ADELAIDE, Dec. 7: England crushed Australia by an innings and 71 runs after a spectacular collapse of wickets early on the final day in the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
The tourists ran through the Australians after snaring the important wicket of Mike Hussey with spinner Graeme Swann finishing with 5/91.
It was England’s first Test victory in Adelaide since 1995 and their first innings triumph in Australia since Mike Gatting’s team won in Melbourne on the way to winning the Ashes almost 24 years ago. Australia now must win two of the remaining three Tests to overhaul England and win back the Ashes they lost last year, while England are in line to win an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 1986-87.
“We never gave them a look in the game, and we’re very pleased about what we’ve done, especially on the back of the last couple of days at Brisbane (drawn first Test),” captain Andrew Strauss said. England thoroughly deserved their comprehensive victory after skittling Australia for 245 on Friday’s first day and replying with a massive 620/5 declared, to hold a 375-run innings lead.
It also helped salve the bitter memories of England’s collapse to lose the corresponding Adelaide Test by six wickets four years after amassing 551/6 declared batting first.
“We need to enjoy this and savour it, because it was a special victory for us, in some ways it exorcised some of the demons from four years ago here,” Strauss said. Australia are contemplating changes for the third Test and will be without Simon Katich, who is likely to be out for the rest of the series with a torn Achilles tendon.
Scoreboard
Australia 1st innings 245
England 1st innings:
620/5 decl.
Australia 2nd innings: S. Watson c Strauss b Finn 57, S. Katich c Prior b Swann 43, R. Ponting c Collingwood b Swann 9, M. Clarke c Cook b Pietersen 80, M. Hussey c Anderson b Finn 52, M. North lbw b Swann 22, B. Haddin c Prior b Anderson 12, R. Harris lbw b Anderson 0, X. Doherty b Swann 5, P. Siddle b Swann 6, D. Bollinger not out 7.
Extras (b-5, lb-1, w-5) 11
Total (all out, 99.1 overs) 304
Fall of wickets: 1-84, 2-98, 3-134, 4-238, 5-261, 6-286, 7-286, 8-286, 9-295, 10-304.
Bowling: Anderson 22-4-92-2, Broad 11-3-32-0, Swann 41.1-12-91-5, Finn 18-2-60-2, Collingwood 4-0-13-0, Pietersen 3-0-10-1.