Australia beat England in first Twenty20

Australia won by 13 runs

International Twenty20 Series, First International Twenty20, Wednesday 29 January 2014 at Hobart

Australia won the toss and decided to bat Australia Innings 213 for 4 (20.0 overs) England Innings 200 for 9 (20.0 overs)

Australia take 2-0 lead

Australia v England Scorecard

One-Day International Series, Second One Day International, Friday 17 January 2014 at Brisbane

Match finished	Result
England won the toss and decided to bat England Innings 300 for 8 (50.0 overs) Australia Innings 301 for 9 (49.3 overs)

Australia v England International Series trophy

Stuart Broad rested for first two ODIs 

MELBOURNE: England go into the opening one-day international in Melbourne on Sunday desperate to salvage some pride, but face a torrid task with a fired-up Australia vowing no let-up after dominating the Ashes.

Australia whitewash England in Ashes series

Australia win the fifth test against England in Ashes series

Fifth Test, Sydney (day three)
Australia (326 & 276) beat England (155 & 166) by 281 runs

England folded in dismal fashion to lose the fifth Test within three days and with it the Ashes series 5-0 to end their miserable winter in entirely appropriate fashion.

Australia looking for whitewash over England

5th Ashes test Day 2 Fifth Test, Sydney (day two)

Australia 326 & 140-4 & England 155

England plumbed new depths even for this bleak Ashes tour as they staggered to 23-5 and then 155 all out before Australia's batsmen built an intimidating lead in the fifth Test

Fifth Ashes test Day 1

Steve Smith and Brad Haddin punish England Australia                                  England 326 all out (76.0 overs)           8 for 1 (6.0 overs) Steve Smith's second century in three matches and yet another brilliant Brad Haddin counter-attack punished a weary England as the first day of the fifth Test followed a familiar script.

Ashes England won the toss and chose to bowl first

5th Test: England elect to bowl

 SYDNEY: England won the toss and chose to bowl on the opening day of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

Andy Flower wants to continue

Andy Flower wants to continue as England Coach 

Andy Flower says he is "motivated" to continue as England team director and backed Alastair Cook to remain as captain despite a poor Ashes campaign. 

Australia win fourth Ashes by eigth wicket

Australia win fourth Ashes by eigth wicket 

 

Australia cruised to an eight-wicket win over demoralised England with more than a day to spare on Sunday to claim a 4-0 series lead and stand on the cusp of an Ashes whitewash.

England bowled Australia out for 204 in 4th Ashes

England bowled Australia out for 204 in 4th Ashes

MELBOURNE: England bowled Australia out for 204 before lunch on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday to take a 51-run lead.

Fourth Ashes Test Australia elect to bowl against England

Fourth Ashes Test Australia elect to bowl against England

In Summary

• England 135-3 at tea - Pietersen 20/Bell 11
• Last wkt: Root out for 24 - Eng 106-3
• Carberry out for 38 and Cook 27
• Bairstow in for Prior; Panesar for Swann
• Unchanged Australia won toss (lead 3-0)

Ashes 2013-14 -England must bat through the entire final day

Ashes 2013-14: England face battle to save series in Perth

England must bat through the entire final day with just five wickets left if they are to rescue the most improbable draw from this third Test and keep the Ashes alive.

On a day that began with an all-out Australian assault on their dispirited bowlers and bottomed out with a golden duck for captain Alastair Cook, England closed on 251-5, still a mammoth 253 short of their nominal target of 504.
The impressive Ben Stokes will resume on 72 and Matt Prior seven, but their task on a badly cracked pitch would appear futile after the failure once again of too many senior players.
While Cook received a peach of a delivery from Ryan Harris to be bowled first ball and Ian Bell played well for his 60, Kevin Pietersen was caught on the boundary trying to hit Nathan Lyon into the stands.

Cook's wicket continued his miserable series, the weight of this failing team appearing heavy on his shoulders, while Pietersen is averaging 27 from his six underwhelming innings.

Once again Australia were superior in every department, and if they seal the series to win back the Ashes for the first time in seven years as now seems inevitable, it will be entirely merited.
Stuart Broad will bat only if required to save the game after sustaining heavy bruising to his right foot when being pinned lbw by Mitchell Johnson in the first innings, meaning after the not-out batsmen, only Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann and James Anderson realistically remain in Australia's way.
Michael Clarke's confident, aggressive side hit new heights on Monday morning as they dismantled England's much-decorated attack in a brutal hour of sustained hitting.
Shane Watson made a century off only 106 balls, with 11 fours and five sixes, as he smashed Swann out of the attack.
In the first 13 balls he faced from the off-spinner he cracked 37 runs as he moved from his overnight 29 to his fourth Test century in a blistering 40 balls.
England dropped one catch and let another fall between two hesitant fielders as they fell apart even more completely than they had during Sunday's hapless display.

When Bresnan did take a fine catch on the boundary he tumbled over the ropes, although he could not be blamed for either that or the farcical way in which Watson eventually fell for 106.

The number three top-edged an ugly pull only for Bell to spill the regulation catch, and when Bresnan picked up the loose ball to hurl down the stumps with Watson open-mouthed and leaden-footed mid-pitch, it was almost as much in anger as aim.
Steve Smith was caught at mid-wicket by substitute fielder Jonny Bairstow off Stokes for 15, but it only heralded the next cavalry charge as George Bailey launched into Anderson to the roaring delight of the Waca crowd.
In one over he hit an extraordinary 28 runs, including three straight sixes and two fours, to equal the world record for the most runs scored off a Test over and humiliate England still further.
In all 134 runs were added in 17 overs as Australia declared on 369-6. It was the first time in Test history that a team has been set a fourth innings target of 500-plus in three consecutive matches, and England began in the worst possible fashion.
Harris produced a ball that swung in and then moved away to clip the off bail as Cook's 100th Test brought his first ever first-ball dismissal.
Michael Carberry and Joe Root survived the first hour after lunch before the opener was trapped lbw for 31 by a full inswinging ball from Shane Watson, while Root failed with a review after being brilliantly caught behind by Brad Haddin for 19 off Mitchell Johnson.
Pietersen and Bell then took the score to 121 before Pietersen, as so many times in this series, walked straight into the trap set by Clarke and his bowler.
It was left to Stokes in only his second Test to provide the sole silver lining after Bell perished for a well-made 60 attempting to upper-cut Peter Siddle over Haddin.
His 50 came up off 69 balls with nine fours as he showed exactly the application and discipline that has too often been missing from his far more experienced team-mates.
But to expect him to salvage something from the wreckage of this England performance is both unrealistic and unfair, and at some stage on Tuesday, Australia will almost certainly once again be in possession of the famous old urn.

McGrath's prediction of a 5-0 whitewash by Australia

PERTH: Test great Glenn McGrath has hailed Australia's rediscovery of "bit of mongrel" in the Ashes series and said they were starting to resemble the top teams of the past.

Australia are 2-0 up in the five-match series against England and could take an unbeatable lead if they win the Perth Test starting Friday after humbling the tourists in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Since meekly losing the Ashes in England earlier this year, Australia's performances have been defined by fierce fast bowling, dogged batting and a more aggressive attitude.

McGrath said it was good to see. "Australia play best when they've got a bit of mongrel about them, when they play hard out in the middle, when they don't give an inch, when they play an aggressive brand of cricket," he said in a column for a betting website.

"It's something that has been missing for a little while and they're back there now. They are a team I'd be proud to be a part of."

McGrath, who took 563 Test wickets at 21.64, credited pacer Mitchell Johnson for "injecting Australia's psyche with a bit of confidence".

"What he must do is not get carried away and still execute his plans, but there is no reason that Mitch, alongside Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle, can't keep doing that," said McGrath.

"I've been saying for the last few months that Mitch was going to have a huge impact on this series, so I'm not surprised by the way he's played. I'm backing him again to have a big match in Perth.

"He had the English batsman jumping about on what was supposed to be a fairly docile track at Adelaide so I can't wait to see him on the speed gun at the WACA."

Ahead of the series, McGrath predicted a 5-0 whitewash of England and he is standing by his call.

"England continued to look like a rabbit in the headlights at Adelaide and I can't see a way back

Michael Clarke aims for top Test ranking

ADELAIDE: Michael Clarke says his Australia still have plenty to do if they want not only to win back the Ashes from England but also to become the world's top Test team.

Australia took a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series following a 218-run trouncing of England in the second Adelaide Test on Monday and are poised to retrieve the Ashes they lost in 2009 should they win the third Test in Perth starting on Friday.

The Australians have proved dominant on the usually pacy WACA wicket with victories against England in their last six Tests there. England's only win in Perth came in 1978.

Captain Clarke urged his players to keep grounded as they look for one more victory to seal the series in the remaining three Tests in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

"I think we have to be realistic. That's our second Test win the past 12 months and that is not acceptable as an Australian Test team so our feet are certainly well and truly cemented on the ground," he said.

"There's a lot of work for us to do to get back to being the number one team in the world and that's our goal."

Australia are currently ranked fifth on the International Cricket Council rankings behind number one South Africa, with England third, and Clarke cautioned against over-expectations in Perth.

"It's obviously exciting that we're going to a ground that we feel so comfortable playing at," he said.

"But in saying that I have also experienced some defeats in my career in Perth so I'm more concerned about making sure we play the same brand of cricket that we have played so far in this series.

"I don't think it matters the conditions we play in, if we continue to play the brand that we have played.

"The positive is, we know the conditions and guys like Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle love bowling when there is a bit more pace and bounce, but I think the main focus is making sure we play the same brand and we're as well prepared as we were for this Test."

Clarke described Johnson, who has been man-of-the-match in both Test wins, as having the "X-factor".

Johnson took seven for 40 to destroy England in the first innings and has taken 17 wickets in the series at 12.70.

"He has always been an X-factor, with bat and ball. He's as good an athlete in the field as you'll see," Clarke said.

"Mitch has always had that. It's just about working out how to use him best in your team.

"Our attack right now really complements each other so it allows Mitch to be used the way I feel is best for our team.

"He's been our new-ball bowler, he's bowled first-change, he's bowled 12-over spells. Whatever's required, he can do that. He's been outstanding."

Clarke said Australia's two comprehensive wins had their origins in the last series in England in July-August, which they lost 3-0.

"In our opinion it's not a fluke that we have won the first two Test matches. It's hard work that we put in the UK and we thought we were so close but we didn't get over the line and we were disappointed not to have success in England," he said.

"So we as a team believe the work we have been putting in for a long period of time, now we're seeing some results."

Ashes second Test Australia thrash England

ADELAIDE: Australia wrapped up a comprehensive 218-run victory over England on Monday to take a 2-0 series lead, leaving them on the brink of reclaiming the Ashes from their fierce rivals.

The home team claimed the four remaining wickets in just under an hour on the final morning in Adelaide and are now just one victory away from winning back the famous urn after three consecutive series defeats.

It was a second emphatic defeat for England after they lost the first Test in Brisbane by 381 runs and the tourists must regroup before the third match of the series, which starts in Perth on Friday. England have only won once in 12 Tests on the traditionally pacy WACA pitch.

"I think that something that is most pleasing is we are finally getting some results," said Australian skipper Michael Clarke.

But he added: "I think we have to be realistic. That's our second Test win in the past 12 months -- certainly not a record we're proud of.

"There's a lot of work for us to do to get back to being the number one team in the world and that's our goal."

England captain Alastair Cook admitted his side lost the game on the first day when they were guilty of several dropped catches, allowing Australia to pile up an imposing 570 for nine declared.

"On that first day we had an opportunity to a put a bit of pressure on Australia. We let a few chances go, and they really made us pay for that," he said.

Cook said England's first innings total of 172 was not good enough. "You don't get too many chances on good wickets and we had the opportunity then and we didn't take it. I thought that was the main difference. Australia took their chances very well," he said.

"It's been a tough five days and we've got to look at ourselves, look at our performance and come back stronger," Cook added.

Under overcast skies, wicketkeeper Matt Prior showed defiance with 69 off 102 balls, before he became the ninth batsman to go.

Peter Siddle finished the best of Australia's bowlers with four for 57. Stuart Broad fell to the fifth ball of the final day after losing his battle of wills with Siddle.

Broad defiantly pulled Siddle's fourth ball for six and then repeated the shot on the next ball only to find Nathan Lyon at deep square leg and fell for 29.

England's Barmy Army supporters attempted to get under Mitchell Johnson's skin, but the pacer, named man of the match for his decisive seven wickets in the first innings, ignored them and instead peppered Prior with a couple of short-pitched deliveries.

Prior saw off Johnson and was looking to reprise his fighting unbeaten 110 off 182 balls to bat England to a draw in the third Test against New Zealand in March.

The wicketkeeper reached his 27th Test half-century off 88 balls with a pulled shot to the boundary off Siddle and he was severe with Johnson.

Graeme Swann was caught at second slip off Ryan Harris for six with the England spinner swinging his bat angrily at the stumps for playing at a ball he should have let go.

And Prior's resistance ended when he fell hooking Siddle to Lyon on the boundary rope.

Monty Panesar was the last England wicket to fall, hitting to Chris Rogers at short extra cover to give Harris his third scalp of the innings.

Feeble England could lose 5-0 - Michael Vaughan in Ashes 2013-14

England are in grave danger of being whitewashed 5-0 in the Ashes after a "pathetic" batting display during the second Test match against Australia, says former captain Michael Vaughan.

The tourists crumbled to 172 all out in Adelaide as they finished day three 530 runs behind their dominant hosts.
"England look as if they are petrified of the ball and that is a real worry," said Vaughan on Test Match Special.
"I can't see any other result than 5-0 the way this England team are playing."
England, trailing 1-0 in the series after a heavy defeat in Brisbane, lost their last six wickets for 55 runs as Mitchell Johnson (7-40) ran through their middle and lower order. Australia then reached 132-3 by the close.
Vaughan was alarmed by the lack of fight from England's players in the face of a high-class spell of fast bowling.
"It's been pathetic, feeble - there is no way you can protect this batting today," he said. "England would have been blown away on day one if they'd batted like this. They are mentally shot.
"Even when England lost 5-0 in 2006-07, I don't remember them folding like this. This is as bad as I have seen from an England side."
Vaughan, who captained England to their first Ashes triumph in 18 years in 2005, believes there were signs their standards were slipping during the 3-0 victory over Australia in July and August.
"The last three Test matches of the summer were the warning signs for this England team," added Vaughan.
"They weren't playing great. Their brand of cricket was poor - attritional and very negative. If you can't go out and express your game when you are 2-0 up in an Ashes series on home soil, when you've doctored your own decks, there's a real problem.

Mitchell Johnson take England on back foot

Johnson took 7-40, including a wonderful spell of 5-16 in five overs after lunch, as England were rattled out for a feeble 172 to concede a first-innings deficit of 398 runs.

Only Ian Bell, with an unbeaten 72, and Michael Carberry (60) offered any resistance as their team-mates either tossed their wickets away or were simply unable to cope with Johnson's fearsome pace.
Twice the left-armer was on hat-tricks after both Stuart Broad and James Anderson were bowled first ball, while Matt Prior's dismal run of form continued with his fifth duck in nine Tests.
With time on their side, Australia then opted to bat again, and had extended their lead to 530 with seven wickets still in hand by the close.
But with two full days to come, England need a miracle in the city of churches to prevent themselves going 2-0 down in this Ashes series.
So abject was this display, and so one-sided has been the series thus far, that Australia are now unarguable favourites to win back the urn for the first time since 2009.
Needing 371 to avoid the follow-on after Australia's runaway 570-9 declared, England had begun with determination and discipline, only for all that to rapidly evaporate into the warm south Australian air in the hour before lunch.
Joe Root set the tone, slog-sweeping the first ball he faced from Nathan Lyon to Chris Rogers at deep square leg to throw away his wicket for 15 after 79 previously patient deliveries.

The Analyst: England's batting collapse

If that was wasteful, Kevin Pietersen - scorer of 158 and 227 in his previous two Tests on this ground - was then guilty of a crass misjudgement when, with two men in catching on the leg side, he attempted to flick Peter Siddle over them and instead picked out George Bailey at mid-wicket for just four.
Carberry and Bell briefly arrested the descent, Carberry going to his maiden Test half century, before David Warner clung on to a diving one-handed catch at mid-wicket to see off the opener.
But the real horror began after lunch, when Johnson tore in from the Cathedral End like some fast-bowling banshee to blow the
England middle order away.
In the space of one extraordinary over he had debutant Ben Stokes trapped lbw on review for one, Prior caught behind after being roughed up with two short ones and Broad bowled behind his legs the very next ball.
Graeme Swann survived the hat-trick ball at the start of Johnson's next over but then swiped at a wide one to be brilliantly caught by Michael Clarke at second slip for seven.

Next into the mincing machine was Anderson, bowled for a golden duck and given a fierce send-off by the close fielders as he departed, head bowed.

In five and a half overs Johnson had taken six wickets, England losing six for 24 either side of lunch. Johnson leaves England in disarray

Alone amid the wreckage stood Bell, who went on the attack with only Monty Panesar for company and raced past his half century as Johnson was rested.
But when the fast bowler was recalled to the attack, he bowled the brave Panesar to leave England adrift in a sea of scorn.
As Australia looked for quick runs, Anderson had Rogers caught behind for two and Shane Watson taken in the gully for a duck before Panesar bowled Clarke with a beauty that drifted and turned.
But the pugnacious Warner (83 not out) and Steve Smith (23 not out) saw them to the close at 132-3 to leave their side in total control.

India series a chance to become no. 1 ODI side - Australia coach

MUMBAI: Their focus on the number one spot up for grabs in the upcoming ODI series against India, Australian captain George Bailey and coach Steve Rixon said the visitors are no longer intimidated by the sub-continental conditions courtesy the exposure they have got through the IPL.

The Aussies will start the tour with a one-off Twenty20 match in Rajkot on October 10 followed by seven ODIs.

"If you look at the tournament, it is not just a tournament but a chance to be number 1 in the world in one of the three formats," said Rixon at the first media conference of the squad after its arrival on Saturday night.

"So, it is very important to the players, the coaching staff and Cricket Australia. At the end of the day, we want to sit back and want to be part of the number one side," he added.
"Yes, we do know a few players that certainly I think one of the great things about the IPL, over the years. We have played at a lot of grounds that we are about to play at. Most of our players have played with and against a lot of Indian players, vice-versa, they have played with a lot of us," said Bailey who is leading the squad in the absence of injured regular ODI captain Michael Clarke.

"We know a lot about strengths and weaknesses and lot about the personalities, so there is absolutely some advantage for both the teams but also some areas to try and exploit," added Bailey who played for Chennai Super Kings, led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, in CLT20.

Rixon, a part of the support staff of CSK as its fielding coach, agreed with his captain, adding the squad still had plenty of work to do to get the better of the ICC World Cup and Champions Trophy holder.