• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

The Forumer's Ashes

Howe_zat

Audio File
Surging England look to seal series

England vs Australia - the Fourth Test
Chester-le-Street, Durham
9th-13th August


Australia's victory in the first Test must seem like a long time ago now. Since that victory they have lost three matches on the bounce. The blame lies with combination of their talented batsmen failing to put together partnerships, and their attack looking unbalanced and inconsistent. England's success has been based around dominance of the new ball - either through opening batsmen Fertang and Pickup setting their allrounders a comfortable platform, or through Force and Myheart's fast bowling assaults.

The ongoing search for a properly balanced attack offers some hope to Exciting Player, whose medium pace bowling should offer more of a threat in the north east. Legspinner Stephen, despite a matchwinning performance in Taunton, has been consistently outbowled by Dan Wayne in the Tests and could well make way.

The hosts are unlikely to change. Despite rumours that perennial twelfth man Tesnan could replace the under-performing Marcuss Deen, the latter's batting performances in the warm ups should still be enough to get him the nod at number seven.

Expected sides:
England: Fertang, Pickup, Moody, Robertson, Wood, Ardley, Deen, Smithington-Smythe, Myheart, Furball, Force
Australia: Burridge, Lewis, Super, Monk, Spark, Loblaw, Haddin, Wayne, Suifdadny, Coco, Player
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Day One


The visitors chose to bat first, but could only manage an opening stand of 13 as Burridge fell to Force lbw early on. From there the Australians rallied with Super looking to get the ball away straight from the off. Within an hour he had raised his half century from 60 balls, and an entertaining partnership was only ended just before lunch when Deen got one through Lewis' defences for 33. They were 101/2 at lunch.


Ginger Furball made his impact immediately in the afternoon. In the first over from the leggie Monk nicked one off his pads to Robertson and departed for a duck, and only two balls later Furball hit Super's leg stump. The number three was out for 53 and the Australians were suddenly 103/4. It was about to get worse as Deen struck for the second time, this time Loblaw out for 0 having been caught by Smithington-Smythe. The same pair had the chance to dismiss Spark the same over, only for a simple chance to be shelled.


Furball struck for the third time when Haddin nicked one to Deen after making 19, and the top-order collapse was complete when Deen came back on to get Spark, this time not requiring the assistance of a fielder. Wayne tried to hit his way out of trouble, but could only manage 12 before Deen dismissed him with a sharp return catch for his fourth wicket. They were 168/8.


There was just time in the session for Coco to give the away fans something to cheer about - hitting Furball for a six and four off his first two balls to him. But the more cautious Suifdadny was beaten by Myheart and dismissed lbw, and the quick would strike immediately after by finding Player's edge first ball. 184 all out before tea.




England's innings began in uncharacteristic fashion with Fertang punishing some wayward stuff from Suifdadny. The opener raced to 30 at a run a ball with Suifdadny conceding the same number in five overs. The fifty stand came up in the 13th over. The Australians turned to spin for the breakthrough and Lewis delivered, getting a shaky-looking Pickup for 27. But Fertang remained there, raising his half century from 74 balls. He would end the day unbeaten, and along with Moody took England's score into three figures. The hosts had one hand on the urn.

 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Day Two

England continued their ascendancy on the second morning as Moody and Fertang batted for over an hour, taking England into the lead. Fertang resumed his more familar steady approach while Moody took on the aggressor as he passed fifty. The stand was broken only when Fertang was run out for 80, the score moving to 194/2. Burridge got Moody's wicket late in the session, lbw for 92, straight after having been hit for two fours.

In the afternoon Lewis dismissed Wood, but taking the new ball backfired horribly as Robertson and Ardley attacked the seamers and took the score past 300. Lewis returned to claim the wicket of Ardley, but Robertson was away, notching the third half ton of the innings and taking his contribution to 82* at tea.

With the second ball after the break Player should have had Deen's wicket, but Burridge was the guilty party in the dropping of an absolute dolly. Instead the sixth wicket stand moved on towards the 400 mark, with Robertson bringing up his ton.

Coco got the breakthrough, Robertson's 105 ending with a fine clipping of the off stump. Smithington-Smythe's 20-run cameo (before holing out off Player) helped Deen move the lead past the 250 mark, and Coco struck the woodwork for the second time, collecting Myheart's wicket for 1. Furball departed soon after for 4, but Deen made sure it was the last wicket of the day, as he rose his fifty to continue his superb allround match. Stumps came with a lead of 270.

 

Top