rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Sports » England break 75-year Lord's jinx

England break 75-year Lord's jinx

Last updated on: July 20, 2009 

Image: Andrew Flintoff
Photographs: Reuters

Andrew Flintoff celebrated his final Test at Lord's on Monday with five for 92 to give the home side their first victory over Australia at the home of cricket for 75 years.

Australia, who had resumed at 313 for five in their second innings chasing 522 for victory, were bowled out for 406.

England won by 115 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Flintoff will retire from Test cricket after the fifth Test at the Oval next month.

Clarke impressed with the bat

Image: Michael Clarke
Photographs: Reuters

Michael Clarke, 125 not out overnight, added just 11 more runs to his tally before being cleaned up by Graeme Swann.

Clarke, for whom it was a first Test century in England, put on 185 runs for the sixth wicket with Brad Haddin (80) to reignite the Aussie hopes.

However, Clarke, who made 91 in the 2005 Lord's Test, was out at a crucial juncture and with his dismissal the last Australian hope went up in smoke. 

Freddie's revenge

Image: Andrew Flintoff
Photographs: Reuters

Flintoff bowled magnificently for the second day in a row, rapping Brad Haddin on the pads with his third ball which beat the Australian wicketkeeper for pace.

The next drew Haddin forward, caught the outside edge and flew low to Paul Collingwood at second slip. He had not added to his overnight score of 80.

Flintoff, still steaming in from the Pavilion end after more than an hour of high-pace bowling, bowled Nathan Hauritz for one and Peter Siddle for seven.

Earlier on Sunday, Flintoff had charged in from the Pavilion end with pace and hostility and dismissed both Australian openers in his first 20 balls.

It was a sweet revenge for Flintoff, who had been the captain when England got thrashed 5-0 Down Under in 2007.

Swann Lake - A revised English version

Image: Graeme Swann
Photographs: Reuters

Graeme Swann also did a good job for England.

The spinner, who did not take a wicket in the drawn first Test in Cardiff and bowled only one over in Australia's first innings, dismissed left-handers Michael Hussey (27) and Marcus North (6) on Sunday and came back to take the wickets of Michael Clarke (136) and Mitchell Johnson (63) on the final day.

He finished with impressive figures of four for 87.

Johnson impressed with the bat

Image: Mitchell Johnson
Photographs: Reuters

Mitchell Johnson, who had a forgettable outing with the ball, helped the Australian cause with the bat, delaying the eventuality.

Johnson got off the mark with a handsome drive for four off Anderson. He was then struck on the pads by a low full toss from Flintoff which would have hit the stumps but umpire Rudi Koertzen had already signalled a no-ball.

Johnson, dropped on 36 hitting a difficult return chance to Swann, continued to play his shots while wickets fell at the other end.

He was the last man out, bowled by Swann for 63 with nine boundaries.

'We were outplayed right through'

Image: Andrew Flintoff
Photographs: Reuters

England's only Test victory of the 20th century against Australia at Lord's came in 1934 when Yorkshire left-arm spinner Hedley Verity took 15 wickets on a rain-affected pitch, dismissing Don Bradman twice.

"To win an Ashes Test match at Lord's is something that many guys have dreamt of doing over the last 50, 60 years or so and to be the 11 guys who have actually pulled it off, it feels very, very special at the moment," England captain Andrew Strauss said.

"I just want to give a special mention to Andrew Flintoff, who was magnificent this morning," he added.

"We are not going to get carried away, there's a lot more cricket to be played in this series but to go 1-0 up and, I think, deserve a victory, makes it even better."

We were outplayed right through the course of the game," Australia captain Ricky Ponting told Sky TV. "I think from the first ball on the first day, right up until the end today, I think England have been the better team."

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.