Monday, 24 August 2009

England bring home the Ashes

England have won the Ashes, bowling out Australia for 348 in the fifth and final Test at the Brit Oval.

Mike Hussey was the last man out, caught at short leg for a heroic 121 to give England a 197-run victory.

The match and series were arguably sealed for England on the second day when Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann destroyed Australia, taking eight wickets in a session and bowling the tourists out for 160.

England set the visitors an impossible target of 546, with Jonathan Trott hitting 119 on debut. Swann (4-120) and Steve Harmison (3-54) ensured a successful run chase was never on the cards.

Australia started the day badly after resuming on 80-0. Both openers were removed in successive overs, as Broad and Swann struck again.

Hussey and captain Ricky Ponting frustrated England with a 127-run partnership, but two run outs in two overs put paid to the resistance.

Andrew Flintoff made his mark on his last ever Test match in the most unlikely way, running out Ponting for 66 with a fantastic direct hit.

Ponting's run out would have brought back nightmares of 2005 for the visiting captain, when he was run out by substitute fielder Gary Pratt.

Then Michael Clarke, leading runscorer in the series, was run out for a duck in a way similar to Jonathan Trott's dismissal on Thursday. Venturing out of his ground with a clip off his legs, the ball hit short leg and rebounded to Andrew Strauss, who swooped for another amazing run out.

Some brilliant work from Matthew Prior sent Marcus North back to the pavilion, stumped for 10, before Hussey and Brad Haddin got settled. England looked stale and short of ideas while the duo put on 89.

But Haddin gifted the hosts a breakthrough when he was caught slogging. Not learning from almost being caught three times in one over, hours of good work were thrown away as he was caught in the deep off Swann for 34, precipitating a collapse. Mitchell Johnson soon followed, before Peter Siddle and Stuart Clark.

Hussey was the last to fall but made a heroic 121, recording a much-needed century. It was not enough to save Australia, but it could save his career: the left-hander hadn't scored a century in 22 Test matches since October last year.

Stuart Broad was given the man of the match award for his 5-37 in the first innings. Andrew Strauss was awarded man of the series.

It was the final Test match for Flintoff, but it also marked what will probably be Ricky Ponting's last appearance in England. The crowd rose to their feet in appreciation.ADNFCR-708-ID-19325925-ADNFCR

No comments:

Post a Comment