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.