Australia Reclaim Ashes
21 December, 2006
AUSTRALIA reclaimed the Ashes in record time at the WACA ground in Perth after dismissing England for 350 in the second innings of the third Test.
Just 15 short months after England had won the Ashes for the first time in 20 years, Australia took an unassailable 3-0 series lead with two Test Matches to go in the five Test match series.
England began the day 5/265 still needing 292 to force a history making win but fell short after Australia picked up four wickets in the morning session.
The day started brightly for England with both skipper Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pieterson taking the attack up to the Australian bowlers before Flintoff was clean bowled by Shane Warne for 51, the end came quick.
Warne would finish the day on 699 wickets and will no doubt claim his 700th in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test Match at his home ground the M.C.G.
Mike Hussey picked up a deserved Man of the Match award for his 74 not out and 103 double.
Australia has already named the same 12-man squad that regained the Ashes for the fourth Test against England in Melbourne.
Head to Head betting @ IASbet on the fourth Cricket Test has Australia a $1.48 favourite ahead of the Draw $4.00 while England is at $8.00 to open their account.
Scoreboard:
England 2nd innings (target: 557 runs)
AJ Strauss lbw b Lee 0
AN Cook c Gilchrist b McGrath 116
IR Bell c Langer b Warne 87
PD Collingwood c Gilchrist b Clark 5
KP Pietersen not out 60
MJ Hoggard b McGrath 0
A Flintoff b Warne 51
GO Jones run out (Ponting) 0
SI Mahmood lbw b Clark 4
SJ Harmison lbw b Warne 0
MS Panesar b Warne 1
Extras (b 7, lb 8, w 6, nb 5) 26
Total (all out; 122.2 overs; 529 mins) 350
Fall of wickets1-0 (Strauss, 0.4 ov), 2-170 (Bell, 56.6 ov), 3-185 (Collingwood, 69.3 ov), 4-261 (Cook, 93.2 ov), 5-261 (Hoggard, 93.4 ov), 6-336 (Flintoff, 114.5 ov), 7-336 (Jones, 116.6 ov), 8-345 (Mahmood, 119.6 ov), 9-346 (Harmison, 120.2 ov), 10-350 (Panesar, 122.2 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ
B Lee 22 3 75 1 3.40 (1nb)
GD McGrath 27 9 61 2 2.25 (4nb, 1w)
SR Clark 25 7 56 2 2.24
SK Warne 39.2 6 115 4 2.92
A Symonds 9 1 28 0 3.11 (1w)
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