David EdwardsEngland Attack With ‘Full Monty’, Whilst Australia Stumbles
December 14th 2006 13:15
Ashes Series 3rd Test (Perth) Day 1 Review
After the long drawn out saga that emerged on the fields of Adelaide, the Third Test in Perth has boosted the action ten fold, with 12 wickets falling in the first day, and Australia already looking to their bowlers to save them from another tight spot.
The talk about the match was about the new guys on the block. With the departure of Martyn from all forms of cricket, Andrew Symonds was one of the biggest shocks that the selectors have gambled with. Already set as an solid one-day player, and having a number of chances in the Test side and wasting them (including the infamous intoxication saga at last year’s Ashes) all eyes were on him to see if he could perform to his best.
The same was occurring in the England camp. After staying with Ashley Giles for the first two Tests with no real result, England finally gave the next generation spinner king, Monty Panesar, a chance to prove himself, something that he took less than a day to show.
After Ponting won the toss and elected to bat, most people settled in for a solid day and a half batting from the Australian squad, but it was not to be. With Langer and Hayden starting solidly, grabbing 47 runs in the first 10 overs, many pundits were already claiming the Ashes trophy as Australia’s, before Hayden went out to his new nemesis Hoggard, caught behind on 24.
From there it turned into a uphill battle for Australia. Ponting was the next to take the long walk back, on the uncharacteristic two runs after being called LBW by the reinvigorated Harmison. Langer left soon afterwards, going down as Panesar’s first wicket, and leaving Australia stranded on 3/69.
But the light emerged in the saviour of Adelaide, Mr Cricket. Hussey was able to keep his head in the field, and play a very conservative game for his standards, whilst the England squad attacked from all sides.
As Hussey was slowly gaining momentum, his partners on the pitch could do no such thing. Clarke was dismissed by a very good caught and bowled by Harmison, Symonds proved some extravagant shots off the bowlers, including thrashing Panesar for 17 off a single over, before being caught behind on 26.
From their it was all downhill for the Australian batsmen. With no one to back up Hussey shot wise, plus the England attack bowling full steam, the tailenders had no hope. Gilchrist grabbed a duck, Warne was dismissed on 25, whilst Clark and McGrath left Hussey stranded on the pitch with the combined score of four, and left Australia all out in the first day of play for 224.
But as Hussey was holding onto Australia’s chances by a shoestring, the bowling attack that England had produced was the talk of the day. After their first two Tests, where they had no answer to the Australian batting, they finally found their footing.
Harmison was finally back in form, and had a more relaxed attitude after dismissing Ponting, so relaxed he was able to grab the scalps of Clarke, Clark, and McGrath during the innings.
However, whilst it was impressive that Harmison was back in action, the eyes were on Panesar. With so much pre-game hype before the match, he did not disappoint, grabbing the wicket of Langer bowled on just his seventh bowl.
Monty was the gunpowder that gave the English so much blast. He was able to grab a five wicket innings, and as Symonds, Gilchrist, Warne and Lee all fell to his spell, it was like watching a new team emerge. He made a stamp on the game, as his five-wicket haul was something that the spin king himself, Warne, has done at the WACA.
Going into bat for the final portion of the day, England actually fell on their back foot, losing two quick wickets of Cook and Bell before stumps, finishing up 2/51.
However in their 14 overs of play, they were as aggressive on the pitch as in the field, and it might be an action paced game on our hands. As Adelaide was a strategic, thought out process; Perth might be in fact a long version of a one-day match with wickets and action aplenty.
Until next time, sports minds.
Ashes – Third Test (Perth) Scorecard
Australia First Innings (224 all out)
Batter (Out) Runs, Balls, Strike Rate
JL Langer (b Panesar) 37, 68, 54.41
ML Hayden (c Jones, b Hoggard) 24, 33, 72.72
RT Ponting (lbw b Harmison) 2, 11, 18.18
MEK Hussey (not out) 74, 162, 45.67
MJ Clarke (c & b Harmison) 37, 67, 55.22
A Symonds (c Jones, b Panesar) 26, 30, 86.66
AC Gilchrist (c Bell, b Panesar) 0, 4, 0.00
SK Warne (c Jones, b Panesar) 25, 22, 113.63
B Lee (lbw b Panesar) 10, 25, 40.00
SR Clark (b Harmison) 3, 5, 60.00
GD McGrath (c Cook b Harmison) 1, 2, 50.00
Bowling
Bowler, Overs, Maidens, Runs, Wickets, Econ (Extras)
MJ Hoggard…12, 2, 40, 1, 3.33
A Flintoff…9, 2, 36, 0, 4.00 (3 nb)
SJ Harmison…19, 4, 48, 4, 2.52 (1 w)
MS Panesar…24, 4, 92, 5, 3.83
SI Mahmood…7, 2, 28, 0, 4.00
England First Innings (2/51 at stumps)
AJ Strauss (not out) 24, 47, 51.06
AN Cook (c Langer, b McGrath) 15, 15, 100.00
IR Bell (c Gilchrist, b Lee) 0, 2, 0.00
PD Collingwood (not out) 10, 22, 45.45
Bowling
B Lee…5, 0, 24, 1, 4.80 (1 nb)
GD McGrath…5, 1, 18, 1, 3.60 (1 nb)
SR Clark…2, 1, 1, 0, 0.50
SK Warne…2, 0, 8, 0, 4.00
England trail by 193 runs with 8 wickets remaining in their first innings on the first day
After the long drawn out saga that emerged on the fields of Adelaide, the Third Test in Perth has boosted the action ten fold, with 12 wickets falling in the first day, and Australia already looking to their bowlers to save them from another tight spot.
The talk about the match was about the new guys on the block. With the departure of Martyn from all forms of cricket, Andrew Symonds was one of the biggest shocks that the selectors have gambled with. Already set as an solid one-day player, and having a number of chances in the Test side and wasting them (including the infamous intoxication saga at last year’s Ashes) all eyes were on him to see if he could perform to his best.
The same was occurring in the England camp. After staying with Ashley Giles for the first two Tests with no real result, England finally gave the next generation spinner king, Monty Panesar, a chance to prove himself, something that he took less than a day to show.
After Ponting won the toss and elected to bat, most people settled in for a solid day and a half batting from the Australian squad, but it was not to be. With Langer and Hayden starting solidly, grabbing 47 runs in the first 10 overs, many pundits were already claiming the Ashes trophy as Australia’s, before Hayden went out to his new nemesis Hoggard, caught behind on 24.
From there it turned into a uphill battle for Australia. Ponting was the next to take the long walk back, on the uncharacteristic two runs after being called LBW by the reinvigorated Harmison. Langer left soon afterwards, going down as Panesar’s first wicket, and leaving Australia stranded on 3/69.
But the light emerged in the saviour of Adelaide, Mr Cricket. Hussey was able to keep his head in the field, and play a very conservative game for his standards, whilst the England squad attacked from all sides.
As Hussey was slowly gaining momentum, his partners on the pitch could do no such thing. Clarke was dismissed by a very good caught and bowled by Harmison, Symonds proved some extravagant shots off the bowlers, including thrashing Panesar for 17 off a single over, before being caught behind on 26.
From their it was all downhill for the Australian batsmen. With no one to back up Hussey shot wise, plus the England attack bowling full steam, the tailenders had no hope. Gilchrist grabbed a duck, Warne was dismissed on 25, whilst Clark and McGrath left Hussey stranded on the pitch with the combined score of four, and left Australia all out in the first day of play for 224.
But as Hussey was holding onto Australia’s chances by a shoestring, the bowling attack that England had produced was the talk of the day. After their first two Tests, where they had no answer to the Australian batting, they finally found their footing.
Harmison was finally back in form, and had a more relaxed attitude after dismissing Ponting, so relaxed he was able to grab the scalps of Clarke, Clark, and McGrath during the innings.
However, whilst it was impressive that Harmison was back in action, the eyes were on Panesar. With so much pre-game hype before the match, he did not disappoint, grabbing the wicket of Langer bowled on just his seventh bowl.
Monty was the gunpowder that gave the English so much blast. He was able to grab a five wicket innings, and as Symonds, Gilchrist, Warne and Lee all fell to his spell, it was like watching a new team emerge. He made a stamp on the game, as his five-wicket haul was something that the spin king himself, Warne, has done at the WACA.
Going into bat for the final portion of the day, England actually fell on their back foot, losing two quick wickets of Cook and Bell before stumps, finishing up 2/51.
However in their 14 overs of play, they were as aggressive on the pitch as in the field, and it might be an action paced game on our hands. As Adelaide was a strategic, thought out process; Perth might be in fact a long version of a one-day match with wickets and action aplenty.
Until next time, sports minds.
Ashes – Third Test (Perth) Scorecard
Australia First Innings (224 all out)
Batter (Out) Runs, Balls, Strike Rate
JL Langer (b Panesar) 37, 68, 54.41
ML Hayden (c Jones, b Hoggard) 24, 33, 72.72
RT Ponting (lbw b Harmison) 2, 11, 18.18
MEK Hussey (not out) 74, 162, 45.67
MJ Clarke (c & b Harmison) 37, 67, 55.22
A Symonds (c Jones, b Panesar) 26, 30, 86.66
AC Gilchrist (c Bell, b Panesar) 0, 4, 0.00
SK Warne (c Jones, b Panesar) 25, 22, 113.63
B Lee (lbw b Panesar) 10, 25, 40.00
SR Clark (b Harmison) 3, 5, 60.00
GD McGrath (c Cook b Harmison) 1, 2, 50.00
Bowling
Bowler, Overs, Maidens, Runs, Wickets, Econ (Extras)
MJ Hoggard…12, 2, 40, 1, 3.33
A Flintoff…9, 2, 36, 0, 4.00 (3 nb)
SJ Harmison…19, 4, 48, 4, 2.52 (1 w)
MS Panesar…24, 4, 92, 5, 3.83
SI Mahmood…7, 2, 28, 0, 4.00
England First Innings (2/51 at stumps)
AJ Strauss (not out) 24, 47, 51.06
AN Cook (c Langer, b McGrath) 15, 15, 100.00
IR Bell (c Gilchrist, b Lee) 0, 2, 0.00
PD Collingwood (not out) 10, 22, 45.45
Bowling
B Lee…5, 0, 24, 1, 4.80 (1 nb)
GD McGrath…5, 1, 18, 1, 3.60 (1 nb)
SR Clark…2, 1, 1, 0, 0.50
SK Warne…2, 0, 8, 0, 4.00
England trail by 193 runs with 8 wickets remaining in their first innings on the first day
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