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

 

England on the brink of series glory

England were three wickets away from an emphatic 3-1 series victory after more superlative all-round cricket left Australia in tatters on 7 for 213, still 151 runs short of making the visitors bat again. James Anderson produced an outstanding display of reverse swing, and Chris Tremlett battered the batsmen with hostile pace, to follow up Matt Prior‘s first Ashes hundred which led England to their highest total down under.

England claimed the extra half an hour to try and complete victory after Tremlett removed Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson in consecutive balls amid a heady atmosphere as the travelling fans, who outnumbered the locals, savoured every moment. However, Steve Smith and Peter Siddle managed to see out the eight further overs to keep England waiting overnight to celebrate.

Full story: ESPNcricinfo

 

Cook and Bell make Aussies suffer

Alastair Cook made 189 for an aggregate of 766 series runs and Ian Bell (115) hit his first Ashes ton as England ran riot on day three of the final Test.

With Australia needing to win to avoid losing the series, their hopes looked bleak as the tourists reached 488-7.

That gave England a lead of 208 at stumps and represented a fine day’s work from a morning start of 167-3.

The only blemish was the latest in a long line of failures for Paul Collingwood, who was out for 13.

The 34-year-old has an average of 15.54 in his last 10 Test matches and may not get a chance to remedy it in the second innings.

Full story: BBC Sport

 

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