Report
England U19 cruise to commanding lead
England U19 continued to be the dominant force in this Test series as they cemented a strong position on the second day of the final match at Headingley
Cricinfo staff
16-Aug-2005
England U19 298 (Harmison 57, Chopra 50, Ali 52) and 203 for 4 (Chopra 46, Thompson 60, Latouf 56) v Sri Lanka
Scorecard
Scorecard
England U19 continued to be the dominant force in this Test series as they cemented a strong position on the second day of the final match at Headingley.
After reaching 298 yesterday, they bowled Sri Lanka U19 out for 155, before reaching 203 for 4 in their second innings. This gives them a commanding second-innings lead of 346 with six wickets remaining.
The opening attack of Mark Footitt and Tom Smith took five wickets among them to reduce Sri Lanka to 99 for 5. Ben Harmison took the next wicket, then Mooen Ali added to his first-innings fifty by tearing through the tail to take 4 for 29.
Full postVincent and Astle make hay
New Zealand enjoyed their expected run glut against the Zimbabwe bowling
Cricinfo staff
16-Aug-2005
New Zealand 454 for 7 (Vincent 92, Astle 116*, Styris 45, Vettori 48) lead Zimbabwe 231 (Taibu 76, Bond 6-51) by 223 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball
Scorecard and ball-by-ball
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New Zealand enjoyed their expected run glut against the Zimbabwe bowling, although only Nathan Astle, with a determined century, really took advantage of the bowling on offer. At the close New Zealand had reached 454 for 7, Astle still there with 116.
The morning session was a batting bonanza, as Vincent and Fleming did much as they chose with the Zimbabwe bowling. When Fleming turned Streak wide of mid-on for a beautifully timed boundary he passed 6000 runs in Test cricket. Shortly afterwards, though, with his score on 18 and the total 100, he was perhaps fortunate to survive a very confident appeal for lbw against Streak, which was turned down by the bowler's long-time nemesis, umpire Darrell Hair.
Full postEngland U19 post 298 on first day
Ben Harmison topscored with 57 as England Under 19s made 298 all out on the first day against Sri Lanka Under 19s at Headingley
Cricinfo staff
15-Aug-2005
Ben Harmison topscored with 57 as England Under 19s made 298 all out on the first day against Sri Lanka Under 19s at Headingley. There were fifties, too, for the captain Varun Chopra and Moeen Ali, while Joe Denly just missed out on his half-century, with 48.
He and Chopra gave England a strong platform with an opening stand of 68, before Shalika Karunanayake trapped Chopra lbw for 50, the first of his three wickets. Chathupama Gunasinghe also claimed three wickets to help drag Sri Lanka back into things, removing Denly and Christopher Thompson in quick succession and later adding Adam Harrison.
England had been well set at 207 for 3, but slid to 209 for 6 with Kevin Latouf's run out on 30 precipitating the mini-collapse. Ali marshalled a healthy response with Tom Smith, but when Smith fell on 21, a second collapse ended with England losing their last four wickets for 38 runs.
Full postWeekes heroics again in vain
A battling hundred from Paul Weekes was not enough to give Middlesex victory over Northamptonshire
Cricinfo staff
15-Aug-2005
Northamptonshire 261 for 6 (45 overs, Shafayat 85, White 57, Love 56) beat Middlesex 247 for 9 ( Weekes 111, by 14 runs
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Points table
Scorecard
Points table
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Middlesex were always off the pace once Martin Love (56) and Robert White (57) had posted a first-wicket stand of 117, and then Bilal Shafayat smashed 85 off 46 balls to guide Northants to a daunting 261 for 6.
Weekes anchored Middlesex's response, and with Ed Smith (42) got the innings off to a good start with a stand of 105. When these two sides met at Lord's in the C&G Trophy earlier in the
season, Weekes scored 105 (and, coincidently, Smith 42) only for Middlesex to fall away in the closing overs, losing their last six wickets for eight runs.
Full postIreland pull off remarkable three-run win
Scotland's hopes of successfully defending their Intercontinental Cup title disappeared as they slid to a three-run defeat by Ireland at Aberdeen
Cricinfo staff
15-Aug-2005
Ireland 172 and 196 (Joyce 61) beat Scotland 234 for 9 dec and 131 (McCoubrey 4-17) by three runs
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Scotland's bowlers had given them a chance of victory by bowling Ireland out for 196, leaving a modest target of 135 in 39 overs. But some poor batting, one or two dubious umpiring decisions, and a devastating four-wicket opening spell from Adrian McCoubrey which reduced Scotland to 34 for 4 proved too much to overcome.
The home side were further hampered when Craig Wright was found to have suffered a broken finger, which will rule him out of Thursday's match against Australia. Coming in at No. 9 with the score on 78 for 7, he hammered a brave 31, including two huge 6s on the trot, to take Scotland to the brink of victory only for Dewald Nel to be run out off the next delivery.
Full postFitzpatrick stars as Aussies grab first blood
Cathryn Fitzpatrick starred with both bat and ball to help Australia to the first honours of the NatWest series, as they defeated England by 12 runs
The Bulletin by Jenny Thompson
15-Aug-2005
Australia 222 for 7 (Keightley 56, Rolton 41, Sthalekar 44) defeat England 210 (Brindle, Fitzpatrick 4-19) by 12 runs
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England's tail choked spectacularly as they lost their last five wickets for three runs to gift Australia victory at Cheltenham. Cathryn Fitzpatrick starred with both bat and ball to help Australia to the first honours of the NatWest series, as they defeated England by 12 runs. Arran Brindle struck 81 from 78 balls to take England close to their target of 223, but they choked in the face of some hostile Fitzpatrick fire.
That the world's best bowler took 4 for 19 may have come as no surprise, but her batting has been a revelation this year, as she followed up her maiden Test fifty at Hove with 38 not out at Cheltenham.
Full postEngland come agonisingly close
Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath survived the final 24 balls to seal a draw for Australia at Old Trafford
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
15-Aug-2005
Australia 302 and 366 for 9 (Ponting 156, Flintoff 4-71) drew with England 444 and 280 for 6 dec
Scorecard & ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard & ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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It was a day filled with drama - from the early dismissal of Justin Langer to the final, excruciatingly tense moments as Australia hung on for the draw. England's bowlers gave their all for 98 overs, with Andrew Flintoff again producing a Herculean effort as he tore in throughout the day. It was his spell in mid-afternoon, which included the wickets of Simon Katich and Adam Gilchrist, that really ignited England's victory charge.
Flintoff was in the thick of the action again when he broke a superb rearguard stand between Ponting and Shane Warne. They had combined for nearly 22 overs after England scented victory following an incisive burst with the old ball, as England utilised their new-found weapon of reverse-swing.
Full postTaibu leads fightback after Bond onslaught
Shane Bond grabbed 6 for 51 but Zimbabwe showed courage to battle back from 75 for 6 to close the first day in a reasonable position
Cricinfo staff
15-Aug-2005
New Zealand 48 for 2 trail Zimbabwe 231 (Taibu 76, Bond 6-51) by 183 runs
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Scorecard and ball-by-ball
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Shane Bond's opening salvo threatened to make this match as appalling for Zimbabwe as at Harare. Taibu won the toss and decided to bat on a pitch without much grass covering and under a clear sky. That advantage was lost on the top order as the first three wickets fell for just 9 runs. The second ball of the day from Bond swung back in, beat Dion Ebrahim's attempted drive and trapped him leg before. Stuart Carlisle fell in similar fashion and then Hamilton Masakadza, softened up by fierce bowling from Bond, went for a desperate hook and holed out to fine leg for 0.
Brendan Taylor and Craig Wishart fought back well, and for a time they seemed to have weathered the storm. They played some handsome drives and were looking threatening when a superb catch in the gully by Nathan Astle, diving athletically to his right, removed Wishart for 30. Two more wickets fell quickly shortly before the interval. Taylor played a disappointing slash outside his off stump to give Bond his 50th wicket in Tests - and he grabbed No. 51 with the next delivery as Heath Streak was caught behind off a thick outside edge to give Bond the remarkable figures of 5 for 11 off seven overs before lunch.
Full postSell-out crowds flock to watch crucial finale
Evidence of how important the final day at Old Trafford is to English cricket came with the sight of long queues outside the ground as dawn broke in Manchester
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
15-Aug-2005
Australia 302 and 24 for 0 (Hayden 5*, Langer 14*) need 399 more runs to beat England 444 and 280 for 6 dec
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How they were out
Live scorecard & ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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9.30am Old Trafford officials are urging fans not to set out to the ground as the fifth and final day has sold out. Huge queues early this morning grabbed the tickets to watch the crucial finale to the third Test. The gates are now closed and a packed house will witness England's attempts to take ten wickets, and Australia's efforts to save the game.
7.00am Evidence of how important the final day at Old Trafford is to English cricket, were it needed, came with the sight of long queues outside the ground as dawn broke in Manchester. With the weather promising no interruptions, and tickets costing £10 for adults and £5 for children, the prospects of a fifth-day full house to roar England's bowlers on look good.
Full postStrauss ton leaves Australia facing huge target
Australia closed on 24 for 0, chasing an unlikely target of 423 to win the third Test
The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan
14-Aug-2005
Australia 302 and 24 for 0 (Hayden 5*, Langer 14*) need 399 more runs to beat England 444 and 280 for 6 dec
Scorecard & ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Scorecard & ball-by-ball details
How they were out
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Andrew Strauss sped to his first Ashes century, and his sixth in Tests, as England set Australia an improbable 423 to win the third Test at Old Trafford or, more realistically, left them with just over a day to survive. They safely negotiated the first 10 overs of their task, in fading light, but Ashley Giles and Michael Vaughan both created enough moments of unease to encourage England for the final day.
The performance of both teams today was the epitome of how significantly and dramatically the roles have been reversed in this series. Ricky Ponting wore the face of a captain out of options and out of inspiration. For England the day went almost completely to plan - barring a late wicket that would have capped things off. They wrapped up Australia's first innings in an hour and, with a lead of 142, timed their second innings run-gathering to perfection.
Strauss led the way with a classy 106, and given his lack of form before this innings, it was an even more impressive effort. He began in scratchy fashion and withstood his second blow to the helmet from Brett Lee - this one drawing blood from a cut ear. Moments later he edged a ball to the slips but Ponting and Shane Warne just stood and stared at each other as it flew to the boundary - that was just the start of the fielding nightmare.
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