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Australia A made to struggle
Australia's A-team tour to Pakistan has suddenly taken on an added significance
Cricinfo staff
11-Sep-2005
Australia A 120 for 6 (Jaques 56*) v Pakistan A
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Scorecard
Given the decline in fortunes that Australia's senior team has suffered in recent weeks, their A-team tour to Pakistan has suddenly taken on an added significance. But on the evidence of the first day's play at Rawalpindi, only Phil Jaques has anything to be proud of, as their top-order was torn apart by Shahid Nazir, Mohammad Sami and Umar Gul.
By the close of a truncated day, Jaques was unbeaten on 56 having opened the batting, but his team had slipped to 120 for 6. Nazir, with 3 for 28, was the pick of the pacemen, and it wasn't until Cameron White (23) helped add 45 for the sixth wicket, that they were able to reach triple figures.
Michael Hussey, who was tipped by many pundits to take Matthew Hayden's place for the current Oval Test, managed 2 before he was bowled by Nazir, while Brad Hodge, Dominic Thornley and Shane Watson managed only 12 runs between them. Brad Haddin, Australia's reserve wicketkeeper, made just 9 before falling to Sami.
Full postFlintoff and gloom give England cheer
A stunning England fightback, with Andrew Flintoff leading from the front, and bad light were the major players on the fourth day at The Oval
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
11-Sep-2005
England 373 and 34 for 1 (Trescothick 14*, Vaughan 19*) lead Australia 367 by 40 runs
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How they were out
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How they were out
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A stunning England fightback, with Andrew Flintoff leading from the front, and bad light were the major players on the fourth day at The Oval. With another 56 overs lost England are edging near to regaining the Ashes, but just as no day this series has seemed complete without a contribution from Flintoff the same can be said of Shane Warne. Australia were given one final sliver of hope to cling to as Warne removed Andrew Strauss in his first over
Ricky Ponting had been forced to turn to his spinners early, but even with them operating England were offered the light on two occasions. Unsurprisingly Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan nearly jogged back to the pavilion on both times. The Australians did not make a great deal of fuss but were not enamoured by the decision. On the resumption after the first stoppage the players tried to make their point by all wearing sunglasses as they walked to the pitch.
Full postHayden, Langer and rain dominate a stop-start day
By the end of a stop-start day in which just 45.4 overs were possible, Australia closed on 277 for 2, still 96 runs adrift of England's first-innings 373
The Bulletin by Andrew Miller
10-Sep-2005
Australia 277 for 2 (Hayden 110*, Martyn 9*) trail England 373 (Strauss 129, Flintoff 72, Warne 6-122) by 96 runs
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How they were out
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How they were out
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For the second day running, play ended in unexpected fashion, as Australia's batsmen took an offer for bad light with 5.2 overs still remaining. The subtext was clear. Australia intend to build as big a first innings as possible, and unleash Shane Warne on the final day with eight men round the bat and the entire hopes of a country crushing down on the England batsmen's shoulders.
The day may have been dominated by rain, but it belonged unequivocally to Hayden. After a half-hour delay that set the benchmark for the day's proceedings, he resumed his innings on 32 not out, a performance that had been perhaps the most tortuous of his 71-Test career. By lunch, however, he was growing in confidence on 60 not out, his bullying instincts reawakened by a crunching pull off Steve Harmison's first delivery of the day, and a flogged drive for four off Matthew Hoggard. Tellingly, he had acknowledged neither the crowd nor his team-mates upon reaching his first half-century of the series, and his hundred duly arrived from 218 balls, with a trademark straight drive off Andrew Flintoff.
Full postAshraful and Aftab save the day
Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed got some useful batting practice ahead of the Test series, as the Bangladeshis drew their three-day match
Cricinfo staff
09-Sep-2005
Bangladeshis 195 (Omar 81) and 273 for 6 (Ashraful 87, Aftab 67) drew with Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI 412 (Mendis 95, de Silva 74, Kalavitigoda 59)
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Half-centuries by Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed helped the Bangladeshis salvage a draw against a Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI in a three-day practice match at the Colombo Colts grounds. This was Bangladesh's only warm-up game before the first Test against Sri Lanka, which starts at the Premadasa Stadium on September 12.
Dismissed for a disappointing 195 in their first innings, the Bangladeshis scored 273 for
6 in their second innings before the match was called off after two mandatory overs. The Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI made 412 in their first innings.
Full postRain stalls Australia after century stand
Bad light and nearby thunderstorms ended play early with Australia on 112 for 0 in reply to England's 373
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
09-Sep-2005
Australia 112 for 0 (Langer 75*, Hayden 32*) trail England 373 (Strauss 129, Flintoff 72, Warne 6-122) by 261 runs
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It was surprising when Australia took the offer of bad light as soon as the teams reappeared after the tea interval. They are the side that has to win the Test to hold the Ashes and England won't be bothered how much time is taken out of the match. Although the downpours that hit the north and west of London skirted around Kennington, drizzle did arrive and the light never improved. Michael Vaughan would have been delighted to spend some time in the dressing-room to allow him and his attack to come up with some new ideas to tackle a new problem - a productive opening stand from Australia.
Langer was by far the more fluent of the openers and, after carefully negotiating the first burst from England's pace bowlers, he greeted Ashley Giles with two huge sixes, signalling his intent to dominate. Hayden, meanwhile, had to battle away as he strived to find the touch which has eluded him for the entire series. But the longer he stayed there the easier it became, and by the tea interval his footwork was more positive than at any stage this summer.
Full postWeerakoon gives Sri Lanka A control
Sajeewa Weerakoon took 4 for 28 to reduce South Africa A to 108 for 6
Cricinfo staff
09-Sep-2005
South Africa A 254 and 108 for 6 (Rudolph, 35 Amla 35, Weerakoon 4-28) lead Sri Lanka A 224 (Lokuarachchi 53*, Daniel, 48, Mubarak 46, Adams 3-36, Zondeki 3-52) by 129 runs
Sajeewa Weerakoon, the left-arm spinner, took 4 for 28 to reduce South Africa A to 108 for 6 with an overall lead of just 129 at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo. Sri Lanka A seized control of the match after conceding a first-innings lead of 21 as they were dismissed for 224.
Paul Adams and Monde Zondenki took three wickets each to skittle out Sri Lanka A for 224 after they were 16 for 1 overnight. Kaushal Lokuarachchi remained unbeaten on 53. Ian Daniel (48) and Jehan Mubarak (46) made useful contributions. Thami Tsolekile and Johan Botha will resume the South African innings on the third day.
Full postBangladesh taken to the cleaners
Jeevan Mendis (95) and Gihan de Silva (74) powered Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI (SLC) to 412 gaining a lead of 217
Cricinfo staff
08-Sep-2005
Bangladesh 31 for 1 and 195 trail Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI 412 (Jeevan Mendis 95, Gihan de Silva 74, Kalavitigoda, 59, Rasel 4-84) by 186 runs
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Jeevan Mendis (95) and Gihan de Silva (74) powered Sri Lanka Cricket Development XI (SLC) to 412 gaining a lead of 217 in reply to Bangladesh's first innings of 195. Bangladesh were 31 for 1 at the close, still trailing by 186 runs when play resumes on the third and final day tomorrow.
In the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza and Mohammad Rafique, both suffering from injury, Bangladesh's second-string bowling attack took a pummelling from the SLC Development batsmen especially Mendis and de Silva who put together an entertaining partnership of 110 in 91 minutes for the seventh wicket. Mendis made 95 off 143 balls (one six, 14 fours). De Silva scored 74 off 104 balls with seven fours.
Full postThe Strauss and Warne show
Andrew Strauss and Shane Warne dominated a gripping opening day of the fifth and deciding Test at a sun-drenched Oval
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
08-Sep-2005
England 319 for 7 (Strauss 129, Flintoff 72, Warne 5-118) v Australia
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How they were out
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Everyone at The Oval, and the millions watching the action around the world, hoped for a day that would stand the test of this amazing series and begin a fitting finale - they were not disappointed. There was something for all; from the watchful accumulation of Strauss, the stunning strokeplay of Andrew Flintoff, the mastery of Shane Warne and the sheer determination of Australia not to let go of their little urn.
Each of the sessions was its own mini-drama. Following a rollicking start by Strauss and Marcus Trescothick, Warne began yet another master class of legspin. Then Strauss and Flintoff built their brilliant fourth-wicket stand of 143 as England took control in the afternoon. But, Australia weren't finished and with three late wickets they claimed the final-session honours.
Full postDe Bruyn stands alone for South Africa A
South Africa A's allrounder, Zander de Bruyn, scored an undefeated 100
Cricinfo staff
07-Sep-2005
South Africa A 245 (de Bruyn 100*) lead Sri Lanka A 16 for 1by 229 runs
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South Africa A's allrounder, Zander de Bruyn, scored an undefeated 100 but his team could only muster 245 all out in the opening day of a four-day match against Sri Lanka A at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground (NCC) in Colombo.
After being asked to bat first, South Africa reached lunch on 89 for 2 as the two left-handers, Andrew Puttick (41) and the captain, Jacques Rudolph (28) set the platform. There followed a 63-run partnership for the sixth wicket between De Bruyn and Justin Ontong (40) to keep them in the hunt for a bigger total. But the South Africans lost their way and reached tea on 187 for 6.
The left-arm spinner, Weerakoon took six wickets as he turned the tables on the South Africans. When bad light stopped play, Sri Lanka had reached 16 for 1 in reply, having lost Avishka Gunawardene for a duck, caught in the slips by Johan van der Wath off the bowling of Monde Zondeki.
Full postDinesh Mongia leads Board President's reply
Dinesh Mongia served a reminder to the national selectors, scoring an unbeaten 135 as the South Africans struggled on the second day of their tour game against the Indian Board President's XI
Cricinfo staff
06-Sep-2005
Indian Board President's XI 320 for 5 (Mongia 135*, Badani 49*) lead South Africans 226 for 5 dec by 94 runs
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Dinesh Mongia served a reminder to the national selectors, scoring an unbeaten 135 as the Indian Board President's XI made merry against the South Africans in the tour match at Jaipur. The Indians closed the second day on 320 for 5, a lead of 94.
The South Africans made an impressive start to the day, taking three wickets in the morning session. Gautam Gambhir, Dheeraj Jadhav and Sadagoppan Ramesh were the early casualties, but Mongia revived the innings with fine support from the middle order.
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