Final Ashes 2009 Test- Poms pummel the Kangaroos

The Kangaroos must be hopping mad with the Poms taking a full-fledged advantage of them in the final Ashes 2009 Test at The Oval.

Well, it was a day which started with the tourists on top but the Ashes 2009 final Test saw England taking a commanding position on day two of the Oval Test.

Stuart Broad revived England’s hopes of Ashes glory with a sensational five-wicket burst on the second day of the decisive fifth Test at the Oval here on Friday. The Aussies were bowled out for 160 giving a 172-run deficit to their opponents and with it the Ashes urn too.

Australia at tea were 133 for eight in reply to England’s first innings 332 – a deficit of 199 runs – after Broad had taken five wickets for 19 runs in 47 balls to remove Shane Watson, skipper Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann gave more than something for his team to cheer, complementing his partner Broad  in with three wickets for 11 runs in 27 balls, including opener Simon Katich for 50. In total Australia – who had been 73 without loss – lost eight wickets for 58 runs in an extraordinary second session.

There was little hint that Broad, often lauded more for his lower-order batting than his bowling, was about to wreak such havoc upon the Australia top-order in a match England, with the series all square at 1-1, had to win to regain the Ashes and one which the visitors needed only to draw to retain them.

Broad was the fifth bowler summoned by England captain Andrew Strauss after the likes of James Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Stephen Harmison had all gone wicketless on a pitch where Swann had extracted turn.

Australia were 66 without loss off 22 overs when the 6ft 6in Broad came on for the first full over after rain had delayed play after lunch by 50 minutes.

Broad struck with his sixth ball when Watson, who’d added just four runs to his lunch score of 30, was lbw to a Broad delivery that him in line.

In their second innings, England were 58 for 3 with an overall lead of 230 runs to their booty with debutant Jonathan Trott and his skipper Andrew Strauss for company.

Before the start of this match, questions were raised on Ponting’s captaincy and it is now certain that Punter will in all possibilities be asked to step down from captaincy with an Ashes defeat looming large on the Australians.