The Hindu : Sport : Twists and turns at The Oval

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

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Sport

Twists and turns at The Oval

Ted Corbett

Bad light has its say

LONDON: The fifth and final and ultimate Test twisted and turned theatrically at The Oval on Sunday, but even when there were only four sessions left in the series, no-one could tell how it might finish.

England had the better of the day but an hour after tea with England — in front Australia was still favourite; yet the murky September weather might bring a draw and a tie was not out of the question.

Even by the standards of sport — an activity which thrives on hyperbole — this day was bizarre. Australia began in a powerful position with eight wickets in hand and just 96 runs adrift, with Matthew Hayden beyond his century and the unfulfilled Damien Martyn clearly desperate to redeem his poor tour. But within six runs he was Flintoff's first victim of the day only 17 runs after Flintoff had given England a peaceful night by removing Ricky Ponting at the end of the third day.

The Martyn shot was so out of character — compared with the classy batsmen before this tour — as to be sloppy and Paul Collingwood, the finest fielder on either side scooped it up at mid-wicket.

Regular wickets

From that moment forward the fall of wickets was regular rather than spectacular. First, Hayden went lbw for 138 and in Flintoff's next over Simon Katich was clearly lbw for one as Flintoff got into overdrive in the middle of his two-hour spell to lunch. He is an intimidating sight, 6ft 4in and nearly 17st of hone and muscle, racing in a hurling the ball at 90 miles an hour but the spell is broken by that marvellous grin. When he gets a wicket, of course, he bursts out laughing and adopts one of those wide-legged, arms outstretched poses, which are so beloved of the modern athlete.

But when a catch is dropped, when an umpire gives a decision that is not in his favour or when the batsman scores a boundary Flintoff loves it, as they say in his part of the world, to the extent that his grins spreads right across his face. No need for anyone to ask him if he enjoys his cricket. It lights up his whole being and, while he is the epitome of sporting correctness — as he showed when he commiserated with Brett Lee at the end of the Edgbaston Test — he is clearly living his life to the full each time he marches back to the end of his run, just as he is when he hits the ball high into the stand.

Next England had to deal with Adam Gilchrist, the most destructive middle order batsman of his era and he began with four big boundary shots that suggested he might run amok as he has around the world.

But at 356 Hoggard, running in hard up the hill, cut one back to trap him lbw and took over the rest of the innings with four late wickets for four runs in 19 balls. Flintoff completed the second five wicket haul of his Test career when Vaughan juggled with a mishit shot from Warne but soon after lunch Australia was out for 367, six short of England. Its last eight wickets had fallen for 103.

Warne bowled the fourth over and his fourth ball spun sharply across Strauss to be caught in the leg trap. The spectators decided a chorus of `Singing in the Rain' might encourage the umpires to take the players off.

Bad light

It was certainly gloomy, and the umpires suggested that Ponting bowl spinners. Another look at their light meters and they took the players off. It was either a proper judgement — if you were English and concerned that your side was only 13 runs ahead — or a disgrace if you had made a long journey from Down Under and your side needed a win to keep the Ashes.

The tea interval was taken 45 minutes early with 62.3 overs remaining in the day and a maximum of 98 on the final day. Plenty of time for any result as Vaughan played his shots — including two fours in a row off Glenn McGrath — and Marcus Trescothick defended.

Michael Clarke bowled left arm over the wicket just to keep the game going while Warne searched out the rough, hoping to prevent England making the 250 that might guarantee victory. They all trooped off again with England 34 for one, 40 ahead and the Australians registering discontent with every gesture.

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