da apostaganha： ESPNcricinfo charts England’s 14-day journey to maintaining their grip on the urn

da esport bet： David Hopps05-Aug-20131st Investec Test, Trent Bridge1st day:
Pent-up tensions at the start of the series frothed out into a memorable first day of eager bowling, angsty batting and high excitement. Trent Bridge swung for the quicks, Peter Siddle took five England wickets and James Anderson passed Fred Trueman’s 307 Test wickets with a mesmerising delivery to bowl Michael Clarke.2nd day:
No last man has ever made a Test hundred. Ashton Agar came within inches of achieving it in his maiden Test innings, only to fall for 98 as he pulled Stuart Broad to deep midwicket. His last-wicket stand of 163 in 33 overs with Phillip Hughes, a world record, gave Australia a first-innings lead of 65 that they could not imagine at 117 for 9.3rd day:
Ian Bell played with inconspicuous authority on an increasingly turgid surface to move within five runs of a century, but the furore surrounded Stuart Broad. Broad was accused of bad sportsmanship for not walking (a practice barely seen for half a century) when umpire Aleem Dar gave him not out after an edge cannoned off the gloves of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to first slip.4th day:
Australia put on 84 for the first wicket as they were set 311 to win at Trent Bridge. A dead pitch and the hottest day of the year made it tough work for the bowlers, but the loss of three wickets in the last hour tilted the Test towards England.5th day:
James Anderson led England to victory as he took the last four wickets to fall in a steadfast spell of fast bowling on a nerve-shredding final day. A last-wicket stand of 65 between Brad Haddin and James Pattinson took a wonderful match, against expectations, into the afternoon session before Anderson struck for the final time.2nd Investec Test, Lord’s1st day:
Ian Bell became the fourth England batsman to score three successive Ashes hundreds after Ryan Harris had bulldozed aside the top-order on a sweltering day at Lord’s, but Steven Smith’s lightly used legspin brought three late wickets for Australia to balance up the match.2nd day:
This was the day that persuaded many that Australia were no-hopers. They batted dreadfully, losing 10 wickets for 86 in a display that raised questions about their technique and confidence. This was an opportunity to bat themselves into a winning position, occasional sharp turn for Graeme Swann notwithstanding. Instead, they floundered, dismissed in only 53.3 overs.3rd day:
Joe Root ground down Australia with his first Test hundred as an England opener to end the debate about his promotion up the order. Root was 97 not out at tea, but the benefits accrued for England in the final session as they added a further 162. Root’s unbeaten 178 left his quality incontestable.4th day:
England secured a 2-0 lead as they completed an inevitable victory in the last over of the fourth day. Australia, losing for the sixth successive Test, were four balls away from taking the match into a fifth day, with England forced to take a second new ball and the extra half-hour before Graeme Swann’s ninth wicket of the match finished the job.The players walk off for one last time at a sodden Old Trafford•Getty Images3rd Investec Test, Old Trafford1st day:
Australia, so clueless at Lord’s, summoned long-dormant reserves of application at a hot, humid Old Trafford to breathe life into an Ashes series that no longer seemed quite as inevitable. Michael Clarke, predictably, was at the centre of it all, marrying grit with glitz in the first century by an Australia batsman for seven Tests.2nd day:
The Old Trafford Test continued to be a throwback as Australia, led once more by Michael Clarke, again dominated, batting boldly and bowling with discipline and menace. England toiled in the field for hours before taking up a grim occupation of the crease with a draw looming as their favoured outcome.3rd day:
England were indebted to a century from Kevin Pietersen as their unsatisfying progress towards the retention of the Ashes continued. Two successive sixes off Nathan Lyon pronounced that the day beloned to Pietersen, who insisted afterwards that he had refused surgery on his knee complaint to play in the Ashes.4th day:
Australia, aware of a worsening weather forecast, batted positively to extend a first-innings lead of 159 to 331 before bad light controversially ended the fourth day early. Umpires Tony Hill and Marais Erasmus judged conditions unsafe, much to the incredulity of the Old Trafford crowd and Australia’s captain, Michael Clarke.5th day:
Predictions that there would be no play at all were wide of the mark, as the groundstaff cleared up in time for an 11.30am start. Australia declared, setting England a notional 332 to win, and claimed three wickets before lunch to maintain faint hopes of keeping the series alive. Then the Manchester weather closed in, ensuring the Ashes would remain with England.