| September 12th, 2005 02:10 PM |
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| stewed & Keefed |
Triumphant England reclaim Ashes
Fifth Test, The Oval:
England 373 & 335 drew with Australia 367 & 4-0
England win the Ashes 2-1
Kevin Pietersen smashed his first ever Test century to earn the draw that gave England a 2-1 series win and the Ashes for the first time since 1987.
Pietersen, who was dropped twice, hit 158 and Ashley Giles 59 before England were bowled out for 335 at The Oval, to snuff out Australian hopes of victory.
Australia batted for just four balls before bad light intervened, and a draw was eventually declared by the umpires.
The result brings to an end a series many have dubbed the "best ever".
How symbolic that the removal of the bails officially decides the Ashes
England had been in trouble early on the final day of the fifth Test - losing four wickets before lunch - but Pietersen's super knock, which saw him named man of the match, guided them home.
Giles also ended a sterling series with the bat with a career-best score, putting on a further 27 with Matthew Hoggard.
Meanwhile a capacity crowd, that spread onto the roofs and balconies of houses around the south London ground, celebrated in style.
In his final Test in England, Shane Warne took the last two wickets to finish with 6-124 and 12 wickets for the match, taking his career haul of England wickets to a record 172.
A raucous Oval crowd began their celebrations early
But he had little to celebrate as Australia's batsmen faced just four balls before play was stopped in confused circumstances and a stalemate was agreed after a 15-minute stand-off.
England had looked in desperate shape on 127-5 at lunch, leading by just 133 with five hours left.
McGrath had Michael Vaughan caught behind for 45 and saw Ian Bell edge to slip in the ninth over of the day.
Pietersen survived the hat-trick ball, which reared up to bounce off his shoulder and into the hands of Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting.
There was another sharp intake of breath before he got off the mark, when an edge caught keeper Adam Gilchrist's glove and was then missed by Matthew Hayden at slip.
But the easiest chance came with his score on 15, when Warne put down a simple head high chance at first slip.
Soon afterwards, an emboldened Pietersen slog-swept the veteran leg-spinner for two sixes in a single over to bring up the England 100.
Warne bowled 32 consecutive overs from the Vauxhall End and was dazzling early on as he ripped a leg-break out of the footholds to trap Marcus Trescothick lbw for 33.
Warne congratulated Pietersen after a series-winning innings
Andrew Flintoff did not last long either as he was lured into a loose straight drive which Warne collected at shin height.
But Pietersen's aggression, combined with some gritty batting from Paul Collingwood and then Giles wore the veteran leg-spinner down.
Collingwood contributed 10 to a sixth-wicket stand of 60 that began to shift the momentum in England's direction, before Giles contributed a vital knock.
Pietersen hit seven sixes in all, beating Ian Botham's Ashes record of six in an innings, set at Old Trafford in 1981.
But it was the fifth, a hook over square leg off Brett Lee, which hammered in the final nail, taking the England lead past the 250 mark with 39 overs left to Australia.
By the time he was bowled by McGrath, England were 314 ahead and the teams were left to go through the motions until a stalemate was finally agreed.
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| September 12th, 2005 06:21 PM |
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| stonedinaustralia |
thanks for that S & K...that's er... great news
seriously tho, Ponting screwed up big time by putting you guys into bat at the start of the second test...we should have batted first - scored 400+ and simply put the series beyond you
also langer and hayden's decsion to accept the umpires offer of bad light on day three in this match was a gutless disgrace
anyway, congratulations - tho it would be good to see an english team win that is made up entirely of Englishmen (i.e. no south african ring-ins)
but no, i don't mean to be ungracious..congratulations once again and enjoy it while you can...it won't last long |
| September 12th, 2005 06:35 PM |
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| exile |
indeed ...enjoy it congratulations
we will be back |
| September 12th, 2005 08:22 PM |
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| Daethgod |
hows Warnie .... 12 wickets in match, but that dropped Pietersen catch early kinda cost us the game ..
enjoy it Poms cos we will be back !
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| September 12th, 2005 10:28 PM |
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| corgi37 |
I hate the English winning anything, but really, i couldnt give a stuff. I despise cricket. Aussie Rule is MY game.
And, oh, lo an behold, MY FUCKING TEAM IS GONNA WIN THE BIG ONE!!!!!!!!!
It's the only thing i have to see/do so i can die happy. Already seen the STones, have kids, then watch St.Kilda win a Grand Final. I can then simply cruise whatever years (weeks?) i have left. Happy and content in a drunken haze. |
| September 12th, 2005 11:06 PM |
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| stonedinaustralia |
quote:
corgi37 wrote:
And, oh, lo an behold, MY FUCKING TEAM IS GONNA WIN THE BIG ONE!!!!!!!!!
oh no they're not - my team is going to win it and we may well beat yours in the final when we do it!!
sorry corgi but that's just the way things go |
| September 12th, 2005 11:50 PM |
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| exile |
quote:
Daethgod wrote:
hows Warnie .... 12 wickets in match, but that dropped Pietersen catch early kinda cost us the game ..
I know...but what can you do... you cant blame warnie. he played a bloody blinder of a series.
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| September 13th, 2005 02:31 AM |
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| Voodoo Scrounge |
I am very plaesed that we regained the ashes. I wasnt old enough to remember the last time we won them. It was a blinding performance all round from the English. We were assisted by some captaincy errors from Ponting, which, in England certainly, would have cost him his place. I think he will step down.
Plus, dont forget, this group of Aussie cricketers are at the end of their career. They are almost all 30 somethings and they need to rebuild. |
| September 13th, 2005 04:14 PM |
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| Hannalee |
quote:
stonedinaustralia wrote:
thanks for that S & K...that's er... great news
seriously tho, Ponting screwed up big time by putting you guys into bat at the start of the second test...we should have batted first - scored 400+ and simply put the series beyond you
400 like all their other innings?
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| September 13th, 2005 08:09 PM |
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| stonedinaustralia |
quote:
Hannalee wrote:
400 like all their other innings?
fair comment!!
still i'd say that decision not to bat first was a (if not the)pivotal moment in the series |
| September 13th, 2005 10:40 PM |
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| playguitar |
I have been a lurker here for the past umpteen years and rarely post. Raised in Streatham and living in Pennslyvannia.
Used to go to the Oval all the time in the 70's. It's always a good feeling to win the ashes from the arrogant Aussies. Jolly good show What.. |
| September 13th, 2005 11:03 PM |
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| exile |
quote:
playguitar wrote:
the arrogant Aussies.
arrogant? |
| September 13th, 2005 11:50 PM |
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| stonedinaustralia |
quote:
playguitar wrote:
arrogant Aussies
arrogant...implies an UNJUSTIFIED attitude of superiority
given our record over the last 18 years, up until the present series, i would suggest such an attitude was entirely justified - the only thing the team didn't manage to do was beat india in india - apart from (or perhaps notwithstanding) that we were the undisputed heavy weight champions of the world
i'm the first to admit the wheel has now turned - and i do believe it is a good rthing for cricket - our previous dominance was such that Test cricket was beginning to become predictable and with it boring
anyway, welcome to the mad-house!!! |
| September 14th, 2005 08:07 AM |
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| Honky Tonk Man |
In all honesty, I haven't been following the cricket, but you simply can't escape it!
I was in the pub the other night and the manager shut down the bar to watch all the speeches!
It's the football World Cup next year. That's far more important. |
| September 14th, 2005 08:23 AM |
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| Gazza |
..if you get there ;-) |
| September 14th, 2005 08:25 AM |
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| Zeeta |
Healy for England! Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!Healy for England!
The chant at the Leeds Utd game I was at this weekend! LOL! |
| September 14th, 2005 10:46 AM |
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| Honky Tonk Man |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
..if you get there ;-)
Still celebrating, eh Gazza? |
