Published: Jul 11, 2015, 02:30 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 31, 2016, 01:22 PM (IST)
(Will Australia be at their rampant best, or will England find their mojo and take the urn back? Catch live cricket scores and updates of the first day’s play of first Ashes 2015 Test here)
Well done England on an emphatic win at Cardiff, and making a very strong statement in this Ashes 2015 to Australia that they are no more the walkover like the last time. England dished out a batting friendly pitch, put runs on board, bowled in a disciplined manner and took all catches. Australia, on the other hand, were poor in all departments.
Live cricket score Australia: 242/10 | Overs 70.3: Mitch Johnson is followed by Josh Hazlewood, as Australia succumb to a 169-run annihilation by England in the first Test. A result within four days speaks volumes about how well England outplayed Australia, and have taken a very crucial lead in this Test series.
BATSMEN: Nathan Lyon 0 (5)
OUT! Mitchell Johnson c Adam Lyth b Joe Root 72 (87)
OUT! Josh Hazlewood c Joe Root b Moeen Ali 14 (17)
Live cricket score Australia: 223/8 | Overs 66: Mitch Johnson going great guns, but his partner Mitch Starc is out now! Joe Root edged to Alastiar Cook at gully, but he dropped it; the ball popped up in the air and Adam Lyth took the catch!
BATSMEN: Mitchell Johnson 72 (87)
OUT! Mitchell Starc 17 (38) b Root c Lyth
Live cricket score Australia: 203/7 | Overs 62: There it is! A superb knock from Mitchell Johnson as he gets to his half-century, No. 11 in Test cricket. Johnson gets to the landmark with a four off Broad. The Mitchells are now frustrating England, they have added 52 runs so far, and have taken Australia past 200.
BATSMEN: Mitchell Starc 17 (32), Mitchell Johnson 53 (71)
Live cricket score Australia: 186/7 | Overs 58: Among the one or two takeaways for Australia will be the way Johnson has batted in this innings. He has middled the ball well, found gaps easily, and has done absolutely nothing to throw his wicket away. Starc has provided a steady support. An edge did went between the slips off Wood for four in the 59th over.
BATSMEN: Mitchell Starc 15 (27), Mitchell Johnson 38 (58)
Live cricket score Australia: 151/7 | Overs 52: Australia start off with a boundary as Johnson gets one pat Root in the slips to reduce the margin of runs that they will eventually. Another four in the over, Johnson pushes one down the wicket nicely. Nice little inning for Mitch to get some confidence.
BATSMEN: Mitchell Starc 4 (8), Mitchell Johnson 26 (46)
Surely, no Australia would have seen this coming. An excellent build-up to the Ashes but a huge defeat on the cards in the opening Test. Full marks to England, their main bowlers Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali and their captain Alastair Cook for sealing this Test in just one session today.
Live cricket score Australia: 151/7 | Overs 51: A session that resulted in England making a very strong statement in this Ashes: Whatever happened last time around, may not necessarily have an impact now. Australia have collapsed dramatically and they are staring at huge defeat in this opening Test. We will be back in about 20 minutes.
BATSMEN: Mitchell Starc 4 (8), Mitchell Johnson 26 (46)
Live cricket score Australia: 151/7 | Overs 51: Shane Watson has been dismissed, out leg-before for the 29th time in his Test career. Yet another start for yet another Australian batsman but wasted. Wood bowls in angling into the batsman, the front foot comes forward and Watson looks to flick. The ball misses the bat, hits the pads in front of middle stump. ‘F**k’, cries Watson while he wastes a review. It was hitting on the leg stump. Mitchell Starc walks out.
BATSMEN: Mitchell Starc 0 (1), Mitchell Johnson 19 (35)
OUT! Shane Watson lbw Mark Wood 19 (58)
LBW … Leg before Watson…. #Ashes2015
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 11, 2015
Live cricket score Australia: 151/6 | Overs 50: Somehow Australia have managed not to gift wickets, like they have done so far in this innings. Johnson and Watson have kept England at bay, and have brought up Australia’s 150 in this innings. About 20 minutes are left for the tea break, it has been England all the way in the second session. Australia need 261 more to win, which seems impossible.
BATSMEN: Shane Watson 19 (53), Mitchell Johnson 19 (35)
Live cricket score Australia: 130/6 | Overs 44: Mitchell Johnson has joined Shane Watson in the middle. England four wicket away from a deserving win here at Cardiff. Australia were not expected to be so lame and without fight. Moeen in operation. No turn, just keeping it at the wickets. Johnson and Watson have survived for so long.
BATSMEN: Shane Watson 10 (37), Mitchell Johnson 7 (15)
Live cricket score Australia: 122/6 | Overs 38.1: Brad Haddin has gone, and it is not surprising to see him playing a stroke when it was not needed. However, it was Cook’s brilliance that ended his painful stay. Haddin goes for a heave on the leg side, but Cook at short midwicket gets his hands on the ball that was flying above him. The England captain dives, takes the catch in the second attempt. Australia have collapsed in a spectacular manner.
BATSMEN: Shane Watson 9 (17),
And this is how Alastair Cook ended Brad Haddin’s painful stay at the crease:
WATCH: Seriously great catch from Cook to get rid of Haddin https://t.co/CSvT9KvOZ9 #ridicucatch
— Jack Mendel (@JackMendel4) July 11, 2015
Live cricket score Australia: 122/6 | Overs 38.1: Brad Haddin has gone, and it is not surprising to see him playing a stroke when it was not needed. However, it was Cook’s brilliance that ended his painful stay. Haddin goes for a heave on the leg side, but Cook at short midwicket gets his hands on the ball that was flying above him. The England captain dives, takes the catch in the second attempt. Australia have collapsed in a spectacular manner.
BATSMEN: Shane Watson 9 (17),
OUT! Brad Haddin c Alastair Cook b Moeen Ali 7 (20)
Hadds out slogging Ali 1st ball of a new spell Barmy Army singing “Living on a Prayer” This Test has gone horribly wrong for Aussies
— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) July 11, 2015
Live cricket score Australia: 116/5| Overs 36: Brad Haddin at crease is looking no different from a fish out of water. Haddin is looking far off from the brash character that likes to take the attack to the opposition. Couple of inside edges and poor strokes. The ones outside off are diligently being left alone, though. Oh dear, England are strolling to win without any hard work, it is all due to poor cricket from Australia. Surprisingly, in the first Test of this Ashes series. I expect another wicket anytime soon — none among Haddin or Watson warrant any confidence of spending time at the crease. For those interested, Australia need 296 to win. England, five good balls.
BATSMEN: Shane Watson 5 (11), Brad Haddin 5 (13)
Live cricket score Australia: 106/5| Overs 32.2: This is shambolic from Australia! Adam Voges edges one to the wicketkeeper and half of this Australian team is back in the hut without England even breaking a sweat. Nothing special about this ball, just another usual delivery outside off. Voges for some reason gets his bat ahead half-heartedly, and pays a huge price. Big defeat on the cards, in comes another out of form man, Brad Haddin.
BATSMEN: Shane Watson 0 (2)
OUT! Adam Voges c Jos Buttler b Mark Wood 1 (16)
Live cricket score Australia: 102/4 | Overs 31.4: Another one bites the dust and this time Michael Clarke has given a dolly to Ben Stokes at point! Australia in deep trouble, England are all over them. Stuart Broad has taken two crucial wickets! This kind of stroke is ‘unacceptable’, and no one better than Clarke would know it. Leaning forward, no control over the stroke and hit in the air. Poor, very poor from Australia in the first Test itself.
BATSMEN: Adam Voges 1 (14)
OUT! Michael Clarke c Ben Stokes b Stuart Broad 4 (13)
Live cricket score Australia: 102/3| Overs 31: Adam Voges has joined Michael Clarke in the middle and it is time for him to prove his selection right. Australia are in a dangerous position, the only way they can get back in this contest is by scoring runs. Test of character indeed!
BATSMEN: Michael Clarke 0 (9), Adam Voges 1 (14)
Live cricket score Australia: 101/3| Overs 27.4: MASSIVE BLOW to Australia! Poor from Steven Smith as he pushes forward with hard hands, and an outside edge flies straight to Ian Bell on the second slip. This is a huge wicket, Australia are on backfoot! England are right back on top with these two wickets. Adam Voges walks in.
BATSMEN: Michael Clarke 0 (3)
OUT! Steven Smith c Ian Bell b Stuart Broad 33 (49)
Live cricket score Australia: 97/2 | Overs 27: Michael Clarke has looked to attack Moeen on the first two balls after the session and the third ball is defended. Moeen completes the unfinished over.
BATSMEN: Steven Smith 29 (45), Michael Clarke 0 (3)
Play is about to resume.
Australia have batted reasonably well in this session but the loss of David Warner at the stroke of lunch would pinch them. The left-handed batsman has started to look good and had scored a well made half-century. It is not up to Smith and the rest of the men to hold the fort, Warner has contributed well. They have eight wickets in hand and 315 runs more left to score. It is indeed possible, someone will have to chip in with a “Daddy Hundred” and others around him will have to contribute. For England, the key will be to keep picking wickets and not allow any of the Aussie batsmen to settle in for the big innings. The wicket has not done much to their cause. Stay tuned, we will be back in about 40 minutes.
Live cricket score Australia: 97/2 | Overs 26.3: David Warner is OUT! Moeen Ali has struck for England at the stroke of lunch as the Australian opener has fallen after scoring a fine half-century! Warner moves back to defend a delivery pitched in line of middle and leg but misses to connect. The ball hits him right in front of the leg stump, Warner discusses with Smith and walks back. Good decision not to take the review, as it would have been wasted. It’s time for lunch.
BATSMEN: Steven Smith 29 (45)
OUT! David Warner lbw Moeen Ali 52 (86)
Live cricket score Australia: 93/1 | Overs 25: David Warner and Steven Smith have added 74 runs so far. England bowling is looking a little ordinary at the moment with Jimmy Anderson bending his back and Joe Root attacking from round the wicket on middle and leg. Australia must carry on in the same passion. Lunch break is just a few minutes away.
BATSMEN: David Warner 52 (83), Steven Smith 25 (39)
Live cricket score Australia: 87/1 | Overs 22: David Warner has scored an excellent half-century! He has done really well to weather the storm early on. Smith is looking set at the other end as well.
BATSMEN: David Warner 50 (72), Steven Smith 22 (32)
Live cricket score Australia: 79/1 | Overs 20: Mark Wood and Ben Stokes have not been able to create chances here. These two batsmen are getting the odd boundary almost every over. Both men doing really well.
BATSMEN: David Warner 42 (60), Steven Smith 22 (32)
Live cricket score Australia: 65/1 | Overs 16: Australia have batted really well here. There isn’t much England have been able to do in order to stop them. After a poor start Warner has just plouhged through. Smith looking good as well.
BATSMEN: David Warner 32 (48), Steven Smith 18 (20)
Live cricket score Australia: 53/1 | Overs 13: Warner is finally coming out of his shell. He has opened up against Moeen Ali quite nicely, hits a four and a six! Meanwhile Smith is doing well. Moeen has gone for 22 off two overs!
BATSMEN: David Warner 27 (43), Steven Smith 11 (7)
Live cricket score Australia: 23/1 | Overs 10: FIRST BLOOD! Broad gets Rogers to steer it right into the hands of Ian Bell at slip! Steven Smith gets off the mark with four to third man, not quite off the middle.
BATSMEN: David Warner 8 (30), Steven Smith 4 (2)
OUT! Chris Rogers 10 (28) c Ian Bell b Stuart Broad
Live cricket score Australia: 10/0 | Overs 6: Australia have started slowly. Warner especially is not looking particularly fluent. Rogers has been going at his usual pace. Anderson and Broad have been good.
BATSMEN: Chris Rogers 9 (17), David Warner 1 (19)
Live cricket score Australia: 6/0 | Overs 3: Stuart Broad starts off with a maiden over to David Warner, while James Anderson gets Rogers to edge to Joe Root at slip. Fortunately for Australia Root makes a mess of it, and Rogers survives.
BATSMEN: Chris Rogers 5 (11), David Warner 1 (7)
Live cricket score Australia: 4/0 | Overs 1: James Anderson starts things off on Day 4! Buck Rogers takes strike. Dot ball to start with. Oh nicely bowled, that one rapped him on the gloves. And four off the final ball!
BATSMEN: Chris Rogers 4 (6), David Warner 0 (0)
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog of the fourth day’s play in the opening Test of The Ashes 2015 between England and Australia at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Saturday. This is Devarchit Varma, and I will be bringing you the live cricket scores and updates of the match.
England were bowled out for 289 in their second innings, after taking a huge lead of 122 runs in the first. England have set an improbable target of 412 runs for Australia to win, and we are in for a result for sure in this Test given the fact that the pitch has started to break down a little and ample of time being left in the game. READ: Ashes 2015, Cardiff: Tale of Two Tails
Joe Root, Ian Bell and Ben Stokes’ innings helped England take their overall lead past 400, but not to forget a crucial innings down the order by Mark Wood, who remained unbeaten on a quickfire 32 off 18 balls. READ: Australia paying price for being slack against England
Australia will have to bat really well in order to save this Test, as England have given themselves enough time to take 10 wickets. The pitch still remains good for batting, but wickets have tumbled at regular intervals and this is something which Australia will have to be wary about.
