08-28-05, 07:50 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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England A Step Nearer Winning Ashes
Quote:
LONDON, England -- England won a nailbiting Fourth Test against Australia by three wickets at Trent Bridge to take a 2-1 lead in the Ashes series.
Chasing a modest 129 runs for victory on the fourth evening, England's task seemed straightforward until Shane Warne and Brett Lee bowled magnificently to induce home panic.
Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard eventually saw England home with Giles hitting the winning run off Warne who ended with 4-31.
The leg spinning legend came on in the sixth over with England coasting to an easy victory and immediately made an impact.
He claimed three for seven in 29 balls to leave England reeling on 57 for four and, despite Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff adding a priceless 46 runs, it took a brave eighth-wicket stand between Giles and Hoggard to clinch victory.
For the third time in the series these two sides conjured up another emotional roller-coaster of a finish to set up a thrilling showdown in the final Test at the Oval next week.
A capacity crowd will queue up hoping to witness England's first Ashes series win since 1987.
England have already ensured Australia cannot win the series for the first time since that historic series down under but they can still retain the Ashes by bouncing back from another close defeat to draw the series in a fortnight.
For a long time during the fourth day, Australia's determination looked set to thwart England's desire to wrap up victory quickly after they set out with a cautious and defensive policy designed to use up time with the hope they could get far enough ahead to set a tricky victory target.
Resuming 37 runs adrift on 222 for four having been forced to follow on, they successfully frustrated England for 28 overs as Michael Clarke and Simon Katich forged a 100-run stand which could have set up yet another intriguing finish.
They added only 39 runs during their time together during the opening session until Clarke's resolve was finally broken by Hoggard, who tempted him into nudging outside off stump off the back foot and he edged behind to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.
His demise came just one over before lunch and gave England the impetus to run through the remainder of Australia's resistance in the 28 overs before the next interval, despite useful innings from Katich, Shane Warne and Brett Lee.
Katich had battled for 261 minutes to carefully stabilise the innings and score 59 priceless runs but his dismissal to another contentious umpiring decision - this time Aleem Dar upholding Steve Harmison's appeal to a delivery which appeared to be bouncing over the stumps.
Warne slogged 45 off 42 balls while Lee finished unbeaten on 26.
Trent Bridge got ready to celebrate a comfortable victory. Marcus Trescothick led the charge by hitting 27 off 22 balls, but the introduction of Warne as his replacement in the attack changed the mood of the match.
Warne struck with his first ball with Trescothick pushing forward defensively and edging low to captain Ricky Ponting at silly point and followed that by removing Michael Vaughan with the first ball of his next over, this time inducing an edge to slip.
By the time Warne also dismissed Andrew Strauss, caught low at leg slip, England's nerve was beginning to fray as was underlined by Ian Bell's ill-timed decision to pull Lee straight to the safe hands of Kasprowicz in the deep.
Just as England believed Flintoff and Pietersen would guide them to victory, Lee returned to claim both scalps and with Geraint Jones gifting him his 50th wicket this year by holing out to the deep, it set up another tense and nervous finish which Giles mastered to being frenzied celebrations.
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