Sunday, January 05, 2014

Floor wiped: Australia's many good hands make light work of dispirited England in 3 days to take series 5-0: T5 D3


Australia 326 & 276 (61.3ov, Rogers 119/169b/15x4, Bailey 46, Haddin 28, Borthwick 6-0-33-3, Anderson 2/46,Broad 2/57, Stokes 2/62) beat England 155 & 166 (31.4 ov, Carberry 43/63b/8x4, Broad 42/36b/3x6 4x4, Stokes 32, Harris 9.4-4-25-5, Johnson 9-1-40-3, Lyon 2/70) by 281 runs. Australia, having already regained Ashes, win series 5-0. T5/5 D3/5 at SCG.

Australia batted on, in increasingly frivolous mode (Brad Haddin made only 28) , set England an impossible (even without the benefit of hindsight) task and once again their bowlers contributed to another act of self destruction. 

I still find it hard to believe that, especially after the result in England, that the visitors could have gone to pieces, after looking competitive - if only briefly or intermittently - in each Test.

But full credit to Australia, who played as a team (and were unchanged throughout) , even if the top order batting wobbled at times. England's best player was the debutant Ben Stokes. He may be the way ahead, but his steadiness with the ball and pugnacity with the bat showed a thing or three to his teammates.


It was not unexpected but the one sidedness of this match, and the series, was
<a href= "http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013-14/engine/match/592401.html">Scorecard </a>

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