The Ashes - England v Australia 2009

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Australia tour of England 2009

Fixture

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Australia take 44-run lead over England

CARDIFF: Australia captain Ricky Ponting led from the front with a commanding innings of 150 as the Ashes holders regained the advantage in the first Test against England here on Friday.

Australia, at stumps on the third day at Sophia Gardens, were 479 for five - a lead of 44 runs.

Marcus North, making his Ashes debut, was 54 not out and Brad Haddin four not out.

Ponting and opener Simon Katich (122) had both rammed home how wasteful a trio of England batsmen, including Kevin Pietersen, had been in not going on after making first-day fifties.

But the weather, which stopped play for more than two hours in the final session because of a rain break, was threatening to play a decisive role.

An already historic match - this was the first Test played in Wales - became even more so when the floodlights were switched on in the final session to enable play to re-start following a rain break of more than two hours.

It was the first time an England home Test had been floodlit but after 28 minutes the umpires ruled the conditions unsuitable and, after conferring with the batsmen, called play off.

Unfortunately for Australia, that was enough time for them to lose vice-captain Michael Clarke for 83 when he gloved a hook off Stuart Broad to wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

The manner of Clarke''s dismissal was unexpected as he''d batted with authority during a 145-ball innings featuring a six and nine fours.

It also meant more disappointment in the first Test of an Ashes series for Clarke, who was also in sight of a hundred when out for 91 at Lord''s in 2005.

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Australia declare 239 runs ahead

CARDIFF: For a third day in row England’s demoralised bowlers wheeled away with all the luck of someone who’s just walked across the path a black cat and smashed a mirror while walking under a ladder.

In all honesty they didn’t deserve any fortune after another day’s abject bowling display and signs from Strauss early on that it was a damage limitation exercise by time wasting with field placings and underbowling key bowlers.

Australia eventually put England out of their own misery, a cricketing version of shooting a lame horse if you like, by declaring on 674 for 6, once wicket keeper Brad Haddin completed his balmy century and holed out on the attack to Ravi Bopara in the deep.

Marcus North by that point had already joined Ponting, Katich and Haddin on the Cardiff honours board, further undermining pre-series reports that he was no more than a solid county professional, much like the much maligned spinner Nathan Hauritz who took more wickets in England’s first innings than Swann and Panesar combined in Australia’s.

The declaration, which gave Australia a 239 -run first innings lead, was inspired from Ponting, leaving England a tricky 30 minute period to negotiate before tea or as it happened before the rains came.

England’s frail top order failed to repel the burning heat emanating from the Australian fast bowlers as both Alistair Cook and Ravi Bopara missed straight deliveries and succumbed lbw to Johnson and Hilfenhaus respectively, leaving England teetering on 20 for 2 before play was finally suspended for the day.

England will need to regroup overnight and come again in the morning, but we’ve been saying that for the last three days.

Psychologically and physically the joyless 180 overs England have spent in the field will have left them flushed and weak and a dominant Australia will be scenting victory before tea on the final day.

Andrew Strauss will need to show his hand with a captain’s innings, supported by a show of concentration and obduracy from Pietersen, Collingwood and Prior, if England are to save this test match.

More concerns for England: the amount of turn the pitch showed at times during the fourth day, though England’s bowlers failed take advantage of it, and that there are only three rest days between now and the second test, leaving drained bowlers little time to refuel.

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England cling on for dramatic Ashes draw

CARDIFF: England''s last wicket-pair of James Anderson and Monty Panesar batted together for 40 minutes to salvage a dramatic draw in the first Ashes Test against Australia here on Sunday.

England, needing to make 239 to avoid an innings defeat at Sophia Gardens, were in desperate trouble when Paul Collingwood was out for a valiant 74, having batted for nearly six hours on the fifth and final day.

That left them on 233 for nine, still six runs short of making Australia bat again. But a stand of 19 in 69 balls between Anderson (21 not out) and Panesar (seven not out) saw England to a draw as they finished on 252 for nine.

Australia put themselves in prime position with a first innings total of 674 for six declared - their highest Test score against England for 75 years.

For the first time four Australia batsmen - captain Ricky Ponting (150), Marcus North (125 not out), Simon Katich (122) and Brad Haddin (121) - all scored hundreds against England in the same Test innings.

The second Test of this five-match series starts at Lord''s - where Ashes-holders Australia have not lost a Test since 1934 - on Thursday.

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First Ashes Test ended at draw

LONDON: England tailenders James Anderson and Monty Panesar denied Australia victory in the first Ashes Test with a heroic unbeaten last-wicket

Victory seemed assured for the Australians when Paul Collingwood was dismissed for 74 after five hours 43 minutes of dogged resistance with England still needing six to make Australia bat again and a minimum 11.3 overs remaining.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting put his faith in off-spinners Nathan Hauritz and Marcus North for the final overs after taking pace bowler Peter Siddle out of the attack. Anderson (21 not out) and Panesar (seven not out), playing resolutely straight, defied the bowling with the former negotiating the final over from Hauritz to tumultuous applause.

The day began brightly for Australia when Ben Hilfenhaus captured the wicket Australia prized most by knocking over Kevin Pietersen’s off-stump in the fourth over of the day.

Pietersen, on eight, moved half forward and opted to leave alone a delivery he calculated would swing away. Instead it went straight on.

Hauritz took over from Hilfenhaus and immediately troubled captain Andrew Strauss and Collingwood with four fielders clustered close around the bat. Strauss square-cut the first boundary of the day but was out off the next ball caught behind by Brad Haddin for 17 attempting a similar shot from a delivery which bounced a little higher. Hauritz was gifted a second wicket when Matt Prior (14) made the elementary error of trying to cut an off-spinner which turned appreciably and succeeded only in guiding the ball to Michael Clarke at first slip.

Andrew Flintoff (26) and Collingwood added 57 in a fighting sixth-wicket partnership with the former playing a thumping drive to the cover boundary and a clip for four to long-on. He was out edging Mitchell Johnson to second slip where Ponting took a smart, low catch. Collingwood, taking no risks at all, reached 50 from 167 balls but lost Stuart Broad lbw for 17 to Hauritz 20 minutes before tea. Graeme Swann rallied after the interval, playing one lovely drive to the extra-cover boundary off Hilfenhaus. He reached 31 from 81 minutes when he was lbw playing across a full delivery from the same bowler.

Collingwood fought on, but when he was caught off Siddle at gully by Michael Hussey at the second attempt, England seemed doomed. But Anderson, who batted for 72 minutes, and Panesar, who resisted for 40, held firm and England will go into the second Test at Lord’s starting on Thursday with honours even.

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Flintoff to quit Tests at end of Ashes

LONDON: Andrew Flintoff will retire from Test cricket at the end of the ongoing Ashes series against Australia, the injury-prone England all-rounder announced here on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old, who has so far played 75 Tests for his country since his debut in 1998, will though continue to make himself available for selection for One-Day Internationals and International Twenty20 fixtures, a statement issued by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.

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England, Australia meet in second Ashes Test tomorrow

LONDON: England are optimistic that Andrew Flintoff will be fit for the second Ashes test starting at Lord''s on Thursday following the all-rounder''s latest injury scare.

English head coach Andy Flower said he is quite optimistic about Flintoff’s come back in the team.

Flintoff, 31, suffered pain and swelling in his right knee, which required an operation this year to repair a torn meniscus, after the drawn first test in Cardiff on Sunday. He missed the two home tests against West Indies and the Twenty20 World Cup.

The first test played in Cardiff was ended at draw. English team having disappointing record against Australia in Lords and managed to beat Australia only once.

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England win toss and bat against Australia

LONDON: England captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat against Australia in the second Ashes Test at Lord''s here on Thursday.

England fast bowling all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who announced on Wednesday his intention to retire from Test cricket at the end of this series, was passed fit following a knee injury.

Star England batsman Kevin Pietersen also retained his place despite a longstanding Achilles injury.

England made one change to the side that drew the first Test at Cardiff last week with fast bowler Graham Onions replacing Monty Panesar despite the left-arm spinner''s efforts in a last-wicket stand at Sophia Gardens that denied Australia victory in the opening contest of a five-match series.

Durham quick Onions, who made his Test debut against the West Indies at Lord''s earlier in the season, beat county colleague Stephen Harmison for a place in the team as an extra pace bowler.

Ashes-holders Australia were unchanged from the team that played in the first Test.

Australia have not lost a Test at Lord''s since 1934.

Teams

England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Matt Prior (wkt), Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Graham Onions, James Anderson

Australia: Phillip Hughes, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Brad Haddin (wkt), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus

Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WIS) and Rudi Koertzen (RSA)

TV umpire: Nigel Llong (ENG)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

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Australia fears to face follow on as England dominate

LONDON: Bad light and rain forced the players off field as the Australian batsmen accepted the bad light offered by the umpires and play ended soon after it.

After tea, England put in an inspiring performance and got themselves into a strong position. Australia were left struggling at 156/8 still 69 runs short of avoiding the follow on at the close of play.

James Anderson was the star performer for England, grabbing four wickets at an economy rate of 2.11. He was well supported by Flintoff, Broad and Onions.

The teams went for tea with Australia at 87/2 and Hussey and Katich putting in a watchful batting performance to ensure Australia did not lose any further wickets after the quick dismissal of Hughes and Ponting.

However, immediately after tea, England took hold of the match by taking regular wickets and Australia collapsed from 87/2 to 156/8.

Katich was removed by Onions with Broad taking a catch off an attempted pull shot. Hussey was bowled by Flintoff as he tried to leave a ball that came back a bit to hit the stumps. It was a similar dismissal to Strauss off Hilfenhaus.

The wicket of Hussey triggered the collapse of the Australians with Clarke struggling for form and getting out to Anderson. He was followed by North, the centurion at Cardiff, who was bowled by Anderson for a duck.

Haddin tried his best to prevent the collapse by scoring 28 runs before Broad got him caught by Cook at midwicket.

Hauritz and Siddle were at three runs each before accepting the bad light offered by the umpires.

England bowled extremely well and put themselves into a very strong position and the day fully belonged to England.

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Australia face record chase to win second Test

LONDON: Australia were left needing to set a new world record if they were to win the second Test against England here at Lord''s.

England, when rain forced an early close on Saturday''s third day, were 311 for six, a lead of 521, with two days remaining.

Whether they declared on that total overnight, as seemed likely, or batted on, it meant Australia would have to set a new world record for the highest fourth innings total to win a Test, surpassing the 418 for seven made by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.

Both totals were well in excess of the corresponding record for a Test at Lord''s, the 344 for one made by the West Indies against England in 1984.

England, bidding for a first Test win over Australia at Lord''s in 75 years, were indebted to a stand of 86 in 74 balls between Paul Collingwood (54) and wicket-keeper Matt Prior (60).

Their innings had stalled during the second session but Prior, who faced just 42 balls with nine fours, regained the initiative, and helped justify captain Andrew Strauss''s decision not to enforce the follow-on, before he was run out by Marcus North''s direct hit.

Collingwood, who''d batted for over six hours to help England secure a draw in last week''s series opener in Cardiff, posted his third fifty in four innings in a brisk 72 balls. They were contrasting innings but each ideally suited to England''s task at hand.

He was eventually out for 54, having shared a stand of 51 in 50 balls with Andrew Flintoff, who ended the day on 30 not out.

Flintoff took England''s lead past 500 with an off-driven four off struggling left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, who at one stage completely lost all semblance of line and length.

Much of Australia''s fielding was unusually shoddy, with several fumbles, a dropped catch by captain Ricky Ponting no less and a scruffy display by wicket-keeper Brad Haddin, who conceded 16 byes, aiding England''s cause.

Neither Ravi Bopara nor Kevin Pietersen were at their best during a third-wicket stand of 73.

Bopara''s scratchy innings of 27 finally came to an end when he turned off-spinner Nathan Hauritz straight to Simon Katich at short leg.

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Australia hit back but England still in box seat

LONDON: Michael Clarke scored 125 not out Sunday to lead an Australian fightback on the fourth day of the second Test, with England 208 runs in front yet requiring five more wickets to lead 1-0 in the Ashes series.

Having been set a world-record 522 to win after England declared at the start of the day in pursuit of its first Test victory over Australia at Lord''s since 1934, the visitors were 313-5 when bad light stopped play.

"When you play Australia you don''t expect them to lie down and die," England offspinner Graeme Swann said. "We were on cloud nine at one time but Michael Clarke played beautifully.

"We never panicked but it was frustrating. We have a new ball still and everyone will be fit and firing in the morning. We need one more wicket and we are into the bowlers."

It was Clarke''s 11th Test hundred and he added 185 in an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand with Brad Haddin, who was on 80. Clarke batted for 257 minutes and hit 13 boundaries. Haddin had lasted for just over three hours and faced 126 balls.

"Michael took the game to England and showed his class as a test-match batsman," Australia coach Tim Nielsen said. "We have had two batsmen play out of their skins with their backs to the wall.

"They withstood everything England threw at them. I''m very proud of them. We are very happy with the position we are in. We know if we play well (Monday) we will have a great opportunity to win the test match. We have never talked about saving the game."

Australia, seeking to retain the Ashes, was on the receiving end of three questionable umpiring decisions.

Hoping to surpass the previous world-record run chase of 418, Australia lost its first wicket on the 19th ball of the day when ever-threatening fast bowler Andrew Flintoff had Simon Katich caught at gully for 6.

TV replays showed Flintoff had overstepped at the bowling crease and a no-ball should have been called by umpire Rudi Koertzen, standing in his 100th Test.

Phillip Hughes, dropped on 16 by Flintoff off James Anderson, made only a run more when he edged Flintoff to Strauss at first slip. Hughes reluctantly walked off after Strauss claimed the catch, but his captain Ricky Ponting told him to wait.

The umpires discussed the incident and Billy Doctrove confirmed from square leg that the catch was taken cleanly, and therefore replays were not used. Magnified slow motion replays failed to confirm the catch was taken cleanly.

Ponting looked annoyed. His teammate Nathan Hauritz claimed a catch against England''s Ravi Bopara on Saturday and that time the batsman was reprieved when the third umpire was called and studied inconclusive replays.

Ponting added one to his lunchtime score of 38 before he chopped on to his stumps trying to cut a ball from Stuart Broad that did not bounce as he expected.

The score was then 78-3 and became 120-4 when Mike Hussey was adjudged on 27 to have edged offspinner Graeme Swann to slip Paul Collingwood. Replays suggested Hussey didn''t touch the ball, his bat instead flicking the ground as the ball spun away.

Strauss then turned to his most threatening bowler, Flintoff, who instantly struck Clarke on the helmet with a vicious bouncer.

Marcus North hung around for 25 minutes with Clarke until he missed an arm-ball from Swann that bowled him between bat and pad for 6.

Clarke ignored the intimidating target facing Australia and reached his 50 off just 58 balls, before grafting his way to his century in a further 101 deliveries.

Clarke and Haddin frustrated England and when the new ball was due on 80 overs, and with the floodlights switched on, Strauss called his team together for a pep talk, no doubt reminding his players of the historic achievement awaiting them.

The third Test starts July 30 at Edgbaston.