Ending 2013. Cricket: Australia regains the Ashes …
- December 18th, 2013
- Posted by EU Australia
The Australian cricket team has completed its strike-back from a run of defeats, securing an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the Ashes series being played in Australia.
They won the third test at Perth late in the fifth day, in baking heat over 40-degrees, by 150 runs.A “thin red line” defence by England in the second innings created some mild anxiety about an upset reversal, before a final collapse.
Final scores on Tuesday 17.12.13: Australia 385/10 | England 251/10 | Australia 369/6(declared) | England 353/10.
“We were out-skilled in all aspects”, said the England Captain, Alastair Cook.
The Australian Captain, Michael Clarke, said that after the series defeat in England, and a white-wash in the series before that, in India, the come-back took application. “Winning today has been a reward for hard work”, he said.
The Australian side began regrouping during the series in England, its recovery being seen as a success also for the coach, Darren Lehmann, appointed just before that tour began; see EUAustralia Online, Cricket: England Ashes win …, 26.8.13.
Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson (see picture, with team), returning from injury and left out of the team in England, became the crowd pleaser, taking 18 wickets in the three tests this time.
A moral victor of the series might be Joe Root, England opening batsman, 22, for management of sledging (abusive and threatening discourse on the field, designed to put a player off his stroke); he appears to be just laughing at them. On-air commentators this time have called on players to ease up on the sledging, saying it’s gone too far.
In the second test, at Adelaide, 5-9.12.13, Australia won by 218 runs: Australia 570 (declared) | England 312| Australia 3/132 (declared) | England 172.
Australia won the first test, in Brisbane, by 381 runs; see EUAustralia Online, Australia
– England cricket war …, 24.11.13.
It is a five-match series; the teams meet again for the traditional Boxing Day test in Melbourne (26.12.13), then go on to Sydney ( 3.1.14).
Reference
Cricket Australia (Home), http://www.cricket.com.au/, (17.12.13).
Picture: Cricket Australia