England will keep the Ashes for the next five months at least after
Manchester's weather proved a far more impassable barrier to Australia's
bowlers than the hosts' top order batting on a grey final day at Old
Trafford. The retention of the urn arrived formally via the
underwhelming circumstances of an announcement that play had been
abandoned at 4.39pm local time, due to a solid belt of rain that could
delay its arrival no further than three balls into the afternoon
session.
By that time England had lurched to 37 for 3, Ian Bell stung on the
thumb by a prancing delivery from Peter Siddle that rather summed up the
danger posed by a committed and skilful Australian attack, who have
grown increasingly confident in their ability to snip the top off their
opponents' batting. Confounded by the rain in Manchester, they will look
back ruefully on the failure of Australia's batsmen to provide them
with anything to bowl to at Trent Bridge and Lord's, where England
established their decisive advantage.
This is not to say that Old Trafford will be a source of entirely happy
memories for Alastair Cook's men nor completely forlorn ones for Michael
Clarke's. Australia have broken a streak of six consecutive Test match
defeats, and in the final two Investec Tests have the chance to press
for parity in this series and a platform from which to regain
superiority at home in the southern summer. England by comparison have
appeared to lose steam, their bowlers decreasing in threat while the
batsmen grow increasingly dependent on the middle and lower orders to
bail them out.
A Test match at Durham in four days' time will provide plenty of
questions for both sides, not least whether the admirable Ryan Harris
will be able to back up without the benefit of the break he had between
Lord's and Old Trafford. Harris and Siddle were the outstanding
performers in the 20.3 overs of play that were possible, finding life in
the air and off the pitch to dispose of Cook, Jonathan Trott and Kevin
Pietersen before the showers set in.
It might have been even worse for England, had Clarke held onto the sort
of slips chance he would usually claim when Joe Root snicked Siddle.
Pietersen looked distraught to be given out, though a noise at precisely
the moment the ball passed the bat backed up Tony Hill's call and that
of the third umpire Kumar Dharmasena.
Rain overnight and this morning left many pessimistic about the chances
of any resumption at all, with England needing only a draw. However the
skies cleared enough for a concerted cleaning and drying effort from the
ground staff, starting at around 10am, and following an inspection at
10.45 Hill and Marais Erasmus informed the captains Clarke and Cook of
their plans to resume.
Clarke immediately declared, and threw the ball to Harris when play
began at 11.30. As he has done repeatedly when called on, Harris
responded with a spell of heart and skill, picking up the two early
wickets that his captain required. Cook was drawn across his crease by
balls angled towards the slips and then pinned lbw by an inswinger. He
referred even though the ball was curling in to hit middle stump, the
loss of a review adding to the gravity of the blow.
Trott has looked out of sorts in this match, and Harris worked him over
in similar fashion, moving outswingers away then arrowing the odd ball
back in. Harris' first attempt at the plan resulted in an awfully close
lbw shout declined by Hill. Australia's referral was lost as the ball
was hitting less than half of leg stump, but in Harris' next over Trott
again fell across his crease, this time glancing straight into Brad
Haddin's gloves.
Pietersen announced his arrival with a pull shot that signalled Harris'
withdrawal. In Siddle's first over replacing him, Root was squared up by
a ball angled in and seaming away, but Clarke surprised everyone in
attendance by dropping the chance. Australian heads were not to be bowed
for long however, as Siddle appeared to extract a fine edge from
Pietersen as he prodded forward.
Hill's finger was raised, an upset Pietersen referred, and Dharmasena
upheld the on-field call after a sound could be heard at the moment ball
passed bat. Pietersen walked off muttering, and minutes later Australia
followed him with a spring in their step. They returned with hope as
the afternoon began, but within three balls were shuffling back to the
pavilion, where a few hours later England had cause for celebration,
acknowledging the commitment of a small, soggy crowd from the Old
Trafford balcony
No comments:
Post a Comment