England were a seamer short against Australia, says Andrew Strauss

The England captain, Andrew Strauss, said his team were a seam bowler short as they slipped to a second one-day international defeat to Australia in Hobart.

Shaun Marsh kept Australia’s innings together after they threatened to fall apart at various points, hitting 110 in a total of 230, to which the tail-ender Doug Bollinger contributed an excellent run-a-ball 30. Bollinger then took the wickets of Strauss and Kevin Pietersen as part of a four-wicket haul as Australia sealed a 46-run victory, which leaves the hosts 2-0 up in the seven-match series heading into Sunday’s third match, in Sydney.

England lined up with the spinners Michael Yardy and James Tredwell in their attack with a view to giving them match practice ahead of the World Cup in the subcontinent, but Strauss accepted in hindsight that had probably been an error.

Full story: The Guardian

 

Final day of Ashes humiliation

England is on course to achieve one of its greatest triumphs in Australia by inflicting an unprecedented humiliation.

Never before in almost 134 years of Test cricket has Australia lost three Tests in a series by an innings.

Only a prolonged repeat of yesterday evening’s monsoonal downpour can prevent England from achieving another emphatic victory in the fifth and final Test at the SCG to take the series 3-1.

Australia will resume today on 7-213, still needing 151 simply to make England bat again.

It will be England’s first series success in this country for 24 years.

Shane Watson, who was run-out in a dreadful mix-up with Phil Hughes for 38, conceded the depth of Australia’s despair.

“There’s no doubt with the performances we have shown over the last little while that we have to turn it around and it does come down to the players alone to turn it around,” Watson said.

Full story: The Australian

 

Late wickets give Australia hope

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AUSTRALIA’S hopes of drawing the Ashes series are still alive after two wickets to Mitchell Johnson and a breakthrough by Ben Hilfenhaus has England 3-167 at stumps.

Mitchell Johnson delivered for Australia late on day two of the fifth Test at the SCG, removing English danger man Kevin Pietersen just when England looked to be getting on top again at 2-165.

The left-arm paceman took his second wicket with just 29 balls remaining in the day’s play to give nightwatchman James Anderson a nervous stint in the middle.

He finished with 2-42 from 12 overs.

Full story: Herald Sun

 

Sydney, Day 2: Mitchell Johnson post-match interview (VIDEO)

Australia’s Mitchell Johnson speaks to CATV after day two of the fifth Vodafone Ashes Test at the SCG.

Dependable Tim Bresnan to lead England fightback

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Tim Bresnan is strongly expected to play in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG as England plan how best to respond to their 267-run defeat at the Waca.

Bresnan’s all-round reliability has become increasingly attractive to England with Steve Finn beginning to show the effects of an exhausting debut season and Jimmy Anderson under treatment for a stiff side.

Finn is England’s leading wicket-taker in the Ashes with 14 victims but he disappeared for more than five an over in Perth and England are determined to impose themselves on a slower pitch at the MCG, the sort of methodical approach that brought them victory in the second Test in Adelaide.

Full story: The Guardian