Date-stamped : 05 Jan95 - 18:33 England v Australia, Test 3 played at SCG, Sydney, 1-5 January 1995 ====> Prematch England must shed the 'nice guy' image Demoralised by their col- lapse in Melbourne England began the Third Test in Sydney early today aware that desperate times call for desperate measures Scyld Berry believes Atherton's beleaguered troops have a serious attitude problem Almost every beaten team will enjoy some moments in a Test series. Even England might do well in this Sydney Test and force a draw against Australian bowlers who have already done the hard work. As a rule, though, Australia have outplayed England for the fourth consecutive series, having won the Second Test as crush- ingly as the First - although England at least tried to win on the first two days in Melbourne, when their cricket was the best, or least bad, of their tour. Mike Atherton was given the captain- cy by persons who did not fully appreciate the onerous nature of England's schedule, and who might have settled for an interim ap- pointment if they had. Now, forced to be wise beyond his 26 years, he appears genuinely at a loss to explain why England are injected - every time the Ashes are to be contested - with utter feebleness. Against other countries England have been poor, de- feating New Zealand alone since 1990. Against Australia they have been preposterously pitiful, far worse than, say, Sri Lanka have been against the same opposition. At the latest post-mortem, Atherton remarked: "It's difficult to say why we're less competi- tive against Australia." It seems agreed that England's represen- tative cricketers are not much less naturally talented than Australia's. True, the inferior quality of English school, youth, club and first-class cricket does result in flawed techniques; and the overall social structure is less competitive. True, too, that in Melbourne the pitch became a wretched one, and that three of England's batsmen suffered rougher decisions than any Aus- tralian did. Craig McDermott's re-emergence has been a surprise and Shane Warne's leg-break is sublime. Yet, above all, England's failures have been the result of minimal planning and nil preparation. Take the basic approach of the two teams. On the opening day of the series in Brisbane, Darren Gough hit Mark Tay- lor in the midriff and the ball fell to earth. In the Sheffield Shield, according to Australian commentators, a batsman will nor- mally pick up such a ball and toss it helpfully to a fielder, as in the county championship. But Mark Taylor did not toss the ball to an England fielder. He allowed Gough to follow through, bend down right in front of him and pick the ball up at his feet. In the same Test, Graham Gooch hit Mark Waugh on the head. Hooking too soon, Waugh was shaken alright: his vision was temporarily blurred and he needed headache tablets. Yet Waugh could not have been treated more sympathetically by the England fielders, espe- cially his Essex team-mate, if he had been at a meeting of St John Ambulance. In Melbourne, on the second morning, when Australia's first total was not yet adequate, Damien Fleming went to the wicket for his first Test innings in Australia, in front of a home crowd of 51,000. A shade nervy. Shortly afterwards, Gough happened to be standing close to Fleming when he had trou- ble with his boot; and while play was held up and his boot at- tended to, Gough chatted so happily with Fleming that Australia's last man was soon all smiles. He proceeded to play confident strokes in a 10th-wicket stand of 39 that made Australia's total adequate. If England are ever to regain the Ashes, regrettable though it may be to say so, this amiable on-field attitude has to be changed. It should have been changed at the planning stage. Let camaraderie reign off the field: nothing wrong at all in visiting the opposing dressing room after play, indeed encourage it. But as Jardine and Hutton, Brearley and Illingworth well knew, you can't be lovey-dovey with Australian cricketers and ex- pect to beat them. Only England are so friendly on field, accord- ing to Australian commentators. The representatives of other Test countries snarl and sledge and silently stare - and Australia have done nothing special against them since Kerry Packer. En- glish amiability reassures the Australians and establishes their confidence before a match has been won. For the last four series the basic attitudes struck have been those of master and respect- ful servant, winner and decent loser. Allan Border realised the importance of verbal and body language. In the 1985 series in England he was drawn into chatting with 'Lamby' and 'Both' while his team-mates fell apart. In 1989 he preferred to be cold, abrupt and ruthless. At later times he went too far, but his results will probably be remembered longer than his excesses. A smile can often be a disguise for the vacuum within. In England's case, the lack of ambition to regain the Ashes was evident through every warm-up game. The leading players had no time, after constant cricket from January to September, to prepare and plan, activities which in themselves promote desire. This was therefore the task of England's 'think-tank', primarily the team manager Keith Fletcher. And the failure has been culpable. Eng- land had the whole of 1993 to film Warne from all angles, instead of turning up in Australia and asking Channel Nine for some old footage. One thoughtful telephone call, and David Gower would still be around to tackle him better than anyone here. In Bris- bane, and on day two in Melbourne, England elected to block and pad Warne, scoring with the sweep alone. On day three they went to the opposite extreme of over-aggressiveness. This is reacting to events, not planning. Warne could hardly have bowled worse than in the first innings in Melbourne, when only his leg-break functioned. Warne might take 500 Test wickets, and many more hat-tricks. There again, an aggravation of his shoulder strain, some damage to his confidence, and he might also disappear. He seems to sense it, too, because in every game he suggests some vulnerability until he takes his first wicket. Like the peasant farmers on Mount Vesuvius, a leg-spinner knows that the price for cultivating fertile slopes is to dwell beneath the volcano. When England toured India in 1984-85, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan had as much early success as Warne now and was on top of his world. Yet thereafter his Test wickets made not one handful. Expert theory and practice are agreed that Warne has to be attacked with the drive, in the arc between mid-on and cover, according to the pro- pensities of each batsman. Dermot Reeve, as captain of Warwickshire, who almost literally swept their way to three honours last summer, would also have the reverse-sweep used at discriminate times against Warne and Tim May. Had their former coach, Bob Woolmer, been in charge of England, some preparation on these lines might possibly have been done. It has been McDermott's discovery of reverse-swing which has revived him and made him a better old-ball bowler than ever before. England's pace bowlers are not moving the ball away from the right-hander, not even the admirable Gough. He was given one and a half first- class games to work it all out before the series - again poor planning. As it is, England are the best at time-wasting alone. Their dilatoriness during Australia's second innings at Melbourne was as damaging to the sport's well-being as the ICC's idiocy in letting them get away with it. In a Test match you usually have to bowl 90 overs only on the first and final days. As a specta- cle, the Tests so far have not been worth the entrance money. The middle of each one has been filled with David Boon resisting Phil Tufnell's over-the-wicket containment, when the game should have been building to a climax. England should start with some enter- taining cricket, even if winning is beyond them. (Thanks : Sunday Telegraph) Contributed by Vicky (vigneswa@risky.ecs.umass.edu) ====> Day 1, 1 Jan 95 England's wandering army choir found something to sing about before Craig McDermott resumed the slaughter of the innocents on day one of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. Embattled captain Michael Atherton and fellow Lancastrian John Crawley, enjoying his first Test of the tour, shared an inspiring 174-run partnership before England hit a bombora again. From 3-194, half an hour before stumps, England lost Atherton, Mike Gatting, Crawley and Steven Rhodes in four overs to be 7-198 at the close. Twice McDermott was ill on the field from an attack of gastroenteritis, retiring for 72 minutes, only to return after tea to shatter Atherton's wicket with a fabulous off-cutter with the second new ball. Four balls later the fast bowler dipped an outswinger away from a stunned Gatting and wicketkeeper Ian Healy almost landed in first slip's lap with the low catch. Damien Fleming, moving his outswingers evilly for Graham Gooch's wicket in the second over of the Test, was equally dangerous with the second new ball, deceiving Crawley with another outswinger. Mark Waugh was taken aback by the imminent catch and only a man of remarkable reflexes would have held the ball rifling to him at second slip. When Angus Fraser drove into the covers and Steve Waugh deflected, confusion reigned. Waugh, one of the slickest of fieldsmen, slapped his return back to the bowler and Fleming, off-balance and assessing Rhodes's predicament in a split-second, whistled the ball to keeper Healy for the run out at the striker's end. England's eternally good-humoured coach Keith Fletcher reasoned: "We knew the last half hour would be difficult. Every time McDermott got hold of the ball it was a different game." McDermott must be psychic. In transit from Melbourne he observed: "The next Test is a whole new ball game. Atherton could get a hundred and Warney could get 0-100." In fact, Shane Warne bowled 27 overs for an economical return of 0-56. But his leg-spinner of the last session, coming around the wicket to Atherton at 80, crackled across the face of his bat, virtually unplayable. Following Atherton's success at the toss, Australia were nominated 13-8 on favourites and England 8-1 outsiders in the Test. Ladbrokes offered 100-1 against England regaining the Ashes. By tea the joyful chant of "England! England! Engaa-laaand!" was ringing around the ground in increasing delight and disbelief, especially from the Union Jack-waving horde beneath the Doug Walters Stand. England were 3-142, and it was as if the Ashes were about to make another mythical journey, bound from Jolimont to Lord's again. After the 295-run loss in Melbourne, Atherton said: "We're not getting the scores to be competitive. We must get 350 or 400 to win Test matches." England began badly on the tawny, green-specked pitch, Fleming developing his mesmerising Melbourne swing to initiate the tourists' plight at 3-20. McDermott worked wide on the crease, speared an angled ball towards middle and leg stumps and rocked Graeme Hick's leg stump. When Graham Thorpe was trapped by McDermott's inswinging full toss, Atherton was joined by Crawley, another ex-Cambridge University man, in a fourth wicket stand of almost five hours. Even in illness McDermott was an inspiration, fast and dangerous, but in his absence Atherton neatly and crisply slipped away cover drives and back cuts to complement Crawley's polished leg-side performance of drives and pull shots. McDermott returned in the shadow of the last session for the second new ball, giving substance to the banner: "If the Poms bat first, tell the taxi to wait". (Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au) ====> Day 2, 2 Jan 95 The drought parchment extending across 98 per cent of NSW never applied to the Sydney Cricket Ground, but yesterday's rain probably dried up England's bid for the Ashes. Trailing 2-0 in the five-Test series, England revelled in one spectacular session, an all too brief blaze of fireworks for 111 runs at run-a-minute, to complete their first innings at 309 in the third Test. But, when batting heroes in the guise of pacemen Darren Gough (51), Devon Malcolm (29) and Angus Fraser (27), were rolling up their sleeves for a sustained new ball onslaught on Australia, rain rolled in off the ocean and camped over the SCG. England were restricted to 3.3 overs in which time Michael Slater made four not out of Australia's four runs without loss in their first innings before the rain ruined the second day from 2:19 pm onwards. Resuming at 7-198, Gough and his partners were instructed to play their natural game, Mike Atherton saying: "Go out there and do your best. We're looking for 240-250." With No 7 Fraser proving an admirably resourceful watchman for 140 minutes in stands of 58 with Gough and then 40 with Malcolm, England's rearguard at last carried some of the old lion's bearing. Gough drove Craig McDermott (5-101) down the ground and through point and then while higher-order batsmen in the dressing room swooned with ecstasy, he hooked him over the fine leg fence. It was not crazy, harum-scarum stuff either. It bore all the hallmarks of a potential Test all-rounder. Last night, as natural and as enjoyable as ever, Gough said he warned Hampshire captain and cricket correspondent Mark Nicholas before he went to the wicket: "Fasten your seatbelt!" In 72 minutes, the England No 9 smacked a six and four boundaries for his 51 from 56 balls, helping himself to 24 of the 26 runs taken from McDermott's first three overs. Gough laughed as he recalled his most extravagant miss, a pull shot which failed to gain a run but which drew a wry grin from David Boon at short leg. "I think that's the first time I've seen it on the field because he's such a mean character. It made me giggle," Gough said. When Gough posted his half-century, he recognised the Union Jack swathed band on the Hill first in recognition of its patriotic pilgrimage around Australia with the team and then gave a circular saw sweep of his bat to the crowd of almost 30,000. "Cricketer or entertainer?" he was asked. "Hopefully, I'm a bit of both. I don't just want to be an entertainer," he replied. "I want to go out there and do well for England, either batting or bowling or fielding, and give 100 per cent. Hopefully, I'll keep on doing it. I like to entertain, always a bit of a showman. It's part of my game. I've always done it." Gough made 42 not out at a critical juncture at the Kennington Oval Test against South Africa last year, but he regarded yesterday's innings as his best in first-class cricket. "I went out there wanting to smash the bowlers around the park, and that's what I did. I respect a bowler of Craig McDermott's ability enormously, but I just wanted to hit him for fours." Gough went down with guns blazing. McDermott did not spare him after his initial fusillade and, striving to hook the new-ball bowler over fine leg again, he scooped a short ball to Damien Fleming patrolling on the Bradman Stand fence. Warne (1-88) operated from the Members' end, and Malcolm monstered the leg-spinner over the mid-wicket fence and later down the ground over the sightboard for six. Eventually, Malcolm aimed for the clock tower and Warne's curling delivery took his off stump, and Fraser skied Fleming (3-52) to gully. Three days remain and the forecast is for receding showers. Gough still feels England can win. "If we can knock a few over, it could be an interesting day because they've got to bat last," he said. "Hopefully we can bowl them out. It was disappointing not to have a go at them today. All the boys were on a high, especially me and Devon after his Caribbean knock. We wanted a change in the New Year and hopefully we can perform, and beat you. We need more days like that." His dream as a boy was to be a footballer "to make more money." He tried out with several clubs, playing midfield for Rotherham reserves, but admitted: "I was always going to be a better cricketer so I threw my boots away." Asked his position, he answered: "Sub". Gough went on: "I always believed in my own ability. Sometimes it comes off, and other days I look a complete .... You have your ups and downs and so long as you have more ups than downs I'm satisfied." He is one of the least complicated, most whole-hearted cricketers to visit Australia in many Ashes tours. And he must be good. Even the Australian cricketers like him. Considering his second wicket contribution to Shane Warne's hat trick in Melbourne, he said: "You've got to say I'm part of history. It was a good delivery, and good on him. I hope I get a hat trick one day." Just at present, not a person in Australia would begrudge him that. (Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au) ====> Day 3, 3 Jan 95 A joyful Harold Larwood, England's grand old man of destruction from the Bodyline era, rang Darren Gough to congratulate him after his missiles downed Australia in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. Ninety years of age last November, the revered old man listened avidly as Gough (6-49) and fellow pacemen Devon Malcolm (2-34) and Angus Fraser (2-26) dismissed their tormentors of the previous two Tests for 116 in Sydney's murk. Having narrowly avoided the 110-run follow-on mark, Australia failed to make similar penetrations and England were 1-90 in their second innings when rain ended the third day. England lead by 283 runs. A delighted Gough, 24, classified his first five-wicket performance in seven Tests as an even more important achievement than his rip-soaring innings of 51 in England's first innings on 309. The best may be yet to come. But the phone call in England's dressing room last night from Larwood himself was the end to a perfect day. "It was great, a real surprise," Gough said. "He spoke to me last time we were in Sydney and he called me up in the room to say well done. I was proud. He said I was only the second bowler to get a standing ovation in Australia for my batting." The reference may well have been to the fifth Test at the SCG in February 1933, when, after capturing 4-98 in Australia's first innings, Larwood returned to hit 98. England won by eight wickets and took the series 4-1 as Larwood brutalised Australia, capturing 33 wickets at 19.51 apiece. Gough, back as the centre of attention, said of the phone call: "It was great. He told me a bit about the [Bodyline] trip and apparently he got 19 batsmen out bowled. He said: pitched it up, but he got 19 bowled, so he must have done it at some stage. I've seen him on videos. He was a good fast bowler and that's what I want to be. I'd like to think I'm a bit taller than him." Gough praised fellow pacemen Malcolm and Fraser for their "great job" and expressed confidence the England bowlers could repeat the performance by tomorrow evening. "Two days left and we'll be trying to knock them over again," he said. "I believe we can do it again." England's singing in the rain was more a belly roar than a ballad, but the red, white and blue-painted horde on the Randwick Hill, often sheltering under huge Union Jacks, knew they had Australia on the run. And they know they have an absolute bobby dazzler in Gough. It was the West Indian captain Richie Richardson, then at Yorkshire, who impressed on Gough his conviction that he should bowl fast and forget about being just a medium-paced trundler for the county for the next 15 years. When Gough captured four wickets against Hampshire and England teammate Shaun Udal began smashing him around the field, Richardson asked: "Don't you want five? Bowl quick!" New chairman of selectors, Ray Illingworth, promoted Gough to the Test side last June against New Zealand, and he has since taken four wickets in an innings five times. When Malcolm failed to move for a catch when Craig McDermott (21 not out) was on five in the innings-saving stand of 51 with Mark Taylor, Gough despaired of claiming his fifth wicket. But dismissals with successive deliveries of Mark Taylor and Damien Fleming changed all that, leaving him poised for a hat trick in Australia's second innings. Gough took 13 wickets in Brisbane and Melbourne, despite Australia's crushing wins. He now has 19 for the series at 18.58 and a total of 36 in seven Tests. Provided rain does not interfere - and it has cost 4 1/2 hours of valuable time so far - Mike Atherton must decide when to close his innings, possibly about tea today. England drove Australia to the brink of The Gap yesterday. The rain kept moisture in the pitch, allowing the ball to seam about, and England kept up an accurate length if not always the best line. Atherton and Graeme Hick continue this morning, Hick having been dropped by Mark Waugh at eight from McDermott at a most demanding time with grey curtains of rain swirling in from the south-east. Australia's innings of 116 was their poorest since their 111 of the 1981 Test at Headingley, when Bob Willis carved an 8-43 swathe in an innings. Yet Taylor's immaculate and essentially undistressed 209-minute innings indicated that while England's attack was exceptional, Australia's batting was very ordinary. The SCG pitch is the best it has been for years, the straw- coloured surface well bound, providing sharp bounce and pace. Fur and feathers have flown in each new-ball session as if the ball were skidding off granite. Lightening the pacemen's burden was the cloud cover frowning on Sydney. Instead of charging in in oppressive heat and humidity, Atherton could rotate his trio in six or seven-over spells, sure his bowlers would return ravenous for action. The warning bells began ringing after only 22 minutes when Michael Slater moved forward to Malcolm and his angled bat deflected the ball into his wicket. David Boon received the best ball of the day, a delivery of great pace from Gough which slashed back from outside his wicket to remove the off stump, Boon carefully lifting his bat out of the danger zone. When Malcolm's snarling off-cutter forced Mark Waugh into defence for a sprawling Steve Rhodes catch, Australia were in crisis. They sank to 8-65, with Taylor holding the fort like Bill Brown at Lord's in 1938, only for McDermott to provide the hour-long resistance necessary to avoid the follow-on. So comprehensive was the performance that Australia were safely rounded up, roped and branded in 3 1/2 hours. (Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au) ====> Day 4, 4 Jan 95 The Bradman Stand looming over the Sydney Cricket Ground is comparable with the mountain confronting Australia in a history or hellfire third Test. Australia are 139 without loss in their second innings, requiring a Test world record 449 runs to overcome England and retain the Ashes. With the rain apparently having cleared, Mark Taylor (64 no) and Michael Slater (65 no), both in fabulous batting touch, resume on the last morning on a still true and unspoiled Sydney strip. Australia require a further 310 runs from 90 overs at just under 3.5 runs an over to thumb their noses at a long century of Tests without a fourth innings precedent. In 1948, Don Bradman's Australians made 3-404 to beat England at Headingley, Leeds. In 1975-76, India surpassed it with 4-406 to beat the West Indies at Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Only one fourth innings total higher than 449 had ever been made - Englands 5- 654, chasing 696, in their 1938-39 draw against South Africa in Durban. "It's gettable," Australian coach Bob Simpson said. "It's 50-50," said England's coach Keith Fletcher. History says Australia will fail. Numerous teams have tried and fallen in the attempt to scale the 400-run barrier on the last day of a Test. Four sides have actually made more than 400 in the last innings and still lost, including England, whose 411 left them 193 runs short at the SCG in 1924-25. While his men keeled over before England's pacemen on a bubbling pitch on Tuesday, Taylor batted with remarkable poise in Australia's first innings of 116, and he sustained that performance yesterday. His early pulling and driving removed some of Devon Malcolm's new-ball venom and if Slater motored up level with him later on, it did not devalue the importance of his captain's contribution. Once again, after a night of steady rain, the SCG was glistening and ready for action at 11 am yesterday, and the increasing sunshine drew most of the remaining barbs. However, even in the 24th over, Malcolm was able to send Slater diving for cover with a thunderbolt when he was 38. There was a mesmerising, perplexing insanity to the game. One day, 11 wickets crashed for 202 runs, the next, one wicket fell for 304 runs. So who dares say Australia cannot win? Slater, who unleashed some grand drives among his eight boundaries, said the rain made the strip comparable with a second or third-day wicket. He and Taylor were intent only on a solid start, concerned that they should not lose wickets at the start of the enormous haul. "There's a long way to go, but I think we're capable of it," Slater said. Coach Simpson added: "It should be a terrific day. Certainly, it's a great start. We have a very strong batting side, so who knows? There's not too much wear and tear of the wicket. I've congratulated Peter Leroy for providing the best pitch I've seen at the SCG for 20 years and in general having the ground looking so good." Simpson said Australia would strive for victory, saying caution would only set in "when we have no chance of winning". Mike Atherton ground Australia down in the field for more than three hours yesterday, sharing a 104-run stand with Graeme Hick in 157 minutes before Damien Fleming and Taylor combined for the sole wicket of the day. Hick and Graham Thorpe put on 97 at a run a minute before the closure at 2-255, Hick enjoying a freakish escape when he played Tim May hard into the base of his leg and middle stumps at 54 without dislodging a bail. Off-spinner May cannot take a trick. Perhaps he will repeat his Adelaide Test heroics against the West Indies by stumps tonight. NSW Cricket Association executive director Robert Radford warned yesterday that the state of the Test may lead to a last surge of spectators for tickets this morning. In London, bookmakers William Hill, believing the weather would influence the result, made a draw a 1-6 favourite, with England 4-1 and Australia 10-1. (Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au) ====> Day 4, MORE Graeme Hick remained all but mute last night after his Sydney Test innings of 98 not out was terminated by Michael Atherton's declaration. Having decided against attending the end-of-day press conference, Hick simply said "no comment" when asked if he were disappointed, and kept walking. England coach Keith Fletcher was emphatic that Hick was aware a closure was imminent when injured tour vice-captain Alec Stewart went on to the ground at drinks, 17 minutes before the declaration. Hick was then 92 not out. Striving for his first Ashes century, he displayed no nervousness, spending just 10 balls in the 90s. But on 98, Hick dropped three deliveries of what proved to be the last over of the innings from Damien Fleming near the pitch. When the closure occurred at 2:57 pm, Hick's face mirrored his amazement. Fletcher defended the situation: "Graeme was told the declaration was coming very soon. He knew. The game has to come before the individual. The context of the match must come first. In the end, the decision is entirely up to Mike." Fletcher would not reveal if there was an exchange between a captain striving to win an important Test and a batsman seeking his third century in a frustrating international career of 32 Tests other than to say: "There were no words". England could have batted on for a further 12 minutes to 3:09 pm and still taken tea at 3:40 pm, allowing their new-ball bowlers two punishing work-outs at Australia's top-order batsmen. There was some confusion when TV umpire Bill Cameron, 49, who won a position on the international panel from the country town of Young only this summer, indicated to Fletcher that a declaration had to be made 40 minutes before the scheduled tea break at 3:40 pm if tea were not to be taken immediately. Under Law 16 of the Laws of Cricket "if an innings ends within 30 minutes of the agreed time for the tea interval, the interval shall be taken immediately". Fletcher referred the 30-minute law issue to official scorer Ern Cosgrove, who confirmed, with former Test umpire Ted Wykes, its inclusion in the tour conditions. Hick was at the wicket for 255 minutes, hitting a six and 10 boundaries. A similar incident occurred in the fifth Test in Melbourne during the 1970-71 Ashes series when, with Rodney Marsh 92 not out, Bill Lawry closed Australia's first innings at 9-493 in an attempt to level the series. England drew the test and the teams went to Sydney, where Ray Illingworth's side won a dramatic final Test to regain the Ashes, 2-0. Marsh was never bitter about the declaration. He has always maintained that team welfare come before individual performance. Melbourne scorer Charlie Wat last night confirmed that Hick was the only batsman in history cut short of his century at 98 not out. (Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au) ====> Day 4, MORE Australia showed the fair and foul side of their cricketing character on the shifting sands of the fourth day of this Test match. They began by portraying themselves as a team every bit as willing as their opponents to resort to the sort of ruses favoured by the embattled. They ended by chasing a remote target with such gusto that, by stumps, their reputation had already been repaired and the game lay at their mercy as it moved unerringly towards a thrilling finish. So forthright was Australia's approach in those closing hours of the day that it is easy to forget their drifting in the morning. Mark Taylor's tactics had such little appeal that they were barracked by friend, foe and those impartial. Local voices were heard demanding that their team hurry up and pitch up. One bloke called: "Why not have a cup of tea while you're at it, Taylor!" Although a spinner bowled throughout and just one wicket fell, Australia managed only 45.3 overs in 197 minutes. Only by ambling around and indulging in interminable debates can a team whose attack features a slow bowler with a negligible run "achieve" such a niggardly rate. Both teams have been slow in this series and both are escaping. Moreover, Australia bowled lots of bumpers, a delivery that can be used with impunity provided no more than two an over fly far above the batsman's head. Craig McDermott bowled superbly and without luck when he pitched up, but as he tired he used the bouncer freely, sending deliveries flying so high that they might well have counted as wides. This, of course, was calculated to slow England by denying them opportunities to score. Australia are not alone in using such devices. Far from it. In this respect they offend less often than most rivals. But it isn't a pretty sight and, happily, local supporters did not hide their annoyance that their team had been so grisly. Taylor did not seem at ease with his own defensiveness, and his captaincy suffered for it. Certainly, his tactics and field placings were less incisive than usual. The game was allowed to drift as though Australia's solitary ambition was to delay the declaration as long as possible, an aim for which they were prepared to pay a high price. Taylor used his bowlers, and especially his two leading men, in long and unproductive spells and did not call upon Tim May until it was much too late, which cannot have helped his confidence. Nor did May bowl alongside Shane Warne in the second innings, and only belatedly was he given this chance in England's first innings. That cannot have helped him either. May has lost the knack of taking wickets, possibly because he has been bowling too defensively, a problem that may also affect Phil Tufnell today. To ask Warne to bowl an unbroken spell of 11 overs on a notably flat pitch and to the same batsmen was to allow opposing players to grow familiar with his wiles and to expose the spinner to punishment. To my mind, Taylor is over-bowling Warne, using him too much as a stock bowler. Far better to give him a go, take him off and bring him back when a wicket falls. Warne was less accurate than usual, and for once he was regularly struck through the cover region. He may be a little jaded, and there are no footmarks to assist him. Every player has had a lean spell at one time or another. But fears must be held for Warne. He may be going the way of most superflesh. England's declaration seemed about right. Slow in the morning, they hurried impressively after lunch. That Hick fell short of his third Test century is neither here nor there. It is a team game, and England had batted long enough. Hick had his chance, and failed to score from his last three balls. If Australia's early play brought reproach upon their heads, their lively work in the evening won them many friends. They set out on a long journey with the boldest of steps. As they embarked, I thought their chances were negligible. But then I thought Angus Fraser was born in London, when, as has emerged, he first saw the light of day in Lancashire, like everyone else. If the weather is kind, this superb cricket match may yet reach a brilliant conclusion. Some day, someone will score 450 to win a Test. Can it happen today? I doubt it, but this is no fifth-day wicket, the frequent showers having had a similar effect upon it as Brylcreem has on hair. (Thanks : Peter Roebuck, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au) ====> Day 5, 5 Jan 95 Australia retained the Ashes as darkness and high drama spread through an enthralling third Test eventually saved from the fire by the spin twins, Shane Warne and Tim May. England captain Mike Atherton hurled his cap down in disgust as the teams began leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground at least an over early although he conceded later the cause was lost. With stumps drawn and the curator's tractor beside the wicket square, umpires Darrel Hair and Steve Bucknor recalled confused players for a final over by spinner Phil Tufnell. With a desperate Australia 7-344 in their pursuit of 449 for victory and a three-nil series lead, Atherton lifted the bails after four deliveries, throwing them across the turf to umpire Bucknor, indicating the Test was over. It was 7:26 pm. Atherton said later: "It was all a bit of a farce. The umpires should know the rules. I'll be mentioning it in my report on the umpires, but we would not have won the game. The odds were against us." At 6:24, the umpires signalled to the official scorers that the final 15 overs of the last hour were to begin with Australia a creaking, precarious 7-303. By chance, Sydney's cloud cover was suddenly and eerily broken by the first significant sunshine of the afternoon as Angus Fraser (5-73) delivered a ball past Warne's chin. Poor light gradually mushroomed over the SCG again until Atherton was obliged to withdraw his fast bowlers and rely on spinners Tufnell and Graeme Hick and Graham Gooch to break the defiant partnership. When Warne drove a simple catch to Devon Malcolm at mid-off from the final ball of the 15th over, there was more laughter than dismay when he dropped it. Moments later, the full significance of the error was realised as it was pointed out with players near the gate that as it was 7:21, there was still time for another over. The relevant wording is that "a minimum of 15 overs" should be bowled in the last hour. Such a magnificent Test of exceptional performances and cartwheeling fortunes deserved a winner - in this case, England - and certainly not an anti-climax with the players almost back in their dressing rooms and having to trek back for the ultimate over. But exhaustion was setting in and, understandably, minds were wandering after a final session which began at 3:30. Medium-pacer Fraser, originally an omission from the touring side until summoned in an emergency for the injured Martin McCague, was the man at the heart of England's revival. Capitalising on the moisture which kept filtering on to the strip in the showers, he might have been back at Lord's for his county rather than at the SCG for his country. In the space of 13 spitting, seaming deliveries, Fraser dismissed Michael Bevan (seven), Steve Waugh (nought), Mark Waugh (25) and Ian Healy (five) for Australia to nose-dive from 3-282 to 7-292. As the final session dragged on in the gloom, Fraser bowled almost until he dropped, delivering 25 overs in all. Eventually, Atherton could use him no longer and he reluctantly turned to his slow men for the last 11 overs. When Fraser began cramping in the field, he limped off. Shirt out, dirt streaks down his haunches, mud on his shin, red paint down his thighs, Fraser richly deserved the ovation he drew from the crowd of more than 25,000. Warne and May defied England for 18.5 overs in an unbroken 77- minute partnership, which will certainly be long remembered in Ashes history. Content to play for the draw and restrain their strokeplay, they were often surrounded by seven or eight players, Gooch having no less than five slips and a gully. Lights from the Sydney Showground gleamed through the darkness as the umpires commendably refused to abandon the Test. Such a gruelling evening was impossible to anticipate after the 208-run opening stand by Mark Taylor (113) and Michael Slater (103), a first-wicket record against England at the SCG. The pair defied England for almost four and three-quarter hours before the slightest chink in England's gloom emerged with Tufnell's spectacular leaping catch of Slater forward of square leg. Rain spilled over from the luncheon adjournment, costing seven overs. A historic win for Australia was out of the question once Malcolm removed Taylor's off stump to close his 13th Test century. Rock steady as ever, David Boon (17) was greeted with impatient booing as he settled in for a 107-minute resistance before slicing a catch to Graeme Hick from man-of-the-match Darren Gough. "As soon as I got out, I started worrying," Taylor said. "We were going so smoothly, but the rain juiced up the pitch and the zip came back into the grassy surface. We were in a lot of trouble but Warney and Maisy did the job for us. After being bowled out for 116, it's a relief to draw the Test. It'll probably turn to jubilation in an hour's time." Taylor was involved in a potential run-out at 78 from Malcolm's return from the deep when Australia were 0-175, and Atherton again pleaded for the TV replay to be used. "It's a fail-safe method. The technology should be used. I have not seen it on replay, but it was close enough." he said. Of Gough, Atherton said: "He is the brightest player to come into the England dressing room in my time. I just hope he keeps his feet on the ground." Seated beside his captain, Gough clumped his Yorkshire feet loudly on the ground. (Thanks : Phil Wilkins, Sydney Morning Herald) Contributed by David.Mar (mar@physics.su.oz.au)