Australian Women’s Cricket XI does it again

The Australian Women’s Cricket XI comprehensively defeated England in the third ODI played at St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury. England won the toss and elected to field. Australia scored 7/269 in their 50 overs and then bundled out England for just 75 in only 32.5 overs. Player of the match was Australia’s Ellyse Perry with her match-winning bowling performance, taking 7/22 off her 10 overs.

Australia's victory means they lead England by six points to nil and the hosts must win the four-day Test match, worth four points, starting on July 18, and then win at least two of the remaining three T20s - and lose none - in order to wrest the Ashes from the tourists.

Read ESPNCRICINFO’s match report along with the ball-by-ball commentary and the scorecard here.

Gabba - Day 5 - Oz selectors need to show some gumption

Yes, the scoreboard said the match ended in a draw, but anyone with a modicum of common sense knows the Poms had a solid points victory and will head to Adelaide for the Second Test (it starts on Friday) with their heads held high while a few of the Oz mob must be wondering about the security of their spots. Honestly, some of the Oz lot are so deep in the doldrums they need to be sent back to state duties with specific instructions to improve their game or take the big step and advise selectors that their dance cards have expired and will not be renewed.

The Poms piled on record after record performance.

The Poms declared at 1/517 in their second innings - enough said!

Ashes Test at Gabba - day 4 - Poms turn it on

Boy, oh boy, what a difference a day makes! The Poms really gave the Oz XI something serious to think about on Day 4.
Pommy openers Strauss and Cook put on 188 before skipper Strauss departed for a very solid 110. Cook had another Big Day Out and at day's end was 132 not out - his 67 in the first innings was obviously an entree.
The Poms go to Day 5 with an overall lead of 88, so they can be expected to grind away at the expense of an Oz bowling attack that looks like it's been to the blood laboratory and had it confirmed that it currently lacks venom.
Heading the lengthy list of visitors from Old Blighty at the Gabba is the Royal Family.

 And for those who think/hope/wish the Barmy Army will fade away in the not too distant future, they're in for a big disappointment. Young BA offspring were at the Gabba in big numbers!

NCVs had a yarn with a couple of Pommy brothers who were beside themselves about their prospects for the the rest of the series.

Remember, the only Oz who took a wicket on Day 4 was Marcus North and his hold on a position in future Test sides is indeed most tenuous.Reckon that says it all.

Day 3 - Ashes Test at the Gabba

Day 3 started early and finished late, making for a very long day, especially for the Poms in the field and your correspondent who left at sparrow's to get to the ground on time and then had to take a different bus home  after hours which meant he had to trek up hill and down dale across tortuous tiger territory to get to his destination.

Resuming at 5/220 and still 40 runs in arrears Oz batsman Hussey 81 and Haddin 22 found the going rather hard for the first hour or so.

Then the pair started stacking on the runs and produced a partnership of 307 - a record high for an Oz partnership at the Gabba.

Eventually Haddin, who reached his three figures with a six, went for 136 and then Hussey departed a bit later when just 5 short of a double-ton.

Gee, you'd have to feel for Mitch Johnson who sat, padded up, in the sheds for over 24 hours while his team mates Hussey and Haddin enjoyed themselves. Truly, it was little wonder Johnson departed the scene without troubling the scorers. But, honestly, captain Ponting must take the blame for Johnson's demise- rumour has it that Johnson had a very severe case of rashes on his legs due to the length of time his leg movements were restricted due to him being continuously padded up (sources at the ground say he slept in his pads).
 
Question: Who scored 114 runs at the Gabba today?
 Ok, you've looked at the Gabba Test scoreboard and you reckon I'm crackers.
Well, have another look.
At the start of play Hussey was on 81 and Haddin was on 22. Hussey added 114 to finish with 195 while Haddin added 114 to end up with 136.
That's one for the trivia buffs, especially the lot that put the quiz questions on the inside of tops of beer bottles. Ok, beer barons, forward the royalty cheques this way when you use that one!

Day 2 @ Gabba - promised much, but disappointed

Who gave Michael Clarke the all-clear fitness wise to play in the First Test? If he/she is a registered medico he/she should be struck off. Clarke struggled all the way as he dribbled to a grand total of 9 measly runs while he occupied the crease for an excruciating 81 minutes. An in-form Clarke is a delight to watch, but his performance at the Gabba causes one to recall, "They shoot horses, don't they?"
Truly, Clarke was pathetic.
And, honestly, head honcho Punter Ponting, who preceded Clarke, wasn't much better. Ponting, who scrambled to 10, was never in tune and it was only a matter of time (34 minutes - 26 balls) before he fell over.
Marcus North, who specialises in ducks or tons, did his level best to maintain that record, but failed miserably. He managed a mere solitary single, occupying the crease for just 6 minutes (8 balls).
Honours for the day went to Mr Cricket (aka Mike Hussey), who was 81 not out when rain and bad light forced umpires to call an early halt to the day's proceedings. Second in line for Oz honours was opener Simon Katich (50).
The Pom's bowling attack was, overall, efficient but not something to write home about. Broad extracted a lot of bounce, but was too short too often to pose any real threat. Swann, who went for 30+ off his first 4 overs,  finished with 1/59 off 20 overs but it must be noted that his single wicket was that of North whose tenure on the number 6 spot must be under review. (I heard a wag sitting near me at the Gabba suggest Australian Cricket ought to call for tenders for the position.)

Gabba hat-trick - Siddle's ace performance

Broad falls LBW to Siddle, providing the birthday boy with his magic hat-trick

Aussie bowler Peter Siddle celebrated his 26th birthday in style at the Gabba in the Ashes First Test, taking a hat-trick. Siddle's hat-trick wickets were Cook (67), Prior (a duck) and Broad (a duck).

Earlier, England had been travelling reasonably well at 4/197 before Siddle struck and, in the wink of an eye lid, they slumped to be 7/197. Not long after Siddle took his hat-trick, Swann (10) also fell to Siddle giving the Victorian pace bowler his sixth wicket. Siddle finished with the impressive figures of 6 wickets for 54 off 16 overs. He was easily Oz's best bowler. Oz test debutant Xavier Doherty wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Bell (76), who was England's best batsman, and tailender Anderson (11), who fell playing a shot that would, at best, be described as somewhat unorthodox, and is something Anderson ought not to attempt to replicate any day soon - it was a shocker.

Playing before a crowd of 35,389 (although some media reports reckon 46,000 tickets were sold) Australia ended the day at 0/25 after dismissing England for 260.

After winning the toss and electing to bat on a Gabba track that has no real demons England should be licking their wounds and wondering why their wheels fell off. Honestly, the Poms should have gone on to get 350-plus runs and be in the box-seat.

Image: Personal effort of the author (yes, he ought to undertake a photography course!)

Pom's prepared to take on an Australian XVII

Is there any truth in the rumour doing the rounds that the Poms have invited Australia to field the entire squad of 17 players chosen for the First Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane next week?

Australian cricket teams have not had the best of things lately. Australia’s losing streak in all forms of the game has reached seven matches, the longest since the 1996-97 season.

Respected cricket scribe Peter Roebuck had this, among other things, to say in today's Sydney Morning Herald about the decision to pick a squad of 17 for the match:

Doubtless, player and public were bemused by the absurd function and the size of the party. Presumably the Poms are chortling into their Earl Grey. Australian cricket has been admired for the clarity of its thinking and the extent of its planning. Suddenly it seemed chaotic. At one stage it seemed that all 66 Shield players were to be included, and possibly Richie Benaud as well.

At first sight it will seem that the selectors have lost the plot. Certainly they have invited ridicule. Over the years Australia has considered 16players sufficient to cover an entire tour of England. Now 17 are required for a single match to be staged just up the road.

Credit: SMH