England edge past Australia in Controversial Test

 

INVESTEC ASHES SERIES 2013:  1ST TEST : ENGLAND WON BY 14 RUNS

The opening Test Match of the 2013 ASHES series certainly proved to be a very eventful one, As Nottingham`s Trent Bridge Stadium was the ground to open up the First Test.

Alistair Cook won the Toss and chose to bat, as it was Sunshine baked Wednesday morning as the pitch was quoted as a "Batters paradise" with the hot weather and rock hard pitch.

England went this opening test match with youngster Joe Root at number 2 in the batting order as he had impressed in previous matches, however an Ashes Series is a completely different kettle of fish when it comes to test match cricket.

As the batsmen came out to “Jerusalem” being played, we were ready for the Ashes Series to begin.

England`s Opening pair of Alistair Cook & Joe Root got England off to a steady start as they put on 27 runs, before the England Captain Cook was dismissed for (13) off the bowling of James Pattinson, with Brad Haddin taking the catch behind.  Jonathon Trott then came to the crease and the Warwickshire batsman played his usual slowly approach to his innings.

Yorkshireman Joe Root was playing a good knock till he was bowled by Australian fast man Peter Siddle for (30). Kevin Pietersen then came to the wicket ,as England welcomed back the big hitting South African born batsman to the Test line up , as he had been out of the side due to lay off with a leg injury.

Pietersen didn`t hang around long as he was out for (14), as he pushed it to slip in the direction of Australia Captain Michael Clarke and the Aussies rejoiced in getting the "Danger man" out.

Trott was next out as he was bowled by Siddle for (48), as England was 124 for 4 and Australia was enjoying themselves as they were restricting their hosts and looked good.

Fellow Warwickshire team mate Ian Bell failed to make big score when both he and Johnny Bairstow put on the biggest partnership in the innings of 54 runs between them both. Ian Bell (25) and Matt Prior(1) went in quick succession off the bowling of Siddle and England found themselves 180-6, as the score was looking pretty poor indeed by the hosts.

Johnny Bairstow and Stuart Broad put on 33 runs as they move the score onto 213, Pattinson then got Broad out for (24) caught and bowled and then Mitchell Starc clean bowled Bairstow for a (37). Steven Finn came and went albeit after he tried to review his dismissal, the decision stood and Starc was on a Hat Trick.

Starc bowled a poor Hat Trick ball and wasted a glorious chance to try and grab an rare Ashes Hat Trick. Graeme Swann and James Anderson lasted 25 balls between them as Swann went for (1)from James Pattinson delivery which was caught by Phil Hughes and Australia looked to be in full control as England posted a paltry 215 in just 59 Overs.

Peter Siddle was the star man in the bowling department as he took 5 for 50, along with James Pattinson supporting as he took 3 for 69 and Mitchell Starc 2 for 54.

England would need to rely on their bowlers as they have done in recent matches to get them out of the hole they were in.

England started well as Steven Finn got Shane Watson out for (13) with Joe Root holding on and then next ball got Ed Cowan out for a duck with Swann taking the catch and the Aussies were 19-2.

Jimmy Anderson then got in on the action, as he removed the Australian Captain Michael Clarke for a duck too and England were finding their rhythm in the bowling department.

Chris Rogers and Steve Smith put up some resistance for the Tourists as they put together a partnership of 31, before Rogers was LBWed by Lancashire pace man James Anderson. Rogers asked for a review on his dismissal, but was unsuccessful and so he went for (16).

Steve Smith then departed soon after as he edged behind to Prior off Anderson going for (53), Brad Haddin was then Bowled for (1) by the hometown County hero Swann on his home ground.

Anderson then had a Hat Trick chance himself as he disposed of Siddle for (1) and Mitchell Starc for a duck, as the Aussies found themselves 114 for 8, and things got worse for them, when Pattinson went for (2) and used up the second review for Australia as England had the Tourists on the rack as they were 117 for 9.

Anderson celebrates wicket : PIC FROM cricinfo

Things should have been wrapped up quickly, But England hadn`t counted on the fact for a plucky Australian Teenager in the form of 19yo Spinner Ashton Agar.

Agar was a late inclusion to the side and he certainly made a name for himself with the bat at least and one England wouldn`t forget very soon.

Agar was playing shots that top order batsmen would be proud off and he was very fortunate as well, as early on in his innings he looked to be out of his crease when Prior whipped off his bails for a stumping.

The Third Umpire thought differently, as he gave Agar a massive slice of luck as replays seemed to show he hadn`t made it back over the line , but Marais Erasmus from South Africa gave Agar NOT OUT much to the surprise of everyone, His decision making would make this test match become a very controversial match indeed.

Agar went on to score (98) on his Test debut, as in his 101 balls he faced he scored 12 Fours and 2 Sixes.

His partner down the other end in Phil Hughes wasn`t doing badly either, as he scored a unbeaten (81) after Agar sublime innings came to an unlucky end, as he tried to slog a shot for his hundred but Swann was there to deny the youngster his maiden Hundred as he took the catch and the Australian balcony and his family sat in the stands, were left deflated for Agar as they put their collective heads in their hands as he missed out on reaching the big 100. 

Australia reply to England was 280, and the partnership between Ashton Agar & Phil Hughes was not only the Highest 10th wicket partnership in Australian history, but the Highest ever in Test cricket , as England continued to have a flaw in finishing off the innings as they have made a habit of it for years.

England’s Bowlers once again came to the batsmen rescue, as James Anderson was the pick of the bowler with 5 for 85 along with Steven Finn & Graeme Swann taking 2 wickets each.

England Second Innings got to a stuttering start as the Hosts lost 2 early wickets, when Joe Root edged behind to Haddin off the bowling of Starc for (5), and then the next delivery the Australians appealed for LBW on Jonathon Trott. Aleem Dar gave Not Out originally and after a bit of team meeting Clarke wanted it reviewed by the third umpire.

Replays originally shown that the ball looked to have hit Trott in front of the stumps and so the decision was overturned, as there was nothing on Hotspot to suggest he hit it.

Trott was unhappy as he was walked back for a duck and now Starc was on his second Hat Trick in the game.

News coming in hours later from the ICC, was that England weren`t happy as Hot spot failed to show Trott getting a little edge on it, but Hotspot wasn`t working properly so it never came up on the replay. Though slowed down reply`s show he did get a bit of bat on it.

Kevin Pietersen survived the Hat Trick ball from Starc, This led to him and Cook moving England along to safe waters, as they put on 110 between them.

Pietersen was then bowled by Pattinson for (64) and Cook followed a few Overs later as the England Captain was out for (50), England were 131 for 4, or effectively 66 for 4 now. 

Ian Bell then decided to put on a batting clinic and show how to bat sensibly and play yourself into an innings, Bell in the process led the England charge along with Bairstow.

Johnny Bairstow tried to grind out a score in the second innings as he fell eventually to Agar for (15) with Haddin taking the catch after 62 balls faced.

Matt Prior looked to try and get some runs and confidence in hist batting, but a mistimed shot went to Ed Cowan and the Aussie fielder took the catch as he departed for (31).

Bell scoring on his way to 109 pic from theguardian

Stuart Broad entered the fray and the Nottinghamshire fast bowler came in and played some beautiful strokes as he and Bell started to take the game away from the Australians and move England into a commanding lead. Ian Bell reached his hundred as he placed a ball into gap and he ran the single to get to the milestone. 

Controversy once again arose, as this time a delivery by Ashton Agar was massively edged to Michael Clarke in the slips and Aleem Dar gave Not Out, in one of the most awful decisions he has made as an umpire.

It wasn`t as if it was a little deft nick, it was a massive edge off the bat, Which led the Aussies to curse using up their 2 reviews earlier in the England innings, as they couldn`t use a review now as they lost both review, If it had been reviewed Broad was a “goner” as it would have been overturned without fail.

AUSSIES dumbfounded by Broad decision     pic from eurosport.com

Aussies remonstrated with umpires over the missed called and Stuart Broad just stood his ground and refused to walk , which caused massive discussions around cricketing circles over the next day or so and led to the Moral stand point coming up. 

People will say, it`s been long overdue as the Australians have made a history of not walking when they were out for decades, so Broad was giving them a taste of their own medicine. Broad went for (65) as he edged Pattinson delivery to Haddin and this time he walked off.

Bell then perished as he went for (109) as a feather like edge off his bat was collected by Haddin and the score was 371 for 8 and with the final 2 remaining wickets falling for 4 runs, with Graeme Swann going for (9) off the bowling of Siddle and then James Anderson following for a duck.

Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle were Australia`s best bowlers as they shared 3 wickets between while Ashton Agar and James Pattinson took 2 wickets a piece.

PIC from: theguardian: 

That meant in the scheme of things, England had set the Australians the target of 311 for victory. The Run chase for the Tourists got off to a great start as Shane Watson and Chris Rogers put on a partnership of 84 for the opening wicket, till Watson was given out for LBW, but Watson went for the review and replays shown it was clipping leg stump and so gave England a started as they meant to go on, As a not so happy Watson went for (46).

With Tea approaching Cook turned to Joe Root for an over or two of spin to rest his bowlers and see out the remaining couple of Overs, however not even he, could have foreseen that Root would take a vital wicket in the game. As the Yorkshire man removed Cowan from the crease with the last ball before Tea, with a ball that spun a bit and was edged to Trott , which saw Root picked up his first Test wicket as Cowan went for (14).  

Australia headed to the pavilion going 111 for 2 and needed to forget about the last ball and concentrate on standing firm and stick to the task at hand.

After Tea, England looked rejuvenated as Rogers was first to leave when Anderson bowled a great delivery and Bell took a sharp catch to send him back for (52), Aussie Captain Michael Clarke put on a partnership of 37 with Steve Smith, before Clarke was out (23) after Prior claimed a catch off Broad, Clarke called for a review of the decision & Hot spot shown the smallest of marks on the bat and that was enough to uphold the decision on the field, as Clarke left and Australia was 161 for 4.

Swann got in on the act then, as he trapped Smith plum LBW for (17) and his next ball got Phil Hughes LBW too, Hughes asked for a review but Hawkeye suggested it was hitting and so the Aussies were 164-6 and 147 away from victory with four wickets remaining.

Brad Haddin and Ashton Agar tried to bat Australia out of trouble as a good partnership from the two, saw the score move from 164-6 to 207-6.

Then came the big wicket, with Anderson making Agar play at a ball that he pushed to slips and Alistair Cook was alert to take the catch and remove the plucky Youngster for (14) and avoided a repeat innings from the first.

Starc didn`t last long either as he too edged to Cook in slips for (1) and England were closing in on victory now.

Peter Siddle tried to hang around a bit as he made (11) and this time the England Captain made up for a dropped catch in the previous over, But Cook held on brilliantly to removed Siddle and now they needed 1 wicket for victory, while Australia needed an improbable 80 runs with their remaining batsmen.

Australia didn`t lie down and put up a bit of fight , Brad Haddin  & James Pattinson put on a partnership to annoy and irritate England side, as they struggled to find this elusive wicket to clinch victory. This match was looking parallel to Edgbaston in the 2005 Series in every way as, England was in control needing the one wicket and struggling to get it. 
Then Steven Finn played the role of Simon Jones as the ball fell towards and just like in `05 Finn dived forwards to take the catch and spilled it out much like Jones had done too.

Fingernails were being bit as the runs needed was coming down and down and got to 20.

Australia were looking likelier to win as Anderson had bowled himself out it looked like as he bowled 13 straight overs, and with Finn bowling two expensive overs, England looked like they had lost the belief to win now and were nervous, while Australia had grabbed all the momentum now.

Then with 14 runs left to get, Anderson bowled to Haddin and Prior appealed as he caught the ball behind, England made a half hearted appeal.

Cook decided to ask for the Video umpire to review decision, the Replays showed a little edge on the bat and a noise on the mic, which made the man at the heart of all the Controversy Erasmus, giving Haddin out for (71) and England the win,  as the decision was over turned and England celebrated like crazy as they Went 1-0 up in the 5 match series, taking this "EVENTFUL” and exciting First Test. If this is what the rest of the series is like then we will all be spoilt.

James Anderson took the plaudits as he took 5 for 73, while Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann took 2 wickets each and Joe Root taking one wicket, but a very important one.

Pic from EUROSPORT.COM ENGLAND CELEBRATE VICTORY