Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Australia Wins the Second Ashes Test!
It was one of the best turn arounds in test crickets. By the end of yesterday, a draw was the best result Australia could hope for but the performance by the Australian team today blows our mind away!
Here's a news excerpt from ninemsn.com.au
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Shane Warne called it the greatest Test he'd ever played and Ricky Ponting was named man-of-the-match, as Australia completed an extraordinary six-wicket win in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Led by Mike Hussey's unbeaten half-century, Australia were largely untroubled in chasing 168 off 36 overs, charting the path to an almost unassailable two-nil series lead in the final hours of day five.
Earlier Warne was the star — securing four wickets — as England crumbled for just 129, for whom Paul Collingwood played a defiant hand, finishing with 22 not out in an innings which lasted nearly three hours.
Day five belonged to Australia from the opening overs.
A nervous England contributed to their own downfall with a defensive approach, and were also unlucky to lose the early wicket of opener Andrew Strauss.
Replays showed he'd missed the ball when given out caught in close by Hussey, off Warne.
But his departure unhinged the tourists who then capitulated, led by the needless and critical runout of Ian Bell.
The England number three played to Michael Clarke at point, set-off for a run, started and stopped, and by the time he'd decided to go, was well out at the bowlers end.
Australia were relentless from then on.
First innings centurion Kevin Pietersen was bowled around his legs by Warne and, when Brett Lee accounted for Andrew Flintoff, England were plunging toward defeat.
Collingwood stood tall for 119 deliveries but no one could stay with him.
After lunch Matt Hayden caught Geraint Jones off Lee and assisted in Warne's 693rd test wicket, to remove Ashley Giles.
Warne then bowled Hoggard and Glenn McGrath trapped Steve Harmison and James Anderson LBW to complete the rout.
Australia were always odds on in the chase, and fittingly, it was Australia's top player in 2006, Mike Hussey who had the final say, hitting the winning runs to finish on 61 not out, as Australia went two-nil up with 19 balls to spare.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Australia now leads 2-0 in the 2006-2007 Ashes Series.
It was one of the best turn arounds in test crickets. By the end of yesterday, a draw was the best result Australia could hope for but the performance by the Australian team today blows our mind away!
Here's a news excerpt from ninemsn.com.au
____________________________________________________________________________________
Shane Warne called it the greatest Test he'd ever played and Ricky Ponting was named man-of-the-match, as Australia completed an extraordinary six-wicket win in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Led by Mike Hussey's unbeaten half-century, Australia were largely untroubled in chasing 168 off 36 overs, charting the path to an almost unassailable two-nil series lead in the final hours of day five.
Earlier Warne was the star — securing four wickets — as England crumbled for just 129, for whom Paul Collingwood played a defiant hand, finishing with 22 not out in an innings which lasted nearly three hours.
Day five belonged to Australia from the opening overs.
A nervous England contributed to their own downfall with a defensive approach, and were also unlucky to lose the early wicket of opener Andrew Strauss.
Replays showed he'd missed the ball when given out caught in close by Hussey, off Warne.
But his departure unhinged the tourists who then capitulated, led by the needless and critical runout of Ian Bell.
The England number three played to Michael Clarke at point, set-off for a run, started and stopped, and by the time he'd decided to go, was well out at the bowlers end.
Australia were relentless from then on.
First innings centurion Kevin Pietersen was bowled around his legs by Warne and, when Brett Lee accounted for Andrew Flintoff, England were plunging toward defeat.
Collingwood stood tall for 119 deliveries but no one could stay with him.
After lunch Matt Hayden caught Geraint Jones off Lee and assisted in Warne's 693rd test wicket, to remove Ashley Giles.
Warne then bowled Hoggard and Glenn McGrath trapped Steve Harmison and James Anderson LBW to complete the rout.
Australia were always odds on in the chase, and fittingly, it was Australia's top player in 2006, Mike Hussey who had the final say, hitting the winning runs to finish on 61 not out, as Australia went two-nil up with 19 balls to spare.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Australia now leads 2-0 in the 2006-2007 Ashes Series.
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