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From zeroes to heroes, Aussies thrash the Poms

Mitchell Johnson: one of the highlights of the last three years. (AFP, Ian Kington)
Expert
20th July, 2015
16

What a turnaround for Australia in Ashes 2015. Beaten by 169 runs in the first Test at Cardiff with a day in hand, Michael Clarke’s Aussies took revenge by pulverising Alastair Cook’s Englishmen by 405 runs at Lord’s with more than a day to spare.

This is their third biggest victory in an Ashes Test and ninth biggest win for any team in Test annals.

In reality, the margin of victory at Lord’s was 405 runs and 10 wickets as Australia had declared the first innings at 8 for 566 and in the second innings at 2 for 254. Thus Australia lost only 10 wickets compared to 20 by England.

So what happened in the 10 days when Australia went from zeroes in Cardiff to heroes at Lord’s?

Australia’s Steven Smith and Mitchell Johnson failed at Cardiff and came good with a bang at Lord’s. England’s Joe Root saved his side in both innings at Cardiff but failed miserably at Lord’s.

At Cardiff Smith scored 33 and 33 while Johnson was a flop with figures of 0 for 111 and 2 for 69.

At Lord’s Smith was at his sublime best scoring 215 (adding 284 runs with Chris Rogers, 173, for the second wicket) and 58. In all Smith amassed 273 runs in one Test.

Also Johnson had impressive figures of 3 for 53 and 3 for 27 at Lord’s.

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It was the other way around for England’s Root. He was at his best scoring 134 and 60 at Cardiff, rescuing his team in both innings when they were struggling at 3 for 43 and 3 for 73.

But Root failed at Lord’s being dismissed for 1 and 17.

Perhaps Roar readers might think this to be an oversimplification and I would like to have their views.

Two Australians are leaders in statistics after the first two Tests. Rogers is the only one to average over 100 (109.00) in this series. Also, fast bowler Mitchell Starc is the only one to take five wickets in a Test innings, 5 for 114 at Cardiff.

Here are some curiosities of the Ashes series so far:

• Both Tests ended in four days.

• England lost their first three wickets cheaply in all four innings; 3 for 43 and 3 for 73 at Cardiff and 3 for 29 and 3 for 42 at Lord’s.

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• Both Stuart Broad from England and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood have taken 9 for 224 in this series at an identical average of 24.88.

• Johnson needs only one run to become the third Australian after Richie Benaud (2201 runs and 248 wickets in 63 Tests) and Shane Warne (3154 runs and 708 wickets in 145 Tests) to score 2000 runs and take 200 wickets in Test cricket.

• So far Johnson has made 1999 runs and taken 299 wickets in 68 Tests. In all 11 players have reached the rare double of 2000 runs and 300 wickets.

• His opposite number Stuart Broad (2353 runs and 296 wickets in 81 Tests) is also close to this ‘2000 runs, 300 wickets’ double, needing only four wickets in the next Test starting at Birmingham on July 29.

I can’t wait for the Birmingham Test, can you?

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