Ashes: Australia v England 2006/7

[classical_hero]

Only 5 wickets to go and the ashes are back where they belong.

 

[azzaman333]

Just when England gets a sniff of victory, McGrath puts them back in their place.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Only another 292 to go.

As David Lloyd has been saying, the dream is still alive!

As John Lennon said, the dream is over.

 

[-0blivion-]

Good Effort by Cook and Bell.

Would take something special by Pietersenm, Flintoff and Jones now.

 

[phoenix_night]

Only 5 wickets to go and the ashes are back where they belong.

Sorry mate, but they ain't leaving the UK.

Ever.

 

[Xerol]

GAH, Cricinfo just died. WHAT'S HAPPENING?

 

[azzaman333]

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth, 5th day

Australia set to seal the deal

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan

December 18, 2006

Lunch England 215 and 9 for 349 (Pietersen 59*, Panesar 1*) need 208 runs to beat Australia 244 and 5 for 527 dec
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out - England

Andrew Flintoff goes over the leg side during his half century © Getty Images


Australia are one wicket away from regaining the Ashes at lunch on the final day at the WACA. Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen briefly raised hopes of a thrilling day's play, but once Shane Warne made the breakthrough the rest went like skittles. Geraint Jones completed a miserable pair as he was run out in bizarre circumstances before Warne and Stuart Clark put the Australians on the brink.

As Pietersen and Flintoff defied the Australians the excitement levels around the ground grew with every boundary. After a miserable period with the bat, Flintoff appeared to have decided to return to his basic instincts and just attack the bowling. He smashed five fours in nine balls off Brett Lee and Clark, his timing and authority growing with each blow. A flicked six over midwicket followed and his first half-century of the series came off 64 balls with two boundaries off Glenn McGrath.

Suddenly a host of dates were being thrown around the easily excited commentary boxes (mostly 1981 and 2005) but the dream couldn't survive. For all the concerns over Warne's workload, it is the man himself who doesn't want to stop bowling and when a full delivery drifted under Flintoff's bat the celebrations started.

For once Pietersen had been overshadowed but followed Flintoff's fifty with his second of the match, from 123 deliveries. However, after losing his captain the shoulders visibly sank. As Flintoff made his way off the ground he waited for Jones - a man living on borrowed time - but any words of wisdom had little impact. The dismissal summed up Jones's series; he went for a sweep, the ball bobbled to silly point and while everyone was focused on the appeal Ricky Ponting spotted Jones's foot was on the line and promptly ran him out. Pietersen had earlier survived a similar referral to the third umpire - after Mike Hussey's direct hit from short-leg - but this time Steve Davis, the TV umpire, had an easy call to make.

Sajid Mahmood was quickly pinned by Clark's yorker and Pietersen's odd decision not to farm the strike exposed Steve Harmison to Warne with predictable results, although Rudi Koertzen's decision was again debatable. Australia couldn't quite finish the innings in time to begin a lunchtime party, but the victory lap is just around the corner.

Game over.

 

[Xerol]

@#*&#^&&#@*$#()$*%()$&#&#(^@(*#()%_#(*@((&@*&)#%)^&#(*)$*#@#)(*@#%)(#&%#(*$&$@

 

[azzaman333]

First ball after lunch, Panesar bowled! Australia wins!

 

[Xerol]

^ Yeah that's what I was $$#*&*ing about. The commentary came back just in time to see it end.

 

[azzaman333]

^ Yeah that's what I was $$#*&*ing about. The commentary came back just in time to see it end.

I had to make sure everyone knew though.

 

[Robi D]

I guess the big question now is can England avoid losing the last to games to.

Also they should seriously look at their Wicketkeeper Batsman who does niether well.

 

[classical_hero]

It was very good being there watching the Aussie Reclaim the Ashes. It would have been nice to see Warne get his 700th Wicket, but that will happen next match.

 

[-0blivion-]

Well that was depressing.

 

[citizen001]

Depressing? MOAＲ　ＬＩＥＫ　Ｕｐｌｉｆｔｉｎｇ．

 

[Rambuchan]

Congrats to the Aussies. You guys truly deserved to regain the Ashes. Enjoy them and see you next time round!

 

[classical_hero]

Hopefully England will put up more of a fight next time around.

 

[col]

We have some good young players - and hopefully will perform next time.

We were comprehensively outplayed in every elelent of the game. Whenever we had a good day, Oz came back strong and took it away the very next day.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Indeed. Now is the time to keep the foot on the neck, and grind the Poms down in the last two games.

700 for Warne at the MCG should be a good moment.

 

[TopDog]

Awesome series so far. Congrats to the Aussies.

I cant wait for Shane Warne to get his 700th wicket in front of a home crowd that could be more that 100,000 people at the MCG. What a moment.