Digital Arsenal

The recently concluded 3rd Ashes test match was one of best test matches anyone has ever witnessed. It was one of those test matches which can actually be called 'down to the wire'. Generally by the start of 5th day of any test match the outcome of a test match can be ascertained but it doesn’t seem to be the case between these two archrivals in this series. The last two matches just proved that.

But what can be said about the Aussies? They are simply too hard to beat. Australia last were forced to follow on 17 years back by Pakistan. This was the test when it was quite visible that their 17 year streak will be broken but Warne was there to the rescue. He is just maturing with age.

This was one of those matches in which deciding on the man of the match was a very difficult job. It could have been Warne for his brilliant all round performance, Vaughan for his outstanding first innings 150+ score which eventually helped England to post a heavy lead. In bowlers Simon Jones was unplayable in the first innings and he chipped some important wickets in the second innings as well. Flintoff was a better bowler overall but he couldn’t match Jones in the wickets tally. He bowled constantly at 88-91 mph range. Finally the decision about the MOM was correct to its last bit. Ricky Ponting, captaining the best side in world single handedly saved the match for the Aussies. Chasing a world record fourth innings target to win a match, he just saw the other end tumble down to the English furious pace attack. Only Clarke and Warne could stand that attack. When Clarke and Ponting were at the crease hopes started to float in favour of the Aussies but with the old ball Simon Jones produced a unplayable reverse swinging delivery to uproot the off stump of Clarke who was stunned with the way the ball breached his defense. Master blaster ‘Gilli’ and Gillespie didn’t trouble the scorers much and the Aussies were down to their most veteran cricketer Shane Warne again. As expected of him he played beautifully and once there was a feeling Aussies were eying victory with around 7 per over needed for just about 20 overs. Gerant Jones took a stunner of a catch to get rid of Warnie. With just 24 balls remaining in the day Ponting, after holding his wicket on one side for almost one complete day, edged an over shoulder delivery to the keeper and the whole Old Trafford crowd were on their feet smelling victory. Then what happened is what England would not forget for sometime now. Brett Lee and McGrath aka 'Pigeon' survived the 90mph ‘Bodyliners’ of Flintoff and Harmison to eventually save the match for their country and keep the Ashes all alive and wide open.

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