Hundred Test Wins

Ricky Ponting achieved a rare feat in test cricket yesterday in the test match played  in Galle Sri Lanka.

ASHES THIRD TEST

In a surprise the Australian team beat England team in the ashes third test played at the W.A.C.A stadium at Perth.

The England team which fought the first two tests superbly , surprisingly surrendered to the Australian team with out a fight. This gives the much needed boost and confidence to the Australian team in the remaining two tests.


In the first innings Australian's scored 268 runs , with the contribution from the reliable Mike Hussey who scored 61 runs. Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson who was dropped in the second test for poor form scored some valuable runs . The former scored 53 runs and the latter scored 62 runs. For England Anderson and Tremlerr claimed 3 wickets each.

The England replied in a pathetic way . Only Strauss , and Bell crossed 50 runs and they only able to score 187 runs only. For Australia Johnson suddenly regained form , who bowled ordinarily in the previous matches , claimed 6 wickets.

In the second innings Australia scored 309 runs with Hussey top scored with 116 runs and Watson scored 95 runs. The pathetic form of ponting continued in this match also . He only able to score 12 and 1 run in both innings .


The England never gave a fight and surrendered meekly to the Aussie bowling cheaply for 123 runs . This time Ryan Harris claimed 6 wickets and helped Australia equal the series so far with 1 each . Australia and Ponting had a sigh of relief with this win , and may face their remaining two matches with confidence. On the other hand England have to work hard to win the series .

FIRST TIED TEST MATCH IN CRICKET HISTORY

Yesterday December 14th was a land mark day in the Test Cricket history.

Yes , exactly 50 years before, on December 14th 1960 , the first ever tied test match happened at the Brisbane cricket ground .

The match was played between Australia and the West Indies teams from December 9th to 14th .

Those were the days test cricket were played for six days though the match was held for 5 days only , with a rest day in between . In the first innings West Indies scored 453 runs , after a disastrous start of 65 for 3 wickets , thanks to Garfield Sober's 132 runs. Worrell , Solomon , Alexander , W.Hall were the other batsmen who scored more than 50 runs .Allan Davidson claimed 5 wickets for 135 runs. L.F. Kline took 3 wickets for 52 runs.

In the reply Australia scored 505 runs with the help of Norm o Neill's 181 runs . He played for 401 minutes according to records to score these runs. Mcdonald and R.B.Simpson scored 57 and 92 runs respectively. Hall took 4 wickets for 140 runs.

In the second innings West Indies scored 284 runs with Kanhai, Worrell, and Solomon contributed with their bat, and Allan Davidson again scalped 6 West indies wickets for 87 runs .

And Australians were set a target of 233 runs to win . With Davidson and R.Benaud were the players only able to score more than 50 with a score of 80 and 52 respectively , and Hall's 5 wicket for 63 runs made Australians score 232 runs only and the West Indies able to clinch a first ever tie in a test match .

2010 - ASHES - 2ND TEST

The misery of Ponting's men seems to be an unending story . Once strong in world cricket , the Australian's were not able to find their winning mantra once again , and fall to England in the second test played at Adelaid Oval . England resumed from where they left in the first test , and dominated the second test also . In the first innings once again Mike Hussey rescued the Australians with his valuable 93 and Haddin and Watson were the other contributors for Australia with their fifty plus score. Ponting's poor batting form continues and still he struggle with his bat , Australians will be in trouble with lot of new players in the fray. The second test fully belong to England and in their reply they scored a big 620 runs for loss of five wickets , thanks to the form found batsman Kevin Pietersen who scored 227 runs . Again Cook , Trott, Bell all played valuable knocks and put England in a commanding position . The 375 runs lead seems to be a hill to be climbed task for the Ponting's men and they were all out for 304 runs and lost the test with a innings to spare . As i already wrote unless Ponting find his rhythm , and able to score huge runs it will be a tough challange to him and his team to find winning ways . With this win England registered their 100th win against Australia and move one up against Australia in the Ashes series . Ponting first time in 10 year period fell below top 20 in Test batsman ranking and it shows all . With the third test going to played from 16th at Perth , the Australians will be in search for their winning habit, and may bounce back or will they surrender to this England team ? Let us wait and watch .

2010 ASHES - 1ST TEST

In the ongoing ashes series in Australia it was England who emerge in top so far. Once dominant Australians were not able to find an answer for their declining form .

In the first test at Brisbane though Australians were able to gain control of the match for first 3 days . In the first innings England made 260 runs only with Ian Bell's 76 . Siddle took 6 wickets and able gain some respect for Australians in the first innings .

Australians gave a strong reply thanks to Mike Hussey's 195 who is in good form so far in the series and the only man the Australians hope to save their matches , and Haddin's 136 .

Every one thought that the match is going to be won by the Australians , the top order batsmen of England thought other wise and while Strauss and Trott scored hundreds , Cook was unbeaten on 235 , and they scored 517 runs for 1 wicket loss .

From this the Australians were not able to recover. The depleted Australian bowling resource exposed and the first test ended in a draw.