Australia will crush England at The Oval

[duke o' york]

Yup. His catches are the best thing about his game, and Collingwood's a better fielder.

[Solly]

115 for 3 at lunch.

[Cort Haus]

Re: Re: Australia will crush England at The Oval

Originally posted by reds4ever
Small country syndrome eh? We have the same problem with the Scots.

Local rivals yes, but not entirely the same. England are in a political union with Scotland in which Scotland has the upper hand but they still moan about it. New Zealands problem is that they are on the edge of the world - thousands of miles from the nearest landmass.

[CerberusIV]

Rainclouds developing nicely here. Should be over The Oval by tomorrow afternoon.

[C0ckney]

a nice solid afternoon session

[Alexander's Horse]

We have Warne and they have not!

Warne wizardry pegs back England

Shane Warne ripped out England's top order to leave Australia with the upper hand despite a fine 129 from Andrew Strauss on an absorbing first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval in London.

Warne, who induced a string of errors from the home batsmen to leave England on 7 for 319, completed figures of 5 for 118 from 34 overs to raise his tally to 33 wickets in the series.

Australia, 2-1 behind, need to win the match to retain the Ashes. The world champions have won the last eight series between the sides, dating back to 1989.

Strauss recorded his seventh Test century and his second of the series, putting on 82 with Marcus Trescothick for the first wicket and 143 with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff for the fifth.

"It was a pretty good day, I think we are just probably slightly ahead," Warne said.

"The wicket is obviously very flat. It's going to start spinning.

"Strauss played very well. He hung in there and toughed it out."

England, having beefed up their batting at the expense of their bowling, opted to bat on a perfect strip and looked well-placed before Warne produced a 38-ball burst either side of lunch to take four wickets for 16.

The home side, hoping for a massive first-innings total to bat Australia out of the game and the series, slumped to 4 for 131.

Strauss and Flintoff then rebuilt the innings, taking the score to 4 for 274, before the wickets began to fall again.

Flintoff made 72 and Warne completed his day's destruction by removing Strauss as the shadows lengthened across the sun-drenched, packed ground.

Marathon effort

Warne has carried the Australian bowling attack throughout the series and was asked to do so again, responding with a marathon 18-over spell spanning lunch and later adding 16 more off the reel.

Fast bowlers Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait were all hit out of the attack, with Trescothick looking increasingly comfortable in compiling 43, including eight fours.

He dabbed without conviction at Warne, however, and edged to slip where Matthew Hayden took a fine catch at ankle height.

England captain Michael Vaughan (11) hit a lazy clip to Michael Clarke at mid-wicket and and Ian Bell departed for a duck, lbw as he pushed forward through a thicket of close fielders.

At 3 for 115 at lunch, England were kicking themselves. At 4 for 131, they probably felt like kicking Kevin Pietersen, who played across a gentle Warne leg spinner and was bowled for 14.

Flintoff led the way with three consecutive fours off Warne, the first two slapped to backward square leg and the next hammered past the bowler, to get to his half-century.

Strauss, having reached 97 with a square cut, then fizzed a Lee half-volley through mid-wicket to begin his celebrations.

His stand with Flintoff ended when the big all-rounder, having lifted Warne over long on for the only six of the day, played a tired shot off the back foot at McGrath and sent the ball into Warne's hands at slip.

Collingwood (7) was perhaps unfortunate to fall lbw to a Tait yorker, before Strauss prodded forward tiredly at Warne and was superbly caught by a diving Simon Katich at silly mid-off.

Geraint Jones (21 not out) and Ashley Giles (5) took England through to the close without further loss, surviving two overs with the second new ball in the process.

-Reuters

Oh Shane, we're not worthy!

[reds4ever]

It's a good enough score with the rain on the way....

[Cort Haus]

"That's the right area Shane"

He's the best bowler in the world, alright, but the "pillow-talk" between Shayna & Gilchrist is another kind of entertainment.

"Oh Yes, Warney, that's good!. That's right. Yes Warney! That's the right area Shane, pitch it just there, Shane. That's horny Warney! Oh yes, that's the one, that's the one Warney! Yes, Shane, keep it up there, Shane, keep it up!"

[Cort Haus]

See in the photo - Dizzy's reduced to carrying the red handbag!

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by reds4ever
It's a good enough score with the rain on the way....

Exactly, id rather the rain interrupt their batting and our bowling tomorrow.

Of course The King of Spain and Geraint the Jones could bat all day.

[Alexander's Horse]

you must have sooo much confidence in your team if you're hoping to win through a washout

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
you must have sooo much confidence in your team if you're hoping to win through a washout

A win is a win. I thought that was the Aussie way?

[Krill]

This is England.

It never rains but it pours...

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
you must have sooo much confidence in your team if you're hoping to win through a washout

Ponting looked like he's been wanting to play for draws all series with the endless field-placing summits.

[Alexander's Horse]

you started talking about rain, longing for it, before the match even started. That's pathetic.