Ton-up Smith rescue Aus
5 Jan 2014 5:22 AM IST
Australia, sent into bat after Alastair Cook’s first toss win of the series, stormed back from a parlous 97 for five to leave the beleaguered tourists in familiar trouble by opening day stumps.
Australia were all out for 326 late in the day with England losing the wicket of Michael Carberry for a duck to reach stumps at eight for one with Cook on seven and nightwatchman Jimmy Anderson one. Smith and Haddin rescued the home team with a 128-run sixth-wicket stand before Haddin went for his sixth score over 50 in the series and Smith was last man out for 115.
Paceman Ben Stokes finished with six wickets for 99 as easily the best English bowler. Smith didn’t dwell long in the ‘nervous nineties’ with a six and four off debutant leg-spinner Scott Borthwick to raise his third Test century against England and first at his home Sydney Cricket Ground.
Smith on 99 was gifted with a Borthwick full-toss and he clouted it through to the mid-wicket boundary. The number five cracked 17 fours and a six in his 154-ball century. Haddin, the bane of the English bowlers in this series, was finally out for 75 off 90 balls post-tea to help in the rescue act with Smith. Haddin has had a golden series scoring 465 runs at 66.42 and has played a crucial role in rescuing Australia on a number of occasions in the one-sided Ashes.
Stokes spearheaded the under-manned English bowling attack, which was weakened when debutant Boyd Rankin went off with a hamstring injury while bowling his ninth over. Stokes claimed the wickets of Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Smith in his 20th over to wrap up the Australian resistance.
Haddin came to the crease following the dismissal of George Bailey for another low score putting his Test place in great jeopardy ahead of the coming tour to South Africa. Bailey was dismissed for just one, edging Stuart Broad for a Cook catch at first slip, who clung on at the second attempt. England claimed four wickets before lunch after Cook won the toss. Stokes dismissed opener Chris Rogers (11) and skipper Michael Clarke (10) and in the final over of the morning Anderson trapped Shane Watson leg before wicket for 43. Rogers, who scored 116 in Australia’s eight-wicket victory in the fourth Test, attempted to pull only to drag the ball on to his leg stump.And Stokes claimed the big breakthrough when he coaxed an edge off Clarke to Ian Bell in the slips.
Australia, who are chasing a 5-0 sweep for only the third time in Ashes history, remained unchanged for the fifth consecutive Test after all-rounder Watson (groin) and paceman Ryan Harris (knee) were cleared to play. England sprung a surprise by dropping Root and elevating Ian Bell to number three.
Jones blames Cook, Flower for disaster
MELBOURNE: Former Australia cricketer Dean Jones has blamed England captain Alastair Cook, coach Andy Flower and the team’s selectors for their disastrous Ashes campaign in Australia. According to The Age, Jones said England and Australia captains are measured on how their team plays in an Ashes series and although England had a good run under Cook’s reign, winning five out of six series, their defeat in Australia was clearly caused by Cook, Flower and the selectors. Jones pointed out number of mistakes which he felt including the selection of Jonny Bairstow over Matt Prior and not letting Kevin Pietersen or Ian Bell bat at three. He further said Cook can learn from Michael Clarke, and look towards David Gower, Mike Brearley or Mike Gatting for inspiration and advice.
Australia were all out for 326 late in the day with England losing the wicket of Michael Carberry for a duck to reach stumps at eight for one with Cook on seven and nightwatchman Jimmy Anderson one. Smith and Haddin rescued the home team with a 128-run sixth-wicket stand before Haddin went for his sixth score over 50 in the series and Smith was last man out for 115.
Paceman Ben Stokes finished with six wickets for 99 as easily the best English bowler. Smith didn’t dwell long in the ‘nervous nineties’ with a six and four off debutant leg-spinner Scott Borthwick to raise his third Test century against England and first at his home Sydney Cricket Ground.
Smith on 99 was gifted with a Borthwick full-toss and he clouted it through to the mid-wicket boundary. The number five cracked 17 fours and a six in his 154-ball century. Haddin, the bane of the English bowlers in this series, was finally out for 75 off 90 balls post-tea to help in the rescue act with Smith. Haddin has had a golden series scoring 465 runs at 66.42 and has played a crucial role in rescuing Australia on a number of occasions in the one-sided Ashes.
Stokes spearheaded the under-manned English bowling attack, which was weakened when debutant Boyd Rankin went off with a hamstring injury while bowling his ninth over. Stokes claimed the wickets of Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Smith in his 20th over to wrap up the Australian resistance.
Haddin came to the crease following the dismissal of George Bailey for another low score putting his Test place in great jeopardy ahead of the coming tour to South Africa. Bailey was dismissed for just one, edging Stuart Broad for a Cook catch at first slip, who clung on at the second attempt. England claimed four wickets before lunch after Cook won the toss. Stokes dismissed opener Chris Rogers (11) and skipper Michael Clarke (10) and in the final over of the morning Anderson trapped Shane Watson leg before wicket for 43. Rogers, who scored 116 in Australia’s eight-wicket victory in the fourth Test, attempted to pull only to drag the ball on to his leg stump.And Stokes claimed the big breakthrough when he coaxed an edge off Clarke to Ian Bell in the slips.
Australia, who are chasing a 5-0 sweep for only the third time in Ashes history, remained unchanged for the fifth consecutive Test after all-rounder Watson (groin) and paceman Ryan Harris (knee) were cleared to play. England sprung a surprise by dropping Root and elevating Ian Bell to number three.
Jones blames Cook, Flower for disaster
MELBOURNE: Former Australia cricketer Dean Jones has blamed England captain Alastair Cook, coach Andy Flower and the team’s selectors for their disastrous Ashes campaign in Australia. According to The Age, Jones said England and Australia captains are measured on how their team plays in an Ashes series and although England had a good run under Cook’s reign, winning five out of six series, their defeat in Australia was clearly caused by Cook, Flower and the selectors. Jones pointed out number of mistakes which he felt including the selection of Jonny Bairstow over Matt Prior and not letting Kevin Pietersen or Ian Bell bat at three. He further said Cook can learn from Michael Clarke, and look towards David Gower, Mike Brearley or Mike Gatting for inspiration and advice.
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