Teen Sangha frustrates England
England were held to a drawbyaCricketAustraliaXIin their final tour match ahead of the Ashesafter they struggled to break a fourth-wicket partnershipof263onalifelessTownsville pitchonSaturday. JasonSangha, 18, became the second-youngest batsmanafterSachinTendulkar to score a first-class hundred againstEnglandonhiswayto133, whilecaptainMattShortfinished the day unbeaten on 134.
The tourists would have wantedtotakethesevenwickets they needed to wrap up a victory in the four-day match fairly quicklybutcoachTrevorBayliss said a day labouring in the field was also good practice.
“I think over the three games we’ve got everything we wanted to get out of these matches,” he told reporters in Queensland afterEngland’sthirdtourmatch.
“Today wasn’t a perfect game ofcricketforusbutwespentabit of time out in the dirt and to be realistic, over a five test series, we’ll probably have another one or two of those days.”
Australians would have been encouragedthatabowlingattack featuring Stuart Broad, Chris WoakesandMoeenAlimanaged to take just onewicketatacostof 220 runs on Saturday.
“You’re always disappointed when you don’t take 10 for 90 but thewicketwasveryflat,”Bayliss added. “You play cricket long enoughandthosedaysaregoing to happen.”
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