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.