The Ashes – Third Test, Final Day:

Australia 263 (Watson 62, Anderson 5-80, Onions 4-58) and 375 for 5 (Watson 53, Hussey 64, Clarke 103*, North 96) drew with England 376 (Strauss 69, Bell 53, Flintoff 74, Broad 55, Hilfenhaus 4-109)

The ‘day of the series’ began with Onions and Flintoff bowling to the overnight pair of Watson and Hussey. Hussey got a painful knock from Freddie between his thighs, but batted on freely. The duo were inseparable when Onions was replaced by Swann. Shortly Australia went into the lead. Anderson came into the attack, and Watson fell to a faint edge just after reaching his half century. He had played admirably with Hussey, who also reached his 50 the very next ball. Clarke joined Hussey, and Hussey played some of his trademark drives, signs of his regaining form.

But Broad came into the attack, and had Hussey caught behind in his second over of the day, the Australian stalwart departed for 64. England began to sniff chances of a victory but Clarke and North staved them off till lunch, Australia were 59 ahead and the match poised for a draw. If only the rains had not poured on Saturday! Clarke and North played out the second session, getting some useful batting practice ahead of the next test.

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A great bowler retired from Test cricket last week, after a fruitful career spanning a decade and a half during which he claimed 355 wickets. He has been playing under the magician Murali’s shadow, but he has had many moments which will be remembered for long. He is Sri Lanka’s finest medium pacer, with unerring control and a cool attitude. He is WPUJC Vaas, Wonderful Plucky Unrelenting and often Jubilant Chaminda Vaas. His retirement marks the beginning of the end of an era during which stalwarts such as Jayasuriya, Murali and Vaas scripted several famous victories on the cricket field.

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The Ashes, Second Test, Third day’s play at The Lord’s

Stuart Broad started off the day’s proceedings with a barrage of bouncers at Siddle, but Siddle and Hauritz managed to hang on and closed in on the follow-on target. Hauritz fell to Onions for 24 with Australia still 33 short of the follow-on target. Siddle and Hilfy then scraped together a few runs before Siddle fell for 35, Australia were 11 short of the follow-on target. The English bowling was not very good, with short and wide balls being the order of the day, or rather the hour. Broad was the worst offender, with a bucketful of bouncers and a wealth of wide deliveries. It seems the quality of batting tailenders has improved these days, or it could be the lack of quality bowling, like trying to bounce them out. We’ll soon see a No.10 with a batting average better than a No.5 or 6.

Andrew Strauss chose not to enforce the follow-on, and came out to bat. The thought of giving away the sunny day to the Aussie batsmen must have weighed on his mind along with the last day pitch conditions. Cook and Strauss played some great cricketing shots in a sunny second hour, going to lunch at 52 without loss. Shortly after lunch, Cook fell leg before to a Hauritz delivery which turned barely enough to go towards middle-leg. He had scored 32, with England at 61. Strauss fell soon to Hauritz’s guile for 32, an outside edge carrying to Clarke at first slip. Bopara played two nice delicate shots for boundaries to the third man either side of his captain’s dismissal that left Siddle fuming.

Ponting dropped a sitter off Siddle at second slip and gave Bopara a reprieve. But KP and Bop got bogged down and played innings uncharasteric of them. At tea England were 130-2, KP on 28 off 73 and Bop on 19 off 78! A few balls from Siddle to Bopara were the only deliveries that gave some moments in the dull hour before tea.

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First day, First Test, The 65th Ashes 2009, Cardiff

The 301th Ashes Test, the first of the 65th Ashes and the first Test at Cardiff, Wales commenced with Australia leaving out Stuart Clark in favour of Nathan Hauritz. England play two spinners in Panesar and Swann, the wicket will take spin and the fourth innings musthave been weighing down on their minds as Ponting and Strauss went out for the toss, with a medal instead of a coin. Ponting calls wrongly and so England batted first.

The Aussie bowlers Mitch Johnson and Hilfenhaus started off proceedings bowling at a brisk pace, and Hilfy got Cook out for a paltry 10 runs, courtesy a fantastic snatch from Mike Hussey. Johnson unfurled a furious bouncer and dismissed Strauss for a patient 30. Bopara showed glimpses of his form in a nice little 35. He survived a slower ball before falling to another from Johnson.

Kevin Pietersen and Collie played safe and held fort till tea, by which time they had put on 102 runs for the fourth wicket. They were satisfied to score lightly, and KP had scored just 12 off his 51 runs off boundaries. Collingwood fell after tea on 64, a lapse of concentration followed by a brilliant take from Haddin did the trick for Hilfy. The 138 run stand finally came to an end and KP soon followed Collie. KP had some discomfort in the second session, but played and moved freely. He played in a un-KPish manner to collect his runs, and was outscored by Collie during their stand. But he suddenly threw caution to the winds and tried a wild sweep, the top edge comfortably pouched by Katich. He had played an untypically sedate innings of 69 off 141 with four hits to the fence, and was furious at his momentary lapse of reason. He had enough luck earlier, and scored many runs off edges. Many in the crowd were hoping for an encore, but his dismissal brings in another wildly popular player.

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