Story The Ashes 2009: Australia in England [Day 3: 1st Ashes Test Posted]

[The Mongrel]

Somerset v Australian XI, Taunton
Blackwell, Langer, Willoughby humilliate Australians
Cricinfo staff
11 June 2009

Somerset 158-4 (24.2 overs) (Blackwell 43*, Langer 40*, Tait 1-28) beat Australian XI 155 (43.2 overs) (Willoughby 4-48, Suppiah 2-40)
Scorecard

Ian Blackwell was instrumental in Somerset's shock win over Australia.

It was a sense of deja vu for a demorilised Australian XI, as for the second series in a row it was the might, or lack thereof, of county Somerset to upset the world champions. However last time it was Graeme Smith and Sanath Jayasuriya who picked apart the Australian attack, but this time it was the less prestigious combination of captain Justin Langer, Charl Willoughby and big hitting Ian Blackwell.

Chasing just 156 for victory, Somerset started off slowly as opener Matthew Wood was dismissed for just seven as he top edged a hook short from Nathan Bracken who bowled a very rare shorter ball. But needing to make a quick breakthrough, Neil Francis was intrumental in getting Somerset back on track as he hit 33 from just 21 deliveries.

But 1-53 became 3-62 as Mitchell Johnson had Francis trying to hit him over mid on, Bracken taking a simple chance. Soon after, youngster James Hildreth fell cheaply as he spooned one to Hussey at cover off Shaun Tait.

All rounder Arul Suppiah joined his captain at the crease, as he and Langer looked set to put the game out of reach for the struggling Aussies, but as Suppiah looked to get the score rolling over, he picked Tait out at deep midwicket off Shane Watson.

But any hope of an Australian resurgence was squashed as the big hitting Ian Blackwell came to the crease and went after all the bowlers. With Langer working the ball around and playing a classy supporting role, Blackwell cut loose and hammered 43 in just 21 deliveries with six fours and a six.

Shane Watson's poor day got worse as he was hit for 36 off 20 balls, culminating in a boundary from Blackwell to seal the victory, Langer unflappable at the top of the order with a chanceless 40*.

Following the match, Ponting voiced his bitter disappointment in the loss. "Out batsmen were poor today, just poor shots against some really good and accurate bowling. Willoughby bowled a nagging length which combined with the movement he got was too difficult for us to play in the end.

We have the chance to get back into some form against Ireland, so I'm not too worried about how badly we played today," Ponting said. "It was just a really disappointing effort today, and one we'd rather forget and move on from." Ponting did however see the lighter side of the loss, "We still have another game against Somerset later on in the tour, so hopefully we can remove the monkeys from our back then."

Earlier, Australia were bundled out for just 155 thanks to an inspired spell of line and length bowling from Charl Willoughby. After a brisk start, Phil Jaques fell for nine as he fended at a ball on the back foot from Willoughby which flew to Suppiah at second slip. Ponting himself didn't last any longer as 24-year old left arm seamer Mark Turner, a successful England U-21 bowler, pushed one across from Ponting who produced a tentative prod to give Ian Blackwell some catching practice at first slip. Two balls later, he swung one back into Haddin and had him bowled for 23.

The Australian middle order did little more to steady the ship as they fell to 5-44 with the dismissals of Watson and Hussey to Willoughby, leaving Cameron White and Adam Voges the task of saving the Australian innings. But a partnership of 57 was not enough to save the Australians, as Voges defended a slower ball straight back to Peter Trego who took a catch just inches from the ground.

With the dismissal of Cameron White for 39 as he holed out in the deep off Benjamin Phillips, the Australian innings was nearly done, and only some lower order resistance from Johnson with an unbeaten 24 saw the Aussies push the score over 150. Australia now play their first one day international of the English summer, this time against Ireland in Dublin.

? Cricinfo

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[The Mongrel]

 

[The Mongrel]

Australia tour of England, 2009
Ireland name 13-man squad for ODIs against England and Australia
Cricinfo staff
June 11, 2009

Ireland have named a 13-man squad for the back-to-back one day internationals against England and Australia set to take place on the 12th and 13th of June at Dublin.

2007 World Cup captain Trent Johnston again assumes the role of captain for the side which retains ten members of the squad that went to the West Indies. Adrian McCoubrey returns to the side while 23-year old Surrey batsman Gary Wilson may make his debut for the Irish. Dominick Joyce, brother of English batsman Ed Joyce, also returns to the squad and could see himself play against his brother in an international match for the second time in his career.

Ireland squad Trent Johnston (Clontarf, capt), Andre Botha (North County), Jeremy Bray (Eglinton), Kenneth Carroll (Railway Union), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Kyle McCallan (Waringstown, vice capt), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union), Niall O'Brien (Northamptonshire), William Porterfield (Gloucestershire), Gary Wilson (Sussex), Boyd Rankin (Derbyshire), Adrian McCoubrey (Ballymena), Dominick Joyce (Merrion)

(c) Cricinfo

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[The Mongrel]

"They're becoming desperate."
Pietersen says Aussies are feeling the crunch
Andrew Miller
June 11, 2009

Outspoken English batsman Kevin Pietersen has launched the Ashes slanging match with a stinging shot at the touring Australian cricket side, calling them 'desperate' and 'living on past glories.'

Following Hampshire's crushing 164 run victory over Kent in the Friends Provident Trophy, in which he made 84, Pietersen told of how the loss of five key players had left the Aussies desperate to recall anyone.

"You saw them yesterday, they were flogged by a county side (Somerset) because they still have journeymen in their side," Pietersen said in regards to Australia's six wicket thumping at the hands of Somerset. "I'm not going to single out players, but it is quite obvious a few of their players don't deserve to get a game in international cricket.

"They couldn't help themselves. They had to recall a 39-year old (Stuart MacGill) to the test squad because they have no one else. He (MacGill) hasn't played for three years, yet they throw him back in hoping he can do what he used to do.

"They are just living on past glories. It may work against some sides, but against a side like us, they are going to have to be better."

Ricky Ponting responded rather light-heartedly to Pietersen's claims. "I don't think England have any right to talk about how our side needs to prepare for games and who we should select. England lost the last series 5-0, and while they have been good lately, we all know English fans can jump off bandwagons as quickly as they get on.

"Every player on tour deserves to be there. For years England have picked players on the back of one or two games, whereas we pick players on the back of one or two outstanding seasons," Ponting said in regards to Pietersen's comments on some members of Australia's squad. "Players like (Phil) Jaques, (Chris) Rogers and (Shaun) Tait had to wait a long time to get a shot, and they've done very well since they have got it.

"Yes, we played poorly against Somerset, but we have a chance to bounce back against Ireland, and then we can show Pietersen who does and does not deserve to play cricket." England too will have their chance against Ireland, they get first crack tomorrow at Dublin.

(c) Cricinfo

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[evertonfan]

This is some really lush presentation. You deserve a medal for your efforts.

 

[icyman]

Your last story on the Wc was simply great and i see no reason as to why this should not be so.
Keep up the excellent presentation.Am just loving it !

 

[The Mongrel]

Ireland v England, Only ODI
Bell saves English blushes
Cricinfo staff
12 June 2009

England 270-9 (50 overs) (Bell 119, Langford-Smith 3-60) beat Ireland 261-9 (50 overs) (Bray 73, N O'Brien 45, Broad 3-38, Panesar 3-39) by nine runs
Scorecard

A fine century from English opener Ian Bell saved England from an embarassing loss against Ireland as the Poms walked away with a narrow nine run victory in Dublin. After being reduced to 167-6 after 38 overs, it was left to Bell and Jon Lewis to push the score above 250.

After cruising along at 212-4, the Irish looked in a good position to cause a huge upset if it weren't for two wickets in two deliveries to Monty Panesar, claiming Niall O'Brien for 45 and then his brother Kevin O'Brien first ball.

Earlier, William Porterfield was dismissed cheaply for seven as the left hander played all around an inswinger from Jon Lewis which saw his middle stump pegged back. However a 63-run stand between opener Jeremy Bray and Middlesex's Eoin Morgan had the English on the back foot, saved only by a smart reflex catch by 6'5" Stuart Broad to dismiss Morgan for 33.

As Bray moved past fifty with a boundary off Flintoff, the very next ball he knicked one through to Worcestershire's Steven Davies, who made a mess of a relatively simple chance. However, soon after Freddie had his man as Bray mistimed a drive straight back to Flintoff who made no mistake.

As Andre Botha got going by hitting a towering six off Flintoff over mid-wicket, Niall O'Brien took a more cautious approach to his batting as he looked to play Flintoff out. But when Botha's handy knock ended on 25 as Panesar has him chopping on, O'Brien looked to increase the pace as he was joined by debutant Gary Wilson.

O'Brien's knock ended five short of a half century as he played a poor sweep shot against Panesar which slid straight under the bat to dismantle the furnature, and his brother followed first ball as he charged down the pitch against Panesar, only to miss and be stumped for a golden duck.

Wilson added just seven in his partnership with captain Trent Johnston before he was dismissed for 26 attemping to force Broad through cover, only to find the English captain Flintoff at short cover, leaving Ireland in trouble at 219-7. Things got worse as vice-captain Kyle McCallan played a poor cross-bat swat against Broad to see his innings end cheaply.

While Boyd Rankin and Johnston added some runs at the end, England managed to hold on to a nine run win despite some expensive bowling from the openers Lewis and Sajid Mahmood. Broad and Panesar were the pick of the bowling attack without James Anderson, who was rested in preparation for the Twenty20 match against Australia, as they picked up three wickets a piece.

Flintoff was unhappy with the performance of the English, saying the way they batted certainly was not ideal preparation for the series against Australia. "Generally, I thought we bowled better than we batted," Flintoff said in the post-match ceremony. "[Ian] Belly batted really well and saved us a lot of embarassment, and they bowled well until the last few overs where things got a bit expensive. We bowled really well when we needed wickets, we just didn't get the ball in the right areas to the top order, and as we saw, Bray punished us.

"Our running between wickets was poor, and its something we have to work on," Flintoff said with regards to the three run outs in the England innings. "That's something that will come with time as the guys bat together more often, so we'll be happy enough to leave with a win."

Having put England in to bat on what looked like a green top, Trent Johnston's men struck early as former team mate Ed Joyce was dismissed driving against a short of a length delivery from late inclusion Dave Langford-Smith, who replaced the injured Adrian McCoubrey, which saw an outside edge carry to Kevin O'Brien at second slip.

The man who labelled Australia 'desperate,' Kevin Pietersen, didn't do himself any favours as played an ambitious cover drive against Langford-Smith, the thick inside edge taking out off stump. Paul Collingwood's dismissal in the twentieth over had the English in some trouble as Bell looked to have got the ball past debutant Gary Wilson at second slip, but a diving stop and a direct hit had Collingwood well short of his ground.

A well timed partnership of 67 between Bell and Ravi Bopara ended with yet another run out as Bell again cut one behind square, as this time William Porterfield effected the direct hit, TV umpire Neil Mallender adjudging Bopara out. Captain Flintoff raced to eleven in just four deliveries, but it was Kyle McCallan who trapped him plumb in front the vry next ball to send the dangerous all-rounder back to the pavillion.

Wicketkeeper Steve Davies was the third victim of a run out, as yet again Ian Bell hit the ball straight to a fieldsman and ran, this time it was Trent Johnston running Davies out well short of his ground. Sajid Mahmood and Stuart Broad added tn runs each before Langford-Smith bowled Mahmood and Johnston found the outside edge of Broad.

But it was Ian Bell's day as he pushed passed his century, pushing on to 119 before a fine innings ended as he failed to dig out a yorker from Andre Botha. Jon Lewis' unbeaten 32 from just 22 deliveries allowed the score to move past 250, as Langford-Smith and Rankin returned for some punishment at the death.

The English now have just three days to regroup from the scare before the first of their two Twenty20 matches against Australia, who play their first official match tomorrow at Dublin against an Irish side confident after such a fighting display.

? Cricinfo

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[The Mongrel]

 

[Left_Hander]

Really nice build up here. Really like the cricinfo style scorecards you are using.

 

[The Mongrel]

Ireland v Australia, Dublin
Australians rebound with crushing victory
Cricinfo staff
13 June 2009

Australia 328 for 4 (50 overs) (Hussey 73*, Clarke 73*, Jaques 73) beat Ireland 178 (42.3 overs) (Wilson 83, McCallan 40, Lee 3-13, Tait 3-42)
Scorecard

Australia's bowling attack sent an ominous warning to England's top order as opening bowlers Brett Lee and Shaun Tait ran through the Irish batting lineup in Australia's resounding 150 run victory in Dublin. After being handed a six wicket drubbing at the hands of county side Somerset, Lee and Tait reduced the Irish lineup to 13-5 in just five overs as the Aussies looked to bounce back from Thursday's humiliating loss.

The Irish had every reason to be confident heading into this match after their showing against England, but morale was shot as openers Jeremy Bray and William Porterfield headed to the crease with Ireland in pursuit of a hefty 329 for victory. Things couldn't have started worse for the hosts as Lee dismissed Bray for a duck as he was caught by Hussey at second slip.

Portfield looked confident against a short ball from Tait which was pulled to the boundary, but that myth was soon dispelled as Tait got a delivery to rise up off a length, Porterfield attempting to get out of the way, only for Tait to find a feather edge through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. The Dublin crowd had high hopes from wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien, but he to was beaten by the searing pace of Shaun Tait, and combined with some late inswing it spelled the end for O'Brien who was bowled first ball.

But things were about to get worse for the hosts before they got better, as Eoin Morgan was also beaten by inswing from Lee who knocked his middle stump out of the ground to reduce the hosts to a pitiful 5-4. Andre Botha could only add three to the Irish total before Tait's inswing saw him trapped in front to see the hosts fall to 13-5. However, with Ireland staring down the barrel of crumbling for less than fifty, second gamer Gary Wilson went on the front foot, or rather the back foot, as he pull Shaun Tait well into the crowd to get the scoreboard ticking over. Wilson and Kenneth Carroll, an inclusion for the omitted Kevin O'Brien, looked to put Ireland back on course as they added 52 for the sixth wicket before Tasmania Ben Hilfenhaus produced some late swing to find Carroll's outside edge and then Haddin's gloves.

Irish captain Trent Johnston, not necessarily familiar with the subtleties of cricket, went aerial almost immediately as he sent Hilfenhaus over cow-corner for a towering six. However, this time it was Nathan Bracken to get in on the act as he pushed one across from the captain, finding a thick outside edge to give Haddin his third catch of the innings. At 104-7, the Aussies looked set to knock over the tail and head for an early dinner, but a 73-run stand between Wilson and Kyle McCallan put those plans on hold as the two batted with composure to post a respectable Irish total. Wilson waltzed to his maiden one day half century, but when McCallan attempted to sweep Andrew Symonds, out bowled for 40, the match soon came to an end. A defiant Wilson's knock came to an end 83 from 110 deliveries as he top edged Brett Lee to deep point where Phil Jaques took a simple catch to end the innings.

Earlier, Australian captain Ricky Ponting voiced the need for Australia to bounce back from the shock defeat against Somerset, and after the match was happy with the efforts of the side. "I'm very happy in the way the boys responded, Thursday's match was very disappointing for all of us, and it feels god to be back on track," Ponting said at the match ceremony. "Our batting was very good, and our bowling early one was spectacular. Ireland have shown us they have players with a lot talent, a lot of top orders would have struggled with the way Brett (Lee) and Shaun (Tait) were bowling today, and then for a young kid (Gary Wilson) to come in and bat so well, its a real positive for their side."

The first blunder of the day seemed to be from Irish captain Trent Johnston who won the toss and let the Aussies bat first. "We did the same yesterday and got the most out of the pitch, and this one is only going to get flatter, so we'd like to have a target to chase," Johnston said at the coin toss. "If we can restrict the Aussies to anything under 300, we'd be pretty happy and confident we can go close."

But after a subdued start from Australia, Brad Haddin looked to make it clear that a total under 300 was not going to be an option as he attacked the opening bowlers Boyd Rankin and Dave Langford-Smith. However, the change of bowling worked immediately as South African born seamer Andre Botha claimed the wicketkeeper for 29 as he found the outside edge with some late swing, Gary Wilson taking a fine catch. Three balls later he nearly had the Australian captain Ponting for a duck, but Ponting survived the shout.

Ponting and opener Phil Jaques put on a partnership of 79, but amazingly just 15 came from the bat of Ponting as Jaques began to dispatch the Irish bowlers, Trent Johnston the worst affected as his first three overs went for 31 runs. But again it was the bowling change that worked, as vice-captain Kyle McCallan's second delivery claimed Ponting who attempted to hit the offspinner down the ground, only to find 6'8" opening bowler Boyd Rankin at deep mid-off. Two balls later, Jaques departed for 73 he pushed attempted to sweep McCallan, missing the ball completely and being bowled.

Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds then set about pushing the score past 300, with Symonds on the attack as he made 53 runs in just 42 deliveries in an 89 run stand with Clarke before Johnston struck with a length ball that hit the top of off stump. If the Irish thought they would get any rest from the Australians, Mike Hussey joined Clarke at the crease, and in a destructive mood, pummeled an unbeaten 73 in just 51 deliveries. Clarke and man of the match Hussey posted a partnership of 115 in just 83 deliveries to push the Aussie total to 328, one that proved too tough for the Irish to chase.

Australia have their first match of the tour against the English on Monday in Bristol, in the first of a two-Twenty20 match series, followed by a tour match against Sussex before the first one day international on June 20 at Lord's.

? Cricinfo

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[The Mongrel]

 

[Roofrom50]

Just a question mate, how are you making these scoreboards by any chance? they look awsome as!!, keep up the good work mate

 

[The Mongrel]

I use Excel for them, just make all the cells filled with White so you can't see the borders.

 

[Roofrom50]

I use Excel for them, just make all the cells filled with White so you can't see the borders.

Sweet, do you mind if i copy the idea for one of my stories on the Other Gaming Stories Board?

 

[The Mongrel]

No problems.