Ashes 2009- Final Test at The Oval preview
Just a few hours are left for the final Ashes 2009 Test to commence at the Oval on Thursday. The Australians will be looking to bolster their pace attack which rattled the Englishmen a couple of weeks back and the defending champions will be wary of the history of the venue in their pursuit to retain their Ashes.
Four years ago, Kevin Pietersen scored a chanceless 158 to ensure his side had gone to overcome their final-day glitches and carried the team to a open-top bus parade at Trafalgar Square the next day. Four years later, there will be no KP but all eyes will be on the one and only Andrew Flintoff who will be playing his last Test match of his career and will understandably want to leave on a high. He will be fit enough to bowl and bat and England will want him to perform like he always does.
On the other hand, Australia will want to clinch the series 2-1 or at best secure a draw to retain their Ashes and carry home the urn. The defending champions will want to retain the side that won at Leeds and that will mean leaving out the now-fit Brett Lee, a prospect which could backfire if England gets off to a flyer on the first day morning. Also, dismantling a winning unit could have serious implications on the morale of the performers such as Stuart Clarke, Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus—the three standout performers in the last Test.
England will be pondering on leaving out Graham Onions and bring in Monty Panesar for this Test. This will mean leaving out Onions who too will be given a raw deal for one failur the whole summer.
One look at the pitch will make you believe that its a true wicket as it is dry and bare. The plenty carry and bounce will make the captains go in with an extra pacer but spinners too can get their purchase from this wicket.
For those who thrive on trivia, the last four Tests have seen England pacers Onions, Flintoff, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Harmison have given 37 runs to bag a wicket while Australian pacers —- Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Johnson and Clark – have averaged 28.11 per wicket for their 53 wickets.
