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 Final Test at Sydney
Ashes Final test: Rain delays start of final Ashes Test
Jan 02, 2007
The start of the fifth and final Ashes Test between Australia and England was delayed by half an hour because of heavy overnight rain in Sydney on Tuesday.
Play was originally scheduled to begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground at 10.30am AEST and was rescheduled for 11am AEST. However, the rain is expected to clear in the afternoon and a top temperature of 23C has been forecast. Australia lead the series against England 4-0 and need one more win to achieve the first Ashes whitewash since 1920-21 - the perfect farewell gift for the retiring Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer.
The trio will depart with a combined 375 Tests between them. It is also the last Test for coach John Buchanan. England fast bowler Matthew Hoggard has been ruled out because of a side strain. Paceman James Anderson, who played in the first two matches of the series, comes into the team. Australia will retain the same team which won the fourth Test by an innings and 99 runs, with fast bowler Mitchell Johnson again the 12th man.
England vs Australia Final Test at Sydney : Day 1
The Ashes, Final test, Sydney : England seeking to avoid Ashes sweep
Jan 03, 2007
England were 234 for four after winning the toss at stumps on the opening day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Tuesday.
Andrew Flintoff was unbeaten on 42 with Paul Collingwood on 25. McGrath dismissed Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in the space of four balls after tea as Australia threatened to rip through England's fragile batting line-up.
But the tourists, 4-0 down in the series and hoping to avoid their first Ashes whitewash in 86 years, fought back strongly in the final session to share the honours before bad light ended play early. England skipper Andrew Flintoff rediscovered his form with the bat to blast an unbeaten 42, while the reliable Paul Collingwood made a patient 25 not out. The pair shared an unbroken partnership of 67 to rebuild the England innings after McGrath's double strike broke a108-run stand between Pietersen and Bell.
McGrath, who is joining Shane Warne and Justin Langer in retiring from test cricket after the match, dismissed Pietersen for 41 when the Englishman mistimed a careless pull to Mike Hussey at mid-wicket. Then McGrath claimed a second wicket off the first ball of his next over when he bowled Bell for 71 as England slumped to 167-4 after losing their two openers cheaply. Andrew Strauss departed for 29 before lunch then Alastair Cook fell for 20 in the third over of the afternoon session with the total on 58.
The Ashes, Final Test, Day One (stumps) England 234-4 v Australia
England vs Australia Final Test at Sydney : Day 2
The Ashes, Final test, Sydney : Aussies trail by 103 runs
Jan 04, 2007
The honours are even heading into day three of the final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney.
When play gets underway the hosts will resume on 188 for four in their first innings, in reply to Enaland's 291 all out. Michael Hussey starts the day on 37 and Andrew Symonds on 22. Australian bowler Glenn McGrath says he is not prepared to put a figure on what is needed to assume the upper hand in the match. He says his side do not really set targets. McGrath says they will just try to capitalise on any bad balls England bowls and to not lose wickets. He says they aim is to consolidate and slowly work towards England's first innings score. Glenn McGrath took three wickets in the English first innings, although just one, Paul Collingwood, on day two.
The Ashes, Final Test, Day Two (stumps) England 291 v Australia 188-4
England vs Australia Final Test at Sydney : Day 3
The Ashes, Final test, Sydney : Warne puts Australia on course for series sweep
Jan 05, 2007
Kevin Pietersen remains the only recognised batsmen standing between Australia and an historic 5-0 Ashes sweep after another vintage Shane Warne performance against England.
Warne top scored with 71 in Australia's first innings 393 in his farewell test, helping the hosts to a 102-run first-innings lead, then dismissed England captain Andrew Flintoff after Brett Lee and Stuart Clark picked off batsmen Nos. 1-4. At stumps on day three of the fifth test, England was reeling at 114 for five with Pietersen on 29 and night watchman Monty Panesar on zero.
The English had a 12-run lead with only tailend batsmen to come and two days to play. Warne gave the impression the Australians would like to take the last five wickets early and have the match wrapped up by lunch on the fourth day.
The Ashes, Final Test, Day Three (stumps) : England 291 & 114-5; Australia 393
England vs Australia Final Test at Sydney : Day 4
The Ashes, Final test, Sydney : Australia complete Ashes whitewash
Jan 05, 2007
Australia completed the most emphatic Ashes series victory in 86 years on Friday, sending bowling greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath into test retirement with a 5-0 series sweep of England.
Opening batsman Justin Langer (20), the third veteran retiring after the match, combined with Matthew Hayden to pick off the 46 runs needed as Australia won the fifth Test by 10 wickets after England was skittled for 147 in its second innings. Hayden hit a six off Sajid Mahmood to make the scores level, then took a single from the next ball to finish unbeaten on 23. The Australians have now won 16 and drawn one of their 17 test matches since the shock Ashes series loss in England in 2005, including the last 12 in succession.
Ricky Ponting, widely criticised after being the first Australian captain in 16 years to lose the Ashes when his squad went down 2-1 in England 16 months ago, guided the hosts to a clinical and ruthless series triumph this time. Warwick Armstrong's side of 1920-21 is the only other team to sweep a five-match Ashes series. England resumed on the fourth morning at the Sydney Cricket Ground at 114 for five needing to bat for time, but lost its last five wickets for 33 in 72 minutes.
The Ashes, Final Test, Day Four : Australia 393 & 46-0 beat England 291 & 147 by 10 wickets
The Ashes Cricket 2006-07
England Vs Australia Final Test at Sydney
Scores
England won the toss and decided to bat
|
291 all out (103.4 overs)
|
147 all out (58.0 overs)
|
|
393 all out (96.3 overs)
|
46 for 0 (10.5 overs)
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| A J Strauss | c A C Gilchrist | b B Lee | 29 |
52 | 3 | 0 |
| A N Cook | c A C Gilchrist | b S R Clark | 20 |
47 | 2 | 0 |
| I R Bell | b G D McGrath | 71 |
153 | 8 | 0 | |
| K P Pietersen | c M E K Hussey | b G D McGrath | 41 |
104 | 1 | 0 |
| P D Collingwood | c A C Gilchrist | b G D McGrath | 27 |
73 | 4 | 0 |
| A Flintoff | c A C Gilchrist | b S R Clark | 89 |
142 | 11 | 1 |
| C M W Read | c A C Gilchrist | b B Lee | 2 |
9 | 0 | 0 |
| S I Mahmood | c M L Hayden | b B Lee | 0 |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| S J Harmison | lbw | b S R Clark | 2 |
24 | 0 | 0 |
| M S Panesar | lbw | b S K Warne | 0 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
| J M Anderson | not out | 0 |
5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Extras | 2nb 3w 5lb | 10 | ||||
| Total | all out | 291 | (103.4 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| J L Langer | c C M W Read | b J M Anderson | 26 |
27 | 4 | 0 |
| M L Hayden | c P D Collingwood | b S J Harmison | 33 |
77 | 5 | 0 |
| R T Ponting | run out | 45 |
72 | 6 | 0 | |
| M E K Hussey | c C M W Read | b J M Anderson | 37 |
100 | 3 | 1 |
| M J Clarke | c C M W Read | b S J Harmison | 11 |
24 | 1 | 0 |
| A Symonds | b M S Panesar | 48 |
95 | 6 | 0 | |
| A C Gilchrist | c C M W Read | b J M Anderson | 62 |
71 | 8 | 0 |
| S K Warne | st C M W Read | b M S Panesar | 71 |
65 | 9 | 2 |
| B Lee | c C M W Read | b A Flintoff | 5 |
10 | 1 | 0 |
| S R Clark | c K P Pietersen | b S I Mahmood | 35 |
41 | 1 | 0 |
| G D McGrath | not out | 0 |
3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Extras | 6nb 4w 10lb | 20 | ||||
| Total | all out | 393 | (96.3 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| A J Strauss | lbw | b S R Clark | 24 |
45 | 3 | 0 |
| A N Cook | c A C Gilchrist | b B Lee | 4 |
8 | 1 | 0 |
| I R Bell | c A C Gilchrist | b B Lee | 28 |
51 | 5 | 0 |
| K P Pietersen | c A C Gilchrist | b G D McGrath | 29 |
95 | 3 | 0 |
| P D Collingwood | c M L Hayden | b S R Clark | 17 |
36 | 3 | 0 |
| A Flintoff | st A C Gilchrist | b S K Warne | 7 |
21 | 1 | 0 |
| M S Panesar | run out | 0 |
19 | 0 | 0 | |
| C M W Read | c R T Ponting | b B Lee | 4 |
17 | 1 | 0 |
| S I Mahmood | b G D McGrath | 4 |
11 | 1 | 0 | |
| S J Harmison | not out | 16 |
26 | 2 | 0 | |
| J M Anderson | c M E K Hussey | b G D McGrath | 5 |
22 | 1 | 0 |
| Extras | 3nb 1w 2b 3lb | 9 | ||||
| Total | all out | 147 | (58.0 ovs) | |||
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
|||
| J L Langer | not out | 20 |
43 | 2 | 0 | |
| M L Hayden | not out | 23 |
22 | 2 | 1 | |
| Extras | 3lb | 3 | ||||
| Total | for 0 | 46 | (10.5 ovs) | |||
|
|
Umpires: Aleem Dar, B F Bowden
The Ashes Cricket 2006-07
England Vs Australia Final Test at Sydney
Venue : Sydney
The Sydney Cricket Ground is one of the world's most famous cricketing venues. It has a relatively limited capacity of 43,562 but fans are close to the action from all points. The old Hill Stand is gone but the green-roofed Ladies Pavilion remains one of cricket's finest landmarks. In 1929-30, Sir Donald Bradman hit a personal best 452 not out against Queensland on this ground, but spinners have plenty of joy here these days.The only Test England won on their last Ashes tour, thanks to Andy Caddick's 10-wicket haul, but they lost in 1998-99, despite Darren Gough's hat-trick.
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