The Hindu : Sport : After a frantic chase, England goes 2-1 up

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Monday, Aug 29, 2005

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Sport

After a frantic chase, England goes 2-1 up

Ted Corbett

NOTTINGHAM: England stuttered and stumbled to victory against Australia in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge, seen home by Matthew Hoggard and Ashley Giles, both far more skilled with a ball than a bat, in an eighth wicket partnership of 13 that brought up the target figure of 129 for a win by three wickets. A draw at the Oval two weeks from tomorrow will bring back the Ashes after 16 years.

Even in those old time games when spectators were supposed to have gnawed through the handles of their umbrellas, there has rarely been tension at this level. Now, after three Tests which could all be described as among the tightest in the history of England-Australia games going back 127 years, England leads the series 2-1 and whatever else happens its pride, badly dented in recent years, has been restored.

Vital shot

The winning runs, two by Giles off Shane Warne, came after 168 minutes in the 32nd over and it is as important as any shot in the Ashes which includes a famous stand by Wilfred Rhodes and George Hirst who agreed "we'll get `em in singles" and won a historic victory at the Oval 100 years ago.

It was a frantic chase for victory. Marcus Trescothick crashed four 4s in 27 off 23 balls but Warne's first ball slipped off his bat low to Ponting at silly point. Vaughan lasted only to the start of Warne's second over before edging the leg-spinner to slip. Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss put on 27 but at 57 Strauss edged Warne to Clarke and the umpires had to refer the decision to the third umpire Mark Benson.

Was it out? Who knows even after all those replays. The fuzzy ball might have bounced into Clarke's hands or it might have been the sort of illusion we have seen in these pictures before. Benson thought it was properly caught; fair enough but England, on the verge of an Ashes triumph was 57 for three and at the start of the next over Bell pulled a ball from Lee straight to backward square leg.

Stroke makers

Now England had to rely on the big stroke players Kevin Pietersen — on the ground where he made his name — and the hero of the hour Andrew Flintoff. A hook over the keeper's head by Pietersen, a cover drive by Flintoff meant 52 were needed with 23 overs left in the day. The sun came out as if to greet victory; the ground was silent except for a stentorian voice urging England on; barely a whisper could be heard in the Press Box that often sounds like a parrot house.

The two dashers kept their heads. After 20 overs 82 had been scored leaving 45 to come in 21 overs, Ponting was asking young Shaun Tait to keep the score down while Warne took wickets but now the runs were flowing; 40 needed and Warne was clearly rattled when an appeal for lbw was refused by umpire Dar. Flintoff smacked the next ball for four with relish. If Warne was not displaying dissent when he glared at Dar the word has lost its meaning. Pietersen brought up the 100 with an on drive and Pietersen flicked at a wide ball from Tait which was swallowed by a diving Gilchrist. Flintoff seemed to guiding England to victory but at 111 — the devil number — he was bowled by Lee 18 short of the target.

Giles hit two immediately; now victory was in the nostrils, almost within touching distance.

Sixteen wanted and no-one dare move since only four wickets remained, one the stricken Simon Jones.

The opening session was dreary as Australia tried to escape. The England attack — still without Simon Jones — passed the bat regularly, while Michael Clarke and Katich, allowed the ball to go wide of the stumps without paying it much attention. The new ball came with Australia still behind but it was another 12 overs before Hoggard, who had bowled testing deliveries all the way through the morning, got Clarke to divert the ball into Jones's gloves.

Gilchrist hit two flailing boundaries before Hoggard trapped him lbw. England has chained down Gilchrist in this series as it cannot have dreamed it would.

SCOREBOARD

England — 1st innings: 477

Australia — 1st innings: 218

Australia — 2nd innings: J. Langer c Bell b Giles 61, M. Hayden c Giles b Flintoff 26, R. Ponting (run out) 48, D. Martyn c G. Jones b Flintoff 13, M. Clarke c G. Jones b Hoggard 56, S. Katich lbw b Harmison 59, A. Gilchrist lbw b Hoggard 11, S. Warne st G. Jones b Giles 45, B. Lee (not out) 26, M. Kasprowicz c G. Jones b Harmison 19, S. Tait b Harmison 4; Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-14) 19. Total (all out, in 124 overs) 387.

Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-126, 3-155, 4-161, 5-261, 6-277, 7-314, 8-342, 9-373, 10-387.

England bowling: Hoggard 27-7-72-2, S. Jones 4-0-15-0, Harmison 30-5-93-3, Flintoff 29-4-83-2, Giles 28-3-107-2, Bell 6-2-12-0.

England — 2nd innings: M. Trescothick c Ponting b Warne 27, A. Strauss c Clarke b Warne 23, M. Vaughan c Hayden b Warne 0, I. Bell c Kasprowicz b Lee 3, K. Pietersen c Gilchrist b Lee 23, A. Flintoff b Lee 26, G. Jones c Kasprowicz b Warne 3, A. Giles (not out) 7, M. Hoggard (not out) 8; Extras (lb-4, nb-5) 9. Total (for seven wickets, in 31.5 overs) 129.

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-36, 3-57, 4-57, 5-103, 6-111, 7-116.

Australia bowling: Lee 12-0-51-3, Kasprowicz 2-0-19-0, Warne 13.5-2-31-4, Tait 4-0-24-0.

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