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.

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.