Sunday, Jan 12, 2003
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Cricket
By Ted Corbett
Glenn McGrath, its strike force and meanest bowler, limped off after seven overs and will be out for an unspecified time. The Australian Board of Control spokesman claimed McGrath had discomfort in the back but that it was not related to the side injury that kept him out of the fifth and final Test against England. However, so close to the World Cup next month, McGrath's condition must cause concern even though Shane Warne, another vital cog in its bowling machine, is on his way back to fitness. Without the pair Australia is a fragile team as England showed in the Sydney Test and as it would have proven with a little more experience today. England has its own problems. Michael Vaughan, who might have been suited by this pitch and whose classical batting was missed in the middle of the order, is to rest for a week to overcome his knee injury. Rumours abound that he will miss the World Cup and although that is not the official version Vaughan has missed enough matches in the last few months to make it credible. Without his power and runs England lacks the strength to overtake scores like the 271 for four made by Australia today. When three Australian wickets went for 53, two to the young paceman Jimmy Anderson who finished with the wickets of Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting for 40, England was clearly in the ascendancy but Martyn played coolly to hit an undefeated 101 in 114 balls and add 218 off 38 overs with the help of Bevan and Jimmy Maher. It looked as if England might romp to victory, especially when Marcus Trescothick, another underachiever on this trip and Nick Knight, who hit a century in England's match against Australia on Dec. 13, put on 165 in 32 overs at the start. It was hardly exhilarating strokeplay and they both made mistakes but with 18 overs left and only 106 needed victory seemed a certainty. Even when Knight was bowled by Andy Bichel for 85 off 102 balls the complacent in the England camp could only see a solid base from which the young ones might rush to the target. Instead Nasser Hussain sent in Ian Blackwell, a lad learning his trade, the score became bogged down, Trescothick could not get the strike and as the scoring rate rose the left arm spinner Brad Hogg took the wickets of Blackwell, Owais Shah and Paul Collingwood in 15 balls. Trescothick took one chance too many and gave away his wicket at 82 off 104 deliveries and England was 211 for five with only seven overs left. Hussain, gallantly, and Alec Stewart, acting the dasher, hit briskly — as Hussain pointed out after the Test it is the older ones who serve England best — but 19 were needed with two overs to go and 12 off the last. When Hussain was bowled for 43 off 38 his team's hopes died. Now it looks as if Australia will reach the final and probably play England. Sri Lanka has lost one game too many to be a realistic chance. A pity because Australia has left the gate ajar this series as it did a year ago when South Africa and New Zealand were strong enough to kick it wide open.
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