England v Australian Headingley 4th Test match

16,17,18,19,20 August 2001 (5-day match) - England won by 6 wickets

Umpires : DR Shepherd and S Venkataraghavan (Ind)

Match Reports : Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5

Toss: Australia (elected to bat) Man of the match - Mark Butcher

First Day Report

After heavy overnight rain, and again this morning, the 4th Test match at Headingley was delayed by 3 hours as the grounds men did their best to clear the surface rain off the covers and outfield.

Play did start at 2:15 BST and Adam Gilchrist captaining the side for the second time, had opted to bat after correctly calling 'Bradman' on the coin toss held earlier. The only change in the team was the expected introduction to Test cricket for Simon Katich, in place of the injured Steve Waugh.

Slater and Hayden opened the batting as usual and both looked fairly comfortable in the first couple of overs, but dropped chances firstly by Trescothick and then an easier one by Mullally (Slater at the time was on 11) certainly didn't help their mood.

It wasn't long before Caddick got his revenge when he had Slater trapped leg before for 21, although the Australian could consider himself unfortunate for the ball was clearly going to miss his off stump, Vengkat gave the decision.

England didn't have long to wait for the next wicket to fall when three runs later, Hayden fell leg before to the Somerset pace man for a disappointing 15. Hayden didn't see Vengkat raise his finger because he had fallen over from the quick delivery and was facing Alec Stewart behind the wicket, when he turned around he saw the signal and walked back to the dressing room.

Ponting and Waugh helped settle things for the visitors, the former setting out to attack some loose tired bowling and in the process hit four boundaries and 1 six, the maximum coming off Mullally's 7th over.

Waugh on the other hand had started with a little more circumspect, but was still at the crease at tea, Australia reaching 86 without further loss, Ponting reaching his highest score of the series with 32 not out off 48 deliveries.

After a late tea, both Australians continued to take the game away from England and stretched their partnership past the hundred mark and then past the hundred and fifty. Neither looked in any trouble in fairness, apart from the odd delivery when the English bowler bowled what appeared to be a form of Bodyline at the right hander. Caddick and Gough bombarded Waugh with short deliveries, who earlier in the series came out and said publicly that he will not play hook or pull shots anymore. Caddick hit Waugh in the head and the break in play while Waugh called for a new helmet, prompted early drinks.

Ponting reached his century shortly after six o clock on day one, and immediately saluted his team mates who were waiting to applaud his efforts on the balcony. It was as if he had been released, for he immediately set about taking Andy caddick apart, hitting him for three consecutive fours in one over.

It really was hard going for the English attack today, limited to their four pace bowlers, Hussain called on Butcher, who lasted one over only and in desperation, Ramprakash. By this point, Waugh had slowly moved along to reach his 43rd half century, playing a confident supporting role to an on fire Ricky Ponting. Ponting, allowed to bat himself back into form against Sussex last week, seemed to have no problem is seeing off anything Hussain threw at him.

Tudor broke the partnership, late in the day when he had Ponting caught behind for his highest Test score of 144 against England and the total on 263. Pointing in his cavalier role had hit 3 sixes and 20 fours in his innings, and put on 221 for the 3rd wicket, nine runs short of the Australian record set by Bradman and Kippax in 1930.

The final wicket of the day fell three balls short of the natural close when Caddick got a ball to rise sharply and caught the edge of Mark Waugh's splice and the ball popped up for Mark Ramprakash to claim a simple catch. Play closed with Australia well in control of the game despite the last two wickets falling so close to the end. Leading by 288 with 6 first innings wickets standing, Australia
will look to push home their advantage in the first two sessions tomorrow.

The ball has started to turn and act inconsistently, something I'm sure the Australian bowlers have noticed with delight, especially Shane Warne.