Oval Test will decide Ashes series

The Ashes Test cricket series between Australia and England is all square with the Aussies winning the Fourth Test by an innings and 80 runs with more than two days to spare and leaving the final Test at the Kennington Oval to decide whether Australia would retain the Ashes or England win it.

When England won the toss and decided to bat it looked as though they would dominate and that the Australians would be hard pressed to win this game and stay alive to retain the all-important Ashes which is what Test cricket is all about. But what happened when England took strike and were dismissed just after lunch on the first day for 102 set the stage for the Aussies to strangle the home team and chalk up a victory that they never bargained for.

That the Aussies were the better team and played the better and positive cricket there was no doubt. They went in with a pace attack, leaving out off spinner Nathan Hauritz. The dropping of the spinner came in for a bit of criticism. But skipper Ricky Ponting believed that he had the right combination and was bent on attack from the first ball and when victory came just after lunch when Mitchell Johnson bowled Graham Onions, the victory was sweet in coming.

The two teams will now move on to the Oval and it will be a do or die battle with the team able to hold their nerve and ride the pressure holding aloft the Ashes Urn.

England without Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff look an ordinary side. These two players are their backbone. Without them England seem lost and the England camp will be fighting hard to get Flintoff back into the Oval Test beginning ten days from now.

As for the Aussies who have been taken to task by the English supporters, especially skipper Ponting with incessant booing, rode all that to play cricket that they are renowned for and when the final Test comes around would be no easy beats.

Left hander Marcus North who has been enjoying a good series notched up another century and won the man of the match award. Vice captain Michael Clarke too had a good game and was unfortunate to miss yet another three figure score.

It was nice to see left arm paceman Mitchell Johnson hitting hard at his critics who were baying for his dropping. The Aussie and England media rubbished him for lack of trying and wanted him out of the team. But skipper Ponting did not get rattled, but kept faith in the youngster and did he not deliver and cock a snook at his detractors.

On the third morning when England resumed at 82 for 5 and looking down the barrel, Stuart Broad who had figures of 6 for 91 and Graham Swann provided great entertainment to the full house by indulging in a slog fest, putting on a century stand for the seventh wicket with both batsmen scoring half centuries and giving their more accomplished top order batsmen a lesson in batsmanship.

Neutral TV Commentators

With Test cricket having neutral umpires, it would not be a bad idea if TV sponsors of Test cricket also go in with neutral Test TV Commentators.

When we say this we are not trying to belittle or cast aspersions on the present set of TV Test commentators. But if neutral TV commentators are given a go, the accusations of home commentators being biased would not arise.

Generally home team commentators are bound to be biased and keep cawing about their players and singing their praises, not giving or saying much about their opponents. The neutral commentators with no sides to take or support, would be talking straight and doing so without any fear so that they would also not be stepping on the cons of their Cricket Boards.

The on going Ashes Test Cricket series between Australia and England is being keenly contested with no quarter asked or given because Australia has pride to protect and England prestige. But at times it is sad to listen to the England commentators who have the penchant to be supportive of their side.

The Ashes contest between Australia and England is what Test cricket is all about. This traditional contest is followed with.tremendous interest by cricket fans all over the globe. So when everyone expects the best cricket to be played in the centre, and the Australian and England cricketers are doing just that, it is not cricket to listen to biased commentating.

So we hope that the sponsors of Test cricket will give this idea a thought and work out the modalities and go with neutral Test cricket commentators, like the International Cricket Council going in with neutral umpires.

Shane Warne tops

The former ‘sheik of tweak’ Shane Warne is doing a wonderful job behind the mike in the on going Ashes series between Australia and England now in progress in England.

He has had not much experience in this new field. But has accustomed himself well and his comments, which are unbiased are always interesting to listen because it is to the point. With his well thought out descriptions of what is happening out in the middle and clever reading of the game, his predictions have more often than not proved right.

Warne has also a melodious and an easy to listen voice and he has pit to second best experienced commentators of the calibre of David Lloyd, David Gower, Ian Botham, Michael Atherton and Michael Holding.

STAR TV have in Warne chosen right and he is sure to have a great career as a commentator, like he did when he had the ball in his hands tormenting the greatest batsmen with his repertoire of spinning wiles.

Another commentator who should go a long way is our own Roshan Abeysinghe. Abeysinghe like Navojot Singh Sidhu, Sunil Gavaskar, Harsha Bhogle and Ravi Shastri is not afraid to call a spade a spade and not some other implement. Abeysinghe is aware of his detractors. But he is confident because as he says he has nothing to fear because he is playing straight like he did when wielding the willow.