Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    37
    68
    116
    6
    0
    54.41
    24.1 And Panesar strikes! It's taken him just seven balls to get his first Ashes wicket and that pitches outside off and beats Langer's forward defensive, knocking back off stump. Panesar is immediately celebrating, running around in a loop, whooping and beaming. Giles on the balcony has a full beaming smile, delighted with England's progress 69/3
    10.3 goddim! What a ball, swinging in on Hayden who on-drives, loses balance, it takes the outside edge and there's the breakthrough for England. Hayden looked to the heavens immediately and didn't wait for the finger. 47/1
    13.3 a big call - all the slip cordon are up and so is Harmison - oh and he's removed the imperious Ponting. Good length, nipping back in off the seam and that's pitched bang on middle. It's OK for height too and suddenly the WACA has come alive 54/2
    not out
    74
    162
    244
    10
    0
    45.67
    40.4 what a catch! What a fine catch that is from Harmison. Clarke, just when he was looking settled, tried to pull Harmison, and just flat-batted it straight, the ball spearing back to the bowler who was either going to wear it in his chest or get his hands in the way. He did get his hands in the way and there's Harmison's second 121/4
    49.6 he's gone this time! Symonds shapes to cut that one and gets the thinnest of top-edges straight through to Jones who makes no mistake in pouching that one at the second attempt. Good decision from Flintoff to keep Panesar on after his previous pummelling and the Symonds fireworks were sparkling but shortlived. 172/5
    51.4 but Panesar has struck again! This time Gilchrist comes forward to defend and the ball cannons off his pad onto his inside edge and balloons up to Ian Bell at short leg and he scrambles over and takes a catch over his shoulder at a stretch. Great catch, Gilchrist doesn't wait for the decision and Monty's on fire. 172/6
    59.1 GODDIM! What a day Monty's having - a mirror of Symonds's dismissal as Monty tosses this outside off stump, short, Warne tries to cut but gets a thin edge to Jones. And there ends Warne's cameo 214/7
    10
    25
    32
    2
    0
    40.00
    67.6 and he's got him! Monty has five! Lands this on middle, it turns just enough and Lee is rapped on the pad. Dar raises his finger and Panesar is the first English spinner to take five wickets at the WACA. This is Monty's day 234/8
    70.3 Clark's feet are trapped in the crease and he goes swishing at a 91.7mph (147.5kph) near-yorker which sends back leg stick and the sickening/delightful* (*delete as appropriate) thwack is there for everyone to hear. Intelligent ball 242/9
    70.6 and that's four wickets for Harmison! He speared that one right in at McGrath who jumps on the back foot, and fends at it, sending an easy catch off his ... ah, arm or chest... Quite a poor decision, that and McGrath's face says it all 244/10
    Extras
    5 (nb 4, w 1)
    TOTAL
    244 all out (71 Overs, RR: 3.43, 313 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Matthew Hayden, 10.3 ov), 2-54 (Ricky Ponting, 13.3 ov), 3-69 (Justin Langer, 24.1 ov), 4-121 (Michael Clarke, 40.4 ov), 5-172 (Andrew Symonds, 49.6 ov), 6-172 (Adam Gilchrist, 51.4 ov), 7-214 (Shane Warne, 59.1 ov), 8-234 (Brett Lee, 67.6 ov), 9-242 (Stuart Clark, 70.3 ov), 10-244 (Glenn McGrath, 70.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    MJ Hoggard1224013.3300
    A Flintoff923604.0003
    SJ Harmison1944842.5210
    MS Panesar2449253.8300
    SI Mahmood722804.0000
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    24.2 but he's GONE! Attempting the same shot outside off, it was too wide frankly and the entire slip cordon all roar their appeal as Gilchrist collects. The crowd are all booing, Strauss is shaking his head and effing and blinding to himself, but he's gone. 82/4
    5.6 gone! Tries to cover-drive that one but the length wasn't there - a bit of length and movement and Cook's tempted to play that one, but merely gets a thick edge to Langer in the slips 36/1
    6.6 ooh, that's the one Lee was aiming for last ball - just squaring Bell up nicely and he gets a thin edge on that as it feathers through to Gilchrist. This is a great response from Australia and they have two wickets in quick succession, Bell departing for a duck 37/2
    17.2 GONE! It was just short of a length, I think it cut away just a touch from Collingwood who, without moving his feet, tried to push it off the back foot. It took the outside edge and flew to Matthew Hayden's right, at gully, who clung onto a reasonably simple chance and there's Australia's breakthrough 55/3
    54.5 but he's gone now! Pietersen tried to hit this over long-off, inside out, but found the best Australia fielder, Andrew Symonds, who came running in, steadied himself and took a fine catch 175/9
    33.4 gone this time and the Symonds trap has paid off. Flintoff squared up to that one, prodded at it and sends a thick edge to Warne at first slip who takes a good catch. Lee had been softening him up at the other end and Symonds cleans up, with Flintoff's scalp as his first Ashes wicket, not a bad one 107/5
    35.6 and gone! Symonds strikes again! A sloppy shot it must be said, driven uppishly to point where it's snaffled very tidily indeed, low. Jones gets a duck and the Aussies are celebrating hard here 114/6
    40.6 and for the third time in succession he steps to leg, flashes, edges and it's taken behind. Careless, hopeless shot and England are in an absolute mess 128/7
    51.6 and there we go; Warne lands this on leg stump, Hoggard comes forward, it takes the outside edge and goes straight to Hayden at first slip. Classical bowling; classical Warne 155/8
    64.1 out at last. A leading edge and Lee at mid-on does well to judge that one - it was hanging in the air for some time - and he takes a high catch, fingers pointing upwards. Australia have broken the stand (England's highest) at last 215/10
    not out
    16
    26
    41
    3
    0
    61.53
    Extras
    11 (nb 10, w 1)
    TOTAL
    215 all out (64.1 Overs, RR: 3.35, 301 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Alastair Cook, 5.6 ov), 2-37 (Ian Bell, 6.6 ov), 3-55 (Paul Collingwood, 17.2 ov), 4-82 (Andrew Strauss, 24.2 ov), 5-107 (Andrew Flintoff, 33.4 ov), 6-114 (Geraint Jones, 35.6 ov), 7-128 (Sajid Mahmood, 40.6 ov), 8-155 (Matthew Hoggard, 51.6 ov), 9-175 (Kevin Pietersen, 54.5 ov), 10-215 (Steve Harmison, 64.1 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    B Lee1816923.8306
    GD McGrath1854822.6604
    SR Clark15.134933.2310
    SK Warne904114.5500
    A Symonds41822.0000
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    0.1 GODDIM! He's gone! Swinging into Langer who never came forward, the ball sneaking through the gap; it hits his pad and knocks over the off stump. What a start! 0/1
    58.4 GOTTIM. Turn and bounce from Panesar, moving right back into the left-hander Hayden who moves back to give himself room to cut. He attacks the ball hard and a thick edge flies to Collingwood at first slip and he parries it into the air before clinging on at the second attempt. A chink, just a chink mind, of light for England now and Hayden knows it too, punching the air in disgust as he walks off 206/3
    39.4 gone! At last Harmison pitches it up for the first time this morning, the ball takes the edge of Ponting's indecisive drive and Jones takes the catch. That's the length 144/2
    89.3 the change has worked for England. Pitches way outside off, hardly spins in at all and that's a very thin outside edge snapped up by Jones. A wicket at last, but too late 357/4
    not out
    135
    164
    251
    17
    1
    82.31
    91.6 GOOD CATCH! Very, very well bowled from Panesar. Flighted on off stump, Symonds came forward unconvincingly and without any conviction; the ball bounced on him, it took the edge of his bat and flew, low, to Collingwood at first slip who dived to his left, and forward a few inches, to take a fine catch 365/5
    not out
    102
    59
    103
    12
    4
    172.88
    Extras
    18 (lb 15, nb 1, w 2)
    TOTAL
    527/5d (112 Overs, RR: 4.7, 514 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Justin Langer, 0.1 ov), 2-144 (Ricky Ponting, 39.4 ov), 3-206 (Matthew Hayden, 58.4 ov), 4-357 (Michael Hussey, 89.3 ov), 5-365 (Andrew Symonds, 91.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    MJ Hoggard2048514.2500
    A Flintoff1927604.0000
    SJ Harmison24311614.8300
    MS Panesar34314534.2600
    SI Mahmood1005905.9021
    KP Pietersen513106.2000
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    0.4 poor judgement, this time, shocking in fact and Australia strike! Lee swung that one in at him again, the ball at full length, and for some inexplicable reason Strauss shoulders arms to that one. Plumb. Actually, on second thoughts (courtesy of the replay), that looked to be going over the top... 0/1
    93.2 and McGrath has struck! He just pitched in and ran across him, Cook leaves his bat dangling and it catches the outside edge on its way through to Gilchrist. A completely disconsolate Cook hangs his head and walks off. There's a standing ovation for hi, but he drags his feet up the steps, cutting a sad figure right now. He's played magnificently today, but this is the big wicket that Australia have been gunning for all day 261/4
    56.6 GONE THIS TIME Warne has the breakthrough and Bell has chipped that straight to Langer at short extra cover. Warne raises his hand and Bell walks off shaking his head half-lifting his bat for just a split second, gutted to be out. Australia are delighted, and the ground erupts 170/2
    69.3 GONE, Clark's really worked Collingwood over here. The leg-cutter which straightens on the batsman who, meekly and without conviction, prodded forward, the ball feathering his outside edge and Gilchrist takes an easy catch 185/3
    not out
    60
    150
    243
    6
    0
    40.00
    93.4 and McGrath gets a second, perfect yorker cleans Hoggard up. Another terrific piece of bowling, swinging away from the right-hander and that's done him. Australia crowd round McGrath and whoop... and whoop... and whoop. Two wickets in the three balls for McGrath 261/5
    114.5 BOWLED HIM! Flintoff is out. A straight, full, slider - yorker - and it slides underneath Flintoff's bat. A massive wicket for Australia 336/6
    116.6 closer again, an LBW shout, and Australia think they've got their man. And they have! But run-out. There's a close call for the LBW, from another sweep. Jones's foot stays out of his crease as he waits for the umpire to give his decision, but meantime there's a shy in from the alert Ponting at silly point, great anticipation from the Australian captain and that's a duck for Jones, a pair, in fact 336/7
    119.6 but he's gone this time, courtesy of the swinging yorker. Not much he could have done with that one and the leg stump would have been sent cartwheeling. Good bowling by the impressive Clark 345/8
    120.2 he's gone. That's the loudest shout of the day and the Australians were celebrating practically before that had even rapped a sweeping Harmison on the pad. A big stride can't save him; that pitched on leg - or was it just outside? Possibly - and would have gone on to hit off 346/9
    122.2 BOWLED HIM and Australia have regained the Ashes. They mob Shane Warne and are all in the centre of the pitch. 350/10
    Extras
    26 (b 7, lb 8, nb 5, w 6)
    TOTAL
    350 all out (122.2 Overs, RR: 2.86, 529 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Andrew Strauss, 0.4 ov), 2-170 (Ian Bell, 56.6 ov), 3-185 (Paul Collingwood, 69.3 ov), 4-261 (Alastair Cook, 93.2 ov), 5-261 (Matthew Hoggard, 93.4 ov), 6-336 (Andrew Flintoff, 114.5 ov), 7-336 (Geraint Jones, 116.6 ov), 8-345 (Sajid Mahmood, 119.6 ov), 9-346 (Steve Harmison, 120.2 ov), 10-350 (Monty Panesar, 122.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    B Lee2237513.4001
    GD McGrath2796122.2514
    SR Clark2575622.2400
    SK Warne39.2611542.9200
    A Symonds912803.1110

Close of Play

  • Thu, 14 Dec - day 1 - England 1st innings 51/2 (AJ Strauss 24*, PD Collingwood 10*, 14 ov)
  • Fri, 15 Dec - day 2 - Australia 2nd innings 119/1 (ML Hayden 57*, RT Ponting 57*, 36 ov)
  • Sat, 16 Dec - day 3 - England 2nd innings 19/1 (AN Cook 7*, IR Bell 9*, 6 ov)
  • Sun, 17 Dec - day 4 - England 2nd innings 265/5 (KP Pietersen 37*, A Flintoff 2*, 96 ov)
  • Mon, 18 Dec - day 5 - England 2nd innings 350 (122.2 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

England tour of Australia 2006-07 News

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  • Flintoff reveals battle with depression

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  • Queensland Cricket rides on Ashes fortune

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  • Langer tells England to learn from Ashes defeat

    In a freewheeling interview with Brian Viner of The Independent , Justin Langer talks about his love for the game's history, life after retirement, what England could do to regain the Ashes, and also has time to talk about Ricky Ponting's

  • A gamble that didn't pay off

    Martin Williamson reviews the diary of Justin Langer and Steve Harmison

England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0AJ StraussAN Cook
2nd170IR BellAN Cook
3rd15PD CollingwoodAN Cook
4th76KP PietersenAN Cook
5th0MJ HoggardKP Pietersen
6th75A FlintoffKP Pietersen
7th0KP PietersenGO Jones
8th9KP PietersenSI Mahmood
9th1SJ HarmisonKP Pietersen
10th4KP PietersenMS Panesar