they have to make a world record to win the test (which is unlikely), but at least if their hearts don’t sink in earlier than their wickets, we may see some cricket yet.

At the end of Day four, England were 265/5, the face off between pride and time – whichever would be salvaged was the question on anybody’s lips.

3rd TEST - DAY THREE REPORT

(Karthik Narayan)

Australia most certainly had the upper hand in both this test and the series – all they had to do was knock up their killer punch. That is precisely what they did!

Hayden and Ponting’s stiff resolve to fight up their skins brought the hosts up to 206-3, a position of respect, if not anything lesser. This was but a glimpse of the ferocity that was yet to come!!

Hussey (he is really ruling the cricketing world right now) and Clarke (good ol’ pup) came to the crease. They both rummaged through the English attack as the “Men in White (shirt and trousers) and baggy green (caps)” and simply left the Englishmen panting. So much chasing after the ball, so much running back to bowl another delivery at these men brought only “@#&^!*&” rather than wickets.

Just when they saw the back of Hussey, the Englishmen might have sighed relief – please hold your breath, said the guily Gilly. The “walk man” came in with about 2 hours before declaration and had clear instructions to go out there and have a party. And the party came – 8 boundaries took Gilchrist to 50 in 40 balls and the demonic attack of pulverizing anything short, wide brought him a ball short of equaling the World Record for the fastest test hundred. Viv Richards might not have had tasted fear when he faced the lethal bowlers, but he most certainly would have had a dollop of fear when his record was nearly thrashed out.

Gilchrist made 100 in 57 balls, the second fastest in test history, Clarke stood for his sterling 135* and that said it all. England were done in, Ashes had passed hands and 557 looked like a mountain of sorts.

End of day three – England were 19/1, with Strauss falling to Brett Lee on nought.

DAY TWO REPORT, 3rd test, dec 14-18, 06

(Karthik Narayan)

England started with a little bit of sun and a lot of Aussie hopes for the day – more Warney’s than “Kevin”, “flint” or even “monty” (cos he wouldn’t be bowling today, perhaps?) Nah, Aussie hopes were high as it is, and their fans were never let down.

England’s late evening troubles were to be laid at rest by the reliable Collingwood & Strauss, but sorry – McGrath had ideas to break them off, Collingwood departed with 4 more runs to the total.

Flintoff and Strauss had a brief partnership, but England were destined to be slayed by Aussie demonic bowlers (McGrath isn’t demonic, nor is Clark, they are just good enough not to be ignored).

55-3; 82-4; 107-5; 114-6; 128-7 – just meant one thing. Aussies were on top and Englishmen were rock bottoming themselves into the gutter. It took a “brave” rescue innings from Pietersen (70 runs), and a decent 42 from Strauss to bring England even closer to the 244 runs that they had given. 215 isn’t a big total, neither is 29 a great lead, but in this low scoring match, it could be devastating yet.

Day two belonged to Australia, as they wrapped up the end of day – their second innings was a promising one: Hayden and Ponting finding the runs. Ponting’s runs were no doubt, he has had the silken touch with the willow, but Hayden’s innings will give Australia the comfort they have always enjoyed – one of their opening batsmen firing, if not both!

This test is taking shape again – and it looks like the Aussie second innings could be the crucial. Whether it crunches enough numbers for Warne, Lee & the others is the question that remains.

THE ASHES TEST THREE – WACA, PERTH – DEC 14-18, 2006

DAY ONE REPORT

(Karthik Narayan)

Perth is traditionally a bouncy, pacy wicket, and it suits bowlers like Brett Lee, who are more aggressive, hit the deck bowlers in today’s cricketing world.

To take full advantage of their commanding position, the Aussies won the toss and decided to bat. They needed to make runs and then bring Lee, Warne in to skittle the Poms.

For the Poms, this test was going to test them fully in terms of mental preparedness and the ability to fight back. The tussle was on, and we were all going to gather for a feast for the eyes and the senses!

Hoggard has been a threat for the grass on which he treads, nothing else. But today he had to do something special. So also Harmison hasn’t troubled many people sleeping while he had been bowling, not definitely the scorers in terms of wickets – perhaps runs!

Langer-Hayden, one of the destructive opening pairs in test history were together for all of 47 runs – Hoggard striking with a fantastic delivery.

Wickets fell at constant intervals – Hayden has not done much for himself in this series, and the trend continued. The big man is losing his touch, by the looks of it. Ponting, Clarke, Symonds came and went back. So did Gilchrist for a duck – Panesar doing the trick for England. Australia collapsed to 172/6 and it was Hussey (the man with the Golden bat) who scored runs along with the middle order to place Australia to a decent 244. Hussey held up one side and scored an unbeaten 74.

Hoggard started off things, Monty had his say – his 5 wicket haul was the first by an English spinner at Perth. Harmison had four to his name. overall, an English day in Oz-land. This test series isn’t going to end so easily, it seems.

Against this, the Englishmen started their first innings in not the way they wanted – McGrath and Lee picking up a wicket each. 37/2 with ended up at 51/2 at stumps, Collingwood and Strauss batting at the crease.

Damien Martyn: The Man for the Moments

(Karthik Narayan)

Elasticity was found in inanimate things in the late 20th Century, but amongst humans, the elastic Damien Martyn was born on 21st October 1971 at Darwin. He is so elastic in the field, stretching every limb to its edge and maybe even further.

Martyn came into the scene in 1992-93, when he got a hitchhike from Dean Jones, now a famous commentator, at his expense though! The lean patch and age of Dean Jones helped Martyn get a break into a team where one has to fight for a place in the side and further survival!

While one majestic square drive from the bat of Ian Bradshaw has been talked about so highly, the very same square drive was nearly the Waterloo for this simple yet stylish in his own way - right-handed batsman. In the 2nd test at Sydney in 1993-94 against the Proteas, he made that very extravagant drive…the drive drove him back to the drawing room. He was ousted from the team immediately. The Aussies don’t like losing, and they lost that test by a narrow margin of 5 runs! Chasing just 117 runs for an important test win, the Aussies collapsed just 7 runs short of victory. Damien would never have been so crossed with himself. Timid McGrath could not last that final frontier of 7 runs and gone, the Aussies had lost at home!

Sporting an average in the high Forties in tests, this technically savvy super star boasts of 13 hundreds in 67 tests till date, with 161 against the Sri Lankans on the spinner friendly pitch at Kandy in 2003-04, which is something really commendable. He helped Australia get a stranglehold on the game, and shave the Lions’ beards in their own Den!

Talking about Martyn’s ODI stints, he was never the quickest scorer to begin with, but slowly he learnt what it takes to be a ODI player, and he learnt it quick. He was not in the team for most of his early twenties, when he was the freshest face in the Aussie team. Well he is still no less fresh than what he was, but after missing 4 years of his cricketing career, he clawed on to an opportunity against India in 1998 with all the guts to make a Golden Comeback of sorts.

Getting back into a team where every performance counts and every run counts is the toughest for any player, however great his records may be. Damien Martyn knew how hard it was to get a test place in this Aussie team that does not take shirkers! Finally after 5 years of exile in Test Cricket, he was finally chosen to play for the series in New Zealand. He managed to wedge a decent 78 at Wellington and then an 89* at Hamilton. At that time, that was his highest score in Test matches.
His first hundred in tests came against England at Birmingham in the Ashes 2001.

Soon after this, his test place was in no danger as he started to score runs at free will. Splendid strokes matched one another from his willow, and soon he was back in business as one of Australia’s best middle order batsman in contemporary times.
His first world cup was the 1999 World Cup in England; where he could not impress anyone with just the two matches that he played. He scored 18 against the Pakistani steamrollers before being bowled, and 11 against SA both at Leeds. I doubt if that’s a record for a person having played all his matches at the same location in a single world cup.

But as World Cup 2003 came, he started off with a duck in his first match against Pakistan again, but soon found his rhythm with good scores in that series, amassing runs when Australia needed them most. Four fifties at quick scoring rates helped Australia redeem their position in this game as the World Champions. He was injured during the course of this world cup and missed out on the Semi Final versus Sri Lanka, but managed to mesmerize in his own way in that all-important Final against the Indian team. After his captain showed the way with a classy and all aggressive brilliant hundred, Martyn came into the party with a super 88* at Johannesburg.
Ever since his comeback in the team in both tests and ODIs, he has been pure ecstasy to watch whether with the bat or in the field.

A typically aussie adding flavor to the table, his best year was 2004, when he went to Sri Lanka and India (instrumental in Australia winning in India after 35 years). He scored 6 centuries in that one year and was a force to reckon with.

A martin is a bird that builds its nest the hard way, mostly where humans live, in buildings. Damien Richard Martyn is like a bird, he flies every now and then for his great catches and he also builds his innings with the bat slowly. 67 Tests, 14 years, 4406 runs at 46.37, plus 208 ODI’s – soldier, you have done well! Its true that your services to this great game and this great team would most certainly be missed, but decisions are to be made. I personally wish you well in the future aspects of your life.

2nd test DAY FIVE REPORT

(Karthik Narayan)

Day 5 would determine quite a bit on this series – there were only two possible results in the match – Australian win and a draw. Considering the nature of the Aussies and their determination to win and have nothing else, the match would have special moments today.

And it did hold good – Strauss fell to Warne, a neat catch to the short leg fieldsman. Even though the dismissal was something any umpire would scratch his head for (after he sees the replay, that is), Steve Bucknor seemed happy enough to give the wicket to Warne. This triggered a mini-collapse of sorts – Pietersen got a great delivery – something pitching just on leg stump and turning a mile to clip the off stump. Classic leg spinner to get rid of a dangerous batsman – Warney boy was on fire.

70/3 became 73/4 when Lee got into the action with his “haiyaa” kind of bowling – the faster shorter variety – Flintoff’s lash at it only caught the outside edge and straight to Gilly who was waiting in the wings behind for such catches.

Jones scored 10 before throwing his bat at a wide one – unwise; and Giles didn’t trouble the scorers – Warne again the destroyer.

At 94/6, this match was far from a draw! Australia had strung the bow for the challenge – now it was upto England to save their necks and their hands on the Ashes!

Wickets soon tumbled – Warne doing his tricks, supported ably by Lee. The Englishmen were vanquished at 129, leaving Australia 168 to win with just over 3 runs to the over (run rate required).

Even though they were jolted with some early wickets, the Aussies went about their batting rather clinically – Ponting and Hussey, once again came to the party. Aussies finished with 6 wickets in hand and a 2-0 lead in the 5 match series.

The surprising factor in the Aussie first innings was their run rate was rather low, compared to their standards. This time around, they had a run rate of 5.11, as good as an ODI!

Overall, a fascinating test match, with lots of action. What seemed to be a draw was forced into a result by those awesome Aussies! Kudos to them.

At the presentation, this said it all:

Flintoff: "We played a lot of good cricket apart from an hour today. I was pleased with the side we went into this match with. I'm not in a great mood at the moment. We've got to bounce back."

Ponting: "We've worked exceptionally hard. To turn it round today was an amazing effort. We've just shown how good a team we are and we've answered all the critics."

There was no doubt about the man of the match – Ricky Ponting.

Match scores:

Eng 1st Inns – 551/6 decl

Aus 1st Inns – 513 all out

Eng 2nd Inns – 129 all out

Aus 2nd Inns – 168/4
Hussey 61* (off just 66 balls)

Result: Aus won by 6 wickets.

2nd test - DAY FOUR REPORT:

(Karthik Narayan)

Even though the Aussies had gotten out of trouble, they were not far from it. A mini collapse would enable England to sneak in back into the test – they had a healthy first innings score. Here is where the Aussies are so good – they have enough heroes in their midst. Clarke came to the fore with a decent century – it wasn’t by any means enterprising, or his normal speedy ones, but it was highly effective. At the other end, the wily stumper, Adam Gilchrist pounded the English attack and made 64 in good time (about 80 balls) and made up for lost time and strengthened the Aussie total.

The Aussies were dismissed after Tea for 513, but they had saved their skins! Clarke’s century, Warne’s stubborn 43 had kicked them out of the hole England had tried to dig for them. Hoggard had all the honors of one of the best bowling performances at the ground with 7 wickets in the innings. He really relishes the aussie batsmen, as he has made quite a bit of five-fors against them.

England resumed where they left off – the batting was never in question in this test.

With just 4 sessions left in the test, it looks very much to peter into a draw. The pitch just seems too good a batting surface for any miracles to happen at this stage.

2nd test - DAY THREE REPORT

(karthik Narayan)

Australia walked into bat with the wall against their backs and trouble lurking ahead. The first session was too crucial for both sides that the tension did show on the faces. England had the upper hand, but anything is possible in the game of cricket.

Hayden didn’t last much longer than a handful of runs in the morning session, and the sun was already on the shoulders of the Englishmen. Martyn stooped into double figures, only the third Aussie from the top 4 to do so, but at 65/3, Ponting and Hussey had a job on their hands. There were two things to do: stem the wicket flow, and also to keep a partnership going. Both were tough under the circumstances with a huge lead.

Luckily, England fielders have an uncanny habit of dropping catches – they would rather catch butterflies but are butterfingers with the cricket ball. That helped the Aussies a great deal – by lunch on day 3, the Oz were making things happen. And by end of the day, they were better placed at 312/5, Ponting becoming the maximum century maker for Australia with his 33rd century in test matches. His magic with the willow continues!!

Hussey made an useful 91 and together they had thwarted the English bowlers except Hoggard, who kept nagging away for his 4 wickets in the day.

2ND TEST DAY TWO REPORT:

DAY TWO REPORT:

(KARTHIK NARAYAN)

England looked solid for a big total on the board with wickets in hand and a partnership striking panic in the mind of the Australians. Ponting’s bowlers looked jaded and nothing really clicked for them. After getting the third Englishmen (Bell, 60) at 158, they had to wait for a hiatus to strike again. 310 runs split the 3rd and 4th wickets and it only meant that the agony had been built right under their noses.

With a mini collapse coming in, the Englishmen promptly declared at 551/6, the runs coming in 168 overs and 3 Australians having given away over a hundred runs off their bowling, something that hadn’t been commonplace at all in the first test.

When the Australians started off, they didn’t have the blessings for a good end – Langer was dismissed with the score at 8.

Ponting and Hayden readied themselves for some real challenges towards the end of the second days’ play.

The scores at end of day two:

Eng 1st Inns: 551/6

Collingwood 206
Pietersen 158 (his highest score equaled thrice now)
Bell 60

Aus 1st Inns 28/1

Flintoff picking up Langer on the last ball of the 2nd over of the innings (his first over)

THE ASHES – SECOND TEST

THE ASHES – SECOND TEST

ADELAIDE OVAL, DEC 1-5, 2006

DAY ONE REPORT:

(KARTHIK NARAYAN)

What an amazing turnaround from the first test! England played their first innings and made it look like nothing like the fiasco of the first test had ever happened.

They won the toss and set themselves in to bat against the Aussies. The hero of the first test was playing indeed, good news for the Aussies (McGrath). But the happiness was short lived as nothing really happened for the home team.

Even though wickets did fall, England were 45/2, but Bell and Collingwood steadied the ship and looked in fine nick. Collingwood was playing a special innings, like he has always been the harbinger of good fortunes for England.

Bell was dismissed soon after the two put up a century partnership, but the mantle had been passed on to one of the most exciting stars of the England side – Kevin Pietersen! Collingwood on one side and Pietersen on the other made matters worse for the Aussies.

At the end of day one, the Poms were 266/3, with Collingwood closing in on what would be a fine century (98*) and Pietersen giving him good company (60*).