This summer's Ashes series has seen the pendulum swing massively. Gone are the days of Australian dominance, aided by the likes of McGrath, Warne and Ponting, and emphatically so. The complexion of the current Ashes landscape sees the English, for arguably the first time in decades, in the drivers seat. There are some that will argue that this was confirmed by the historic English victory in the 2009/2010 Ashes victory down under, but for me, I consider this to be the clincher. An individual series can be a flash in the pan, but to consolidate without losing a Test in the next series is highly impressive, and indicative of a shift in power. Of course, winning a series comfortably is a lot easier on home soil than it is away, and therefore any claims of an English Ashes dynasty will have to wait until after this winter. Should England win the next series in three months' time, I would expect the urn to be residing at Lord's for quite some time. This post will review this summer's Ashes series, giving my personal high points and lows, before asking whether the momentum has swung full circle, and it is England that now have the dominance that the Australians enjoyed throughout the 1990's and early 2000's.
High Points:
1) Ian Bell's Breakthrough Series?
Ian Bell has been a regular in the England side for some time now, so perhaps the sub-heading is a little misleading. I am not suggesting that he really needed to prove himself, being under pressure for his place. Nevertheless, it could certainly be argued that Bell has produced his best cricket, and more importantly, his most consistent performances of his career. The Warwickshire man had never really starred in Ashes series, with 2005 being a particularly poor showing, but he has completely redeemed himself this time around. At times keeping England in the Tests, his 3 centuries had the Australian bowlers quaking when he strode to the crease. Beginning with his vital century at Trent Bridge, which gave England the lead that enabled them to take the opening Test, he continued that form into the Lord's Test. At the home of cricket, a 109 gave Bell his second consecutive ton, helping England to a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead. Finally, arguably his most pivotal contribution occurred in the 4th Test at Durham. With England in real trouble at 49-3, Bell stepped in to produce a magnificent 113 not out, and once again set England on the path to victory. All of the English victories owe something to the middle-order batsman, and proved why he is one of the best with the willow worldwide.
2) The Nerves and the Drama
The first and final Tests are the ones that I am referring to here. Trent Bridge was reminiscent of that classic Test at Edgebaston in 2005, and ended with the same result: an English win. A quite incredible Test, which had the most enthralling final day. With England looking nailed on for victory, needing just 4 wickets to take the opening Test, Australia fought back, getting to within 15 runs of their 310 target. A controversial decision ended the game, with Australian wicketkeeper Haddin being dismissed after a DRS review indicated a small mark on the bat. The final Test at the Oval was equally as dramatic, but for different reasons. Instead of allowing the game to peter out into a boring draw, Aussie captain Clarke rolled the dice and tried to win it. Instead, they very nearly lost it, with another controversial decision this time costing the English the win.
3) So Near and Yet So Far For Agar
Arguably my favourite moment could also go in one of the worst moments. At the beginning of the Trent Bridge test, the name Ashton Agar meant nothing to the world of cricket, with the 'mystery spinner' being handed his Australian Test debut. By the end of it, he was a household name (for the next week at least!) in cricket homes up and down the country. After Australia followed England's example, collapsing to just 117-9, the 19-year-old stepped onto the park knowing his country needed him. Another 3 hours later, the number 11 was still there, having broken record after record in the meantime. Some of his records now include: highest score by a debutant number 11, first ever half century by a debutant number 11, world record 11th wicket partnership, highest ever score by a number 11. Unfortunately, it could not have a fairy-tale ending, as he fell for 97. Despite being an England fan, I have to admit I was willing the young man on to his century. However, having seen the narrow margin of victory three days later, I am not so certain I would have been as sporting had I known! Nevertheless, his 97 put Australia into the lead after the first innings, and put them back into contention.
4) The Best Batsman In The World?
Challenging the likes of Ian Bell for the title of 'World's Best Batsman' is Michael Clarke. To make a comparison, the Australian captain is arguably the Robin van Persie of cricket, with the middle-order batsman seemingly carrying his side, having scored an alarming percentage of the visitors runs. Most notably was an exceptional century in the 3rd Test at Old Trafford, where the captain scored a classy knock of 187 to put his side in a dominant position. Had it not been for the downpour, the Australians would almost certainly have registered, and that century could have been the moment that swung the momentum to the Aussies. The most consistent performer of the Australians, the captain is exceptional with the bat and in the field. If anything, the only aspect he lacks is the ability to judge the technology, something that frequently haunted the Australians. If he can learn from Cook in that regard, he will be a phenomenal captain for the Aussies down under.
5) The Marmite Man (1): Chester-le-Street
The 'love him or hate him' man of this series has undoubtedly been Stuart Broad. The seamer has been in the news for both positive and negative reasons, but we will start on his high moment. Day 4 of the 4th Test was the hero moment for Broad, who almost single-handedly destroyed the Australian batting, and claimed the Ashes victory for the English. Finishing with bowling figures of 6-50 in the second innings, and 11 wickets in the match, his was the outstanding contribution in Durham, ensuring that the English did not just retain the urn, but actually won the series as well. However, unfortunately for Broad, it was not all light moments...
Low Points:
1) 'Punchgate' and David Warner
Even before the Test series began, controversy surrounded the Ashes. With the news that after a night out, Australian opener David Warner had launched into an 'unprovoked attack' on English opener Joe Root, which was later confirmed as a punch on the English man. This saw Warner dropped for the opening two Tests, returning for the Old Trafford contest. Cue boos from all areas of the ground when the Australian entered the pitch or touched the ball, but what did he expect? In fairness to him, the opener did not allow it to distract him from his job, often bringing a rye smile to his lips. Eventually, the Aussie fought back to record two half centuries in the series, but Joe Root's dismissal of him brought smiles to the faces of all Englishmen concerned.
2) The Marmite Man (2): Trent Bridge
I said Stuart Broad's performance wasn't entirely flawless... In the very first Test, Broad got involved in a moment of controversy that would continue burning until the very end of the season, and I suspect will see the seamer treated like David Warner when England visit Australia for the return series this winter. On the 3rd day at Trent Bridge, and with England on 297-6, Broad clearly edged an Agar delivery. However, having ballooned off the pads of Brad Haddin and into the grateful hands of Michael Clarke, the umpires refused the requests, much to the disbelief of the Australian captain. Given how obvious the edge was, it is amazing that the umpires missed it, but even more amazing and disturbing was Stuart Broad's refusal to walk. This threw questions of gamesmanship, with the phrase 'it's not cricket' being thrown around, which were even more so when Broad admitted he knew he had hit it. Even more so, it escalated into Australian coach Darren Lehmann accusing Broad of cheating, and asking the Australian people to 'make him cry' in the return series. Though the Aussie has apologized for those comments, the issue will remain in the minds of the Australian people, and I expect the Englishman to recieve a particularly hostile reception.
3) I Thought We Got Rid Of Human Error?
Unfortunately, for all the good cricket that has been played this summer, there are countless examples of DRS and umpiring controversies. Beginning with the Broad-walking issue, and finishing with the 'Bad Light' fiasco at Lord's, this series has rarely been without incident and controversy. Though no-one would ever accuse them of corruption or cheating, the vast majority of the controversial decisions have gone in the favour of England. So bad were a couple of the decisions, the Australian Prime Minister got involved on Twitter. After Usman Khawaja was dismissed after a review in the Old Trafford Test, despite the video clearly showing no contact between bat and ball, the Aussie PM took to Twitter to announce his displeasure, with the comment 'one of the worst umpiring decisions I have ever seen'. Technology has been blamed for the inconsistencies and errors, but for me, it is the lump of flesh working the technology that has seemed to have crashed on all too many occasions.
4) Kevin Pietersen and the Silicone Tape of Deceit
Until the events of the final night, I would have said that this was the most ridiculous controversy of the entire series. In the lead up to the 4th Test at Chester-le-Street, reports circulated that an Australian paper had accused English batsman Kevin Pietersen of cheating. Rather than the Broad 'non-walking' element of cheating, which the Aussies had a case for, they chose an altogether more non-sensical tack. They made the assertion that the South African-born batsman had been using silicone tape to prevent the thermal imaging part of the DRS system, Hotspot, to detect nicks through to the wicketkeeper. This would make complete sense as an argument if caught behind was the only way of getting out. The Australians clearly did not think about lbw claims. If, as they suggested, the batsman had been using tape to prevent any evidence of the ball on Hotspot, it would actually work against him on lbw claims. Both sides confirmed this as ridiculous, and nothing came of it since.
5) The Ridiculous Celebrations
The story that broke relatively recently arguably tops the lot in terms of controversy. A story that would be more appropriate in Mario Balotelli's house or among the stories of dwarf throwing in the England Rugby Union World Cup camp, reports emerged that the English players had been seen urinating on the Oval turf after the finish of the final Test. This was practically confirmed when, just this morning, the England players came out and apologized for what they called 'inappropriate behaviour'. Why anyone would consider this to be an ordinary thing to do is beyond me, and it simply put a downer on the end of what had been a tremendous summer for the English boys. They will have to redeem themselves when they travel to Australia, and behave in an impeccable manner. However, as we have seen, that appears to be easier said than done...
Has It Swung All The Way?
Such has been the dominance of the English team at times this series, that the question now has to be raised about whether the balance of power has shifted the full 180 degrees from the 90's. Personally, I think that we saw enough from the Australians in the latter parts of the series to suggest that they will fight back this winter. However, should the English dominate that series down under, we could be on for a good few years of English success, which may see the Aussies put into the wilderness in terms of the Test game, at least for the time being.
Analysis of sporting events, talking points and controversies.
Showing posts with label Controversy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Controversy. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 August 2013
Monday, 26 August 2013
The Ashes 2013: 5th Test, The Oval: It Ends As It Began
Whilst this 5th Ashes Test had very little meaning in terms of the result of the series, it was at the very least a chance for the Australians to regain some pride after a summer of being dominated. This led to arguably the most interesting of all the Tests this series. It had everything that we had been so accustomed to seeing in an Ashes Test: great batting, fantastic bowling, batting collapses, DRS and umpire controversies and, of course, bad weather. All of this led to the manic finish that we saw yesterday, giving us an indication of what may happen in six months time, where the Australians will hope to reclaim to historic urn.
There were two big controversies that occurred before the test had even begun. The first involved Australia coach Darren Lehmann. In an interview conducted with Australian radio channel Triple M, he made the statement that English seamer Stuart Broad should be considered a 'blatant cheat', and that he hoped the Australian fans 'made him cry' in the return series down under this winter. This sparked a backlash from ex-professionals and commentators alike. Whilst some of Broad's conduct has been questionable during this series (e.g. the admission of guilt over 'Walkgate'), to use this 'eye for an eye' style morality is not in the spirit of the game, and will only be counter-productive. Also, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that the Australian people were going to give him a hard time anyway. If we look at the way that David Warner has been treated since his return in the 4th Test, I would expect to see more of the same down under. At least this will arguably be more appropriate, as the pantomime season will be in full swing, and the viewers will need a villain!
The second controversy involved the vast array of changes made to the England side, opting instead to play quite a few of the stars of the English Lions squad. Players like Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes were handed their debut Tests, leaving many English fans disillusioned. Their argument: why should we take our foot off the gas and play a weakened team, even when the series has been sewn up. Personally, I understand the frustration of the fans, especially those that had paid to see the first team perform. However, if England can give inexperienced players a chance to make a name for themselves, it may make all the difference when it comes to the return series. Look at the Root innings in the second Test if you want to see the value of trialling the younger players.
The first day began in beautiful sunshine, and having won the toss, Australia elected to bat, hoping to lead off in the same manner which saw them post a formidable total in the first innings at Durham. After Warner made a good start with the bat, he fell just a few overs in to James Anderson. At 11-1, Shane Watson came to the crease. The usual opener has struggled for consistent runs this series, failing to convert any of his innings into the century Australia have been needing. Today would be a different story. Whilst opener Chris Rogers took a fairly relaxed pace to proceedings, the big number 3 quickly pushed onto his half century before the lunch break. As soon as he managed that, he scored even faster, reaching a strike rate that would be impressive in the one-day forms of the game, never mind in a Test. After reaching his half century at just after 12:30, the big Australian had got to 80 by the time lunch was called half an hour later, with the new bowler Kerrigan taking most of the flack. If this formidable rate continued, England may have found themselves in a hole far deeper than even that in Durham.
After lunch, England desperately searched for that elusive second wicket. Though the bowlers did manage to calm the scoring rate of Watson, the number three remained firm at the crease. Instead, their attentions turned to Rogers, and after probing for an hour, Swann finally got the breakthrough. At 118-2, Clarke came to the crease, and threatened to form another game-changing partnership. After a couple of painful blows from Stuart Broad, Watson was on the verge of his first Test century in this series when his captain went. A stunning delivery from Anderson sent the stumps cartwheeling and sent Clarke back to the pavilion with only 7 to his name. This had the potential to unsettle Watson, especially given the magnitude of the knock. However, he dug deep to grind out that first century, and seemed to kick on once the nerves had settled. With Watson and new man Steve Smith settled at the crease, the Australians reached 181-3 at tea without much fuss. After tea, the assault did not relent, with the impressive Watson still knocking the spinners to all four corners to bring up his 150. By half past 5, Smith too had brought up his fifty, meaning that England were once again caught in the midst of a terrific middle order partnership. As the day drew to a close, it looked as though Australia were going to begin the second day in a tremendous position, suggesting that the squad changes were entirely the wrong decision. Then, a moment of brilliance in the field from Kevin Pietersen changed the complexion of the game. After hooking a Broad delivery, Watson could only watch as Pietersen sprung full length to take a magnificent diving catch, before walking to a standing ovation from all corners of the Oval. The new batsman Siddle barely had time to settle in before the close of play was announced, with Australia sitting pretty on 307-4.
As has so often been the case this series, when England have been struggling, they can count on the rain to bail them out. The 5th Test was no different, with bad weather delaying the start of play until 14:30. Once play did resume, England managed to get rid of Siddle very quickly, before turning their attention to the tail. However, Australia fought back, with Smith and Haddin going strongly. Smith in particular was impressive, moving past his Old Trafford total and into the 90s by 4:00. And just before tea, the all rounder brought up his maiden Test century, to the delight of the Australian balcony. No sooner had he done so as his foil Haddin relinquished his wicket to the bowling of Trott. Often the part-timers get the most difficult wickets, but it is always embarrasing as a batsman to go in that fashion. At 397-6 by tea, Australia knew that another 100 or so before the close would see them into a commanding position for the remaining three days. And once again they set off like a train, with new man Faulkner smashing fours all round the ground. However, his brief cameo came to an end on 19, when he attempted one shot too many, pulling Woakes into the hands of Trott at the boundary. This handed the newbie his first Test wicket, and after all the controversy, I believe he bowled well enough to justify his selection. Further cameos from Starc (11) and most notably Harris (33), meant that Australia were able to declare on 492-9, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 135, and still time to set about the English batsmen on day 2. Thankfully for the English, there was to be no late-night batting collapse, with the opening pair of Root and Cook able to see their team through to the close, finishing at 32-0.
Day 3 saw the pendulum swing once again, however. The Australians would have been wanting to take an early wicket, but the English openers foiled them, moving towards the hundred partnership by the drinks break. Immediately after that, the partnersip was broken, with Cook edging a delivery to Haddin for 25. Root and Trott then set about re-anchoring the innings, getting easily to lunch, with Root claiming his half-century. The partnership continued in a similar vein after the break, with both playing shots. Unfortunately for the youngster, he played one shot too many, hooking Nathan Lyon straight to Australian hero Watson for 68. Once again, stability was required, but this time it was Trott and Pietersen who needed to keep the innings going for the home side. That they did, managing to pass 175 before Trott was trapped lbw off the bowling of Starc after a successful review by the Australians. At tea, it was Pietersen and Bell at the crease, with England desperately needing their batsmen to do more than just get in and then out in quick succession. Unfortunately, that pattern continued after tea, with Pietersen, having just brought up his half century, perishing off the bowling of Starc. At 217-4, England were struggling to avoid the follow on, and needed their tail to wag to have any chance of competing in this match. Bell and Woakes managed to keep their wickets to the close, leaving England a full 245 behind, with a first innings total of 247-4.
With the Australians seemingly in complete control of the final Test, fate got in the way once more, again favouring the English. Day 4 was a complete washout, with the rain preventing any play and making a draw seem the most likely outcome. However, the events of Day 5 were arguably some of the most exciting of the series, bringing a remarkable finish. After a brief cameo at the start of day 5, Woakes fell with a whimper, with Bell going soon after. Stuart Broad also didn't last long, having his stumps rearranged by a cracker from Harris. A period of incredible attack from Prior and Swann followed, with a partnership totalling almost 50 runs from very few overs. Eventually, Prior had to go before reaching his personal half century, bringing the tail enders of firstly Anderson, and then Kerrigan to the crease. Neither of these had any real impact on the scoreline, leaving England still 115 runs in arrears by the time all of the wickets had fallen. Clarke, knowing that there were only 60 overs remaining in the Test match, opted to treat the game like a 20/20 one, sending his batsmen out with the motif of slog everything that moves. A high-risk strategy, and not one that paid off for the Aussies. Though Warner and Watson started well, reaching 30-0, Warner went to a brilliant c&b from Anderson. This precipitated the collapse of the Australian second innings. Watson went next, scoring 26, and leaving Australia on 44-2. Haddin, the next man in, was well and truly beaten by Broad, sending him back to the pavilion without scoring. After a good cameo, new boy Faulkner was next to perish, with Broad the tormentor in chief, forcing an edge. With the Australian lead only 183, a few more quick wickets could actually put England back in control of their own destiny this Test, and they could begin to think of winning it! Those two wickets did fall quickly, with firstly Smith, and then Harris both falling before reaching double figures, leaving Australia on 85-6, and leading by 201. By tea that lead had stretched to 226, at which point Clarke decided to have a go at bowling the English out. With only 44 overs in the day, that seemed quite a tall order. Amazingly, come the final session of a Test so affected by rain, all three results were still possible!
Australian hopes of victory were boosted by the quick dismissal of Joe Root. The young batsman, gone for 11, will be disappointed not to have taken advantage of the frantic situation. Unlike the Australian innings, this was not the catalyst for an English batting collapse, with Trott and Cook taking the home side to the drinks break at 85-1. With 27 overs remaining, the English side found themselves needing 142 to win. Anyone who has watched 20/20 cricket will tell you that that total is eminently gettable. However, their push to victory was instantly checked after the break, with the captain going to a fine delivery from Harris. Pietersen was the next batsman in, and he and Trott once again set about reducing the run rate, bringing the score to 139-2 by 18:30. Despite this being the normal close of play time, the rain had meant that another half hour or so would be allowed, giving England the chance to win the game. In that next half-hour, both Pietersen and Trott passed their half-centuries, taking the target down to just 68 from 11 overs. And still the two sides played on, with both Pietersen and then Trott falling in quick succession as England valiantly continued their chase. With just 5 overs left, England had just 33 runs to make, meaning an average of just over a run a ball. This was looking like being another tight finish. After a fantastic first 5 balls from an England point of view, adding 12 runs, Ian Bell was run out in the final ball of the over. However, if we thought that was the end of the drama and controversy, we were wrong. At the end of that over, with just 21 runs required from 24 balls, the umpires decided that the light was not sufficient to continue, meaning that the match was drawn. Cue angry responses from the English players, who believed that a 4-0 series win was within their grasp. Instead they had to settle for 3-0, their largest margin of victory since 1978.
Whilst there are those that complained, at both the ICC, and more bizarrely, Michael Clarke for the players being brought off, I think that they are being ungrateful. The Australians would have been well within their rights to bat through the whole day, boring the crowds and ensuring that the game resulted in a draw. Instead, they rolled the dice and caused the nerve-jangling final moments. The game was extended a full hour and a half over the usual closing time of 18:00 in order to try and find a conclusion. However, at the end of it all, we have no different result than that that was expected. We have only been treated to a far more exciting draw! Nevertheless, the series finished in exactly the same way to which it started: engulfed in controversy.
There were two big controversies that occurred before the test had even begun. The first involved Australia coach Darren Lehmann. In an interview conducted with Australian radio channel Triple M, he made the statement that English seamer Stuart Broad should be considered a 'blatant cheat', and that he hoped the Australian fans 'made him cry' in the return series down under this winter. This sparked a backlash from ex-professionals and commentators alike. Whilst some of Broad's conduct has been questionable during this series (e.g. the admission of guilt over 'Walkgate'), to use this 'eye for an eye' style morality is not in the spirit of the game, and will only be counter-productive. Also, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that the Australian people were going to give him a hard time anyway. If we look at the way that David Warner has been treated since his return in the 4th Test, I would expect to see more of the same down under. At least this will arguably be more appropriate, as the pantomime season will be in full swing, and the viewers will need a villain!
The second controversy involved the vast array of changes made to the England side, opting instead to play quite a few of the stars of the English Lions squad. Players like Simon Kerrigan and Chris Woakes were handed their debut Tests, leaving many English fans disillusioned. Their argument: why should we take our foot off the gas and play a weakened team, even when the series has been sewn up. Personally, I understand the frustration of the fans, especially those that had paid to see the first team perform. However, if England can give inexperienced players a chance to make a name for themselves, it may make all the difference when it comes to the return series. Look at the Root innings in the second Test if you want to see the value of trialling the younger players.
The first day began in beautiful sunshine, and having won the toss, Australia elected to bat, hoping to lead off in the same manner which saw them post a formidable total in the first innings at Durham. After Warner made a good start with the bat, he fell just a few overs in to James Anderson. At 11-1, Shane Watson came to the crease. The usual opener has struggled for consistent runs this series, failing to convert any of his innings into the century Australia have been needing. Today would be a different story. Whilst opener Chris Rogers took a fairly relaxed pace to proceedings, the big number 3 quickly pushed onto his half century before the lunch break. As soon as he managed that, he scored even faster, reaching a strike rate that would be impressive in the one-day forms of the game, never mind in a Test. After reaching his half century at just after 12:30, the big Australian had got to 80 by the time lunch was called half an hour later, with the new bowler Kerrigan taking most of the flack. If this formidable rate continued, England may have found themselves in a hole far deeper than even that in Durham.
After lunch, England desperately searched for that elusive second wicket. Though the bowlers did manage to calm the scoring rate of Watson, the number three remained firm at the crease. Instead, their attentions turned to Rogers, and after probing for an hour, Swann finally got the breakthrough. At 118-2, Clarke came to the crease, and threatened to form another game-changing partnership. After a couple of painful blows from Stuart Broad, Watson was on the verge of his first Test century in this series when his captain went. A stunning delivery from Anderson sent the stumps cartwheeling and sent Clarke back to the pavilion with only 7 to his name. This had the potential to unsettle Watson, especially given the magnitude of the knock. However, he dug deep to grind out that first century, and seemed to kick on once the nerves had settled. With Watson and new man Steve Smith settled at the crease, the Australians reached 181-3 at tea without much fuss. After tea, the assault did not relent, with the impressive Watson still knocking the spinners to all four corners to bring up his 150. By half past 5, Smith too had brought up his fifty, meaning that England were once again caught in the midst of a terrific middle order partnership. As the day drew to a close, it looked as though Australia were going to begin the second day in a tremendous position, suggesting that the squad changes were entirely the wrong decision. Then, a moment of brilliance in the field from Kevin Pietersen changed the complexion of the game. After hooking a Broad delivery, Watson could only watch as Pietersen sprung full length to take a magnificent diving catch, before walking to a standing ovation from all corners of the Oval. The new batsman Siddle barely had time to settle in before the close of play was announced, with Australia sitting pretty on 307-4.
As has so often been the case this series, when England have been struggling, they can count on the rain to bail them out. The 5th Test was no different, with bad weather delaying the start of play until 14:30. Once play did resume, England managed to get rid of Siddle very quickly, before turning their attention to the tail. However, Australia fought back, with Smith and Haddin going strongly. Smith in particular was impressive, moving past his Old Trafford total and into the 90s by 4:00. And just before tea, the all rounder brought up his maiden Test century, to the delight of the Australian balcony. No sooner had he done so as his foil Haddin relinquished his wicket to the bowling of Trott. Often the part-timers get the most difficult wickets, but it is always embarrasing as a batsman to go in that fashion. At 397-6 by tea, Australia knew that another 100 or so before the close would see them into a commanding position for the remaining three days. And once again they set off like a train, with new man Faulkner smashing fours all round the ground. However, his brief cameo came to an end on 19, when he attempted one shot too many, pulling Woakes into the hands of Trott at the boundary. This handed the newbie his first Test wicket, and after all the controversy, I believe he bowled well enough to justify his selection. Further cameos from Starc (11) and most notably Harris (33), meant that Australia were able to declare on 492-9, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 135, and still time to set about the English batsmen on day 2. Thankfully for the English, there was to be no late-night batting collapse, with the opening pair of Root and Cook able to see their team through to the close, finishing at 32-0.
Day 3 saw the pendulum swing once again, however. The Australians would have been wanting to take an early wicket, but the English openers foiled them, moving towards the hundred partnership by the drinks break. Immediately after that, the partnersip was broken, with Cook edging a delivery to Haddin for 25. Root and Trott then set about re-anchoring the innings, getting easily to lunch, with Root claiming his half-century. The partnership continued in a similar vein after the break, with both playing shots. Unfortunately for the youngster, he played one shot too many, hooking Nathan Lyon straight to Australian hero Watson for 68. Once again, stability was required, but this time it was Trott and Pietersen who needed to keep the innings going for the home side. That they did, managing to pass 175 before Trott was trapped lbw off the bowling of Starc after a successful review by the Australians. At tea, it was Pietersen and Bell at the crease, with England desperately needing their batsmen to do more than just get in and then out in quick succession. Unfortunately, that pattern continued after tea, with Pietersen, having just brought up his half century, perishing off the bowling of Starc. At 217-4, England were struggling to avoid the follow on, and needed their tail to wag to have any chance of competing in this match. Bell and Woakes managed to keep their wickets to the close, leaving England a full 245 behind, with a first innings total of 247-4.
With the Australians seemingly in complete control of the final Test, fate got in the way once more, again favouring the English. Day 4 was a complete washout, with the rain preventing any play and making a draw seem the most likely outcome. However, the events of Day 5 were arguably some of the most exciting of the series, bringing a remarkable finish. After a brief cameo at the start of day 5, Woakes fell with a whimper, with Bell going soon after. Stuart Broad also didn't last long, having his stumps rearranged by a cracker from Harris. A period of incredible attack from Prior and Swann followed, with a partnership totalling almost 50 runs from very few overs. Eventually, Prior had to go before reaching his personal half century, bringing the tail enders of firstly Anderson, and then Kerrigan to the crease. Neither of these had any real impact on the scoreline, leaving England still 115 runs in arrears by the time all of the wickets had fallen. Clarke, knowing that there were only 60 overs remaining in the Test match, opted to treat the game like a 20/20 one, sending his batsmen out with the motif of slog everything that moves. A high-risk strategy, and not one that paid off for the Aussies. Though Warner and Watson started well, reaching 30-0, Warner went to a brilliant c&b from Anderson. This precipitated the collapse of the Australian second innings. Watson went next, scoring 26, and leaving Australia on 44-2. Haddin, the next man in, was well and truly beaten by Broad, sending him back to the pavilion without scoring. After a good cameo, new boy Faulkner was next to perish, with Broad the tormentor in chief, forcing an edge. With the Australian lead only 183, a few more quick wickets could actually put England back in control of their own destiny this Test, and they could begin to think of winning it! Those two wickets did fall quickly, with firstly Smith, and then Harris both falling before reaching double figures, leaving Australia on 85-6, and leading by 201. By tea that lead had stretched to 226, at which point Clarke decided to have a go at bowling the English out. With only 44 overs in the day, that seemed quite a tall order. Amazingly, come the final session of a Test so affected by rain, all three results were still possible!
Australian hopes of victory were boosted by the quick dismissal of Joe Root. The young batsman, gone for 11, will be disappointed not to have taken advantage of the frantic situation. Unlike the Australian innings, this was not the catalyst for an English batting collapse, with Trott and Cook taking the home side to the drinks break at 85-1. With 27 overs remaining, the English side found themselves needing 142 to win. Anyone who has watched 20/20 cricket will tell you that that total is eminently gettable. However, their push to victory was instantly checked after the break, with the captain going to a fine delivery from Harris. Pietersen was the next batsman in, and he and Trott once again set about reducing the run rate, bringing the score to 139-2 by 18:30. Despite this being the normal close of play time, the rain had meant that another half hour or so would be allowed, giving England the chance to win the game. In that next half-hour, both Pietersen and Trott passed their half-centuries, taking the target down to just 68 from 11 overs. And still the two sides played on, with both Pietersen and then Trott falling in quick succession as England valiantly continued their chase. With just 5 overs left, England had just 33 runs to make, meaning an average of just over a run a ball. This was looking like being another tight finish. After a fantastic first 5 balls from an England point of view, adding 12 runs, Ian Bell was run out in the final ball of the over. However, if we thought that was the end of the drama and controversy, we were wrong. At the end of that over, with just 21 runs required from 24 balls, the umpires decided that the light was not sufficient to continue, meaning that the match was drawn. Cue angry responses from the English players, who believed that a 4-0 series win was within their grasp. Instead they had to settle for 3-0, their largest margin of victory since 1978.
Whilst there are those that complained, at both the ICC, and more bizarrely, Michael Clarke for the players being brought off, I think that they are being ungrateful. The Australians would have been well within their rights to bat through the whole day, boring the crowds and ensuring that the game resulted in a draw. Instead, they rolled the dice and caused the nerve-jangling final moments. The game was extended a full hour and a half over the usual closing time of 18:00 in order to try and find a conclusion. However, at the end of it all, we have no different result than that that was expected. We have only been treated to a far more exciting draw! Nevertheless, the series finished in exactly the same way to which it started: engulfed in controversy.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
F1 Monaco Grand Prix: Mercedes Finally Manage The Tyres?
The Monaco
Grand Prix, the most historic and glamorous F1 race on the calendar, is always
set on the backdrop of vast wealth, with yachts and diamonds as far as the eye
can see. Underneath all the materialism, a serious Formula 1 race takes place
on the streets of Monte Carlo. Historically, McLaren are the most successful
team around this famous circuit, but come to Monaco with a vastly inferior car
than the team are used to. Red Bull and Ferrari have shared the majority of the
race victories so far this season, with Kimi Raikkonen the only other man to
win a Grand Prix outside these two constructors. Mercedes have promised much in
qualifying, but have too often failed to deliver when the lights go out. In
Monaco, where qualifying is of utmost importance, Mercedes had another chance
to rectify this problem. However, even before the event started, the team was
embroiled in controversy.
Mercedes, on
the Saturday, were the subject of a Ferrari and Red Bull protest, accusing them
of doing illegal testing. Pirelli, the F1 tyre supplier, used the Mercedes team
to a tyre test between the Spanish and Monaco grand prix. As in-season testing
is illegal in F1, the other top teams are now accusing the German constructors
of attempting to gain an unfair advantage with the tyres. In defence of
Mercedes, Pirelli made a statement, suggesting that they had a contract with
the FIA, which allows the Italian suppliers to ‘limited testing’. This debate
overshadowed the events of the race, as the dispute was to be determined after
the event.
In practice
session 3 (P3), the first real drama of the weekend on track unfolded, with
carnage being the best adjective. Felipe Massa, Romain Grosjean and Adrian
Sutil all had significant impacts with the vicious Monaco barriers, with the
Brazilian needing all four corners of his car replacing. This meant that he was
unable to complete a qualifying lap, meaning that he would start from the very
back of the grid. For a grand prix track like Monaco, this is a virtual death
sentence in terms of points. With overtaking so difficult, any mistakes can
prove pivotal for the whole weekend. Such mistakes got even more likely in
qualifying.
Saturday
morning broke with drizzle and rain hanging overhead, making track conditions
even more perilous, and room for driver error even lower. Q1 saw havoc, as the
changeable weather conditions saw all of the drivers out early to set banker
laps, with the genuine possibility that any of the top runners could fall. The
ever improving track conditions meant that the times tumbled towards the end of
the session, leaving Paul di Resta the big name casualty in Q1. Caterham’s
Guido van der Garde, on the other hand, was the primary beneficiary,
progressing from Q1 for the first time in his career. Q2, on a drying track
proved just as difficult for the drivers, as the switch to slick tyres seemed
imminent but a wrong decision could cost you a place in the top 10. Despite the
confusion, the only big name casualty from Q2 was Lotus driver Romain Grosjean.
Fernando Alonso had looked like he was in trouble, but a good decision on tyres
got him out of danger, and comfortably into Q3. Q3 was undertaken with the
track practically bone dry, and the super soft tyres made their first proper
appearance. This left Mercedes, and Nico Rosberg, to take their 4th
and 3rd consecutive pole positions respectively. Even more
importantly for the German constructors, Lewis Hamilton managed to put his car
alongside Rosberg’s, giving Mercedes a first row lockout. A priceless
achievement, with overtaking so difficult in Monaco, it allowed Mercedes to
control the race pace.
The start of
the race was typically chaotic, with cars attempting to go three abreast
through what would ordinarily be a single file corner. Sebastian Vettel,
knowing the importance of splitting the Mercedes drivers, started pressurising
Hamilton intensely, giving the Brit a mirror full of Red Bull. However, he
found it difficult to pass, allowing Rosberg to begin scampering away at the
front. Further down the field, collisions between Pastor Maldonado and Guido
van der Garde wrecked the pair’s race, and gave an indication of what was to
come. The two McLaren drivers, after a dressing down post-Bahrain, continued to
squabble, with Jenson Button’s ire all too evident over the radio. After the
initial jostling for position, it became ever more obvious that this was to be
a strategic race, meaning that whoever managed the tyres best would win, with
the Mercedes being traditionally poor at this.
Felipe Massa’s
weekend then went from bad to worse on lap 31, with the Brazilian involved in a
carbon copy of his P3 crash, putting him out of the race, and into the hospital
for checks. This brought the safety car out, eliminating Nico Rosberg’s lead,
and allowing the Red Bulls to jump Lewis Hamilton in the stops, giving them the
perfect opportunity to attack the race leader. However, after a long safety car
period, it looked like the Mercedes’ tyres were in better shape than their
Austrian counterparts, enabling Nico Rosberg to escape once more, and put
Hamilton on the rear wing of Webber. Once again, due to the largely ineffectual
DRS zone into St Devote, positions were maintained, meaning that up to half
distance, Hamilton had to look at the rear wing of the Aussie’s Red Bull. Then,
in a very crash-heavy Grand Prix, Marussia’s Max Chilton and Pastor Maldonado
collided, skewing the Venezuelan into the barriers. Gilles Bianchi, the next
man on the scene, careered into the already displaced barrier, bringing out the
red flag.
This stop
benefitted the Red Bull drivers, allowing them to change their badly worn tyres
on the newly-formed grid. After a coming-together with Sergio Perez, championship-chasing
Fernando Alonso was told to give the place back to the Mexican after the
restart. This had disastrous consequences for the Ferrari man, with him falling
back behind both Sutil and Button before the end of the race. Red Bull’s tyre
changes also had relatively little effect, as once again Rosberg was able to
scurry clear, and put Hamilton all over the back of Webber. Whilst little
changed at the front, a final safety car period was still to come. Under
pressure Lotus driver Romain Grosjean mistimed his braking point and careered
into the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo. This will have done little to enamour
himself to the Lotus bosses, and will also have annoyed Rosberg, as once again
his hard-earned lead was eradicated. Nevertheless, despite these setbacks, the
Mercedes driver held on to claim his first Monaco success, and become part of
the first father-son pairing to win the historic grand prix, with father Keke
having won the 1973 Monaco GP. Sebastien Vettel’s 2nd place also
represented a significant success, as his title rivals Alonso (7th)
and Raikkonen (10th) both finished way down the field, extending the
German’s overall lead. Despite his disappointing 10th place finish,
Kimi Raikkonen will still have cause to smile, as he extended his scoring run
to 24 races, now just two behind Michael Schumacher’s record. Knowing the Finn
though, he will not be smiling!
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