Simon Wilde | Reaction | Scoreboard | Over-by-over | Debate | Weblog
THE GABBA (final day of five): Australia beat England by 277 runs
England could summon little of their defiance of the fourth day, losing their last five wickets in an hour and a half on the final morning to go down by 277 runs in the first Ashes Test. Stuart Clark claimed the last three wickets to finish with seven in the match on what was his home Test debut.
The possibility of a late thunderstorm, forecast for around the tea-break, gave England the faintest glimmer of hope at the start of play, but that was all but extinguished by the loss of Kevin Pietersen in the first over. Brett Lee had allowed himself a couple of looseners before taking the second new ball, whereupon Pietersen clipped him straight to short mid-wicket where Damien Martyn held a comfortable catch. Pietersen departed without addition to his overnight 92 but his combative innings was worth several times its face value in terms of restoring his side’s competitive edge and belief.
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Geraint Jones played some fine offside strokes, as well as an all-run four to the mid-wicket boundary after flicking Lee off his legs, but he soon became McGrath’s seventh victim of the match when he was bowled off a big inside edge. McGrath showed no obvious signs of discomfort in his left heel, where a ‘hotspot’ that required a pain-killing injection on Sunday had caused him considerable discomfort. When the effects of the injection wear off on Tuesday, Australia will assess his condition but he remains a doubt for the second Test in Adelaide on Friday. Ricky Ponting, by contrast, confirmed he will be fit to play there despite a back strain that prevented him from fielding on Sunday.
Shane Warne, teased by a section of Barmy Army who, for the first time in the match were not drowned out by the Australian supporters, wheeled away in search of a fifth wicket, but it was Clark who mopped up. First, he ended Ashley Giles’ plucky innings by having him well caught at first slip by Warne; then, he also found Matthew Hoggard’s edge to give the Victorian a second catch in the same position. Steve Harmison was last out when he topedged a pull to McGrath at long leg.
Ponting, who was named man-of-the match for his twin innings of 196 and 60 not out, could not hide his delight. “It’s very satisfying, and I’m glad we’ve a late flight on Tuesday to Adelaide so that we can properly celebrate this win in the rooms,” he said. “I don’t think England can use being under-cooked as an excuse, as we, too, only had one first-class game for preparation after returning from India.”
Andrew Flintoff agreed that his side had been sufficiently prepared but had just not performed to their potential. “It’s the best thing for us that this next Test is coming up so soon, as we won’t have too much time to think about this defeat. We have to improve in all areas, but at least in the second innings we showed what we are capable of.”
SCOREBOARD
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Australia first innings 602-9 declared. England first innings 157. Australia second innings 202-1 declared.
England second innings (overnight 293-5)
A.Strauss c sub (Broad) b Clark 11
A.Cook c Hussey b Warne 43
I.Bell lbw b Warne 0
P.Collingwood st Gilchrist b Warne 96
K.Pietersen c Martyn b Lee 92
A.Flintoff c Langer b Warne 16
G.Jones b McGrath 33
A.Giles c Warne b Clark 23
M.Hoggard c Warne b Clark 8
S.Harmison c McGrath b Clark 13
J.Anderson not out 4
Extras (b-8 lb-10 w-2 nb-11) 31
Total (all out, 100.1 overs) 370
Fall: 1-29 2-36 3-91 4-244 5-271 6-293 7-326 8-346 9-361 10-370
Bowling: Lee 22-1-98-1 (nb-7 w-1), McGrath 19-3-53-1 (nb-3), Clark 24.1-6-72-4, Warne 34-7-124-4 (nb-1) Hussey 1-0-5-0
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Result: Australia won by 277 runs
Umpires: B F Bowden (New Zealand) and S A Bucknor (West Indies)