ponting got nothing to smile still he is there as skipper.

the recent defeat saw skipper ponting facing continuous defeat and they won just 6 out of 16 matches. they ve dropped to no 4 spot. they lost to proteas in home soil. they lost ashes for 2nd time in 4 years in england. they lost test series in india. early exit from t20 worldcup. proteas chased a record total against oz's in perth and all humiliaton came when ponting stepped in but with out his army of men who were working like dogs for victory.. he lost mc grath, shane warne, gilly, langer, martin, symo and even lee. he was with out a spinner a genuine opener.

but the poor thing is captains are questioned when team falls. ppl dont blame the team never mind how poor they perform. and pont face the critics for an year or odd. he has turned unlucky. he has turned without the fire power. we cant claim more or see the aussies loosing.. but we should accept cos he is still the responsible batsmen with a pull flow of batting and stands out mostly. he is the 3rd highest run getter still in vain. as a captain he is expected to get more from his players not give more. he has strained to give his full as a batsmen not specific to get more form his team. his team has been so good at times and no good to the opponents at many situation. he has got a face scar cod of harmison last time during 05 ashes and he gets a same now with his lips hit bad. its just what he takes. with these its bad to sack him or to make him quit. he should be made to come back after 4 years or atleast keep him to make this team invincible..

score card- ashes 09- 5th test ovals

The Ashes - 5th Test

England v Australia

England won by 197 runs

• Test no. 1931 | 2009 season
• Played at Kennington Oval, London
• 20,21,22,23 August 2009 (5-day match)

	England 1st innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	AJ Strauss*	c †Haddin b Hilfenhaus	55	128	101	11	0	54.45
	28.1 got him! A horrid little nibble outside off - absolutely no need for Strauss to fiddle at that one, and it carried through low to Haddin 114/2
	AN Cook	c Ponting b Siddle	10	19	12	2	0	83.33
	5.3 well bowled and CAUGHT! Angled across Cook who pushed at it meekly, edging it low to Ponting's right at second slip 12/1
	IR Bell	b Siddle	72	222	137	10	0	52.55
	53.5 bowled him, inside edge - he's out! That's cleaned him up! Bell came forward with only a tentative little push, his bat coming down in an arc and it took a thick inside edge to clatter his stumps 181/4
	PD Collingwood	c Hussey b Siddle	24	89	65	3	0	36.92
	47.5 and this time Collingwood does go for the drive and he's caught at gully! Full and wide, Collingwood gets it off a thick edge and Hussey takes the catch right in front of his face 176/3
	IJL Trott	run out (Katich)	41	125	81	5	0	50.61
	74.2 from North, that is magnificent work from Katich! Truly incredible stuff at short leg! Trott uses his feet and clips to leg, Katich at short leg makes a sharp save and quickly gets a full-blooded throw at the stumps, Trott is still in the follow through and has to turn quickly, the direct hit has him well short 268/7
	MJ Prior†	c Watson b Johnson	18	57	33	2	0	54.54
	65.3 the slower ball and Prior prods it tamely to point who takes a good, leaping catch - terrific bowling from Johnson 229/5
	A Flintoff	c †Haddin b Johnson	7	21	19	1	0	36.84
	69.4 gone! There won't be a first-innings fairytale from Freddie, flashes at a wide one and gets an edge through to Haddin 247/6
	SCJ Broad	c Ponting b Hilfenhaus	37	89	69	5	0	53.62
	90.5 got him! Much better from Hilfenhaus, pitching it up, and he goes for a huge swing and gets a thick outside edge to slip 332/10
	GP Swann	c †Haddin b Siddle	18	43	28	2	0	64.28
	85.3 got him! What a way for Australia to end the day, as Swann taps forward meekly and edges a very fine delivery behind 307/8
	JM Anderson	lbw b Hilfenhaus	0	5	6	0	0	0.00
	86.6 Anderson's out! Swinging back late, he was late on it and couldn't get his bat down in time, and Anderson's got his first duck in Test cricket! 308/9
	SJ Harmison	not out	12	17	12	3	0	100.00
	Extras	(b 12, lb 5, w 3, nb 18)	38
	Total	(all out; 90.5 overs; 414 mins)	332	(3.65 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-12 (Cook, 5.3 ov), 2-114 (Strauss, 28.1 ov), 3-176 (Collingwood, 47.5 ov), 4-181 (Bell, 53.5 ov), 5-229 (Prior, 65.3 ov), 6-247 (Flintoff, 69.4 ov), 7-268 (Trott, 74.2 ov), 8-307 (Swann, 85.3 ov), 9-308 (Anderson, 86.6 ov), 10-332 (Broad, 90.5 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	BW Hilfenhaus	21.5	5	71	3	3.25	(5nb)
	28.1 to Strauss, got him! A horrid little nibble outside off - absolutely no need for Strauss to fiddle at that one, and it carried through low to Haddin 114/2 86.6 to Anderson, Anderson's out! Swinging back late, he was late on it and couldn't get his bat down in time, and Anderson's got his first duck in Test cricket! 308/9 90.5 to Broad, got him! Much better from Hilfenhaus, pitching it up, and he goes for a huge swing and gets a thick outside edge to slip 332/10
	PM Siddle	21	6	75	4	3.57	(4nb)
	5.3 to Cook, well bowled and CAUGHT! Angled across Cook who pushed at it meekly, edging it low to Ponting's right at second slip 12/1 47.5 to Collingwood, and this time Collingwood does go for the drive and he's caught at gully! Full and wide, Collingwood gets it off a thick edge and Hussey takes the catch right in front of his face 176/3 53.5 to Bell, bowled him, inside edge - he's out! That's cleaned him up! Bell came forward with only a tentative little push, his bat coming down in an arc and it took a thick inside edge to clatter his stumps 181/4 85.3 to Swann, got him! What a way for Australia to end the day, as Swann taps forward meekly and edges a very fine delivery behind 307/8
	SR Clark	14	5	41	0	2.92
	MG Johnson	15	0	69	2	4.60	(8nb, 3w)
	65.3 to Prior, the slower ball and Prior prods it tamely to point who takes a good, leaping catch - terrific bowling from Johnson 229/5 69.4 to Flintoff, gone! There won't be a first-innings fairytale from Freddie, flashes at a wide one and gets an edge through to Haddin 247/6
	MJ North	14	3	33	0	2.35	(1nb)
	SR Watson	5	0	26	0	5.20

	Australia 1st innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	SR Watson	lbw b Broad	34	94	69	7	0	49.27
	22.6 that's out! No worries about it. Absolutely dead in front, Watson trapped in the crease and that's taking out middle-and-leg 73/1
	SM Katich	c Cook b Swann	50	169	107	7	0	46.72
	37.1 Swann gets Katich! Oh, the follow-on looms now! Katich got an inside edge onto the top flap of his pad and it's bobbed up to short leg, who takes a simple catch and Rauf raises the finger 109/6
	RT Ponting*	b Broad	8	20	15	1	0	53.33
	26.6 bowled him! Broad's bowled him! Ponting goes back and chops it on, his off stump pegged back 85/2
	MEK Hussey	lbw b Broad	0	6	3	0	0	0.00
	28.3 got him! Broad's got three! Hussey again not showing good judgement of his off stump as Broad cuts this back nastily and raps him in front. Gone! 89/3
	MJ Clarke	c Trott b Broad	3	9	7	0	0	42.85
	30.2 he's got him! Broad's got four! Clarke went for a drive, feeling for it, and Trott took a very sharp chance at short extra cover, diving forward. Tremendous cricket from England! 93/4
	MJ North	lbw b Swann	8	28	17	1	0	47.05
	35.3 got him! Swann gets one to go straight on with the arm, North is a bit slow getting the bat down, and Rauf says that's lbw! 108/5
	BJ Haddin†	b Broad	1	13	9	0	0	11.11
	38.4 gone! Another one! Broad's got five! And what a superb ball, that has cleaned up Haddin's off stump, it's full and straightening enough to beat Haddin, who was trying to whip it through leg 111/7
	MG Johnson	c †Prior b Swann	11	27	24	2	0	45.83
	43.5 Swann gets his third! That's eight for the session! Swann tosses it up and gets some turn, Johnson is lured into the drive and an outside edge is well snapped up by Prior 131/8
	PM Siddle	not out	26	54	38	5	0	68.42
	SR Clark	c Cook b Swann	6	14	8	1	0	75.00
	47.3 erm. Oh dear. We've had some shockers this summer, but that takes the biscuit and the tin. Clark pats forward, bat nowhere near the ball which takes the top of his pad, ballooning to silly point...and up goes the finger. In the umpire's defence, the bat flicked the pad, so he obviously heard something... 143/9
	BW Hilfenhaus	b Flintoff	6	10	21	1	0	28.57
	52.5 late swing and that's cleaned him up! Didn't have much of a clue, his feet were planted and his bat came down in an arc. And that's the end of the innings 160/10
	Extras	(b 1, lb 5, nb 1)	7
	Total	(all out; 52.5 overs; 226 mins)	160	(3.02 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-73 (Watson, 22.6 ov), 2-85 (Ponting, 26.6 ov), 3-89 (Hussey, 28.3 ov), 4-93 (Clarke, 30.2 ov), 5-108 (North, 35.3 ov), 6-109 (Katich, 37.1 ov), 7-111 (Haddin, 38.4 ov), 8-131 (Johnson, 43.5 ov), 9-143 (Clark, 47.3 ov), 10-160 (Hilfenhaus, 52.5 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	JM Anderson	9	3	29	0	3.22
	A Flintoff	13.5	4	35	1	2.53
	52.5 to Hilfenhaus, late swing and that's cleaned him up! Didn't have much of a clue, his feet were planted and his bat came down in an arc. And that's the end of the innings 160/10
	GP Swann	14	3	38	4	2.71
	35.3 to North, got him! Swann gets one to go straight on with the arm, North is a bit slow getting the bat down, and Rauf says that's lbw! 108/5 37.1 to Katich, Swann gets Katich! Oh, the follow-on looms now! Katich got an inside edge onto the top flap of his pad and it's bobbed up to short leg, who takes a simple catch and Rauf raises the finger 109/6 43.5 to Johnson, Swann gets his third! That's eight for the session! Swann tosses it up and gets some turn, Johnson is lured into the drive and an outside edge is well snapped up by Prior 131/8 47.3 to Clark, erm. Oh dear. We've had some shockers this summer, but that takes the biscuit and the tin. Clark pats forward, bat nowhere near the ball which takes the top of his pad, ballooning to silly point...and up goes the finger. In the umpire's defence, the bat flicked the pad, so he obviously heard something... 143/9
	SJ Harmison	4	1	15	0	3.75	(1nb)
	SCJ Broad	12	1	37	5	3.08
	22.6 to Watson, that's out! No worries about it. Absolutely dead in front, Watson trapped in the crease and that's taking out middle-and-leg 73/1 26.6 to Ponting, bowled him! Broad's bowled him! Ponting goes back and chops it on, his off stump pegged back 85/2 28.3 to Hussey, got him! Broad's got three! Hussey again not showing good judgement of his off stump as Broad cuts this back nastily and raps him in front. Gone! 89/3 30.2 to Clarke, he's got him! Broad's got four! Clarke went for a drive, feeling for it, and Trott took a very sharp chance at short extra cover, diving forward. Tremendous cricket from England! 93/4 38.4 to Haddin, gone! Another one! Broad's got five! And what a superb ball, that has cleaned up Haddin's off stump, it's full and straightening enough to beat Haddin, who was trying to whip it through leg 111/7

	England 2nd innings		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	AJ Strauss*	c Clarke b North	75	226	191	8	0	39.26
	54.3 gone! Finally there's a breakthrough for Australia, and only five minutes before lunch, North lures Strauss into a drive outside off, there's good turn and an outside edge is snapped up at first slip 157/4
	AN Cook	c Clarke b North	9	49	35	0	0	25.71
	12.3 North gets the breakthrough! That's a super delivery, pitches on middle and leg, turns sharply and bounces, Cook trying to work it to leg gets an edge that is snaffled at first slip 27/1
	IR Bell	c Katich b Johnson	4	13	7	1	0	57.14
	15.4 great catch! What a sharp piece of work from Katich at short leg! And it wasn't even the bouncer, Bell tried to flick it through leg and Katich gets the hands down low to take a ripper between his legs 34/2
	PD Collingwood	c Katich b Johnson	1	9	7	0	0	14.28
	17.3 another one caught at short leg! Johnson bangs it in at chest height, Collingwood really handles this poorly and prods it straight up in the air, a simple catch for Katich 39/3
	IJL Trott	c North b Clark	119	331	193	12	0	61.65
	94.6 cuts this hard - but straight to point, and North's taken a fine low catch. No one celebrates! And England declare 373/9
	MJ Prior†	run out (Katich)	4	16	9	1	0	44.44
	57.6 from Siddle, pushed out square of the wicket and Katich swoops and throws down the stumps! Way, way out. Lazy run from Prior - hit it straight to him! 168/5
	A Flintoff	c Siddle b North	22	24	18	4	0	122.22
	64.1 down the pitch, Flintoff tries to lift it over the top but skies it straight to Siddle at long-on who takes an easy catch, and that's Flintoff's final innings in Test cricket 200/6
	SCJ Broad	c Ponting b North	29	43	35	5	0	82.85
	74.2 Broad goes for it and this time he's found the fielder! He's gone the big slog over leg and the extra bounce does him, his top edge skies to mid off where Ponting takes a straightforward catch 243/7
	GP Swann	c †Haddin b Hilfenhaus	63	57	55	9	0	114.54
	87.4 got him this time! Good, straight bouncer and he tries to pull it but gets a thick top edge which Haddin swallows with ease 333/8
	JM Anderson	not out	15	34	29	2	0	51.72
	Extras	(b 1, lb 15, w 7, nb 9)	32
	Total	(9 wickets dec; 95 overs; 408 mins)	373	(3.92 runs per over)

Did not bat SJ Harmison

Fall of wickets1-27 (Cook, 12.3 ov), 2-34 (Bell, 15.4 ov), 3-39 (Collingwood, 17.3 ov), 4-157 (Strauss, 54.3 ov), 5-168 (Prior, 57.6 ov), 6-200 (Flintoff, 64.1 ov), 7-243 (Broad, 74.2 ov), 8-333 (Swann, 87.4 ov), 9-373 (Trott, 94.6 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	BW Hilfenhaus	11	1	58	1	5.27	(4nb)
	87.4 to Swann, got him this time! Good, straight bouncer and he tries to pull it but gets a thick top edge which Haddin swallows with ease 333/8
	PM Siddle	17	3	69	0	4.05	(2w)
	MJ North	30	4	98	4	3.26	(1w)
	12.3 to Cook, North gets the breakthrough! That's a super delivery, pitches on middle and leg, turns sharply and bounces, Cook trying to work it to leg gets an edge that is snaffled at first slip 27/1 54.3 to Strauss, gone! Finally there's a breakthrough for Australia, and only five minutes before lunch, North lures Strauss into a drive outside off, there's good turn and an outside edge is snapped up at first slip 157/4 64.1 to Flintoff, down the pitch, Flintoff tries to lift it over the top but skies it straight to Siddle at long-on who takes an easy catch, and that's Flintoff's final innings in Test cricket 200/6 74.2 to Broad, Broad goes for it and this time he's found the fielder! He's gone the big slog over leg and the extra bounce does him, his top edge skies to mid off where Ponting takes a straightforward catch 243/7
	MG Johnson	17	1	60	2	3.52	(5nb, 2w)
	15.4 to Bell, great catch! What a sharp piece of work from Katich at short leg! And it wasn't even the bouncer, Bell tried to flick it through leg and Katich gets the hands down low to take a ripper between his legs 34/2 17.3 to Collingwood, another one caught at short leg! Johnson bangs it in at chest height, Collingwood really handles this poorly and prods it straight up in the air, a simple catch for Katich 39/3
	SM Katich	5	2	9	0	1.80
	SR Clark	12	2	43	1	3.58
	94.6 to Trott, cuts this hard - but straight to point, and North's taken a fine low catch. No one celebrates! And England declare 373/9
	MJ Clarke	3	0	20	0	6.66

	Australia 2nd innings (target: 546 runs)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	SR Watson	lbw b Broad	40	101	81	6	0	49.38
	24.3 another one goes, but did he get bat on that? Off-cutter from Broad trapping Watson in his crease; he tried to defend but it was just too quick, too straight, and replays show that would've clipped middle-and-off. England are on a roll here! 90/2
	SM Katich	lbw b Swann	43	98	68	7	0	63.23
	23.6 stunning delivery from Swann as Katich pads up! That was the arm ball on off stump, it went straight on and that's a horrible leave from Katich as he's trapped in front 86/1
	RT Ponting*	run out (Flintoff)	66	157	103	10	0	64.07
	63.6 Harmison to Hussey, lovely nudged off his hips to mid-on. But hang on - Flintoff's got a rocket arm and he throws down Ponting's stumps! He's gone! Flintoff celebrates before the replays, down on one knee, arms outstretched ala Lord's. Flintoff has done it for England 217/3
	MEK Hussey	c Cook b Swann	121	328	263	14	0	46.00
	102.2 England have won the Ashes! Hussey prods to short leg and that's it. It's all over! 348/10
	MJ Clarke	run out (Strauss)	0	5	4	0	0	0.00
	64.5 from Swann, turns this to leg - or tries to. It ricochets to Strauss at leg slip who flicks it onto the stumps! Is Clarke's bat back in time? The bail appears to be lifted and the bat's not quite over the line, but it's so hard to tell from these replays. Another huge moment here as we wait for the umpire's decision! And he's out! He's been given out. Clarke trudges off scarcely able to believe his fate, nor that of his team 220/4
	MJ North	st †Prior b Swann	10	31	24	2	0	41.66
	72.2 gone! Sharp piece of work here from Prior, North takes an enormous stride down and tries to sweep, misses the ball and his foot looks to be on the line as Prior whips the bails off. Billy Bowden doesn't require the third umpire 236/5
	BJ Haddin†	c Strauss b Swann	34	95	49	6	0	69.38
	94.4 Haddin's luck runs out! He advances and lofts high over midwicket, but doesn't get the ball well enough off the middle and Strauss gets under it to take a comfortable catch 327/6
	MG Johnson	c Collingwood b Harmison	0	5	5	0	0	0.00
	95.5 gone! Harmison gets Johnson! He's angled it across and Johnson flashed, his thick edge has been taken sharply by Collingwood moving to his right at second slip 327/7
	PM Siddle	c Flintoff b Harmison	10	14	14	1	0	71.42
	99.4 Siddle's gone! Leading edge as he tried to work it through leg and that's lobbed up to Flintoff at mid off. Two wickets to go! 343/8
	SR Clark	c Cook b Harmison	0	1	1	0	0	0.00
	99.5 first ball! Caught at short leg! Angled in and it's lobbed up to Cook who snaffles an easy one 343/9
	BW Hilfenhaus	not out	4	10	8	1	0	50.00
	Extras	(b 7, lb 7, nb 6)	20
	Total	(all out; 102.2 overs; 431 mins)	348	(3.40 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-86 (Katich, 23.6 ov), 2-90 (Watson, 24.3 ov), 3-217 (Ponting, 63.6 ov), 4-220 (Clarke, 64.5 ov), 5-236 (North, 72.2 ov), 6-327 (Haddin, 94.4 ov), 7-327 (Johnson, 95.5 ov), 8-343 (Siddle, 99.4 ov), 9-343 (Clark, 99.5 ov), 10-348 (Hussey, 102.2 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	JM Anderson	12	2	46	0	3.83	(1nb)
	A Flintoff	11	1	42	0	3.81	(1nb)
	SJ Harmison	16	5	54	3	3.37	(4nb)
	95.5 to Johnson, gone! Harmison gets Johnson! He's angled it across and Johnson flashed, his thick edge has been taken sharply by Collingwood moving to his right at second slip 327/7 99.4 to Siddle, Siddle's gone! Leading edge as he tried to work it through leg and that's lobbed up to Flintoff at mid off. Two wickets to go! 343/8 99.5 to Clark, first ball! Caught at short leg! Angled in and it's lobbed up to Cook who snaffles an easy one 343/9
	GP Swann	40.2	8	120	4	2.97
	23.6 to Katich, stunning delivery from Swann as Katich pads up! That was the arm ball on off stump, it went straight on and that's a horrible leave from Katich as he's trapped in front 86/1 72.2 to North, gone! Sharp piece of work here from Prior, North takes an enormous stride down and tries to sweep, misses the ball and his foot looks to be on the line as Prior whips the bails off. Billy Bowden doesn't require the third umpire 236/5 94.4 to Haddin, Haddin's luck runs out! He advances and lofts high over midwicket, but doesn't get the ball well enough off the middle and Strauss gets under it to take a comfortable catch 327/6 102.2 to Hussey, England have won the Ashes! Hussey prods to short leg and that's it. It's all over! 348/10
	SCJ Broad	22	4	71	1	3.22
	24.3 to Watson, another one goes, but did he get bat on that? Off-cutter from Broad trapping Watson in his crease; he tried to defend but it was just too quick, too straight, and replays show that would've clipped middle-and-off. England are on a roll here! 90/2
	PD Collingwood	1	0	1	0	1.00