dontcloseyoureyes
BARNES OUT
Not afraid to crowbar a knee or two, it must be said.
-
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Nixonia - CricketWeb takes on the World
- Thread starter Nate
- Start date
Nate
You'll Never Walk Alone
If I was trying to outright win it, I would've. But surely the friendlies have an element of testing unproven players?
Nate
You'll Never Walk Alone
No doubt a win would've done exactly that. But bowling Heath for ten extra overs would not have changed the result.
pinchy81
International Vice-Captain
It could have this is the one and only Heafh Davis we're talking aboutNo doubt a win would've done exactly that. But bowling Heath for ten extra overs would not have changed the result.
dontcloseyoureyes
BARNES OUT
Flowers are gun in ICC, no worries there.
Nate
You'll Never Walk Alone
The Fifth Ashes Test Match
England vs Australia
Australia XI -
Nick Scott
John Heads
Higgy Marks
Mat Mitchell
Greg Thomas
Jake McDonald
Neil Pickup (wk)
Ryan Dunn
Kieran Horton
Heath Davis (capt)
Zachary Gelman
Coach's Call -
Mitchell comes in for Wright, Gelman in for Patrick. Marks moves up the order. Best of luck to Heath captaining his first Test Match. The conditions look tough for bowling, but hopefully the due rain might spice up the pitch a bit.
England vs Australia
Australia XI -
Nick Scott
John Heads
Higgy Marks
Mat Mitchell
Greg Thomas
Jake McDonald
Neil Pickup (wk)
Ryan Dunn
Kieran Horton
Heath Davis (capt)
Zachary Gelman
Coach's Call -
Mitchell comes in for Wright, Gelman in for Patrick. Marks moves up the order. Best of luck to Heath captaining his first Test Match. The conditions look tough for bowling, but hopefully the due rain might spice up the pitch a bit.
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Nate
You'll Never Walk Alone
Greatest Test Match of all time
In a series where England has dominated a below-par Australia, the 35,000 strong crowd could have been forgiven for thinking this match would be like all the others.
It was not.
On a quite good batting track, debutant Captain Heath Davis called correctly and opted to bat. Australia, who had been more miss than hit so far, started brilliantly, with Nick Scott and John Heads fantastic against the new ball. However, the decent batting track quickly changed when the match was delayed for a session due to rain. When Scott departed soon afer, he was joined by Higgy Marks, who underwent an horrific assault of fast bowling. The England bowlers knew he'd be vulnerable after being concussed and injured in the opening Test. Hit and injured twice, Marks kept going before succumbing to another Stephen Harmison short ball. Then entered Mat Mitchell, who had been brought back for the Fifth Test after an average campaign. Even in the juicy conditions, he and McDonald took the game from the English, dominating in their separate ways. Mitchell eventually departed for 190 runs, and when Davis was bowled by Hoggard, he cleverly declared.
What happened next was both a triumph and tragedy for Australia, and the drama has barely begun.
Standard, average, unthreatening - all are words you could use to describe Australia's bowling efforts thus far in the series. That however, all changed rather quickly.
After tight opening spells by Davis and Zachary Gelman, Ryan Dunn and Kieran Horton were brought on to break the partnership of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen. Horton's first ball was full, swung away and was edged by Pietersen, only for Thomas to drop a simple chance. This set the tone for the innings.
Andrew Flintoff soon took to the crease and what an innings it was for him. Andrew Flintoff was dropped five times on his way to 198, which demoralised both the Australians no end. By the time he was finally dismissed, England had reached 448, Ryan Dunn with his maiden Test Match 5-fer.
In an astounding display, Australia had dropped nine catches for the innings - Greg Thomas three, Jake McDonald three, Neil Pickup two and Davis one.
Australia had a 94-run lead, but Heads and Higgs were not finished. Both withstood fast bowling of the highest quality as Higgs was hit yet again, but continued to bat on. Heads and Higgs put on a superb 124-run partnership and in a spectacular move, Heath Davis called them back in with a 242-run lead for England to chase in just 48 overs. Davis had belief in his side, that they could reproduce bowling such as that of the first innings, but this time, that their chances would not be dropped.
Strauss and Pietersen strolled out to the middle, but in the sixth over, Strauss was strolling back to the changing rooms, as Gelman bowled a beautiful away-swinger which Strauss edged to third slip. The score was 12/1. Next ball, Graham Thorpe joined Pietersen in the middle. Next ball, he also edged, but Pickup could not hang onto the touch chance.
Kevin Pietersen was simply on fire. With uncontrolled agression, he lashed out at the bowling attack, until on 49. Marks bowled him a lovely delivery, which he hit directly to Davis... who dropped yet another chance. That gave Pietersen his fifty and the runs required were getting ever shorter for England.
It was soon obvious that Australia could not win this game, but could well conceed it, as Pietersen and Thorpe played their shots at will. Thorpe departed trying to up the run-rate and with five overs remaining, England needed 41 runs. Davis entrusted the ball to himself and Gelman at this crucial stage. After conceeding just four runs in five balls, Gelman went straight through Pietersen. As Gelman celebrated, Pietersen could reflect on a terrific innings of 135 off just 125 balls, one of the greatest innings ever. England, however, still needed 36 runs for victory off four overs. Davis bowled an over for three, Gelman's went for five and England now need 28 runs off two overs. Australian fans were celebrating, but Andrew Flintoff had not finished. What followed was amazing. A massive 20 runs were taken from Davis' over (one he could never forget) and the captain was in shock. What looked like a certain draw had now become so, so winnable for England. Freddy was incredible, striking the ball all around the ground Flintoff beamed with pride, he knew England were almost home. Heath was visibly devastated. There were now just four runs needed for victory as Gelman was given the ball. The match was almost over.
Wasting no time, Gelman, playing only his second Test Match, ran in to bowl the final over of the game. His full delivery was belted through covers by Mark Butcher. However, it was stopped on the rope by Horton and Gelman had conceeded three. England and Australia were level.
Butcher, who had little of the strike in the partnership, belted Gelman's next full delivery for four down the ground, and the match was England's, with only four balls remaining. The English side ran onto the field, celebrating a magnificent series win. England has made 245 runs in 47.2 overs with a display of batting Test Cricket has never seen.
Australia had lost the Ashes 0-4 and returned home shattered.
Coach's Call -
I don't think I have a job anymore.
In a series where England has dominated a below-par Australia, the 35,000 strong crowd could have been forgiven for thinking this match would be like all the others.
It was not.
On a quite good batting track, debutant Captain Heath Davis called correctly and opted to bat. Australia, who had been more miss than hit so far, started brilliantly, with Nick Scott and John Heads fantastic against the new ball. However, the decent batting track quickly changed when the match was delayed for a session due to rain. When Scott departed soon afer, he was joined by Higgy Marks, who underwent an horrific assault of fast bowling. The England bowlers knew he'd be vulnerable after being concussed and injured in the opening Test. Hit and injured twice, Marks kept going before succumbing to another Stephen Harmison short ball. Then entered Mat Mitchell, who had been brought back for the Fifth Test after an average campaign. Even in the juicy conditions, he and McDonald took the game from the English, dominating in their separate ways. Mitchell eventually departed for 190 runs, and when Davis was bowled by Hoggard, he cleverly declared.
What happened next was both a triumph and tragedy for Australia, and the drama has barely begun.
Standard, average, unthreatening - all are words you could use to describe Australia's bowling efforts thus far in the series. That however, all changed rather quickly.
After tight opening spells by Davis and Zachary Gelman, Ryan Dunn and Kieran Horton were brought on to break the partnership of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen. Horton's first ball was full, swung away and was edged by Pietersen, only for Thomas to drop a simple chance. This set the tone for the innings.
Andrew Flintoff soon took to the crease and what an innings it was for him. Andrew Flintoff was dropped five times on his way to 198, which demoralised both the Australians no end. By the time he was finally dismissed, England had reached 448, Ryan Dunn with his maiden Test Match 5-fer.
In an astounding display, Australia had dropped nine catches for the innings - Greg Thomas three, Jake McDonald three, Neil Pickup two and Davis one.
Australia had a 94-run lead, but Heads and Higgs were not finished. Both withstood fast bowling of the highest quality as Higgs was hit yet again, but continued to bat on. Heads and Higgs put on a superb 124-run partnership and in a spectacular move, Heath Davis called them back in with a 242-run lead for England to chase in just 48 overs. Davis had belief in his side, that they could reproduce bowling such as that of the first innings, but this time, that their chances would not be dropped.
Strauss and Pietersen strolled out to the middle, but in the sixth over, Strauss was strolling back to the changing rooms, as Gelman bowled a beautiful away-swinger which Strauss edged to third slip. The score was 12/1. Next ball, Graham Thorpe joined Pietersen in the middle. Next ball, he also edged, but Pickup could not hang onto the touch chance.
Kevin Pietersen was simply on fire. With uncontrolled agression, he lashed out at the bowling attack, until on 49. Marks bowled him a lovely delivery, which he hit directly to Davis... who dropped yet another chance. That gave Pietersen his fifty and the runs required were getting ever shorter for England.
It was soon obvious that Australia could not win this game, but could well conceed it, as Pietersen and Thorpe played their shots at will. Thorpe departed trying to up the run-rate and with five overs remaining, England needed 41 runs. Davis entrusted the ball to himself and Gelman at this crucial stage. After conceeding just four runs in five balls, Gelman went straight through Pietersen. As Gelman celebrated, Pietersen could reflect on a terrific innings of 135 off just 125 balls, one of the greatest innings ever. England, however, still needed 36 runs for victory off four overs. Davis bowled an over for three, Gelman's went for five and England now need 28 runs off two overs. Australian fans were celebrating, but Andrew Flintoff had not finished. What followed was amazing. A massive 20 runs were taken from Davis' over (one he could never forget) and the captain was in shock. What looked like a certain draw had now become so, so winnable for England. Freddy was incredible, striking the ball all around the ground Flintoff beamed with pride, he knew England were almost home. Heath was visibly devastated. There were now just four runs needed for victory as Gelman was given the ball. The match was almost over.
Wasting no time, Gelman, playing only his second Test Match, ran in to bowl the final over of the game. His full delivery was belted through covers by Mark Butcher. However, it was stopped on the rope by Horton and Gelman had conceeded three. England and Australia were level.
Butcher, who had little of the strike in the partnership, belted Gelman's next full delivery for four down the ground, and the match was England's, with only four balls remaining. The English side ran onto the field, celebrating a magnificent series win. England has made 245 runs in 47.2 overs with a display of batting Test Cricket has never seen.
Australia had lost the Ashes 0-4 and returned home shattered.
Coach's Call -
I don't think I have a job anymore.
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dontcloseyoureyes
BARNES OUT
The lesson is: never try
Makes me wonder what we could've achieved if Marks hadn't of gotten injured and instead played all series...
Nate
You'll Never Walk Alone
Australian Squad for the First Test against West Indies
Daniel Smith (capt) - RH Batsman, RFM Bowler, 0 Test Caps
Nick Scott - LH Batsman, 4 Test Caps
John Heads - LH Batsman, 5 Test Caps
Mat Mitchell - RH Batsman, 4 Test Caps
Jake McDonald - RH Batsman 5 Test Caps
Simon Fitzsimmons - LH Batsman, 0 Test Caps
Highkon Mawk - RH Batsman, 0 Test Caps
Tarick Weber - LH Batsman, WK, 0 Test Caps
Higgy Marks - LH Batsman, SLA Bowler, 3 Test Caps
Ryan Dunn - RFM Bowler 4 Test Caps
Brad Pine - OS Bowler, 0 Test Caps
Nathan Patrick - LFM Bowler, 5 Test Caps
Congratulations to all selected.
Daniel Smith (capt) - RH Batsman, RFM Bowler, 0 Test Caps
Nick Scott - LH Batsman, 4 Test Caps
John Heads - LH Batsman, 5 Test Caps
Mat Mitchell - RH Batsman, 4 Test Caps
Jake McDonald - RH Batsman 5 Test Caps
Simon Fitzsimmons - LH Batsman, 0 Test Caps
Highkon Mawk - RH Batsman, 0 Test Caps
Tarick Weber - LH Batsman, WK, 0 Test Caps
Higgy Marks - LH Batsman, SLA Bowler, 3 Test Caps
Ryan Dunn - RFM Bowler 4 Test Caps
Brad Pine - OS Bowler, 0 Test Caps
Nathan Patrick - LFM Bowler, 5 Test Caps
Congratulations to all selected.
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