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Ponting passes Border as Australia's top run-scorer

Ricky Ponting has become Australia's leading Test run-scorer after passing Allan Border's mark of 11,174 during the third Test at Edgbaston. Ponting, playing his 134th match, started the innings needing 25 to step into third place on the all-time list and resumed on the second morning on 17.

He achieved the milestone in the fourth over of the day after taking only five balls to reach the target during an eventful start. After two wickets fell to the first two deliveries, Ponting ran a single to mid-on, thick edged a four through gully and added a one to mid-off, all from Graham Onions. He then took three from Andrew Flintoff with a flick through midwicket and stopped to raise his bat and receive a pat from Michael Clarke before getting back to business.

However, he didn't stay long and was caught behind trying to hook Onions on 38, standing his ground until Aleem Dar gave him out. He walked off with the mark at 11,188.

Border's 16-year, 156-Test career ended in South Africa in 1994 and he retired as the game's most prolific batsman, a record he held until Brian Lara stepped up in Adelaide in 2005-06. Lara retired with 11,953 runs in 131 Tests and has since been relegated to second by Sachin Tendulkar, who has 12,773 in 159 matches.

It appeared Ponting would be able to overtake Tendulkar when the Indian's career seemed to be winding down a couple of years ago, but he has continued to score heavily and will probably take the mark out of Ponting's reach. Ponting is 34 but when asked earlier in the series if he would be in England for the 2013 tour he joked he would need a wheelchair.

Border, a former captain, national selector, and current CA director, praised Ponting as a worthy holder of the new Australian Test run-scoring record. "Clearly, I am a great admirer, having been involved in Ricky's selection in many great Australian sides, and having enjoyed watching him closely on more occasions than I can remember as a cricket media commentator as well," Border said.

Ponting's batting is crucial to his side's Ashes chances and he knows he must fire over the remaining three Tests to avoid becoming the first Australian captain in more than 100 years to lose twice in England. He started well with 150 in Cardiff but fell for 2 and 38 as Australia were defeated in the second Test at Lord's. Australia's other post-war record holders were Don Bradman (6996) and Greg Chappell (7110).

 

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Batting continues to worry Pakistan

The first one-dayer on Thursday wasn't as one-sided as it was turning out to be at one stage. The Pakistan lower order fought commendably with only a couple of wickets in hand but it wasn't enough to erase an inept performance by the top order. Pakistan's coach, Intikhab Alam, stated after the match that the pitch was not to blame; his team lost it in the field when they had a chance to restrict the Sri Lankans below 200. The bowlers struggled to contain a rampaging Muttiah Muralitharan in the third Powerplay and the Sri Lankans took the psychological advantage with them in the better part of the chase as well.

Intikhab didn't blame the defeat on bad batting. But the top order's frailties against the swing generated by Sri Lanka's penetrative new-ball attack remains a concern. In four matches against them, Pakistan are yet to register a win, despite the contests being closely fought. Pakistan need to win tomorrow or else they will have to win all their remaining games to win the series.

Sri Lanka too didn't bat as well as they would have liked, but have fewer concerns overall compared to their opponents. Kumar Sangakkara wasn't exactly chuffed with the way his bowlers lost the plot towards the end of the chase. Death bowling is something the home side will need to sharpen.

 

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West Indies 205/7 after 40 overs

 

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Bangladesh complete 3-0 sweep

Bangladesh held their nerve despite wobbles at significant junctures to complete a whitewash in St Kitts. Set a target of 249, they were given a fiery start by Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique before Mahmudullah steered the side through nervy moments to clinch a historic victory.

Things were looking a touch dicey for Bangladesh at 133 for 5 in the 28th over but they recovered through a serene partnership between Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, the wicketkeeper. It was almost risk-free cricket as the duo picked singles quietly and stole the odd boundary here and there to get closer to the target. Importantly, they knew the batting Powerplay could be taken later when acceleration was the need of the hour; till then it was time to play safe cricket. Mushfiqur picked up a couple of boundaries in the 38th over but he was unlucky to be given out out caught behind in the 40 th over, when replays showed he did not get bat on a flick down the pads.

Bangladesh opted for the batting Powerplay in the 44th over and immediately Naeem Islam smoked three boundaries off Gavin Donge. Two shuffled flicks followed a biff down the ground and the required rate dipped. Mahmudullah picked a six over long-off against Nikita Miller and Naeem hit another six, off Kemar Roach, before falling to the same bowler but by then the pair had ensured that they made full use of the Powerplay to clinch the win. West Indies were left to rue the first-ball reprieve that they offered to Mahmudullah when Darren Sammy spilled a catch at first slip.

Just as they finished strongly, Bangladesh had started their chase brightly. Tamim, in particular, was in some hurry, rattling three fours in the first over before repeating the dose in the third. The kind of shots also pointed to the poor bowling. Three were flicked fours and the other three were carved over point as Roach sprayed it around. Tamim later swung Sammy over long-off before smashing one straight to mid-on.

His opening partner, Siddique, kept the momentum going with a measured innings. He started with a series of on-side boundaries against Tonge before he settled down to drop anchor as a couple of wickets fell. Mohammad Ashraful edged one behind, Raqibul Hasan was caught brilliantly by a diving Floyd Reifer in the covers and Shakib Al Hasan, who started with a flurry of shots, edged an attempted pull but Siddique batted on serenely. Though he got out after reaching fifty, Bangladesh had enough firepower to get past the line.

West Indies lacked similar firepower in the middle as they wasted a good start provided by Andre Fletcher. As they have done in the Tests and the ODIs, West Indies continued to struggle against the spinners. They lost two quick wickets, proceeded to recover smartly through a breezy fifty from Fletcher, only to lose their way against spin and be bowled out for 248 inside 50 overs.

A poor finish was in contrast to the great start provided by Fletcher. What stood out in Fletcher's innings was a delightful tendency to drive straight. Mahbubul Alam was getting some outswing and was looking pretty good but Fletcher countered him with his drives in the v. He started off with an off drive in the third over and upped the tempo in the fifth with two sixes: the first one was dispatched over long-off before he swung the other some 20 rows over the long-on boundary. Neither shot had any touch of violence as he covered for the outswing and drove cleanly and fluently through the line. Mahbubul lost his composure and in the seventh over, he pushed three deliveries on the legs of Fletcher, who put them away for boundaries.

With the seamers bleeding runs, the action swung to Fletcher versus the spinners. Again, Fletcher won the first round, reeling off several meaty blows. There was a back-foot punch through the covers, a customary swing over long-on and a heave to the midwicket boundary, which brought up his fifty, against Abdur Razzak but he fell soon, launching one straight to long-on. Almost immediately, the run-rate dropped as Bangladesh applied the squeeze. More agony lay in store for the hosts as Travis Dowlin, who gave admirable support to Fletcher, was run out on the last ball of the 25th over.

It didn't help West Indies' cause that their captain Reifer's travails against spin continued. He couldn't rotate the strike and it perhaps, led to Dowlin's dismissal. He was allowed some breathing space by Sammy, who oozed intent from the start and kept unfurling the big hits. He swung Mahmudullah for two consecutive sixes and belted Naeem for a couple of fours but he fell rather tamely, scooping a caught-and-bowled chance to Razzak. That was the final nail on the coffin as West Indies fell short of achieving a defendable target.

 

[chandikagunawardhana]

Kapugedera pilots Sri Lanka to 2-0 lead

Pakistan got rid of Sri Lanka's batting luminaries without too much trouble, but found Chamara Kapugedera and Thilan Samaraweera impossible to dislodge as the home side eased to a comfortable six-wicket victory and a 2-0 lead in the series. The bowlers had done the hard work earlier, dismissing Pakistan in just 47 overs, and Kapugedera's sixth ODI half-century offered a gentle reminder that there's more to Sri Lanka's batting than the big three in the top order.

The bowlers, with Thilan Thushara taking 3 for 33, had reduced Pakistan to 87 for 7, but two doughty tailend partnerships lifted them to 168. Mohammad Aamer top-scored with 24, but it was extras that was the largest contributor (26) as Sri Lanka got a little sloppy in the final stages. They didn't start well with the bat either, and when Mahela Jayawardene pulled Shahid Afridi to short midwicket, the scoreboard showed 74 for 4.

With the game in the balance, Kapugedera and Samaraweera batted with great composure and class to see it home. Samaraweera square-drove superbly, while Kapugedera drove and pulled with immense power. One pull off Afridi went for six, and he then crashed Umar Gul through cover to get to his half-century. By the end, it was just a procession.

Sanath Jayasuriya had provided the early impetus, blazing away as only he can, but the loss of two wickets in an over, one of them to a silly run-out, pushed Sri Lanka back. There was another fine spell from the 17-year-old Aamer, leaving Jayasuriya to target Abdul Razzaq. He was first flayed over cover, and then two short deliveries were summarily dismissed with short-arm pulls. Upul Tharanga was far from comfortable though, and when Aamer tempted him into a half-hearted drive, Nasir Jamshed held on at slip.

Jayasuriya then survived a strong shout for leg-before from Aamer, before Gul was greeted with a miscued pull for four. With Kumar Sangakkara struggling though, the run rate dropped, and a moment of madness between two experienced pros gave Pakistan a route back into the game. Jayasuriya pushed one to mid-off and half-set off, but when he stopped, Sangakkara was still haring down without looking. Two balls later, Jayasuriya carved one to deep point, where Umar Akmal held his nerve to hold a difficult catch.

Umar had shown glimpses of class with the bat as well, but like several of his team-mates, he couldn't build on a start. Pakistan had made two changes from the side that lost by 36 runs two days earlier, but they started disastrously. Jamshed, who had come in along with Umar at the expense of Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq, sparred at a Nuwan Kulasekara delivery that was moving away from him, and Jayawardene took a smart catch over his head at second slip.

Kamran Akmal eased a couple of lovely drives in front of the wicket, but any thought of consolidation disappeared as two wickets fell with the score on 21. First, Kamran edged one that slanted across him for Samaraweera to take an excellent tumbling catch at first slip, and then Shoaib Malik was unfortunate to be given out leg-before after being struck high on the pad. Two wickets for Thushara, and Sri Lanka right on top.

On a green-tinged pitch where the ball darted around, Younis Khan was in all sorts of strife against Lasith Malinga and it was left to Umar to highlight his potential with a couple of fluent drives on either side of the wicket. But soon after drinks, Sri Lanka struck again, with Umar flailing at a wide one from Angelo Mathews. Sangakkara held on to that chance, and when Thushara came back for a sixth over and had Fawad Alam top-edging a cut behind, Pakistan were once again facing acute batting embarrassment.

Younis found it tough to turn the strike over, facing 73 balls for his 23, and his dismissal was as tame as the innings itself, chipping Muttiah Muralitharan to midwicket. Afridi was held back, but it didn't prove a successful gambit as a big heave off Murali went only as far as deep square leg.

Razzaq and Gul kept the bowlers at bay for 10 overs without making a big dent on the scoreboard, but again, Sri Lanka shut off the escape route. This time, it was brilliant fielding, with Malinga Bandara, the substitute fielder, catching Gul short with a direct hit from gully. Razzaq then slapped Sanath Jayasuriya to long-on, and it was left to Aamer, who showed impressive commitment once again, and Saeed Ajmal to steer the side past 150. Even in bowler-friendly conditions, it was nowhere near enough.

 

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Onions awarded England contract

Graham Onions has been awarded an incremental contract by the ECB after reaching the required number of matches. In four Tests he has so far taken 17 wickets, including a haul of 4 for 58 on the second day against Australia at Edgbaston.

He becomes the second player to be upgraded to the contract system following Dimitri Mascarenhas' elevation earlier this season.

"There is no doubt that Graham thoroughly deserves his increment contract," Hugh Morris, managing director of England cricket, said. "He has been a valuable contributor to the England set-up since making his debut earlier this summer."

Onions made his debut in the first Test against West Indies, at Lord's, where he made an immediate impression with he took 5 for 38 and finished with seven in the match. He followed that with three more on his home ground at Chester-le-Street.

Onions missed out on the first Test against Australia before being recalled to play at Lord's where he took three wickets in the first innings.

 

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Rain washes out third day's play

Despite the valiant efforts of the head groundsman Steve Rouse and his staff, rain forced the abandonment of the third day's play at Edgbaston. Umpires Rudi Koertzen and Aleem Dar conducted a series of field inspections throughout the day, but persistent afternoon rain prompted play to be officially cancelled at 2.40pm. Having lost five sessions of play across the first three days, and with more rain forecast for Monday, the chances of a result in the third Test are remote. Sunny periods are, however, predicted for Sunday.

Should the heavens clear long enough to allow the outfield to dry, England will resume on 116 for two, still trailing Australia's first innings total by 147 runs. Andrew Strauss (64 not out) and Ian Bell (26 not out) denied the Australians access to the England middle-order on
Saturday with a 56-run partnership.

As the few hardy spectators left Edgbaston after braving the conditions for over three hours, the puddles widened and deepened under depressingly leaden skies. The groundsmen have barely stopped since Thursday, and have more hard work ahead of them if play is to resume on schedule tomorrow.

 

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'No decision yet on Kolkata captain' - Shah Rukh

Shah Rukh Khan, joint owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders, has said that the franchise hasn't finalised either its captain or coach for the 2010 season. He said the decisions will be taken during a series of meetings between August 4 and 15.

Media reports over the past week suggested Sourav Ganguly could lead Kolkata next season, with former India coach John Wright taking over as the coach.

"We will be meeting on August 4 and that's when all decisions on coach, captaincy and hopefully a formula for winning at least some of the matches next year would be worked out," Shah Rukh said. "Nothing has been decided, neither the coach nor the other things I read about in papers. The whole team would be meeting for the first time post IPL on August 4 and it's a series of meetings till August 15."

Kolkata had an abysmal 2009 season, finishing bottom of the table with only three wins in 14 games. John Buchanan, who coached them in both seasons of the IPL so far, was subsequently sacked.

Ganguly had been at the helm in 2008, but was replaced by New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum for this year's campaign. McCullum's appointment came after a great deal of controversy following Buchanan's theory of multiple captains, which the team did not ultimately implement.

There was also intense speculation in the Indian media of team disharmony after Ganguly was stripped of the captaincy, with at least one player suggesting the team would have done better under Ganguly.

Also, McCullum will miss a portion of the next IPL season due to international commitments.

 

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Flower remains optimistic about win

The coach Andy Flower believes England still have a chance of taking a 2-0 Ashes lead despite the third day being washed out at Edgbaston. Play was abandoned following an inspection at 2.30pm with England stuck on 116 for 2 in the third Test, still 147 behind Australia's first-innings total.

Puddles continued to sit on the outfield more than two hours after the cancellation and Flower expected another curtailed day on Sunday. "I think Steve Rouse [the groundsman] has said we might get 70 overs in and that would be a godsend if we do," he said. "There's nothing we can do about this so I would hope it doesn't damage [our momentum] at all."

However, Flower remained confident of his side's ability to force a win that would ensure their worst-case scenario is a drawn series. "Absolutely, you can see how quickly things can happen in a game, so a result is definitely possible," he said. "Whether or not that happens, we'll have to see how well both sides play. But if we can get 70 overs in [on Sunday], we still have to bat well to get a lead. It's up to us to bat well and see how far ahead we can get." The forecast is for sunny intervals for day four and light rain on Monday.

Shane Watson, Australia's stand-in opener, also held out hope for a quick turnaround. "There is a possibility but I am not exactly sure how things are going to pan out," he said. "We are going to have to bowl extremely well once we get out there to give ourselves a chance. We are 1-0 down and we can't afford to have too many draws otherwise the series is lost."

The pitch has been under cover since Friday afternoon, when bad light ended the second day, and Flower expected the surface to be livelier whenever England resume. Another concern for the hosts is what the heavy outfield, which was also drenched in the lead-up to the game, does to Andrew Flintoff's legs. Flintoff will carry a nagging knee problem into retirement at the end of the series and remains a match-to-match proposition.

"It will be quite a lot of wear and tear on him actually, on that heavy outfield if we do bowl on it for any period of time, but he'll be doing everything he can to win this game for England," Flower said. Flintoff had no lingering problems from his 15 overs in the first innings and Flower hoped he would also be able to appear in Friday's fourth Test in Leeds.

"I think he can," he said. "Whether he does or not I don't know, we don't know what's going to happen over the next two days, but he's a strong bloke so it's possible."

 

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Sangakkara hails 'very special player'

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara praised his fast bowlers and singled out the unbeaten 95-run partnership between Thilan Samaraweera and Chamara Kapugedera as the key factor in the team's victory over Pakistan in the second ODI at Dambulla.

"It did not go as we hoped it would, but I will give credit to the bowlers for doing a wonderful job with the new ball. They did exactly what we wanted them to do on a fresh wicket," Sangakkara said. "It was mature knocks from Kapugedera and Samaraweera that really sealed the deal for us."

Kapugedera, who was named Man of the Match, came to the crease with Sri Lanka in trouble at 44 for 3, chasing 168. His steady knock of 67 in 97 balls in the company of Samaraweera ensured Sri Lanka suffered no further setbacks and the hosts coasted to victory in the 45th over.

He has had a stop-start career, failing to cement his place in the side since his debut in 2006. "Kapugedera is a very special player who has had a few good years and a few bad years," Sangakkara said. "As long as he is working hard, is disciplined and shows the commitment that we want from him, he will be an asset to Sri Lanka cricket."

Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka began with the first Test on July 4, and will see the teams compete in three Tests, five ODIs and one Twenty20 match in less than 40 days. Sangakkara made a case for reducing the work load on his fast bowlers, but said the team has the bench strength to cope with the load. "It is very difficult playing the Test series with almost back to back ODIs. That is a reality we've got to deal with," he said. "It will be tough physically and mentally, but we have the bench strength and reserve bowlers who can share the load."

Chamara Kapugedera said his knock was special because he was making a comeback to the Sri Lankan team. "Any score of over fifty is very important, but this is a very special one because I've been out of the side and I came back and scored a fifty," Kapugedera said. "It was also an important innings for the team because we needed to win this match.

"I haven't been in the side for 2-3 months and I wanted to do well. I've been training hard in the last few months and it worked out today. I've been working with my coaches really hard to come back to the side. I hope I can continue this run."

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam blamed his team's poor batting for the defeat. "I don't think it's a lack of confidence but it's just bad batting that cost us the match. Probably we were short by 30 odd runs. If we had scored 200 runs we had a chance, but some of the shot selection from our batsmen was not right," he said.

 

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Watson wants to cement opening role

Shane Watson has already started thinking about being more alert at the beginning of an innings after his promising debut as a Test opener was ended by a first-ball dismissal on the second day. Watson, a surprise replacement for Phillip Hughes at the top of the order, breezed to a confident 62 on the first afternoon of the rain-interrupted third Test before falling lbw to Graham Onions when stuck on the crease the following morning.

"It wasn't a special delivery, I stuffed up more than anything," Watson said after the third day was abandoned due to rain. "I didn't sleep much that night. I went through in my head way too much what the next morning could bring. It wasn't part of the plan to get out first ball. It gave me something to learn from and hopefully it won't happen again."

Watson, a 28-year-old whose previous hope of getting in the side relied on his all-round status, now has dreams of being Simon Katich's long-term partner. He has been shuffled around the order during nine Tests and until now has been a bits-and-pieces player rather than a specialist in either discipline. An unfortunate injury record hasn't helped his bid for continuity - the last setback was a thigh injury during the World Twenty20 - but he feels comfortable re-angling his outlook in a bid for a permanent position.

"My career has never gone to plan so I've got no idea what will happen in the next three or four years," he said. "I had no idea what would happen in the previous ones. At the moment I love the challenge of opening and now that I have the technique to open the batting, there is no doubt I've got the mental and technical aspects to consistently do well. I just have to consistently perform and form a partnership with Simon Katich."

Following Hughes' struggles in the first two matches of the series, Watson walked out looking like a Test batsman, driving and pulling strongly while bringing up his second career half-century, but there is much more work to be done before he can qualify as a long-term option in the position. He credited Greg Chappell, the Centre of Excellence coach, for helping to reshape his approach since a failed attempt at the top of the order for Queensland, his previous state.

He simplified his style, cutting out the more mechanical movements, and now keeps his mind clear. "The development of my technique meant I could take it on more comfortably than I did previously," he said. "The opening stint I had 18 months ago was very poor. To be able to develop my game, especially technically, meant I had the best chance to combat the new ball and the English bowlers."

Watson didn't bowl on Friday when England reached 116 for 2 in 36 overs in their reply to Australia's 263, but he remains a useful option, particularly if Mitchell Johnson's struggles continue. He hasn't spoken to Ponting about his role, although he would be comfortable delivering between 12 and 15 overs a day.

 

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Lee eyeing Headingley comeback

Australia's bowling stocks could receive a much-needed boost with Brett Lee eyeing a return in next week's fourth Test following a rib injury. Lee's comeback from ankle surgery was interrupted when he suffered the problem during a tour game before the opening Test in Cardiff, but he has been operating off an abbreviated run-up in the nets for a week and is growing in confidence.

"I want to be going flat out by day five here, so I've got two more days to go," he told CA TV. "I had a really good bowl today, I'll go a little bit harder tomorrow, then hard on the fifth day and hopefully be back to full pace then."

Australia's attack has been below its best in this series and has suffered from the absence of the real Mitchell Johnson. While Johnson has taken eight wickets, his line and length have been inconsistent and the England batsmen have enjoyed his fare while taking a 1-0 lead.

Despite the problems, Australia's selectors have kept faith in the Johnson-Siddle-Hilfenhaus combination, but that will change if Lee can prove his fitness. "I've been bowling now for over a week, purely off about two or three steps," Lee said. "The second last session, today's session, was the first time I tried to let the ball go at over 50%. I got up to 65-70%, maybe 80% on a couple of balls."

The selectors would prefer Lee was trialled in a tour match, but there are only three days between the Edgbaston game and the fourth Test in Headingley, which starts next Friday. "It's just a matter now of making sure the rib feels okay," he said. "It feels good so far so we'll just see how it goes."

 

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Bangladesh seek icing on the cake

It has been a triumphant tour for Bangladesh so far, and they will be aiming to round it off with another victory in the Twenty20 on Sunday. It was the only format in which they had trumped West Indies before setting off for the Caribbean last month, but that famous win in the 2007 World Twenty20 remains their only success against a Test-playing nation in Twenty20s.

In the absence of West Indies' leading players, Bangladesh have had the rare advantage of the being the more experienced side in the contest, and they have made that count in both the Tests and ODIs, holding their nerve at the key moments. Though they have no domestic Twenty20 tournament, Bangladesh's players are still more acquainted with the format than the home side, with several of them having played two World Twenty20s.

West Indies' two major problems have been the inconsistency of the top order, and their discomfort against spin. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan capitalised on that, picking four slow bowlers for the one-dayers, and having a pair of them operating in tandem as early as the ninth over.

The inclusion of Andre Fletcher has added some dynamism to the top order, and he showed his ability while carting three sixes on his way to a 52-ball 62 in the third ODI. How he and Travis Dowlin, one of the more impressive batsmen for West Indies this series, combat the Bangladesh spinners will play a large part in determining whether the home side can salvage at least one win in the series.

 

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Harmison 'desperate' to play Ashes

Steve Harmison, the England fast bowler, has said he is desperate to play in the remaining Ashes Tests as he has "unfinished business" with the Australians. Harmison was left out of the Ashes preliminary squad but was named as a cover for Andrew Flintoff in an expanded second Test squad. However he did not feature in the XIs at Lord's or Edgbaston.

"The truth is that, much as I love playing for Durham, I'm desperate to play against Australia,' Harmison was quoted as saying in the Mail on Sunday. "You can't overestimate how desperate. I'd have given everything to have played at Lord's, to be playing now in Birmingham and to play in Leeds."

Harmison took 6 for 20 as Durham beat Nottinghamshire by an innings and 102 runs last month and said the way he was bowling at the moment, he would be a handful against any opposition.

"I'll never forget winning in 2005 but I don't want my last Ashes memory to be of 2006-07, neither for that first ball, nor the whole experience of losing 5-0. It took us 20 years to win the Ashes back in 2005 - and just 18 months to lose them. I'd like to think I could be part of winning them back."

Harmison denied rumors that he planned to retire at the end of the summer and was looking at the remaining Ashes Tests as a chance to get a farewell. "It may be that England do not see a future for me beyond the end of this summer. If that is the case, there is nothing I can do about it. But I'm not going to tell them I'm not available. It will be their decision if I don't play for England again, not mine. I would like to get some idea of their thinking.

"Before the Oval Test I would like to sit down with Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower and ask them for their honest thoughts. If it turns out I've got nowhere to go other than walking away, if they say, 'At the end of the Ashes, we're going to go in a different direction to plan for a couple of years' time', then fair enough."

Harmison said he did not see himself in England's one-day plans for the future despite being named in the 30-man probables for the Champions Trophy. "But if they turn round to me and say, 'Because Fred's gone, we're keen on you going to South Africa to play Test matches because of the option you give us once Fred's not there', then I'll make every possible effort to go to South Africa six weeks before." Harmison said he would then consider playing for a South African franchise before England's tour to the country.

"I think they will have to drag Fred away from Leeds by his hair to stop him playing at Headingley, but in the event that he or they are unhappy with his knee I feel the firepower I bring to the table gives them a solid option.

"Andy Flower [England coach] said to me the other day, 'We would never draw a line under you'. My response to that was, 'I would never let you draw a line under me'. Until I felt it was right for them and for me, I would never voluntarily let him, the captain or the ECB draw a line under my name."

 

[chandikagunawardhana]

Aggressive England open up victory chance

Most assumed England would take a series lead into Headingley, but only the truest of believers considered a 2-0 scoreline possible. In a match that has seen five-and-a-half sessions lost to rain, light and a water-logged outfield, England have somehow found enough time to exploit Australian frailties to the point where the most improbable of victories is now within view, albeit still some way off in the distance.

A 113-run first innings lead, reduced to 25 by stumps, and a positive weather forecast for Monday have provided England with a realistic chance to land a potential knockout blow in the series. It is difficult to imagine a besieged, unbalanced and out-of-sorts Australian side scrambling from the canvas if faced with a two-game deficit with two matches to play, and England will arrive at Edgbaston for the final day acutely aware that early wickets could prove the defining moment in reclaiming the Ashes after a two-year absence.

Standing in their path is an Australian batting line-up two-wickets down and short on confidence following first innings collapses at Lord's and Edgbaston. Exempt from that list is Shane Watson, the rookie opener, who followed an impressive first innings half-century with an unbeaten 34 on Sunday evening that grew in importance with each falling wicket. He will be joined by the less convincing Michael Hussey who, despite battling for form, clawed his way to 18 not out in a tense final session during which Australia reduced the deficit to 25 runs.

Australia will draw some inspiration from their stoic, though ultimately unsuccessful, fourth innings performance at Lord's as they seek to bat out the final day, while England will be buoyed by more recent performances. In both innings of this Test, the Duke has swung from around the 30-over mark, and with 28 on the ball already and cloudy conditions forecast, James Anderson and Graham Onions will be relied upon heavily.

Victory at Edgbaston set England on course for a famous series victory four years ago, and while circumstances and various cast members differ this time around, the white-knuckled expectancy of the vociferous crowd was distinctly similar. Onions' dismissal of Simon Katich to a prod outside off-stump prompted roars that rattled the foundations of the Eric Hollies Stand, and Graeme Swann's removal of Ricky Ponting, fast assuming pantomime villain status on this tour, evoked a response that might have been detected by seismologists half a world away.

Swann posed a threat to Ponting from the moment he marked centre, extracting significant turn from the footmarks and veering the ball sharply into the right-hander. The England spinner was aggrieved to have had a close lbw appeal turned down by Rudi Koertzen, but rediscovered his trademark grin two deliveries later as Ponting pushed with hard hands at a wider delivery that found the rough, angled through the gate and crashed into the stumps. Since his sparkling 150 in Cardiff, Ponting has managed scores of two, 38, 38 and, as of Sunday, five. Australia's batting fortunes have charted a similar course to date.

Earlier, Stuart Broad struck a dashing half-century and engaged in several heated exchanges with Mitchell Johnson during a furious conclusion to England's first innings. The pressure and tension of this most eagerly contested Ashes series bubbled to the surface in the 88th over of England's innings, as Johnson attempted to break through the defences of Broad and Swann.

Johnson engaged in verbal confrontations with both batsmen before eventually claiming Swann's wicket; a result that might historically have prompted an England retreat. But in a telling insight into the growing confidence within the hosts' camp, Broad responded two balls later with a back-foot drive and a toe-to-toe confrontation that will no doubt have delighted red-top editors in both countries. The over cost Johnson 15 runs. England's lead extended.

Stuart Broad plays the perfect cover drive to extend England's lead, England v Australia, 3rd Test, Edgbaston, 4th day, August 2, 2009
Stuart Broad's cover-driving was a highlight of his stylish half century © Getty Images

Broad's resistance ended when he spooned a return catch the way of Peter Siddle for a well-struck 55, but his was not the half-century most discussed around the pubs and loungerooms of Birmingham on Sunday. That innings belonged to Andrew Flintoff, who added one more Edgbaston memory to an already rich anthology with a half-century that featured a powerful six to draw England level with Australia's first-innings total, followed by a boundary to overtake it.

At the very ground on which he notched his highest Test score in 2004, and earned Man-of-the-Match honours against the Australians four years ago, Flintoff displayed indomitable intent from the outset by engaging Johnson in verbal combat - a precedent his junior all-rounder would follow later in the day - before channelling his aggression towards his batting.

Siddle and Watson bore the brunt of Flintoff's powerful stroke play, releasing much of the pressure created by Ben Hilfenhaus and Johnson in the first session. Siddle, as has become custom on this tour, interspersed testing inswingers and seamers with too many loose deliveries to concede 47 runs from an erratic seven-over spell. Watson, meanwhile, was set upon from the outset; his comeback spell in Test cricket yielding the unflattering figures of 0 for 23 from three overs.

Flintoff was particularly strong on the drive and pull, and raised the roof at Edgbaston when he bashed Nathan Hauritz into the long-on boundary rope for his first six of the innings. Hauritz exacted a measure of revenge by having him caught at first slip for 74 (from 79 deliveries), but not before Flintoff had guided England past Australia's first-innings total and beyond the 300-run mark.

Prior to Flintoff's 89-run sixth-wicket partnership with Matt Prior, Australia had enjoyed the better of proceedings on a fourth morning delayed by an hour due to a sodden outfield. Hilfenhaus' dismissals of Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood were Australia's primary highlight-reel moments in the first session, but Johnson's two-over burst prior to the lunch break was arguably the greater source of optimism. Australia's selectors have gone to extraordinary lengths to accommodate him this series, ranging from pep-talks to the inclusion of an insurance seamer in Watson for Edgbaston, and their faith appeared on the way to being repaid.

His first delivery was full, fast and tailing into Bell, who, if not for the faintest of inside edges onto his pad, might well have been pavilion-bound. Johnson finally got his man when he trapped Bell leg-before as part of a five-over spell of 1 for 12. But much of the good work was undone when, in the confrontational atmosphere of Sunday afternoon, he resorted to his short-length of old and conceded 47 runs from his final seven overs, the majority to Broad and Swann.

Australia's late innings problems were compounded when Hilfenhaus' swing-bowling powers were sapped with the taking of the second new ball. With no one to apply the pressure, England's tail wagged again and Australia, who earlier on Sunday had entertained notions of a first innings lead, were faced with a triple-digit deficit and a near impossible task to level the series heading to Leeds.

 

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West Indies earn consolation win

Finally, West Indies won a game. Bangladesh imploded spectacularly at the top but they kept playing like millionaires to be restricted to a below-par 118, which West Indies overhauled without breaking a sweat.

The only concern in the chase was whether West Indies would collapse against spin and Bangladesh didn't wait long to find out. They started with a double-spin attack and Shakib Al Hasan claimed the wicket of Dale Richards first ball, but Devon Smith thwarted them with his aggressive batting.

Smith started with a slog-swept six off the offspinner Naeem Islam and followed it next ball with a skillful inside-out lofted drive over covers, before taking on Mahmudullah in the third over. Three pulls, one of them a six, helped him take fifteen runs in that over and eased the pressure off the early wicket. Though Smith fell fifty runs short of the target, and West Indies lost a couple more cheaply towards the end, Travis Dowlin took over to lead the hosts past the line. Dowlin knew the required rate wasn't steep enough to warrant any risks and he played accordingly. He did hit four boundaries, with a lofted hit over extra cover off Mehrab Hossain jnr being the highlight, but took care not to play many flashy shots. The same couldn't be said about Bangladesh, though.

Bangladesh charged ahead with a sense of fatal adventure, which was caught perfectly in the run-out of Naeem Islam, their highest scorer today. He missed a sweep against David Bernard and the ball went straight to the keeper but he nevertheless tried to steal a single, only to be found miles short of his ground. Till then, Naeem was having a ball, dispatching the ball to all parts of the ground. He walked down the track to smack Darren Sammy over deep midwicket, moved outside leg to thump Gavin Tonge over long-off before collecting more boundaries with sweeps and pulls.

Before Naeem, there was more frenetic drama. Bangladesh came out oozing so much intent that something had to give. And it did. Three wickets fell in the first 14 deliveries: Junaid Siddique spooned a slower one to cover, Mohammad Ashraful played a weak lap shot for a first-ball duck, and Tamim Iqbal flicked to short midwicket. The score read 12 for 3 but Naeem was in no mood to buckle down. Shakib started a touch slowly but soon caught the Naeem spirit and unfurled slog-sweeps before he was cleaned up by Nikita Miller, bowled round his legs.

After Naeem, there was more chaos. Mushfiqur Rahim, who had moved cautiously to three in nine deliveries, ran himself out with some poor running. Responding to a push to point for a single, he jogged across and would have still made it had he not tried to plonk his bat lethargically inside the crease. Raqibul Hasan missed a straight ball and was trapped in front.

It was left to Mahmudullah, who has performed well with bat and ball through this tour, and Mehrab, to an extent, to show some caution and push the score past 100, which eventually proved inadequate.

 

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England's attack capable of victory, says Flintoff

For a man quite literally on his last leg, Andrew Flintoff is doing a mighty fine job of staving off the reports of his imminent demise. First with the ball at Lord's, and now with the bat at his favourite venue, Edgbaston, he has seized the momentum of two pivotal days' cricket, and bent them to suit his will. When Andrew Strauss dared to tempt fate and declare before the match that the Australians no longer have an aura, he was doing so in the comfortable knowledge that so long as Flintoff remains fit and in England's starting line-up, they possess the single biggest character on either side.

By the close of a fourth day as packed with intrigue as any so far in this series, the frailties in Australia's Ashes campaign had been further exposed to the elements - even in a final session when England, by Flintoff's own admission, bowled some way short of their best. Nearly two days of rain delays have left them needing a dramatic run of dominance to have any chance of a 2-0 lead by Monday's close, but as James Anderson and Graham Onions showed by claiming 7 for 77 in the first session on Friday, there are ways and means to tighten the screw in the current climate.

"We've played some good cricket so far in this game, so there's a belief and some quiet confidence, but we know it's going to be tough," Flintoff said. "We have an attack that is capable, it's just a matter of showing it. We might have started a little better with the ball [tonight], but we managed to get the breakthrough, and we're in a decent position going into tomorrow."

As it happens, Flintoff's contribution with the ball was as muted as it is possible to be when bowling at 90-plus mph. For the second innings running he reverted to his less-than-ideal splice-beating length, and after failing to take a wicket in his first 19 overs of the match, he self-deprecatingly stated his only role was to remove the lacquer on the new ball for Anderson and Onions to start it swinging at around the 30-over mark.

"It would be easy to say my knee's hurting and that I had a shocker, and blame it all on my knee," he said. "But so far in this Test I've not bowled as well as I'd like, and I'm not making excuses for that. It's no secret I've got a bit of a dicky knee, but I can still bowl at decent pace and I can still run in. I'll bowl whatever overs Straussy wants me to, and in between Tests I'll rest up. I want to play in every Test of this series and it would have to be something very serious for me not to."

Flintoff's mobility and determination were instead demonstrated with the bat in hand, as he reverted to his old self in a much more rewarding sense, by thumping hard and straight to rack up only his second Test half-century in two-and-a-half years, and his highest score since Sydney in January 2007. "It would have been nice to have got a century," he said, as he lamented getting out without playing a stroke when Nathan Hauritz spun one into his gloves. "But if someone had said I'd get 70-odd I'd have taken it."

More than the runs he scored, however - 74 off 79 balls - the most crucial aspect of Flintoff's performance was the message it emitted. By the time he was dismissed having added 141 in 24 overs with Matt Prior and Stuart Broad, his exploits had ignited a passion in the stands that has been unmatched all series. It is not a coincidence that Flintoff now averages exactly 50 in Tests at Edgbaston, a run of scores that include his highest in Tests, 167 against West Indies in 2004, and that brace of 68 and 73 against Australia in his defining performance four years ago. He thrives on the adulation of his fans, and they in turn feed from his exploits. When it's all in harmony, it is English cricket's perfect symbiotic relationship.

"It's probably the best atmosphere you play in, in the country," Flintoff said. "Headingley will be different again, but at Edgbaston they've always got behind the side from start to finish. It has helped us in the past and I'm sure it'll help tomorrow. I'm sure ticket sales have gone through the roof, and we'll be playing in front of a full house tomorrow." As many as 11,000 seats were still available this morning, but seeing as the ticket office website had crashed in mid-afternoon, it's safe to suggest that a fair few of those have now gone.

Mitchell Johnson and Graeme Swann exchange words, England v Australia, 3rd Test, Edgbaston, 4th day, August 2, 2009
Andrew Flintoff said the banter between England and Australia was in "good spirit" © Getty Images

Those who turned up to cheer Flintoff's exploits were rewarded with the sight of England as a unit getting fully stuck into their opponents - again, no doubt as a result of the passions being pumped through the stadium. While the booing of Ricky Ponting when he came out to bat was regarded in some quarters as unjustifiable jingoism, the overall effect was to push Australia firmly onto the defensive, mentally and competitively, as Mitchell Johnson's ongoing torment once again proved.

Today was unquestionably Johnson's best of a miserable series. He bowled fast and straight and claimed two good wickets, including Ian Bell at the third attempt. But he was also clobbered at nearly five runs an over, as England's tail took their lead from Flintoff and Prior, and kept attacking with bat and body-language. One ferociously entertaining over from Johnson included an eyeball-to-eyeball encounter with Stuart Broad, whose own bowling has lacked a similar degree of confidence to Johnson's, but whose mental approach has not been seen to waver in the slightest.

"I don't think there's any fear," Flintoff said of Australia's reaction to England's attacking mentality. "It's just competitive, isn't it? There are two sides out there in the middle, and it obviously means a lot to each side from the way the game's being played, but it's all in good spirit. I'm sure when it's seen [from the sidelines] everyone starts thinking what's going on, but there's no point making a meal of it. The lads are going at it hard, the Australians as well. They play it tough."

The fifth and final day ought, in all honesty, to be a draw, but somehow even Ashes draws end up being classics in their own right. From Sydney 1994-95, via Brisbane 1998-99, to Old Trafford, The Oval and Cardiff of recent vintage, there has hardly been a dull denouement on display. "We've worked hard in the Test so far," said Flintoff. "We've lost some time to rain, but going into tomorrow, that first session will be massive for both of us. If we can start well, we can put some pressure on Australia, and we can win the Test match. However, if they can get through to lunch unscathed, they'll think they'll be doing alright.

"Going into the last day at Lord's [last week] we only needed five wickets, so we knew if we got a breakthrough we were strong favourites to do pretty well, "he added. "But tomorrow, there's still [Michael] Clarke to come in and [Marcus] North, there's still some fine players and it's not going to be easy. Both sides' patience is going to be tested by attritional cricket, but hopefully we can stick to our guns, start well, and be sitting pretty tomorrow night."

 

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Caddick announces retirement

Andrew Caddick has announced he will retire at the end of the season after 19 years at Somerset. During his career he played 62 Tests and 54 one-day internationals for England and remained a consistent performer at county level after his final international appearance in 2003.

Caddick, 40, has been plagued by injuries in the last couple of seasons and although he is now back in the Somerset Championship side has decided not to try and continue his career in 2010.

Before the current Championship match against Nottinghamshire he had 1175 first-class wickets with a best of 9 for 32 and 2009 is his testimonial year.

"I'm 40. Simple as that. I wanted to call time while I was still physically and mentally strong, rather than playing on for the sake of it," Caddick told the Somerset website.

"Retirement had to be on my terms, not anyone else's. Somerset are still in with a chance of winning the Championship for the first time this season and that would be the perfect way for me to bow out."

Brian Rose, Somerset's director of cricket, said: "I would like to compliment him on a great career. Not many players continue in the first class game past the age of 40 and he has been a tremendous servant to Somerset cricket.

"While he won't be involved with the club on an official basis, I am hoping to persuade him to come in during the winter to work with some of our young players."

Born in New Zealand, Caddick moved to England after representing his country of birth at youth level and made his first-class debut in 1991. Two years later his Test debut arrived against Australia, at Old Trafford, but it wasn't until the Duncan Fletcher-Nasser Hussain era began that he finally settled into a consistently productive international career.

On his day he could dismantle batting line-ups, such as at Durban in 1999 when he tore through South Africa or Headingley 2000 when he cleaned up West Indies in a two-day victory.

His final Test came against Australia, at Sydney, in January 2003 with a match-winning display of 10 for 215 and his final international appearance came at the World Cup two months later. Injury meant he was ruled out early in the 2003 home season and he never forced his way back, although kept believing he could as recently as 2007 when he was the leading first-class wicket-taker.

 

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Johnson comes out of his shell

Mitchell Johnson delivered on a promise to team-mates to "puff my chest out" against England on Sunday despite his series-long struggles with the ball. Johnson was involved in a handful of disputes with the hosts on the fourth day and the manufactured aggression resulted in an up-and-down performance of 2 for 92 in 21 overs.

Johnson's form leading into the game was so bad he was considered a risk, but he improved with each spell until his verbals to Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad led to an expensive conclusion of 33 in his final four overs. "I probably let them off the hook a little bit," he told FoxSports. "I got caught up in the moment a little bit too much, but I was pretty happy with the way I went. I burred them up a little bit as well, which was good to see. I haven't done too much of it this series and that's what it all about."

Speaking about his cricket for the first time since the start of the Ashes, Johnson said the side, which is behind 1-0 in the five-match series, had been too quiet during the draw at Cardiff and the defeat at Lord's. "The whole team wanted to really stand up to these guys and show a bit more intent out there," he said. "In the first two Tests I was just bowling a ball and walking back, not really getting in their faces. Even if I said nothing, at least get in there and give a bit of a stare. Let them know that we're there."

If Johnson had followed up with verbals or evil eyes he would have looked even more out of place, especially given his wayward performances which contributed to England's success in London. The attempts of intimidation by the young pace attack, which also includes Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus, weren't overly effective at Edgbaston as Australia gave up a 113-run deficit on first innings. England's bright resistance from their tail-enders, led by Broad's 55, ensured the hosts finished the skirmishes on top.

The first signs of spice from Johnson came during a brief spell after lunch to Flintoff, who went on to muscle 74, and the pair swapped words and angry stares. "The aim for me was to be a bit more aggressive with my bowling," Johnson said. "To get in there, puff my chest out a little bit and get into the contest. That seemed to work for me. I started to feel a lot better about things." He picked up Ian Bell with a second strong lbw appeal and followed up with Swann's wicket when he chipped a slower ball to cover shortly before the innings ended at 376.

Johnson blamed his wild performances in his opening two Ashes Tests on putting too much pressure on himself - "I might have built it up a bit too much" - and maintained his form was not influenced by his mother saying his girlfriend had "stolen" him from the family. "Nothing on the outside affects the way I play my cricket," he said. "That's all left behind. It's all about what happens on the field."

 

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Clarke and North put Australia safe

After a rain-affected draw at Edgbaston, in which England's push for victory fell flat, the question now stands: who takes the momentum into Headingley? The temptation is to give the nod to England given their 1-0 series advantage and flashes of brilliance between the spells of drizzle. But, on closer inspection, the matter may not be so clear-cut.

Australia will take confidence from their second-innings batting performance, in which three batsmen passed 50 and one, Michael Clarke, a stoic century in his 50th Test to limit England to five wickets from 112 overs. Shane Watson's returns of 62 and 53 in his first Test as opener will prove particularly encouraging as will the final-day efforts of Michael Hussey (64) and Marcus North (96), both of whom were in need of a confidence boost.

The Australians will also be buoyed at the possibility that Mitchell Johnson's nightmare might just be over. Johnson might not have returned to his wrecking-ball ways but he did manage to make the necessary adjustments to his wrist position to allow him to rediscover his at-the-body line and a modicum of swing.

England had grounds for optimism too. Were it not for the five-and-a-half sessions lost to rain, bad light and the water-logged outfield, they might have capitalised on their 113-run first-innings advantage. That lead was established after James Anderson and Graham Onions befuddled Australia's batsmen with prodigious aerial movement, and England will hope to once again probe Australian wounds at Headingley.

The hosts will also be satisfied by the manner in which they covered for Kevin Pietersen, but Andrew Flintoff is a concern. The England allrounder, who is understood to have had two further pain-killing injections to his troublesome right knee prior to this match, fell awkwardly on his left ankle when delivering the final ball of his 13th over. Flintoff required the better part of 30 seconds to climb back to his feet and appeared in significant discomfort, but managed to bowl two more overs in the session. His condition will be monitored with only three days between the third and fourth Tests.

Australia signed off the match with Clarke notching his second century of the campaign and usurping Strauss as the highest run-scorer in the series. His unbeaten innings of 103 was not so much important for the runs scored, but rather the 192 balls it required, denying England the chance of forcing a result.

Unlike the draw in Cardiff, where every ball of the final session was an angst-ridden affair, the Edgbaston Test concluded in anti-climax with part-timers Paul Collingwood and Ravi Bopara in operation and Australia's batsmen scoring at will. Clarke, who was caught off a no-ball on 96, raised his 12th career ton with a pull to the boundary and immediately looked to the Australian dressing room, whereupon he was summoned in by Ricky Ponting.

Clarke had earlier combined with North for a 185-run fifth-wicket stand that effectively ended England's hopes for victory. Despite the heavy overhead conditions, neither Anderson nor Onions could convince the suddenly stubborn Duke to swing, making life easier for the Australian batsmen.

The brisk tempo of previous sessions was absent, as Australia's batsmen sought to grind the life out of the match. First Watson and Hussey, then Clarke and North, batted with patience and caution in their attempt to deny England an inflated series lead ahead of the Headingley Test. Watson and Hussey showed steely intent from the outset and weathered painful blows to the body from Flintoff, remaining unflustered in this most pressurised of situations. Flintoff attempted to engage both batsmen in verbal jousts but both quelled their aggressive instincts and refused to bite. Theirs was a mission of survival and both succeeded in navigating a path through a testing first hour of play.

Flintoff, for all his intimidatory powers, strayed short too often while Swann failed to settle upon a consistent length - but given the respective situations in which Watson and Hussey found themselves at the crease, both could have been well pleased with their morning contributions.

Having previously batted no higher than No. 6 in Test cricket, and with a sub-five average opening for Queensland, Watson was in the crosshairs of both a sceptical Australian public and England's bowlers from the moment he marked centre on Thursday. He did not disappoint. His fluent first innings total of 62 was complemented by a gritty, redoubtable 53 in the second. Having seen off the new ball the previous evening, Watson defended stoically in the lead-up to lunch. His patience was eventually rewarded with a rare full-toss from Swann, which he duly dispatched to the boundary to raise his second half-century of the match, and just the third of his Test career. Watson's defiance ended a ball later, however, when Anderson found the outside edge with a delivery that subtly straightened in his first over of the morning.

Hussey, desperate to atone for his first innings duck, played a more aggressive hand, striking six boundaries to advance to his second half-century of the series. But, like Watson, his stay at the crease would end soon after his arrival at the milestone.

Stuart Broad's introduction to the attack in the 51st over might not have said much for the esteem in which Andrew Strauss holds his bowling, but the allrounder showed up both his captain and the Australians with an angling delivery that brushed the outside edge of Hussey, dismissing him for 64. The dismissal brought the Edgbaston crowd momentarily back to life, however all were promptly subdued as Clarke and North carried their bats deep into the final session.

North was the only other batsman to fall on the final day, to a brilliant, diving catch by Anderson in the gully off the bowling of Broad. Anderson's spectacular effort denied North a third Test century from five matches, but could not revive England's hopes of victory.