Cook's heroics force a draw in Ashes test
Source: Agencies |
November 30, 2010, Tuesday
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AUSTRALIA called up two more quick bowlers for the second Ashes test as it continues to search for the killer touch that eluded it in the first test in Brisbane yesterday.
Australia was in charge with a first innings lead of 221 on day three of the Gabba test but England batted for two days to earn a morale-boosting draw.
Set an unlikely 297 runs to win after England declared at 517-1 shortly before tea on the final day, Australia reached 107-1 in reply with captain Ricky Ponting not out on 51 and Shane Watson on 41. Simon Katich (4) was the lone batsman to be dismissed, nicking Stuart Broad to Andrew Strauss at first slip in the sixth over of Australia's reply.
"We got ourselves in a good position in the game through our batting," said Ponting. "Even this morning coming to the ground I felt only one team was good enough to win this game if we were good enough to take some early wickets.
"We weren't good enough this morning so it ended up unusually being a drawn game at the Gabba."
Australia responded by calling up Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger to supplement its fast bowling corps of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus for the Adelaide test, which begins on Friday.
England opener Alastair Cook arrived in Perth last month determined to prove he could play in Australia and yesterday he did that by taking a batting record off the great Don Bradman with an unbeaten 235.
The importance of his 10 1/2 hour innings for England was to save a first Ashes test that looked like being lost but for Cook it also helped banish the demons of poor previous displays against Australians.
The 25-year-old started the series with an average of 26.21 in 10 Ashes tests but blew that paltry record asunder with two days of disciplined cricket. "To score 200 against Australia in Australia is a great effort," he said. "When you're so far behind you have to bat a lot of overs to get back into. It's been a great couple of days. My record in Australia hasn't been that good. One innings doesn't change a lot but it's a start."
"He is a cool sort of customer, we might have to try and rough him up a bit and get under his skin in Adelaide," Ponting joked.
Australia was in charge with a first innings lead of 221 on day three of the Gabba test but England batted for two days to earn a morale-boosting draw.
Set an unlikely 297 runs to win after England declared at 517-1 shortly before tea on the final day, Australia reached 107-1 in reply with captain Ricky Ponting not out on 51 and Shane Watson on 41. Simon Katich (4) was the lone batsman to be dismissed, nicking Stuart Broad to Andrew Strauss at first slip in the sixth over of Australia's reply.
"We got ourselves in a good position in the game through our batting," said Ponting. "Even this morning coming to the ground I felt only one team was good enough to win this game if we were good enough to take some early wickets.
"We weren't good enough this morning so it ended up unusually being a drawn game at the Gabba."
Australia responded by calling up Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger to supplement its fast bowling corps of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus for the Adelaide test, which begins on Friday.
England opener Alastair Cook arrived in Perth last month determined to prove he could play in Australia and yesterday he did that by taking a batting record off the great Don Bradman with an unbeaten 235.
The importance of his 10 1/2 hour innings for England was to save a first Ashes test that looked like being lost but for Cook it also helped banish the demons of poor previous displays against Australians.
The 25-year-old started the series with an average of 26.21 in 10 Ashes tests but blew that paltry record asunder with two days of disciplined cricket. "To score 200 against Australia in Australia is a great effort," he said. "When you're so far behind you have to bat a lot of overs to get back into. It's been a great couple of days. My record in Australia hasn't been that good. One innings doesn't change a lot but it's a start."
"He is a cool sort of customer, we might have to try and rough him up a bit and get under his skin in Adelaide," Ponting joked.
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