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!