The Sporting Hack

Second Ashes Test Review Australia beat England by 218 runs. When Australia wrapped up the second Ashes test in Adelaide by securing England’s four remaining wickets within an hour of play on day five, it all seemed too easy for the hosts. It has been a breeze for Darren Lehmann’s side so far as they sit just one win away from reclaiming the coveted urn.  The head coach replaced the unpopular Mickey Arthur just 18 days before Australia began their campaign in England and, though his side lost 3-0; ‘Boof’ provided the down to earth and old school mantra which made the Baggy Greens competitive. Just six months down the line and it’s the English who are “facing a whitewash” according to former skipper Michael Vaughan who labelled the current crop’s attempts as “feeble”. From day one in Brisbane to day four in Adelaide, he wasn’t wrong. The tourists have been battered and bruised and look completely broken. Lehmann’s philosophy, opposed to Andy Flower’s scie...

Panesar: sitting tight Second Ashes Test preview. Amid the moralising, agreeing to disagree and general fall out from the Ashes first test in Brisbane, which was all overshadowed by excessive sledging and the departure, due to mental health concerns, of England’s Jonathan Trott, the most important question will start to be answered tomorrow morning: what next? England’s grip on the urn was significantly weakened by Michael Clarke’s men at the Gabba, who were as good as the tourists were poor. Johnson: terrifying, Warner: devastating, Clarke: imperious. The winning margin a hefty 381 runs. Captain Alistair Cook and head coach Andy Flower will know that England have an uphill struggle if they are to retain the urn, following the Brisbane defeat – their first in thirteen months. The last time England were beaten was by India in a first test drubbing in Ahmadabad, a catalyst for their first series win on the sub-continent for over 25 years. There can be no qu...