Marcus North’s second century in three Tests left Australia in charge of their Ashes series opener against England yesterday.
Australia, at lunch on the fourth day at Sophia Gardens, were 577 for five in reply to England’s first innings 435, a lead of 142.
North was 101 not out and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, also playing his first Test against England, 50 not out.
PHOTO: AFP
North’s century meant he had become the 15th Australia player to make a century on his Test debut against England and the first since Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist both achieved the feat at Edgbaston in 2001.
North’s stand of 103 with Haddin had all but ended any hopes England had of winning the match as the home side endured a wicketless session.
North’s two off James Anderson took the left-hander to a century in 206 balls with 12 fours.
Significantly, it was also Australia’s third century of the innings — England hadn’t managed one — and there was still time before lunch for Haddin to complete a 90-ball half-century against a rarely threatening England attack.
Australia resumed on 479 for five, a lead of 44 after centuries from captain Ricky Ponting (150) and opener Simon Katich (122).
Michael Clarke had fallen short with 83 before being dismissed just before stumps on Friday.
North, who has played for five English counties, was 54 not and Haddin 4 not out after bad light cut short Friday’s play.
Haddin set the tone yesterday by cover-driving Broad for four. Anderson too struggled to impose himself and North’s pulled four off the Lancashire seamer took Australia past the 500 mark.
All the while, Anderson and Broad were failing to break through, the clamor for Stephen Harmison to be recalled grew.
Harmison, England’s fastest bowler, had been dropped in the Caribbean earlier this year, but did take six wickets for the England Lions last week.
Even when Andrew Flintoff came on, to the delight of the crowd, the all-rounder was elegantly driven down the ground for four by Haddin.
England spinners Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann did cause a few problems, but neither they nor the new ball could separate Australia’s sixth-wicket duo.
Also See: Tail-enders boost Bangladesh
BOUNCE BACK: Curry scored 46 points in the Warriors’ victory over the Spurs, after ‘everybody stepped up’ following Tuesday’s blowout loss to Oklahoma City Nikola Jokic scoring 50 or more points had never been enough for the Denver Nuggets to win — until now. Jokic on Wednesday night tied the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season with 55 points, as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-116 for their sixth straight victory. The Nuggets were 0-4 in his previous 50-point outbursts. “It’s a good feeling,” the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player said. He equaled Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 55 in a double-overtime game at the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 23. Jokic has been on a roll during Denver’s winning streak. He is the
TIGHT GAME: The Detroit Pistons, the NBA’s second-best team, barely outlasted the Washington Wizards, who fell to an NBA-worst 1-10 with their ninth consecutive loss Cade Cunningham’s triple double, Daniss Jenkins’ three-pointer at the buzzer and Javonte Green’s overtime dunk lifted Detroit past Washington 137-135 on Monday, stretching the Pistons’ win streak to seven games. In an unexpected thriller, the NBA’s second-best team barely outlasted a Wizards club that fell to an NBA-worst 1-10 with their ninth consecutive loss. “We knew how big this game was for us,” Jenkins said. “We wasn’t going to let nothing stop us from getting this W.” Cunningham made 14-of-45 shots and 16-of-18 free throws for a career-high 46 points, and added 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and two
The tri-nation Twenty20 international series featuring hosts Pakistan, as well as Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, is to be played entirely in Rawalpindi from Tuesday next week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said yesterday, after this week’s suicide bombing in the capital, Islamabad. The change came after at least eight Sri Lankan players asked to leave over security fears following Tuesday’s bombing that killed 12 people and wounded 27. Their country’s cricket board issued a stern directive to the team to stay put or face consequences. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the decision to stay was taken after “close consultations” with hosts Pakistan who
Australian restaurant chain Grill’d has made a cheeky apology for putting a “curse” on Oscar Piastri’s Formula One title hopes with their offer of a free burger for every time the McLaren driver gets on the podium. The Melbourne native has not finished in the top three since the promotion relaunched five races ago, losing the championship lead to teammate Lando Norris and now 24 points behind. Online conspiracy theorists have been quick to put two and two together. The chain’s Piastri 81 Burger debuted ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in March, with his endorsement, and was relaunched in September after he
RSS