Brisbane: Day 5: At least it went to 5 days
The fact that the game even made it to 5 days is at least testament to England’s stubbornness. Sure, people will question why Ponting did not enforce the follow on, which would have conceivably ended the game inside 4 days, but still, yet another* example of Australian arrogance. It wasn’t good enough to beat England, they were going for the full on humiliation. As far as I am concerned, this backfired on Ponting, as his aging bowlers had to spend more time in the field getting tired.
Okay, so Day 5 was wrapped up in 20 overs, and KP was gone in the first 10 minutes. But Warne didn’t get a 5fer and they needed Stuart Clark to finish things, which he did well, but I’m not yet convinced he’s a strike bowler. Jones and Giles managed a few runs between them, but then so did Harmison and Anderson. You still have to wonder if England would have been in the same position had Monty and Read been playing. I’m not suggesting Monty was likely to have such an impact that would have reversed the outcome of the game (after all, Steve Harmison would still have bowled pies all day) but you never know. Suffice it to say that Jones and Giles aren’t likely to be dropped anytime soon and if Monty is drafted in to the side for Adelaide it will most likely be at the expense of Harmison rather than Giles.
I think enough has been said about this match - Australia won, and they won well. England deserved to lose and have plenty to work on. But recall, if you will, the first game of the last Ashes series. Extrapolate from there. Lovely.
* Justin Langer celebrating catching Freddie Flintoff on Day 4 before he’d even caught the ball springs to mind. What I would have given for him to have dropped the catch.
Tags: amazing, Australia, cricket, England, excitement, test, The-AshesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Cricket
2 opinions for Brisbane: Day 5: At least it went to 5 days
Phillip Molly Malone
Nov 28, 2006 at 2:58 am
Is an example of celebrating before its due planning a parade for winning back the ashes before you actually have won the ashes? hmmmmm
I would think a more likely explaination of them not enforcing the follow-on and allowing for a 5th day would be to make money on the crowd for the 5th day then it would be that they did it out of “Australian arrogance”.
Theres a long way to go yet.
Molly
http://boony.mollyzine.com
Matt Thornton
Nov 28, 2006 at 10:18 am
(except they then bowled England out in 20 overs which was short of the minimum number of overs required for the Gabba not to have give a refund…)
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