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

Second Day Report

Australia took the game out of reach for England with a succession of cover drives, pulls and quick singles, and at lunch on the second day, Australia were 6 for 408, Martyn still there on 97 not out.

With a mixture of aggressive and attractive shots, Martyn and Katich first, and later Gilchrist took advantage of yet more loose English bowling. Caddick has not looked at all comfortable out in the middle apart from the odd good delivery and Darren Gough has not looked like a world class bowler he should be all series, let alone in this match. On a wicket that offers so much for the bowling attack, Hussain will be disappointed with their line and length and lack of apparent effort.

Katich, Australia's 384th Test player took just 10 balls to get off the mark with a sublime cover drive off a tempting half volley. He looked comfortable for his well crafted 15 off 42 balls until he left an in swinging ball from Darren Gough, and could only watch in disgust as the ball clipped middle stump. Gough returning with the new ball after Tudor was given first crack and was sprayed to all parts of the ground, looked a different player for his first few overs and should have been given the new ball from the off.

Meanwhile at the other end, Martyn continued his rich form and slowly but surely moved ever closer to what would be his second hundred of the series. Gilchrist came in and played a short cameo innings, playing as Gillie does. He immediately set about attacking and although he was only in for a short while, he along with Martyn, pushed the score to 396 and 6 wickets down, a partnership of 41 in only 38 balls.

Gough claimed his second wicket of the innings when Gilchrist on 19 played a loose shot and Marcus Trescothick took a low diving catch to dismiss the new captain. Warne and Martyn saw out the remaining 3 overs, Australia going in to lunch with a healthy first innings total, 6 for 408.

England wrapped up the last 5 Australian wickets for only 51 runs in the afternoon session, Darren Gough taking 5 of the 6 wickets to fall today. It was the 9th time Gough had taken 5 wickets in an innings in Test cricket.

Martyn reached his century, his second of his career (and second against England) shortly after lunch and apart from a few glorious shots, the Australian's had little shout home about in the second session. The bowling was a little tighter towards the end, but the visitors still managed to score at a quick pace.

Warne went without scoring, trying to hook a short ball from Gough, Alec Stewart taking a great catch running back behind him, making it look a lot easier than it was. The wicket brought out Brett Lee, a player that has seen a reversal of form with the bat lately and was looking forward to spending more time out in the middle. However it wasn't to be as Mullally grabbed his first (Lee 0) and only wicket of the innings, Ramprakash claiming the catch at Gully, his second of the innings.

When Gillespie fell for 5 after a 16 run partnership with Martyn, McGrath came in and hit Mullally for two boundaries in one over, two well controlled shots from the number 11 including one straight back past the bowler along the ground. With this, Martyn attempted to hit out at Gough in the very next over, but was unlucky to catch an edge and Stewart caught the ball after Atherton had parried the ball at first slip.

Trescothick and Atherton came out and played positively, although the former was fortunate to be given a reprieve by the third umpire after Mark Waugh had claimed a catch at second slip, McGrath the bowler.

The England batsmen took advantage and rode their luck in the final hour of the afternoon session, both lucky with the bounce after leading edges. Trescothick was the more attacking of the two and was rewarded for his positive outlook, hitting two early boundaries on his way to 27 not out. Atherton had started the slower of the two but by tea had hit four boundaries on his way to 22. At tea, England needing 248 runs to avoid the follow on look very comfortable at 50 without loss.

Apart from the two wickets that fell in the last session of the day, the session was uneventful, apart from a member of the crowd walking onto the pitch, dressed as an England batsman!

McGrath struck with the 4th ball after tea, when he had Atherton caught behind off a pearl of a delivery and then 17 runs later Trescothick played a loose cut, only succeeding in nicking the ball once again to Gilchrist, McGrath the bowler taking his second wicket.

England fought back superbly in the last hour and a half, Hussain's lack of form certainly wasn't evident as he and Butcher brought England right back into contention with an unbroken partnership of 88. Bad light stopped play two overs early, just as Katich finished his warm up after Gilchrist reverted to spin to keep the English batsmen out in the gloom of Headingley.

Unfortunately for Gilchrist, the fourth light on the scoreboard lit up and the umpires met in the middle to re evaluate the conditions. Hussain who had made his way to 45 and Butcher 47, were anxious for the light to be offered to them. They didn't have long to wait and the English captain strode off the ground purposely, in a confident position, wicket intact to fight on day 3.

England trail by 292 runs with 8 wickets remaining in the first innings.