The Ashes Cricket
Australia Cricket Players
Adam Gilchrist | Allan Border | Andrew Symonds | Brett Lee | David Boon | Donald Bradman | Glenn McGrath | Jason Gillespie | Justin Langer | Mark Taylor | Mark Waugh | Mathew Hayden | Ricky Ponting | Shane Warne | Steve WaughThe Ashes series 2006-07
Schedule
The Ashes Cricket Series 2006-07
England Vs Australia Third Test at Perth : Day 5
Aussies regain Ashes from England
Dec 18, 2006
Australia regained the Ashes when they won the third cricket Test against England by 206 runs at the WACA Ground, Perth Monday.
The Australians bowled England out for 350 in their second innings to take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best of five series following wins in the first two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide. The series now moves on to the fourth and fifth Tests in Melbourne and Sydney where the only interest will be whether England can avoid a demoralising clean sweep.
England fought hard to salvage the third Test and were led by defiant second innings by Alastair Cook (116), Ian Bell (87) and Kevin Pietersen with 60 not out. But the task of batting for just over two days proved too much. Cook was superb in his first Test century against Australia but when he was dismissed in the third last over of the fourth day, the writing was on the wall. The loss here adds to a wretched series for the English, who went into the first Test in Brisbane underdone and carrying players who were obviously out of form
The Ashes Series, Third Test, Perth, Day five : Australia 244 & 119-1 beat England 215 & 350 by 206 runs
England vs Australia Third Test at Perth : Day 4
England resist on day four
Dec 18, 2006
Alastair Cook made 118 and Ian Bell 87 to demonstrate England's firm reluctance to surrender cricket's Ashes on the fourth day of the third test against Australia at Perth's WACA Ground on Sunday.
Cook and Bell, later Kevin Pietersen who was 37 not out at stumps, nurtured the flame of resistance in an England team backed against the wall by Australia's 2-0 series lead and the 556-run deficit it faced as it began its second innings. Cook batted from the last half hour of the third day to the last half hour of the fourth to raise England's hopes of saving the test but was out 16 balls from stumps in gathering gloom and in an over in which two wickets fell. England lost only two wickets in the first six hours of the day Sunday before Glenn McGrath dislodged Cook, then nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard within three balls, three overs from the scheduled close.
The Ashes Series, Third Test, Perth, Day Four (Stumps) : Australia 244 & 527-5 dec vs England 215 & 265-5
England vs Australia Third Test at Perth : Day 3
Australia heat melt England's Ashes hopes
Dec 17, 2006
Adam Gilchrist posted the second-fastest century in test history, eclipsing centuries by Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke, as Australia and oppressive heat melted England's Ashes hopes on the third day of the third cricket test at the WACA Ground on Saturday.
Gilchrist reached his 17th century in tests from 57 balls with 12 fours and four sixes, failing by only one ball to match Viv Richards' 56-ball century for the West Indies against England at St John's 20 years ago. His century was the fastest in test cricket by an Australian batsman, surpassing Jack Gregory's 67-ball hundred against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1922 and he dashed to the mark in only 98 minutes, within a single session. Gilchrist gave Australia's innings a crazy impetus which allowed it to declare its second innings at 527 for five at 6.25pm local time, with a lead of 556 runs, with half an hour remaining in the day and with two full days still yawning ahead of England. Its task of surviving those two days, in a match in which 24 wickets fell in the first eight sessions, seemed hopeless by stumps, made moreso when it lost opener Andrew Strauss to the fourth ball of its second innings. England was 19 for one at the close of play and the Ashes, held by England for only 15 months the shortest tenure in their 124-year history - seem certain to return to Australia who lead the five-test series 2-0. Clarke was left 135 not out when Australian captain Ricky Ponting made his bold declaration.
The Ashes Series, Third Test, Perth, Day Three (Stumps) : Australia 244 & 527-5 dec vs England 215 & 19-1
England vs Australia Third Test at Perth : Day 2
Australia seizes control of third Ashes test
Dec 16, 2006
Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden scored half-centuries to help Australia seize control of the third Ashes Test against England at the WACA yesterday.
Ponting continued his insatiable run-feast with an unbeaten 57 and Hayden posted his best score of the series to reach the close on day two also on 57 not out with Australia on 119 for one in their second innings, 148 runs ahead. Seamer Matthew Hoggard bowled Justin Langer with the first ball of the Australian innings but England's joy was short-lived as Ponting and Hayden's unbroken partnership lifted Australia further after they had bowled England out for 215. England, needing to win or draw the match to keep the series alive, started the day in a strong position at 51 for two in reply to Australia's modest first-innings total of 244.
The Ashes Series, Third Test, Perth, Day Two (Stumps) : Australia 244 & 119-1 vs England 215
England vs Australia Third Test at Perth : Day 1
Australia all out in Perth Test
Dec 15, 2006
Ashes debutant Monty Panesar spun England back into the series on the opening day of the third cricket Test against Australia at the WACA Ground here Thursday, claiming five wickets as the home side were dismissed for 244.
Needing at least a draw to keep their Ashes defence alive, the tourists were energised by the finger spin of Panesar and produced some of their best bowling of the series to dismiss the Australians cheaply after they won the toss and chose to bat. The home side struck back late in the day to have England 51 for two at stumps, with Andrew Strauss on 24 and Paul Collingwood on 10.
The Australians removed opener Alastair Cook and No.3 Ian Bell cheaply, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee picking up a wicket apiece, while Shane Warne dropped Collingwood at first slip off Stuart Clark late in the day. Although local player Mike Hussey held the Australian innings together with an unbeaten 74, Panesar grabbed 5-92 from 24 overs and a rejuvenated Steve Harmison took 4-48 to rock the home side's hopes of wrapping up the Ashes.
The Ashes Series, Third Test, Perth, Day One (Stumps) : Australia 244 vs England 51-2
Panesar, Mahmood named in England team
Dec 14, 2006
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Ashes cricket test against England at the WACA Ground in Perth on Thursday.
Monty Panesar and Sajid Mahmood won callups to the England team as the visitors launched a last-ditch effort to save the five-match series. England's tour selectors yielded at last to the clamor for Panesar's elevation, growing in volume since its second test loss at Adelaide, by naming him to make his Ashes debut in place of Ashley Giles. Mahmood won his callup in place of James Anderson, the struggling young fast bowler who took only two wickets at a cost of 303 runs in the first two tests. Australia team : Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, captain, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson, 12th man.
England team : Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen, Andy Flintoff, captain, Geraint Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Sajid Mahmood, Monty Panesar
The Ashes Cricket 2006-07
England Vs Australia Third Test at Perth
Scores
Australia won the toss and decided to bat
|
244 all out (71.0 overs)
|
527 for 5 (112.0 overs)
|
|
215 all out (64.1 overs)
|
350 all out (122.2 overs)
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| J L Langer | b M S Panesar | 37 |
68 | 6 | 0 | |
| M L Hayden | c G O Jones | b M J Hoggard | 24 |
33 | 3 | 0 |
| R T Ponting | lbw | b S J Harmison | 2 |
11 | 0 | 0 |
| M E K Hussey | not out | 74 |
161 | 10 | 0 | |
| M J Clarke | c and b | S J Harmison | 37 |
67 | 4 | 0 |
| A Symonds | c G O Jones | b M S Panesar | 26 |
30 | 2 | 2 |
| A C Gilchrist | c I R Bell | b M S Panesar | 0 |
4 | 0 | 0 |
| S K Warne | c G O Jones | b M S Panesar | 25 |
23 | 3 | 0 |
| B Lee | lbw | b M S Panesar | 10 |
25 | 2 | 0 |
| S R Clark | b S J Harmison | 3 |
5 | 0 | 0 | |
| G D McGrath | c A N Cook | b S J Harmison | 1 |
2 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | 4nb 1w | 5 | ||||
| Total | all out | 244 | (71.0 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| A J Strauss | c A C Gilchrist | b S R Clark | 42 |
71 | 6 | 0 |
| A N Cook | c J L Langer | b G D McGrath | 15 |
15 | 2 | 0 |
| I R Bell | c A C Gilchrist | b B Lee | 0 |
2 | 0 | 0 |
| P D Collingwood | c M L Hayden | b G D McGrath | 11 |
33 | 1 | 0 |
| K P Pietersen | c A Symonds | b B Lee | 70 |
123 | 8 | 1 |
| A Flintoff | c S K Warne | b A Symonds | 13 |
31 | 2 | 0 |
| G O Jones | c J L Langer | b A Symonds | 0 |
4 | 0 | 0 |
| S I Mahmood | c A C Gilchrist | b S R Clark | 10 |
18 | 1 | 0 |
| M J Hoggard | c M L Hayden | b S K Warne | 4 |
39 | 0 | 0 |
| S J Harmison | c B Lee | b S R Clark | 23 |
33 | 3 | 0 |
| M S Panesar | not out | 16 |
26 | 3 | 0 | |
| Extras | 10nb 1w | 11 | ||||
| Total | all out | 215 | (64.1 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| J L Langer | b M J Hoggard | 0 |
1 | 0 | 0 | |
| M L Hayden | c P D Collingwood | b M S Panesar | 92 |
159 | 12 | 0 |
| R T Ponting | c G O Jones | b S J Harmison | 75 |
128 | 10 | 0 |
| M E K Hussey | c G O Jones | b M S Panesar | 103 |
156 | 12 | 0 |
| M J Clarke | not out | 135 |
164 | 17 | 1 | |
| A Symonds | c P D Collingwood | b M S Panesar | 2 |
6 | 0 | 0 |
| A C Gilchrist | not out | 102 |
59 | 12 | 4 | |
| Extras | 1nb 2w 15lb | 18 | ||||
| Total | for 5 | 527 | (112.0 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| A J Strauss | lbw | b B Lee | 0 |
4 | 0 | 0 |
| A N Cook | c A C Gilchrist | b G D McGrath | 116 |
290 | 9 | 0 |
| I R Bell | c J L Langer | b S K Warne | 87 |
163 | 8 | 2 |
| P D Collingwood | c A C Gilchrist | b S R Clark | 5 |
36 | 0 | 0 |
| K P Pietersen | not out | 60 |
150 | 6 | 0 | |
| M J Hoggard | b G D McGrath | 0 |
2 | 0 | 0 | |
| A Flintoff | b S K Warne | 51 |
67 | 8 | 1 | |
| G O Jones | run out | 0 |
7 | 0 | 0 | |
| S I Mahmood | lbw | b S R Clark | 4 |
10 | 0 | 0 |
| S J Harmison | lbw | b S K Warne | 0 |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| M S Panesar | b S K Warne | 1 |
9 | 0 | 0 | |
| Extras | 5nb 6w 11b 4lb | 26 | ||||
| Total | all out | 350 | (122.2 ovs) | |||
|
|
Umpires: Aleem Dar, R E Koertzen
Australia: M L Hayden, J L Langer, R T Ponting, M E K Hussey, M J Clarke, A C Gilchrist, A Symonds, S K Warne, B Lee, S R Clark, G D McGrath
England: A J Strauss, A N Cook, I R Bell, P D Collingwood, A Flintoff, K P Pietersen, G O Jones, M S Panesar, M J Hoggard, S J Harmison, S I Mahmood
The Ashes Cricket 2006-07
England Vs Australia Third Test at Perth
Venue : Perth
Built on old swamp land, the Waca did not stage its first Test until 1970 but soon established a reputation for having a fast and hard track. The intense midsummer heat usually has its harsh edge knocked off it by the Fremantle Doctor, a breeze which sweeps in down the Swan River. In 2002, the ground was redeveloped and its capacity reduced to around 24,500. Brett Lee hit Alex Tudor with a bouncer here in 2002-03, but the pitch is no longer quite as pacy as it was.The last seven Tests England have played at this ground have all failed to produce a win for the visitors. Freddie and Co, it's over to you.
Australian Cricket History
Australia - World beaters! 
The Australian cricket team is one of the leading international teams in world cricket. Australia was one of the first two Test nations (with England) and have an outstanding recent Test record and in the one dayers were World Champs in 1987, 1999 and 2003. They are also the leaders in the current ICC Test Nations table.
Dates in history of Australian cricketNovember, 1868: 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour of England
15 March 1877: Test debut
28 December 1934: Women's Test team debut
5 January 1971: ODI Debut
23 June 1973: Women's ODI team debut
8 November 1987: Won 4th edition of Cricket World Cup by defeating England in the final match at Eden Gardens, Calcutta.
20 June 1999: Steve Waugh lifts the World Cup
23 March 2003: Ricky Ponting lifts the World Cup