After almost two months of hard fought and well contested cricket, the Ashes series has come to a close. It entertained the cricketing world with its five controversy filled test matches as the rain factor proved to be the turning point helping England to win 3-0. However, the final result does not show how closely the matches were fought. It was not complete dominance from England, in fact far from it. The umpire’s decisions and the use of DRS were questioned on numerous occasions, but that did not stop the quality of cricket that delighted the hardcore fans of these two endowed nations.
Trent Bridge – the venue of the first test saw the lively Nottingham crowd roaring and ready to go as the English captain Alastair Cook and Joe Root came out to bat. However, they could not achieve much as they were bowled out for a mere 215, courtesy of a brilliant 5-for from Peter Siddle. Australia, at 117/9, was struggling and required a miracle to make any sort of recovery. And then came the Ashton Agar, a 19-year old, making his debut. After the partnership got going with Phillip Hughes, record began to fall left, right and center. Agar quickly made a record 98, the highest score by a number eleven batsman on debut and put up a hundred partnerships for the tenth wicket before Anderson completed his five-for with his wicket. Bell then showed the Aussies how to bat and scored century setting the target 311 to win. James Anderson got another five-for and gave England the first test match (the first time they had done so since 1997) only after a solid resistance from Brad Haddin that took Australia 14 runs short of victory. It gave England a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
Second test was played at the Home of Cricket, Lords. Aussies were put down from the word go as they could only post 128 in reply to an Ian Bell Influenced 361. Bell yet again got a hundred and became only the fourth English batsman to score a century in three successive Ashes matches. Joe Root then finished the Aussies off with a personal best of 180 and Graham Swann bowled them out to secure a 347 run victory. The series was at 2-0 and Australia required winning the three remaining matches, a feat only achieved by Don Bradman’s invincible team in 1937. England looked set to retain the Ashes.
Old Trafford was the first of the rain-affected matches. Needing to win all the remaining fixtures, Captain Michael Clarke set out the tone by scoring 187 en route to Australia’s immense score of 527 runs for 7 wickets declared. England could only manage 368 and Australia was looking as if they could pull off a win. With more than two days left the Aussies promoted David Warner up the order, who scored briskly but then the rain-washed out the post tea session. Australia declared overnight hoping to bowl out the England side. In the first session Australia reduced England to 37/3. But the rain god was kind to England and the final day was abandoned due to persistent rain. England retained the Ashes but not in the most appealing manner.
Durham was the first of the dead rubbers in the series. England, who had already retained the Ashes, batted slowly in the first inning scoring at a measly 2.58 run rate and quickly collapsed from 149/2 to 238/10. The Aussie response, led by an emphatic maiden hundred by Chris Rogers, was marginally better. Stuart Broad took 5 wickets including the first four Australian batsmen. In the second inning Ian Bell scored his third hundred of the series. But Ryan Harris produced his personal best of (7/117) and bowled England out for 330 leaving Australia 299 to win. However, it was Stuart Broad who completed his ten-wicket haul and helped England seal the series with a crushing 74 run victory.
The final match was a battle for pride from the Aussies. Shane Watson smashed a personal best of 176 and took Australia just shy of the 500 mark. Then debutant James Faulkner helped the Aussies stop the Barmy Army to a score fewer than 400. But it was yet again not to be for Australia as the rain halted them.
That saw the end of the Ashes tests, which at 3-0 seemed to be a complete domination. But as you can see it was not quite like that. The hard fought draws and unfortunate defeats mean Australia can take some positives back to Brisbane before preparing for their return series in November.
The test series was followed by a couple of t20’s, which ended one a piece. The highlight was the record breaking inning by Aaron Finch who scored 156 in just 63 balls to give Australia the first match by a comfortable margin of 39 runs. The second match was the Joe Root show as he smashed 90 to level the series and made sure that the Aussies would still have to wait for their first series win of the tour.
One-Day Internationals, the final part of the tour was a disappointing finish to a great Ashes series. The first match was abandoned, as was the third. However, an excellent ton by skipper Michael Clarke saw Australia win the second match. And the heroics of Jos Butler saw England level the series in the fourth match. The final match was the final chance for the Aussies to grab some silverware from the tour. And they took it with both hands. The Aussies cruised to a 49 run victory with Shane Watson smashing a huge 143 and Captain Clarke chipping in with a solid 75. This was more than enough to stop the England side, who had been so consistent throughout the tour, from snatching the last piece of silverware of the summer.
In less than two months time the two teams will continue with the rivalry as the return series kicks-off in Brisbane. Can Australia make it all square or will England yet again retain the Ashes?
[The writer is a student, Year 9, Hill House School, Doncaster, UK]