Monday 20th December, 2010

BY IHITHISHAM KAMARDEEN concentrated on changing its mental Now it will be England’s task to approach at the WACA Ground, and the regroup from a lopsided defeat. If it can SCOREBOARD , (AP) - Australia need to rediscover its trademark aggres- do so, England can secure by squared the Ashes series and took a psy- sion and confidence. winning the fourth Test starting in Australia 1st Innings 268 chological edge over England going into That was apparent in many inci- on Dec. 26. Otherwise the England 1st Innings 187 the remaining two matches by complet- dences of backchat and urn will be on the line in the final Test Australia 2nd Innings 309 ing a punishing 267-run victory over the between the two teams throughout the in Sydney. England 2nd Innings tourists in the third Test on Sunday. match - something Ponting was not Having watched his side get bowled (Overnight 81-5) Ryan Harris took four of the five about to apologise for. out twice for less than 200 on a pitch A. Strauss c Ponting b Johnson 15 to fall inside ten overs of “It goes to show how much it (Test) that was quick but true, England A. Cook lbw b Harris 13 means to us,” said Ponting. “I like see- had no hesitation in Sunday’s morning session as England J. Trott c Haddin b Johnson 31 ing us play with that kind of emotion. blaming the batsmen for the defeat, but were bundled out for just 123 in its sec- K. Pieterson c Watson b Hilfenhaus 3 ond innings, chasing 391. The burly “It is no coincidence with the emo- said this was “not the time to panic.” tions, intensity and energy we had on “We have got to keep perspective P. Collingwood c Smith b Harris 11 paceman finished with career-best fig- J. Anderson b Harris 3 ures of 6-47. the field we ended up the way bowled about things and realise there has been and fielded. a hell of a lot of good batting on this I. Bell lbw b Harris 16 After suffering a humiliating innings- M. Prior c Hussey b Harris 10 plus defeat in the second Test, Australia “It has been hard-fought Test match tour so far. We have no reason to expect that to be any different going forward,” G. Swann b Johsnon 9 said Strauss. C. Tremlett 1 The Ashes “There are definitely lessons to be S. Finn c Smith b Harris 2 Ponting with his fractured left little Extras: (8lb, 1nb) 9 finger. (AP) TOTAL: (all out) 123 Overs: 37 Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-37, 3-55, 4-81, 5-81, 6-94, 7-111, 8-114, 9-120, 10-123. Australia trounce : Hilfenhaus 10-4-16-1, Harris Ponting 11-1-47-6, Johnson 12-3-44-3, Siddle 4- 1-8-0 (1nb). Umpires: Marais Erasmus (SA), Billy Doctrove (WI) confident of TV Umpire: Aleem Dar (Pak) England to level series Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ) Toss: England . We had our learned from this game, it would be Result: Australia won by 267 runs. playing in chance to assert our- wrong for us to wash our hands of it Series: 1-1. selves bit more here. completely. But it’s all about bouncing We did that with not back now. We’ve done it well in the past Mitchell Johnson took the man-of-the- what we said, but the and we’re going to have to do it in match award, with his devastating first way we played out Melbourne.” innings spell turning the match. Melbourne cricket.” Strauss refused to accept that England was on top at 78-0 in response Australia’s sledging had to Australia’s first innings of 268, but BY IHOTHISHAM KAMARDEEN Johnson finished with figures of 6-38 and the tourists were skittled for 187. PERTH, Australia (AP) - Captain “Mitch’s spell was unbelievable,” is confident of over- Ponting said. coming a broken finger in time to lead As happy as Ponting was Australia in the fourth Ashes Test with Johnson’s performance, the smiles would have been against England starting Dec. 26. even broader among A fractured little finger on his left Australia’s selectors, who were hand prevented Ponting from taking questioned and even ridiculed the field on his 36th birthday Sunday, for recalling the paceman, hav- and instead watched from the pavilion ing dropped him after a dismal as his team took the last five England first Test performance and then wickets inside an hour of the morning brought him back despite not session to complete an emphatic 267- playing in the interim. West Australian Mike Hussey run win that squared the series 1-1. was unsurprisingly the only bats- “I am a really good chance of play- man to look at home on the bouncy ing,” Ponting said after the victory. WACA , and his 116 propelled “I’ll be alright. Australia to 309 in the second “I am not going to be silly and put innings, setting England 391 to win. myself ahead of the team. I will make England would have harboured the decision on the morning of the hopes of reaching that target – South game and do the right thing by the Africa chased down more than that at team.” the WACA four years previously - but Ryan Harris cele- were quickly undone by loose play by Ponting was heavily criticised last brates after claim- its top order on Saturday, when four of year for carrying an elbow injury he ing the final the five dismissals came from batsmen sustained against the West Indies in English wicket. chasing balls outside off stump and edg- Perth into the series opener against ( AP ) ing to the slips. Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Resuming at 81-5, the trend continued Ground. His movements were heavily Sunday as England quickly surrendered. restricted and played the game with a Harris bowled night watchman James lot of pain. Anderson (3) then claimed the vital Australia’s selectors named an affected England mentally. wicket of the in-form (16), who “What you say never was trapped lbw and fruitlessly called unchanged 12-man team Sunday for wins you a Test match, it’s for a review. the fourth Test, but with the caveat what you do,” Strauss said. Wicket keeper Matt Prior (10) was the that another player can be called in if “Australia played better eighth wicket to fall, surprised by a Ponting’s injury does not heal as than us and deserved their Harris lifter, spooning the ball to gully expected. win. where Hussey took a fine diving catch. With England holding the Ashes, Johnson (3-44) then removed Graeme Australia’s Brad “There is always going Swann (9), who played onto his stumps, Australia must at least prevent the Haddin, top, cele- to be a lot of competitive and Harris fittingly ended the match tourists winning at the M.C.G. to brates with team- fire in an Ashes Test when he got Steven Finn (2) to edge the maintain hopes of winning back the mates after they won match, both sides expect ball to Steven Smith at third slip. urn in the final Test in Sydney. the third Ashes Test it. For us to be worry- “We had a better team performance Ponting sustained the broken fin- ing about that side of against England in here than we’ve had in a long time,” said ger late in Saturday’s play when he Perth, Australia, things is taking our eye Ponting. “It’s important we learn from of what is actually fumbled an attempted catch from an Sunday, Dec. 19, that and not take the result for granted. important which is our edged shot by , with 2010. (AP) There is a great lesson to learn from performances, which what we’ve done that made this so sig- wicket keeper catching weren’t good enough.” nificant.” the rebound.

Test spin- ner Rangana 18th Singer MCA Centenary year Premier League Herath picked Johnson bowled ‘one of the up four wick- Herath bowls Sampath Bank to victory ets for defend- all-time great Ashes spells’– Ponting ing league Scores: After picking up three Comfortable win for champions Sampath Bank 179 all wickets to restrict Seylan MAS Unichela BY NICK HOULT was probably one of the all- Sampath out in 40.5 overs (Thilina Bank to 244 runs Half centuries from time great Ashes spells,” Mahela Udawatte and Bank to Kandamby 35, Jeevan Mendis Pushpakumara cracked 78 Ricky Ponting described Ponting said. runs (in 75 balls) inclusive of Malinda Warnapura and all- cruise to a 62 30, Charith Buddhika 41 n.o., Mitchell Johnson’s spell on the “With him coming into the Chinthaka Jayasinghe 3/43, nine fours to guide his team round performance from T. M. run victory Dilshan and Thissara Perera second day as one of the great- game under a bit of pressure Duncan Arnolda 3/42) to a four wicket victory. over HNB in Scores: helped MAS Unichela record a est in Ashes history and has as well, it was an amazing HNB 117 all out in 28.2 the 18th Seylan Bank 244 for 9 comfortable 53 run victory forced England to rethink achievement and set up this overs (Saman Jayantha 43, victory and the series for us. Singer MCA Rangana in 50 overs (Kanchana over John Keells in their MCA their strategy for the Boxing Chanthaka Jayasinghe 26; Gunawardena 30, Harsha Centenary year Premier Day Test. “The spell has trans- Centenary Herath Charitha Buddhika 3/26, Vithana 50, Thilan League match played at Colts A week is a long time in formed him and transformed year Premier 4/17, Jeevan Samaraweera 25, Chanaka Ground yesterday. Ashes cricket these days, with how they think about him in League match played at BRC Mendis 2/16) Wijesinghe 66, Tharaka Scores: two evenly-matched sides both the English dressing room. MAS Unichela 277 all Ground yesterday. Kottahewa 30 n.o.; Sachithra prone to moments of madness. Mitchell Johnson Some of the deliveries he Herath shared six wickets Pushpakumara guides Serasinghe 2/44, out 49.1 overs (Mahela Udawatte 73, T. M. Dilshan 42, It is only three days since the bowled will have them seri- with Jeevan Mendis to Janashakthi Muthumudalige ously thinking about how they play A good all-round perform- Pushpakumara 3/39) Malinda Warnapura 52, Gayan Australian press were describing this him. restrict HNB to 117 runs in ance of three wickets and 78 Janashakthi 247 for 6 in Wijekoon 32, Thissara Perera series as the bleakest in Ashes history. just 28.2 overs to cruise home runs from Muthumudalige 44.3 overs (Dilshan 4/70, Rumesh Buddhika 2/34) Ponting resisted the urge to snipe “I heard rumours coming into the at tea. Pushpakumara powered Munaweera 28, Gihan de John Keells 224 all out back at his detractors and instead shift- game that they had Mitch’s type of Put to bat first Charith Janashakthi to a four wicket Silva 26, Sachithra in 43.1 overs (Michael Vandort ed the focus to England, who have final- bowling worked out, I am not sure they 75, Janaka Gunaratne 30, Buddhika top scored with an victory over Seylan Bank in Serasinghe 67, ly seen what Johnson is capable of pro- think that now. You don’t end up with Muthumudalige Thissara Perera 49, T. M. the record he has by fluke, you have to unbeaten 41 runs for their MCA Centenary Year ducing. Premier League match played Pushpakumara 78; Kanshana Dilshan 4/39, Gayan Wijekoon “Although they were 0-78 we always have a lot of skill and commitment.” Sampath Bank to post 179 2/38, Dilhara Fernando 2/35) at P. Sara Oval yesterday. Gunawardena 3/16) felt we only needed one breakthrough, (C) The Telegraph Group, runs. (RF) the ball was swinging and Mitch’s spell London, 2010

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