Story The Ashes. England Tour Australia (Massive Problem, with computer)

[freddiw]

thats good to hear,
well done on golf,
congrats

 

[Highlander999]

English bowling attack rip through the Australian batsmen​

So after Australia bowled England out for a pathetic 137, it gave the chance for the Australian batsmen to post a big total and put England in a very poor position for their Second Innings. However it was not to be. The England pace attack almost bolwed the entire Australian line-up out before the end of the day. The first batsman out was Matthew Hayden, who had been batting very agressively and had looked to be taking the game away from the England bowlers. However James Anderson who had been handed the new ball by Michael Vaughan, got one to nip away which Hayden followed and nicked to second slip.

This meant that the danger man Ricky Ponting was in now. This was the wicket England really needed and they could not allow him to make a start or else he could make a big score. It was that man James Anderson who got this veteran out. A short delivery, Ponting tried to play it of the back foot but edged it. Darren Maddy took a superb one handed diving catch and managed to hold onto it. Ricky Ponting was out for a duck.

Michael Hussey the other opening batsman who had been going along a bit more slowly then his opening partner, Hayden, was the next to perish. Matthew Hoggard who had been a bit wayward in his bowling was taken out of the attack and Flintoff replaced him. In his opening over Flintoff got the wicket of Hussey. Four testing deliveries outside his off-stump followed by a short ball pulled away for four put the pressure back on Flintoff and he delivered. A slower fuller ball, Hussey tried to drive him, but mis-timed it and spooned it to Hoggard at mid-on. Australia were now three down.

Australia were in a bit of a crisis at 59/3, with the top-order completely failing. They needed the middle order to perform for them, but that did not happen. It was hot work out there and so Dimitry Mascheranas was brought into his attack with his medium-fast balls. He was only meant to be allowing the main three pace bowlers a rest, however he picked up his first International Test Wicket when he got Damien Martyn caught at square leg. He was ecstatic as he now had helped reduce Australia to 77/4. He was quickly swamped by his cheering team mates. It will take some time for that smile to leave his face.

A bit of controversy surrounded the wicket of Andrew Symonds. He was new to the crease and the English bowlers had the ball nipping all over the place causing him all sorts of trouble. One ball by Flintoff appeared to nick the egde of his bat. Mustard palmed the ball in the air to Cook at first slip, and the England team started to celebrate. Symonds did not move, but Bowden lifted the finger and he was out. Snicko on the below image shows that he did edge the ball. It was a fantastic bit of work by Mustard who had slipped to palm the ball to Cook in such a way that he was able to take the catch.

The middle order was failing Australia as well as the top-order and with Gilchrist arriving at the crease it meant the last recognised batsman was facing. He did not hang along for very long, when Mascarenhas picked up his second wicket when Gilchrist top-edged him to Darren Maddy who had a busy time in the field today. This was a big blow for the Australian fans as Gilchrist has always rescued Australia when they were in trouble. However he had to go leaving Australia at 91/6.

Both Shane warne and Brett Lee did not hang around for very long being dismissed for 2 and a duck respectively. Monty Panesar took a very difficult catch which surprised himself so much that he nearly dropped it. However Flintoff now had two more wickets and had got revenge on Warne for dismissing him in the England First Innings. Australia now were 105/8 and it was the End of Day 1.

So on the First Day 18 wickets had fallen with only 249 runs being scored between the two teams. Australia have only one wicket in hand and are trailing by 25 runs. Michael Clarke is still at the crease but is batting with the tail and will need Kasprowicz and Tait to hang around as long as they can. So far Martyn has top scored for Australia with 33 which shows how poor the batting has been. Here is the Australian scorecard at the End of Day 1

The English bowlers have bowled superbly but Flintoff has stood out picking up 4 wickets for only 24 runs. Anderson and Mascarenhas have also bowled well both picking up 2 wickets apiece. Panesar has kept it very tight and been unlucky to not get a wicket so far. The only let down has been Matthew Hoggard who went for quite a few early on. Here is a summary of the English bowling card.

So at the End of Day 1 neither side has batted well with the match so far being dominated by bowlers. Assuming that the Australian tail gets bowled out quickly tomorrow it is going to be the Second Innings for both sides that will decide this match. There are still 4 Days of Cricket left and so the batsmen should take their time and try and build up an innings. Stay tuned to find out what happens.

 

[Spoobir]

They should really sack the groundsman, that pitch must be awful!

 

[ivanvdm15]

Hayden Goes for 19

 

[OrderDX]

great work by the england bowlers have a real chance of winning the match now if they can bat well for the first time

 

[kookaburra69]

Great bowling from the english!
Keep the great work mate.

 

[freddiw]

well played matt in the driving seat

 

[tonka998]

YAY! great bowling from the English! Dimi did very well for his first two test wickets! good pres aswell!

 

[Pakistani Army]

This has been very poor from the Aussies. England have bowled superbly keeping a consistent line and length. Great works Tom.

 

[Highlander999]

England quickly polish of Australia and start their Second Innings​

So at the start of Day 2, Australia only have 2 wickets in hand and it looks like they are not going to get past England's score of 137. Michael Kaprowicz begun to really let fly with the bat and scored a quick fire 20 before being bowled by an Anderson yorker. That little camio has got Australia near England's score now.

Shaun Tait is the new batsmen however he only lasts one ball and is trapped LBW by James Anderson who has now picked up 4 wickets along with Flintoff. So Australia trail by 5 runs after scoring 132. Damien Martyn top scored with 33, and Michael Clarke was left on 24*. Here is a summary of the Australian scorecard.

Anderson and Flintoff got most of the wickets, however James Anderson was a bit expensive going at 6.62 an over. Dimitry Mascarenhas really impressed with his bowling by keeping it very tight and picking up 2 wickets. Matthew Hoggard never got another go after his disappointing opening spell and Monty Panesar was unlucky not to get a wicket. Here is the England bowling card.

England's Second Innings

After the poor First Innings score their was a lot of pressure on the England batsmen to perform. However it was a bit of a let down once again. Darren Maddy quickly perished when he Kasprowicz to Damien Martyn at gully who took a fantastic catch. It now looks unlikely that Maddy will be in the Second test if Andrew Strauss is fit again. Maddy was a big let down.

Michael Vaughan who failed to impress in the First Innings made a very impressive start and scored a few quick boundaries. However he became over confident and attempting another drive edged Kaprowicz to damien Martyn who was having a busy time at gully. That was disappointing as Vaughan had looked in good touch, however he was out for 14.

Alistair Cook was the next batsman to perish, due to an absolutely stunning delivery by Brett Lee. An inswinging yorker, had Cook trapped completely in front of his stumps. Another England batsman who had made a start and then got out, although on this occassion it was all credit to Lee as that was a very difficult ball to fend of. That meant now that England were 52/3, with Pietersen and Collingwood being the new batsmen at the crease.

There was a lot of pressure on Pietersen and Collingwood now as England were in a tricky position at only 52/3 and these two really needed to build a partnership. It became very defensive cricket for a while as the two batsmen built up their confidence, but slowly and surely the partnership begun to grow.

The slow repair work from these two batsmen meant that England were now 80/3 at Lunch on Day 2 and looking in a slightly better position. There is still a long way to go however and it only takes a loss of concentration for only a moment. Here is the England Scorecard at Lunch.

All the Australian bowlers have done well so far keeping it extremely tight however the best bowler has got to have been Michael Kasprowicz who has picked up two very important wickets. Warne also got a few overs before the Lunch break and kept it very tight troubling the batsmen with all different types of variation. Here is the Australian bowling card so far.

This just shows how the Collingwood-Pietersen patnership has been the biggest so far, nearing 50.

So at Lunch on Day 2 England are in a poor position however at least the rot has been stopped by the two batsmen at the crease. Many are saying that although on first glance the pitch looked normal as it cracks up the ball is going to act more strangely causing the batsmen even more trouble. Stay tuned to find out if Collingwood and Pietersen plus the rest of the Middle Order can post a big score for England or if the Australian fast attack can skittle the middle order out like the First Innings.

 

[Highlander999]

Comments people?

 

[Spoobir]

I don't really know what to say, the pitch report said the pitch was good for batting yet the highest score has been 41. A strange match indeed.
Great pres though!

 

[Left_Hander]

This pitch is horrible. Batting has been dreadful. Something needs to be fixed. EA Bug?

 

[Highlander999]

Ian Botham criticises pitch conditions​

Ian Botham last night launched a scathing attack on the pitch which was being used in the first test. He said:

The pitch showing cracks on Day 2 shows that it is below par. In such an important series you would think that the groundsmen would be working to make sure that the pitch is in tip top condition. This appears however not to be the case. It does not result in good cricket, it just means that the batsmen have a very poor chance of making a score, and showing the true skills of Test Match batting.

Last night the head groundsman had this to say:

It has been very difficult conditions recently. We have had some baking hot days which has dried the pitch up so that cracking has occured. We have tried as much as we can to make it as good as possible but it has been difficult. I would like to see Botham do our job any better. Also with a massive weather front coming in with a possibility of a monsson rocking the area there is a chance this match could be rained off very soon.

Botham has not been the only one to comment on the pitch as Courtney Walsh was saying that when he grew up the pitch that is being used would have appeared as good as an International Ground Pitch to what he grew up playing on.

Not a happy man

 

[Pakistani Army]

Woah. Botham needs to chill out a bit. Nice twist though. Reps for your hard works in this story so far