• Subscribe RSS
  • ASHES URN RETURNS HOME

    England regained the Ashes beating Australia by 197 runs on Sunday to take the five-match series 2-1.

    Michael Hussey was the last man out after tea at The Oval, caught for 121 by Alastair Cook off Graeme Swann as Australia were dismissed for 348 on the fourth day of the fifth Test, falling well short of the 546 target set by England. Swann claimed 4/120 and Steve Harmison picked up 3/54 but it were two run outs in six balls — including that of captain Ricky Ponting — that put England on way to victory and sent all-rounder Andrew Flintoff into Test retirement as a winner.

    The defeat also meant that Ponting became only the second Australia captain in 132 years of Ashes history to lose two consecutive series on England soil. The other was Australia’s first touring captain Billy Murdoch a century ago. Murdoch lost his second series in 1890.

    Australia were always behind once they replied to England's first innings 332 with a below-par 160. The tourists would also regret not being able to win the first Test in Cardiff when they failed to take England's final wicket.

    Hussey scored his first Test century since last October but his 330-minute fighting effort that may have saved his Test career was in a losing cause.

    There had been periods throughout the day when it looked like Australia might achieve a spectacular rearguard action to stave off defeat or even claim an unlikely win. Hussey, who survived two drops by Paul Collingwood at slip to Swann on 21 and 55, put on 127 with Ponting and 91 with Haddin, but neither were significant enough to deny England.

    The pivotal sequence came after lunch when Ponting and vice-captain Michael Clarke were run out. Ponting, who received a standing ovation from the crowd after having been booed in previous Tests, was out for 66 after Hussey called him for a quick single, run out by an accurate throw by Flintoff from mid-on.

    The England team was jumping with joy again next over when Australia's top run-scorer Clarke departed the same way. He clipped Swann towards square leg and set off for a run, not expecting the ball to hit short leg fielder Alastair Cook and dribble back towards him.

    England captain Andrew Strauss reacted quickly and threw at the stumps, before the third umpire gave him out with Clarke's bat only on the line. Australia had gone from a comfortable 217-2 to 220-4. That became 236-5 when Marcus North was stumped by Matt Prior off Swann.

    Before lunch, Simon Katich offered no stroke to Swann, expecting more turn but was out lbw by a straight delivery. He made 43 in 68 balls. Shane Watson departed three balls later for 40, trapped lbw by Stuart Broad.

    Posted in Labels: |

    0 comments: