Aust. meekly surrenders Ashes series

Press, 29 December 1986, Page 32

Aust. meekly surrenders Ashes series

NZPA-AAP Melbourne Allan Border’s Australian cricketers meekly surrendered the Ashes series to England on the battlefield of the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday without as much as a rearguard skirmish.

The fourth test and the Ashes were pocketed by England with an innings and 14-run victory in just two days four hours and 39 minutes when the Australians collapsed for only 194. And England’s captain, Mike Gatting, in an indirect swipe at the Australian selectors, said a team did not field only four specialist batsmen in a test. “We don’t bat lan Botham until No. 6. You just can’t go into a test with four batsmen,” he said. England had led, 1-0, after three tests and Australia’s pride and credibility was at stake at the M.C.G. with the need to square the series with the fifth and final test looming. In the first innings, Australia made a paltry 141 and England replied with 349. England led by 208 but Australia capitulated in the second innings yesterday in 281 minutes of confusion that left the captain, Allan Border, shell-shocked. “I’m numb, disappointed but I must keep hanging in there,” he said. “I am determined to see it out.” Some officials had feared a depressed Border would follow Kim Hughes and resign the leadership after 14 winless tests. It was sackcloth and ashes stuff for Australia which hadn’t been beaten in three days by England since 1934 when Hedley Veritv took fifteen for 104 in the second test at Lords.

Border was stunned. “I don’t know where we can go from here,” he said in the tense minutes which followed the end of the game. “Four specialist batsmen are not enough,” he said implying direct criticism of the decision to drop Queensland’s Greg Ritchie to reinforce the bowling firepower. Border revealed he wanted Ritchie to play but was overruled by the Australian selectors, Laurie Sawle, Greg Chappell, Jim Higgs and Dick Guy last Friday morning. “It is as good an England side as I have played against — and lan Botham wasn’t even fully fit.” Gatting said Australia had put too much reliance on what he called its bits and pieces players. “Only four front-line batsmen, that really puts the pressure on,” he said. “Border bats at four, he goes and it’s on — a bowler in at No. 5.” Gatting said the difference between the two sides was the great start that his openers had given England and the spin wiles of John Emburey and Phil Edmonds. Gatting said that yesterday was his greatest moment in cricket apart from the day he played his first test for England some 52 tests ago, but he revealed he hadn't enjoyed the captaincy on tour as much as he thought he might, despite the wins in Brisbane and Melbourne. Border and Gatting had a few quiet moments together after the cheque presentation ceremony.

“I know how he feels — a scapegoat,” said Gatting, “but Allan Border is one of the - best Australian players for a long, long time. “I went through a period against India and New Zealand recently and I know how he feels, but to lose the Ashes again must be even worse for him.” AUSTRALIA First innings 141 Second innings D. Boon c Gatting b Small . 8 G. Marsh run out 60 D. Jones c Gatting b DeFreitas 21 A. Border c Emburey b Small 34 S. Waugh b Edmonds ... 49 G. Matthews b Emburey . 0 P. Sleep run out 6 T. Zoehrer c Athey b Edmonds. 1 C. McDermott b Emburey 1 M. Hughes c Small b Edmonds 8 B. Reid not out 0 Extra (lb 3 wl, nb2) .... 6 Total 194 Fall: 13, 48, 113, 153, 153, 175, 180, 185, 189. Bowling.—P. DeFreitas 12, 1, 44, 1: G. Small 15, 3, 40, 2 (Inb); I. Botham 7,1, 19, 0 (lw); P. Edmonds 19.4, 5, 45, 3; J. Emburey 20, 5, 43, 2 (Inb). ENGLAND First innings C. Broad c Zoehrer b Hughes 112 B.Athey lbw b Reid 21 M. Gatting c Hughes b Reid 40 A. Lamb c Zoehrer b Reid . 43 D. Gower c Matthews b Sleep 7 I. Botham c Zoehrer b McDermott 29 J. Richards c Marsh b Reid 3 P. DeFreitas c Matthews b McDermott -7 J. Emburey c and b McDermott. . 22 P. Edmonds lbw b McDermott 19 G. Small not out 21 Extras (b 6 lb 7, wl, nbll) 25 Total 349 Fall: 58, 163, 198, 219, 251, 273, 277, 289, 319. Bowling: C. McDermott 26.5, 4, 83, 4 (3nb); M. Hughes 30, 3, 94, 1 (lw); B. Reid 28, 5, 78, 4 (8nb); S. Waugh 8,4, 16, 0; P. Sleep 28, 4, 65, 1.