Australia go one up

Tickets for the final day at the Gabba were $20 each, but patrons could hardly have downed more than a few warm, overpriced beers before England folded half an hour before lunch.

With Kevin Pietersen on 92, and storms forecast for Brisbane for the afternoon, England’s best hope was a draw.

Unfortunately, Pietersen did not add to his overnight total of 92, and was caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Lee off the fourth ball of the day. After this, there was a certain inevitability about England’s fate. Geraint Jones and Ashley Giles were determined to go down fighting, and produced a number of boundaries before McGrath and Clark tidied up.

England were all out for 370, with Australia going one up in the best of five series.

The 2nd Test begins on Friday 1st December in Adelaide.

Australia 602-9 dec
Ricky Ponting 196, Mike Hussey 86, Justin Langer 82
Andrew Flintoff 4-99

England 157
Ian Bell 50
Glenn McGrath 6-50, Stuart Clark 3-21

Australia 202-1 dec
Justin Langer 100*, Ricky Ponting 60*

England 370
Paul Collingwood 96, Kevin Pietersen 92
Shane Warne 4-124, Stuart Clark 4-72

Australia won by 277 runs

Cricket Web Man of the Match – Ricky Ponting