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Ponting salvages draw for Australia MANCHESTER, England: Ricky Ponting scored a back-to-the-wall 156 as Australia escaped defeat on an extraordinary final day of the third Ashes test on Monday, breaking English hearts. The home side dominated the match from start to finish but Australia's captain struck his 23rd test century in a memorable rearguard action to salvage a draw and keep the five-match series at 1-1. "I thought I had let the whole thing slip," Ponting told reporters after he was the ninth man out. "It's been mentally draining. The emotions have been up and down all day but I'm feeling pretty good about things now." The day ended with Australia's last two batsmen, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath, surviving the final 24 balls of express pace from Andrew Flintoff (four for 71) and Steve Harmison, with all of England's fielders hovering like hawks. Australia, having been set an unlikely 423 to win, closed on 371 for nine. Ponting held the innings together to put on 81 with Michael Clarke for the sixth wicket and 76 with Shane Warne for the eighth. A draw seemed to be looming with Ponting and Warne at the crease but there was more drama yet. Warne, who frustrated England with 90 in the first innings, survived almost 22 overs with his captain before pushing forward to Flintoff and edging to Andrew Strauss at second slip. Wonder catch Strauss let the ball go straight through his hands. It bounced up off his right thigh and Geraint Jones, much maligned for his wicketkeeping earlier in the test, threw himself to his right to scoop up the chance in his right glove. That left the home side with nine overs to take the final two wickets. They got one when Ponting pulled at a short ball from Harmison and gloved behind. The game finished with a flurry of appeals and near misses as the world champions ended a marathon 98-over day smiling. It was as nerve-racking a finale as that of the second test a week before when England won by two runs. Ponting's innings was his highest against England. It spanned almost seven hours and 275 balls, including one six and 16 fours. Only one Australian has scored more at Old Trafford, Bob Simpson with 311 in 1964. Flintoff produced a high-class display but left-arm spinner Ashley Giles failed to exploit the wearing pitch and ended wicketless. Australia were handed a lifeline when rain stopped play for most of the third day They resumed on 24 without loss on Monday. A draw seemed the most they could hope for. The world record fourth-innings score to win a test is 418 for seven, made by West Indies against Australia in 2003. The anticipation, and cut priced entry, led to tens of thousands of fans queuing for hours in the hope of a spare ticket to the 23,000-capacity venue. About 10,000 were turned away. Australia were in unfamiliar territory, they rarely have to bat to save a game let alone play a fifth day. The priority was to conserve wickets but Justin Langer went to the eighth ball of the morning, Matthew Hoggard conjuring up rare swing and the left-hander feathering one behind. Facing pace from one end and Giles's spin from the other, Matthew Hayden and Ponting put on 71 runs. Flintoff was the unluckiest bowler. While Ponting lifted his third ball into the stands, Hayden twice edged him between the slips. But, having struggled to 36, Hayden shaped to glance and Flintoff hit leg stump. (China Daily 08/17/2005 page16)
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