|
Aussies complete
a 277-run win in the opening Ashes Test |
November 27, 2006 (Link to
Scorecard)
 Australia
took just a little over 20 overs on the final
day's play to end England's resistance and win
the opening Ashes Test Match by 277 runs. The
writing was on the wall once Kevin Pietersen
flicked Brett Lee straight into the hands of
Damien Martyn at mid wicket. The last five
wickets for England fell for 77 runs. Ricky
Ponting for his 196 and 60 not out got the Man
of the Match award.
The Aussies had taken the second new ball in the
first over of today's play and in the fourth
ball of the day itself, Kevin Pietersen was gone
without any addition to his overnight score of
92. Soon Geraint Jones, the other overnight
batsmen too followed Pietersen back into the
pavilion after getting an inside edge onto his
stumps off McGrath. Geraint Jones contributed
33. Giles and Harmison got a few boundaries
which reduced the margin of defeat ever so
slightly. It was Stuart Clark cleaning up the
tail as he picked up all the last three wickets
to fall for England.
The end was when Steve Harmison had got a top
edge in his attempted hook shot to be caught at
fine leg by Glenn McGrath. England did well
though in their second innings scoring 370 in
100.1 overs, it should keep them in good spirits
ahead of the second Test Match at the Adelaide
Oval which starts on the 1st of next month.
Their bowling needs a drastic improvement to
back the form that Pietersen, Collingwood have
got into. Stuart Clark and Shane Warne were the
most successful bowlers in the second innings
for Australia with both of them taking four
wickets each. For Australia, Ricky Ponting and
Glenn McGrath who had injury problems returned
to field today which is good signs for the
Australians.
Top of the Page |
Related Links