Zee Media Bureau/Manushree Chaumal
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SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» REPORT»
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READ When Australia bat for fair cricket…»
ALSO READ Captaining an Ashes side, not a mean feat»
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If you missed the exciting first Ashes at the Gabba
READ Gabba Test lives up to its hype »
ALSO READ Cricket’s oldest rivalry resumes»
If you are a Sachin Tendulkar fan, you can have a look at Detailed slideshow about Sachin’s 100 centuries»
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Stumps
Over 90 || Score 247/6
England require 284 runs to win. By the end of the fourth day’s play, England lost their sixth wicket. It was Ryan Harris who struck for Australia. Ben Stokes is out. The good length ball got a thick edge and Clarke at second slip took an easy catch. The fifth day will see Australia wanting to finish the game early. They need 4 wickets to win the match.
Stokes c Clarke b Harris 28 (90b, 5x4)
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Over 75 || Score 190/5
The last 10 overs have added 19 runs to the England total. Prior and Stokes are managing well and most probably the match will see fifth day’s proceedings. Australia need 5 wickets to win the match while England require 341 runs. At the moment, defeat looms large for England while Australia look in total control. The match is definitely not going the England way and Alastair Cook needs to give some thoughts to the series and search for ways to win next matches.
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Over 65 || Score 171/5
Australia finally got the wicket that was most important for them. Joe Root has been sent back to the pavilion by Nathan Lyon. After a brilliant knock of 87 runs, Root 13 runs short of his century fell to Lyon. The ball hit Root’s inside edge, hit the pad and Haddin dived in to take a catch. It is spelling trouble for Englnad. Matt Prior, who is not in best of form, is the new batsman. Australia is 5 wickets away from a victory that will also enable them to take a lead in the series 2-0.
JE Root c Haddin b Lyon 87 (194b, 9x4)
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Over 62 || Score 166/4
Lyon is back into the attack for the 51st over. His short pitched delivery, was hit towards the covers by Bell for a lovely four. Root hit a boundary in Siddle’s next over. The 53rd is a maiden over by Lyon. In the next, England lose their fourth wicket in form of Bell. Bell hit the full toss delivery by Smith towards the mid-on where Mitchell Johnson took a catch low to the ground. Ben Stokes is the new batsman at the crease. Australia is six wickets away from win. Two maiden overs after which Root hit a couple of fours in Lyon’s 57th. Root is playing a very crucial knock for his team, and England are quite reliant on him now. Root is at 86 off 186 balls that includes nine fours. Stokes, meanwhile is at 3 runs off 23 balls.
Bell c Johnson b Smith 6 (19b, 1x4)
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Over 50 || Score 132/3
After three maiden overs in a row Siddle struck in the 48th over. Kevin Pietersen is out. A crucial wicket for Australia, Kevin is visibly disappointed. He played a crucial knock for England, but Siddle got an important much needed breakthrough for Australia. Ian Bell is the next batsman in line. Shane Watson, beginning with the next over, received a warning from the umpire, for walking on the pitch. A second warning for him, the third one would put him out of attack. Another maiden 49th over, one run in the 50th over by Siddle. England require 399 runs to win.
Pietersen b Siddle 53 (99b, 2x4, 3x6)
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Over 45 || Score 131/2
Root and Pietersen are playing very sensibly. They are mostly taking singles and doubles, occasionally going for big shots. Both the players have scored their half-centuries, important ones, at crucial juncture for England. Ryan Harris began the 28th over after lunch. Spinner Nathan Lyon, began from the other end. Johnson’s overs are being played very carefully by the batsmen. Lyon’s 37th over was hit for two consecutive fours by Root, adding 10 runs in the over. Steven Smith replaced Lyon in the 39th over. His first delivery was hit for a huge six by Pietersen. In the 43rd over, again Smith’s, Kevin hit two sixes. Root is at 60 runs(153b) while Pietersen is at 53(92b). This partnership needs to be broken now for the Aussies, while for England this teaming up can turn the game.
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Over 27 || Score 65/2
After Australia declared, England have two more days to save their side. Ryan Harris began the proceedings for Australia while Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry began the England campaign. Mitchell Johnson, proving to be lethal for England, shared the ball with Harris. Right in his first over, captain Cook was out. It was again Johnson who struck. Johnson’s short pitched delivery, hooked by Cook got a top edge and Harris from long leg took a diving catch to dismiss the batsman. After a couple of maiden overs Peter Siddle, who conceded 4 runs in two overs, was introduced in the 8th. This bowling changed again worked for Clarke. The second English opener, Carberry, was out in the 13th over. A short pitched delivery by Siddle, pulled by Carberry, was caught by Nathan Lyon at long leg. Kevin Pietersen came in at number 4.
England hopes have come further crashing down after England lost both their openers, early on. The hopes now lie on their star batsman Kevin Pietersen and Joe Root, who has been moved high up the batting order after Trott’s departure. By lunch, Australia were right on their track taking two important wickets. England were 65/2 with Pietersen on 18 and Joe Root unbeaten on 29. Australia need eight wickets to win the Test while England need 466 more runs to win.
Cook c Harris b Johnson 1 (7b)
Carberry c Lyon b Siddle 14 (39b, 2x4)
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Day three round-up
Day three of the Adelaide Test was dominated by the Aussies. If on day two, Australian batsmen gave the hosts an upper hand, then on third day it was certainly their bowlers who pushed the visitors further on the back foot. Mitchell Johnson was the highlight of the play, who displayed a wonderful spell of fast bowling by scalping six wickets. Now Australia has a crucial lead of 530 runs in the second Test of return Ashes.
