The Hindu : Sport : England fails to test Australia

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Saturday, Jan 13, 2007
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England fails to test Australia

Ted Corbett

MELBOURNE: England, for which Steve Harmison began the Test series with the mother of all wides straight to second slip, added so many more in the first one-day international of the tri-series on Friday that the game was lost almost as soon as the Australian innings began.

It has also been deprived of Kevin Pietersen with a broken rib that will keep him out of the rest of the series. It is difficult to imagine what else can go wrong on this nightmare of a tour. Ricky Ponting led the way as Australia galloped to victory by eight wickets although it failed to win the bonus point for success inside 40 overs.

Comprehensive victory

It was another comprehensive victory and the New Zealanders, watching the game on TV, must have thought that they can easily cope with England which will name a replacement for Pietersen this weekend. Two boundary wides came off the first over from Andrew Flintoff so that 11 runs were scored before either Adam Gilchrist or Matthew Hayden got off the mark; Jon Lewis, noted for steady line and length in England, bowled two more wides in the second over; the fifty came up in the seventh over; and just don't get me started on the fielding errors.

Paul Nixon, making his debut as keeper, punched one simple take away for runs and should have stopped the second four wides. To the delight of the 78,625 crowd, Monty Panesar dropped a five yard catch which was intended to get the ball to Nixon quicker. The first 11 overs brought 72 runs yet only 55 had come from the bat. As if to rub in the lesson, a man deep in conversation on his mobile phone caught a six by Gilchrist one-handed. He'll be a great Aussie hero in the morning unless the fun police have arrested him for enjoying himself.

The 100 came up in 66 minutes as Hayden placed a straight drive off Panesar as nicely as if he had been helped by a ruler and set square. Runs were leaking in all directions. Gilchrist was out caught behind for 60 off 61 balls with seven fours and a six — once again he did not bother the umpire — at 101 in the 16th over. Hayden was caught, just as close to the stumps by Nixon, at 118 and in the 22nd over Australia was half way.

Insufficient total

As usual England taunted us with moments of sublime cricket. Michael Vaughan played its only classical knock of the tour but was out for 26, Pietersen, biding his time, made 82 before he was felled — half way down the pitch — by a Glenn McGrath full toss in the ribs. Pietersen has used this rush towards McGrath as a tactic for several weeks and McGrath has countered with a full toss. This time it has been even more effective than he had hoped for England's hopes of qualifying for the finals depended largely on Pietersen.

Flintoff stroked an undefeated 47 to take England to 242 for eight. We knew it was not enough but we looked forward to a disputed result not a gallop peaking at seven an over and five overs in hand at the end. Pietersen's recovery period is said to be three to five weeks which means the end of his tour. Now he must return to England and get ready for the World Cup although after this display it is difficult to be optimistic about England's chances in the Caribbean.

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