Milestone moment
When Ricky Ponting went to his 32nd Test century, thereby equalling Steve Waugh’s record for Australia. His captaincy was heavily criticised Down Under after the loss of the Ashes and this was the perfect retort from the Tasmanian. Hispumped-up and prolonged celebrations after he reached the landmark with a push into the on side for three runs showed what it meant to him: a great deal. But he said afterwards that he was not aware he had matched Waugh. “I’m not one for statistics,” Ponting said.
Shot of the day
A close call between two magnificent strokes played by Ricky Ponting, both early in his innings. One supreme on-driven four off Andrew Flintoff was beautifully executed, but the vote has to go to the Australia captain’s exquisitely-timed back-foot forcing shot off the expensive James Anderson that raced away to the extra-cover boundary, one of 16 fours Ponting hit during his unbeaten century. Throughout his 206-ball innings, the Australia captain barely offered England a sniff of a wicket.
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Magic moment
Shortly after tea, Ashley Giles had a big shout for leg-before when Ricky Ponting, then on 72, tried to sweep. Billy Bowden, the umpire, turned down the appeal but then immediately scratched his nose. A large section of the Barmy Army, who had a good view at mid-wicket, bellowed in celebration, thinking Bowden had given the Australia captain out. The Australia fans had been similarly premature in celebrating a single that they thought had brought up Justin Langer’s fifty earlier in the day. In fact, it was quickly signalled as a leg-bye.
Ball of the day
Andrew Flintoff’s cutter that found the edge of Matthew Hayden’s bat and was caught neatly by Paul Collingwood at second slip. It was a wicket that England desperately needed after a bad start, with Australia scoring at almost five runs an over. Two balls earlier, Justin Langer had reached his half-century and their first-wicket partnership had made 79 in 18.3 overs before Flintoff squared up Hayden. The impassioned reaction from the touring team’s captain showed how much he appreciated its importance.
Numbers game
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4
The number of bowlers England used in the first 12 overs of the Australia innings. James Anderson replaced Stephen Harmison in the fifth, while Andrew Flintoff came on for Matthew Hoggard in the twelfth.
52.43
The average opening stand between Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden. In 114 innings they have scored 5,820 runs, with 14 century stands and 27 half-century partnerships.
68.50
The average partnership between Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey. In eight stands, they have put on 100 or more runs twice.
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74.02
Ponting’s scoring rate against England’s four frontline fast bowlers. He managed only 20 from 53 balls (scoring rate 37.74) off Ashley Giles.
83.67
Langer’s scoring rate in his innings of 82. Among his 52 fifty-plus scores, only twice has he scored faster — he made a run-a-ball 122 not out against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2000, and he struck an unbeaten 72 off 85 balls against the same team in Christchurch last year.
Exclusive Ashes statistics supplied in association with cricinfo.com