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A dramatic and an exicting end to a dull-looking test match!!

England came close to pulling off a surprising victory over Australia in the fifth and final Test on Sunday but had to settle for a draw when umpires stopped play because of bad light.

Play came to a halt in the gloom of a London evening at The Oval with England steepingly close to victory, needing just 21 runs from four overs.

Given the target of 227 in 44 overs, England's Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott almost pulled off the victory with a 77-run partnership. England were 206 for 5 when play was stopped. The 447 runs scored on Sunday are comfortably the most ever scored on the last day of a Test match surpassing 407 at leeds in 1948. Pietersen set The Oval on fire with a fiery 50 from just 36 balls.
A day that started half an hour late and which was heading toward a dull draw ended in a 3-0 Ashes series victory for the home team. England were presented with the tiny pottery urn - said to contain the Ashes of English cricket - awarded to the winners of cricket's most famous rivalry.

Australia scored 492 for 9 declared in their first innings before the game was effected badly by rain that prevented any play on Saturday's fourth day at The Kia Oval.

"Fair play to Australia for pushing the game on," said captain Alastair Cook. "It made for a really good spectacle. I'm very proud of the way the lads have done it," he said before accepting the urn.

Sunday's final day began in muted fashion, delayed by half an hour as the game limped toward a draw. England resumed on 247 for 5 and added quick runs through Matt Prior, with 47, and Ian Bell with 45 to reach 377 all out.

Clarke decided on a risky strategy of trying to tempt Cook into accepting a run rate challenge by thrashing 111 for 6 in 23 overs and declaring at tea, setting England a target of 227 in 44 overs.

Clarke may have been hoping for some more runs but Stuart Broad snatched four wickets to slow the Australian run rate as Clarke threw caution to the wind.Root fell for just 11 with the score on 22 but Cook and Trott batted aggressively in a partnership of 64 before Cook fell leg before to a delivery from James Faulkner as he tried to clip a ball to midwicket. It was Faulkner's fifth wicket of the day after he took his first four wickets earlier in England's first innings.

Now both the teams will play 7 Odis and 2 t20 at the english venues before Australia end their 3 and a half long tiring tour. The Ashes down under in Australia wil begin november but before that Australia will a play a month in India in october-november comprising of 7 odis and 1 t20.

It's difficult to say which team will be more optimistic in Australia. The English have been the clear victors during the Ashes, but the Australians have run them closer than the 3-0 score line indicates.
At Old Trafford, rain played a big part in foiling an Australian victory. The first Test win for England was by just 14 runs. The second match at Lord's was a thumping 347-run win as Joe Root hit an impressive 180 and Ian Bell scored some of the more than 500 runs he posted during the Ashes.

With those two wins, and the draw at Old Trafford, the Ashes were lost to Australia. Ian Bell was the difference in a low-scoring fourth match in Durham, showing that it was the batsmen who made the difference.

While Australia's bowlers, led by Peter Siddle and a Ryan Harris who managed to stay fit, were consistently dangerous and challenging, the batsmen were a major disappointment. Clarke managed a big innings of 187, but very few others impressed.

Usman Khawaja only managed 114 in six innings before he was dropped. Ed Cowan was jst given a chance in a game. Shane Watson scored 418 in 10 innings, but the Australians could not score runs when they really needed them.
The batting lineup became stronger as the tour went on. David Warner had an astonishing tour. He punched Root in a bar at the start, was banished to a tour in Zimbabwe but returned quickly as Australian form collapsed on England's seaming wickets, where reverse swing is commonplace. Warner introduced solidity to the batting, as did Chris Rogers.

English bowlers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad have mastered the art of reverse swing, but will not find conditions as friendly on the hard, dry wickets in places like Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.

Broad is likely to face hostility on and off the field in Australia, whose coach Darren Lehman described his refusal to walk after clearly edging a ball to slip as "blatant cheating." Lehman was fined by the International Cricket Council for calling on Australians to give him a hostile reception.

Well u should always expect the unexpected in The Ashes. Thats why its called the most exiting and greatest test rivarly in the cricketing world.

A letter to little Master from a Fan!!

A letter to Sachin [Extractes from
Official UK website of BBC]

Dear Sachin,
You don't know me, although I do
know you. Actually, I don't really
know you, but like hundreds of
millions of others, I think I do.
Which is why you can't leave the
house. Sorry about that, but take it
as a compliment: that's what
happens when you are one of 'the
few'.
What, you might ask, are 'the few'?
Well, the way I see it, 'the few' are
those sportspeople so great - the
greatest of the great, if you will -
that they can't even pop out for...
well, anything actually, for fear of
being trampled to death in
Morrisons (or wherever it is
celebrities pretend they do their
shopping in India).
If it's any consolation, we've got a
bloke in our country - well, he used
to live here, before he outgrew
Morrisons - called David Beckham,
who might know how you feel. But,
between me and you, with Becks, it's
as much about his looks, which
means he's not strictly one of 'the
few' at all, more a very good
footballer who they let in because he
has a nice face.
Sorry, that didn't come out right,
but please don't take it the wrong
way. What I'm trying to say is, with
you, it's all about the talent (and
maybe a little bit about the face).
But anyway, your skipper Mahendra
Dhoni has got the 'Indian Becks'
thing pretty much sewn up.
Apologies, I just realised I haven't
actually told you why I got in
touch... Congratulations on your
100th international hundred! And
while I've your got attention, well
done on winning the World Cup.
And all those World Cup records you
hold. Oh, and those 15,000 Test
runs. And the other 18,260 in one-
day internationals (sorry, by the
time you get this, you'll have
probably passed 20,000). Actually, I
meant to ask, is there a batting
record you don't hold?....
Remember Maggie Thatcher? You
probably don't, you were only a kid
at the time, but she was our Prime
Minister when you first toured
England with India in 1990. The
reason I mention her is that there
used to be this great piece of graffiti
on a wall somewhere in London
which read: THATCHER OUT. To
which someone had added: LBW B
ALDERMAN.
My point being, Terry Alderman, who
made Graham Gooch look silly in the
1989 Ashes, was still playing Test
cricket when you started out - and
he made his first-class debut in
1974. And now, 22 years after you
made your Test debut (when I was
13, probably acting the goat in
double history) you're still around.
That, my friend, is what you call
'longevity'.
I saw you play at The Oval in 1990.
Well, I saw you field. David Gower, a
childhood hero, scored a ton that
day. We loved Gower in England,
thought he was great, but he wasn't
one of 'the few', he just made us
think he was with that gorgeous
cover drive of his.
Of course, what I know now is that
greatness is about more than
looking willowy at the crease - it's
far more about sheer weight of
numbers. And while the unfurling of
Gower's strokes resembled honey
dripping off the back of a spoon,
numbers-wise, he is but a delicate
butterfly crushed under your steel-
rimmed wheel. Then again, who
isn't? (Sachin scored his first century in Uk 1990 test series)
Brian Lara, maybe? Sorry to bring
him up in the middle of what is
essentially a love letter, but that lad
could bat a bit, too. And many said
he scored his runs with more style
than you: as languid as Gower, but
as rapacious as Bradman when it
came to making runs.
But Lara called it quits five years
ago, while you're still here after 22
years of unrelenting pressure,
shouldering the expectations of
billions, and it never managed to
diminish you. When you call it a
day, it will be on your own terms,
and even some of your fellow
'few' (Lara, Diego Maradona, Babe
Ruth ) weren't able to do that.
They say things have got easier for
batsmen in recent years - flatter
tracks, smaller boundaries, not as
many wicked fast bowlers on the
prowl. But you made your debut
against Wasim and Waqar and
played against pretty much all the
recent greats - Ambrose and Walsh,
Donald and Pollock, McGrath and
Warne, Muralitharan. You even
played Test cricket against Sir
Richard Hadlee, for pity's sake, andold 'Paddles' is now in his sixties.
You had a bit of a blip a few years
back, in 2006, when England's quicksgot after you and you kept gettinghit. It was a bit like watchingMuhammad Ali being bashed round
the ring by a thrusting Larry Holmes.
But while Ali was shot to pieces by
that point, the following year you
racked up 776 Test runs at an
average of 55.4. Not much of a blip.
You know what somebody said to me
the other day? "Tendulkar - great
player, little bit dull." Bit out of
order, to be honest. Dull - why?
Because you don't abuse opponents?
Or get boozed up in nightclubs? In
more than two decades at the
pinnacle of your sport, under the
glare of more than a billion adoring
countrymen and women, there has
been barely a hint of controversy.
That doesn't just make you a little
wonder, that makes you pretty much
a miracle.
This is getting a little bit
embarrassing now - a little bit This
Is Your Life, I didn't mean to come
over all mawkish. But the thing is -
and this is another thing that
elevates you above the merely great
- it is doubtful whether we will see
your like again, because after you've
gone, cricket, which is threatening to
splinter into a thousand parts, may
never be the same.
To play 188 Test matches... well, the
mind boggles. And given the
indifference towards Test cricket
from many modern fans, surely no-
one in the future will come close.
Which means you could be one of
Test cricket's last true superstars -
like silent movie stars before
'talkies', a titan from a more
innocent, more romantic, seemingly
more lustrous age.
You know what someone once said
about Chaplin? "It is doubtful any
individual has ever given more
entertainment, pleasure and relief to
so many human beings when they
needed it the most". Given how long
you've been on the job, given how
many people there are in your
country and given the grinding
poverty many of them still live in, I
reckon you might just have trumped
him. Which is why I wanted to say
thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Benjamin (you don't know me)

England 'Turtle' approach frustates Australia on day 3

England slowed to 247 for 4 at stumps on Friday at the Oval, ending day three of the fifth Test 245 runs behind Australia.
Ian Bell and Chris Woakes were unbeaten on 29 and 14 respectively, leaving the hosts needing another 46 to avoid following on.

Joe Root was the top scorer with 68, from 184 balls with 11 fours, while Kevin Pietersen made a tricky 50 (133 balls, four fours).
Mitchell Starc, who finished with Australia's best figures with 2 for 60, took the only wicket to fall in the evening session when he had Pietersen caught by Shane Watson.
The English have already won the five-match series, which they lead 3-0.

For an hour, while batting conditions were still excellent, Australia struggled to make any headway and squandered a referral on an lbw shout against England captain Cook from a Ryan Harris delivery that pitched outside leg stump.

Paceman Starc was particularly wayward, bowling one delivery so wide that it passed first slip on its way to the boundary.

However, the breakthrough came when Cook was caught behind to the third ball after the drinks break, pushing at a delivery from Harris that he could easily have left outside his off stump.
That ended England's best opening stand of the series of 68 but the hosts were otherwise untroubled and Root reached his fifty when he pulled Peter Siddle to square leg for a single in the penultimate over of the session.
Under more overcast skies, Australia troubled England after lunch although Root was not bothered until the 54th over when he tried to sweep Nathan Lyon and was caught by Watson at backward square leg off resulting of a top edge.

Trott faced 78 balls before hitting a boundary and another 11 overs went by before the next four, which came when Steven Smith's full toss was driven to the fence by KP, the leading run scorer for england in all the three formats.
The pitch showed some good signs of turn but Australia's decision to take the new ball as soon as it became available was instantly on target.

Starc ripped the ball into Trott's pads at the start of the 80th over and, after a interminable delay, umpire Aleem Dar raised his finger - a decision Trott unsuccessfully referred.

The scoring rate slowed even further after tea, with the first 10 overs producing just 20 runs and by this stage the crowd was cheering singles.Australia used up their final referral when Siddle rapped Pietersen's pads with a ball that him outside the line of off stump.

Pietersen reached his 50 with an ugly pull shot off James Faulkner that squirted past off stump for four, but he was out without adding to his score in the 101st over when he was caught at first slip.Dar reviewed the catch as Pietersen initially stood his ground, but replays confirmed the ball had carried.

Woakes arrival for his first test innings briefly added some impetus as cover drove his first ball for four and as the light faded the debutant looked assured as he batted out the session with Bell.

Smith hits maiden century as Australia continues to dominate on day 2!

London: England managed 32 for 0 at stumps on Thursday, trailing Australia by 460 on day two of the fifth Test at the Oval.Alastair Cook and Joe Root are the not out batsmen on 17 and 13 respectively, having batted through a rather tricky period after Australia declared on 492 for 9 jst before an hour and a half of day 2 stumps.

Earlier Steven Smith notched up his maiden Test century in style with a six, smashing Jonathan Trott back over his head to reach the landmark before he finished on 138 not out, from 241 balls, a knock including two sixes and 16 fours. James Anderson was England's best bowler with 4 for 95 whereas other pacers toiled throughout the day.

Rain had delayed the start of play until 2:30 p.m as early lunch was taken. Conditions were gloomy and with the ball swinging around, nightwatchman Peter Siddle added only five to his overnight score before he was clean bowled by a superb ball from jimmy  Anderson hence displaying classical swing bowling. It was an isolated success for the hosts, who wasted a referral when an Anderson delivery flicked Brad Haddin's thigh pad.The bowler didn't even appeal, but at wicketkeeper Matt Prior's insistence the call was reviewed, with the crowd audibly groaning when the video replays confirmed kumar dharmasena's decision.

Despite Having selected five specialist bowlers, England resorted to Trott's occasional medium pacers, with captain Alastair Cook either unable or unwilling to bowl Swann, or risk bringing back debutant Simon Kerrigan after the hammering he received on day one from watson.

Smith was nearly dismissed on the first ball of day 2 when he started his knock with a shocking air shot to Anderson, but he passed his previous best Test score of 92 when he cut the same bowler through gully and brilliantly drove Trott's first ball of the 113th over into the stands, for his first Test century in 23 innings.

Trott responded by removing Haddin four balls later, bowled by a ball he dragged on to his stumps. James Faulkner's debut innings was brief but entertaining. He hit Stuart Broad for three fours in the first over after tea before he holed out to Chris Woakes and was caught on the boundary by Trott.

Australia began the evening session on 397 for 6 and scored 95 runs in 11.5 overs before the declaration.Mitchell Starc scored at a run a ball for 13 before he was bowled by Swann and Ryan Harris continued the tempo with a six from Swann, swept over cow corner.

In Swann's next over,Harris hit him into the Vauxhall End but his cameo ended when he holed out to Anderson, who ran for 30 yards before catching him at mid-off for 33 from 27 balls. Clarke sent Nathan Lyon out to partner Smith, but declared just one ball later, leaving England to face a tricky period before stumps.

Fauklner nearly claimed a wicket with his first delivery in test cricket but Root's edge fell just short of the slips and Australia's bowlers failed to cause the openers any serious problems before bad light stopped play for the day.

Its going to be an exicting day 3 as Australia will luk to bowl out England as soon as possible and on the otherhand England will first  target the score of 292 to avoid the follow-on.

Newz Wrapper!!!

1. Sacked Australia Coach Mickey Arthur says Michael clarke's team travelled to England with no belief they could win the series. They planned to use the series in England as an Information and Confidence gathering mission ahead of the return series at home later this year.

2. Current coach Darren Lehhman has urged the Aussie fanz to treat broad in such a way that he goes home crying during the down under series in november,regarding his 'cheating' and 'time wasting' instances. The coach was further backed by Allrounder Shane Watson after his 176 run knock on day 1 of the fifth test.

3. Virat Kohli has been taken to court by sportswear giant Nike, for breaching their endorsement contract and failing to continue as their brand ambassador for the previously agreed period.

4. Former Pakistan Cricketer Wasim Akram on wednesday announced that he had married his Australian girlfried, Shaniera Thompson, saying he has started a new life on a happy note.

5. Gautam gambhir, the veteran Indian batsmen, failed to impress on his county debut for Essex against the Northants. Gambhir scored 31 runs of 67 deliveries which included 5 boundaries.

Watson breakes 'shackles' as Australia dominates Day 1

Shane Watson scored his first Test match century after a drought of 25 tests  as Australia compiled 307 for the loss of 4 wickets on day one of the final Ashes encounter, ensuring the tourists secured an early advantage at The Oval.

Watson, batting at No.3 in the place of out of form  Khawaja, notched only his third Test hundred - and his maiden in the Ashes - as he took the charge over the England attack, particularly in the morning against debutant kerrigan

Australia won the toss and chose to bat on a dry looking wicket, but David Warner was unable to make the most of the favourable conditions as he was dismissed for just six by Jimmy Anderson.

The wicket signalled Watson's arrival at the crease and, after carefully watching off the threat of Anderson and new ball partner Stuart Broad, got stuck into the bowling of England debutants Chris Woakes and Simon Kerrigan.

Young Lancastrian Kerrigan took the brunt of the Watson onslaught as his first two overs were crashed for 28 runs, as the Aussie batsman hurried to an unbeaten 80 - at less than a run-a-ball-before lunch.

Chris Rogers, playing the supportive role along his free-flowing counterpart, was dismissed shortly after the lunch interval by Graeme Swann, with the wicket taking him past Jim Laker's tally for the most wickets by an English spinner in an Ashes series.

Anderson soon reached a landmark of his own as the wicket of Michael Clarke - bowled off his pad for seven - moved the seamer into outright second place in England's all-time Test wicket takers, with 326. Also, Anderson dismissed clarke for the 9th time in his carrer.

But the day belonged to Watson, who was given survivance via a dropped catch by Alastair Cook and a successful lbw review, with the all-rounder posting his highest score in Test cricket, and his first ton since October 2010 i.e. almost three years!!

He eventually fell for an impressive 176 when he was caught wonderfully by a tumbling Kevin Pietersen on the boundary when trying to hook Stuart Broad, but his innings ensured the foundations were laid for a huge first-innings score for the 'pride fighting' Aussie.