England on course, Collingwood to retire
Source: Agencies |
January 7, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
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ENGLAND has all but secured its first test series victory in Australia in 24 years after posting a record total and moving within three wickets of another innings victory in the final test to cap its Ashes domination.
Matt Prior scored the third hundred of the England innings before the visitors were dismissed for 644, their highest total ever in Australia, shortly after lunch yesterday.
He then had a hand in five dismissals as pacemen Jimmy Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett took two wickets apiece to have Australia reeling on 213-7 at stumps on the penultimate day, needing another 151 runs just to make England bat again.
Allrounder Steven Smith (24) and tailender Peter Siddle (17) navigated the last 41 minutes of an extended evening session for Australia to ensure the match will go into the fifth and final day. It seems only a wash out on the last day will save Australia from an unprecedented third innings defeat in the series.
England, which had already retained the Ashes by taking a 2-1 lead with an innings victory at Melbourne last week, looks certain to claim a test series Down Under for the first time since 1987.
Reverse swing
The England seamers started to get reverse swing in the afternoon session and worked as a unit to frustrate Australia's batsmen with disciplined line and length.
Shane Watson was first out, inexcusably run out for 38 after a mix-up with Phil Hughes that resulted in both batsmen at the same end.
Hughes (13) was caught behind off Bresnan as Australia slipped to 52-2 before tea. Anderson had rookie No. 3 Usman Khawaja (21) and stand-in captain Michael Clarke (41) both caught behind by Prior before Bresnan chimed in again to have Mike Hussey (12) caught in the gully.
Tremlett took wickets with consecutive balls to remove Brad Haddin (30) and Mitchell Johnson for a first-ball duck before Siddle, who took a hat-trick in the series-opening test at the Gabba, blocked the hat-trick ball from the lanky England paceman.
Haddin tried to play a bouncer but pulled out of the shot and lobbed an easy catch to Matthew Prior.
With England so close to securing victory in back-to-back test matches in Australia for the first time since 1978-79, play was extended by 30 minutes to allow the bowlers time to finish it off.
England allrounder Paul Collingwood announced his retirement from test cricket before the start of play yesterday, thinking the series would be wrapped up on day four. His test career will last one more day, not that he minds.
"In many ways it's a sad moment but I honestly think it's the right time," he said.
"This is what I have been playing cricket for - it's to be in a position against Australia in Australia like this, and it's going to be the perfect moment to bow out of test cricket."
Matt Prior scored the third hundred of the England innings before the visitors were dismissed for 644, their highest total ever in Australia, shortly after lunch yesterday.
He then had a hand in five dismissals as pacemen Jimmy Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett took two wickets apiece to have Australia reeling on 213-7 at stumps on the penultimate day, needing another 151 runs just to make England bat again.
Allrounder Steven Smith (24) and tailender Peter Siddle (17) navigated the last 41 minutes of an extended evening session for Australia to ensure the match will go into the fifth and final day. It seems only a wash out on the last day will save Australia from an unprecedented third innings defeat in the series.
England, which had already retained the Ashes by taking a 2-1 lead with an innings victory at Melbourne last week, looks certain to claim a test series Down Under for the first time since 1987.
Reverse swing
The England seamers started to get reverse swing in the afternoon session and worked as a unit to frustrate Australia's batsmen with disciplined line and length.
Shane Watson was first out, inexcusably run out for 38 after a mix-up with Phil Hughes that resulted in both batsmen at the same end.
Hughes (13) was caught behind off Bresnan as Australia slipped to 52-2 before tea. Anderson had rookie No. 3 Usman Khawaja (21) and stand-in captain Michael Clarke (41) both caught behind by Prior before Bresnan chimed in again to have Mike Hussey (12) caught in the gully.
Tremlett took wickets with consecutive balls to remove Brad Haddin (30) and Mitchell Johnson for a first-ball duck before Siddle, who took a hat-trick in the series-opening test at the Gabba, blocked the hat-trick ball from the lanky England paceman.
Haddin tried to play a bouncer but pulled out of the shot and lobbed an easy catch to Matthew Prior.
With England so close to securing victory in back-to-back test matches in Australia for the first time since 1978-79, play was extended by 30 minutes to allow the bowlers time to finish it off.
England allrounder Paul Collingwood announced his retirement from test cricket before the start of play yesterday, thinking the series would be wrapped up on day four. His test career will last one more day, not that he minds.
"In many ways it's a sad moment but I honestly think it's the right time," he said.
"This is what I have been playing cricket for - it's to be in a position against Australia in Australia like this, and it's going to be the perfect moment to bow out of test cricket."
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