First Ashes Test – Cardiff – Final Day Roundup

Well who would have thought it? On the final day of this, the first test at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff – the England cricket fans were putting their faith in a miracle intervention from the rain to delay the proceedings for their team. Instead they were treated to a different kind of miracle served up by two unlikely heroes in guise of Monty Panesar and James Anderson.

The day began particularly well for the Aussies when Ben Hilfenhaus bowling from the River End of the ground , took Kevin Pieterson’s off stump in the fourth over of the day. An early and important scalp for them.

Hauritz taking over duties from Hilfenhaus, immediately put the pressure on the England captain Andrew Strauss and his partner Collingwood by placing four fielders in a close formation around the bat. Strauss gave a strong answer with a square-cut to bring up the first boundary of the day, however his resistance was short lived as he was out off the next ball caught behind by Brad Haddin for 17.

The England surrender continued when Hauritz was gifted a second wicket, taking Matt Prior (14). The wicket keeper made the school boy error of trying to cut to an off-spinner without judging correctly the turn of the ball.

A slight revival to the England innings was then initiated to the relief of the home crowd when Andrew Flintoff (26) joined Collingwood at the crease to add 57 in a fighting sixth-wicket partnership stand.Flintoff thumped a drive to the cover boundary followed by a clip for four to long-on. He then went out edging Mitchell Johnson to second slip to be caught by Ponting , the Australian captain.

Collingwood, playing a very careful innings, reached 50 from 167 balls but when he lost Stuart Broad lbw for 17 to Hauritz, was beginning to run out of partners. After the interval, Graeme Swann rallied to the England cause, playing a fantastic drive to the extra-cover boundary off Hilfenhaus. He scored 31 from in 81 minutes and managed to hold his end up quite credibly when he was out lbw playing a full delivery to Hilfenhause.

Collingwood battled on, but when he was caught off Siddle at gully by Michael Hussey, victory for the Australians seemed assured and England seemed doomed. Dismissed for 74 after five hours 43 minutes of stubborn resistance, Colingwood left England still needing six runs to make Australia bat again and a minimum 11.3 overs remaining.

Ricky Ponting then decided to make off-spinners Nathan Hauritz and Marcus North responsible for removing England’s tail enders in the final overs of the match. Taking pace bowler Peter Siddle out of the attack was a decision he would come to regret

James Anderson (21 not out) and Monty Panesar (seven not out) became acclaimed England heroes. They both played with a resolutely straight bat. Panesar defied Hauritz to survive the last over to the tumultuous applause of the 16,000 capacity crowd at Cardiff. This heroic unbeaten last stand is as memorable in its way as any batting innings over the last five days. Anderson, who batted on for 72 minutes, and Panesar, who resisted for 40, ensure that England haven achieved an unlikely draw go into the second Test at Lord’s starting on Thursday with honours even and this correspondent for one can’t wait.