Cricket - The Fourth Ashes Test

The Fourth Ashes Test, Australia versus England
Currently Australia lead 3 - 0 in the 5 match series.

Australia's two star bowlers have announced their impending retirement, Shane Warne to retire from International Cricet at the end of the fifth test, Glenn McGrath to retire at the end of the Cricket World Cup, in the first half of next year. As they are arguably the two best bowlers in the world this will affect Australia's outlook next year.


Fourth Test played in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. at the MCG.
Crowd for Day 1 - 89000 people
A cold, drizzly day, the lights used for the night matches were on all day.

England won the toss, lost just about everything else today

England First Innnings 159 runs All out
Australia First Innings 48 runs for the loss of 2 wickets

The outstanding performance was that of Shane Warne, Australian spin bowler, he took his 700th test wicket (first in the world to ever do that) and finished the day having taken 5 wickets for 39 runs. an outstanding performance.

Full Scorecard http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/engine/match/249225.html

Regards
Bob

 

Day Two

England first Innings 159 runs all out
Australia first Innings 372 runs for 7 wickets

England started the day well, at one stage Australia was 88 runs for 5 wickets, it looked as though Aus would struggle to match the english score. Hayden and Symonds struggled for a while, then proceeded to dominate the English bowling, Hayden being out late in the day for 153 runs, Symonds still there at the close of play with 154 runs, not out.

So, in the end, Australia's day, England facing a fourth consecutive defeat.

Full Scorecard http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/engine/match/249225.html

Regards
Bob

 

Day Three

Australia won .... in three days, two days to spare .... there will be no fourth or fifth day report ..

England First Innings 159 runs All out ....
Australia First Innings 419 runs All out ...
England second Innings 161 runs All out ...
Australia win by an Innings and 99 runs.

Good that Aus win, pity it was so easy, kind of spoils the competative element, takes the real challenge out of it. Still, maybe the 5th and final test will be a chance for England to put in a reasonable performance, it starts after New Year's Day, on the second of January 2007.

Full Scorecard http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/engine/match/249225.html

Regards
Bob