User:Rameshsanthanam/sandbox

History was made on 29th of July,2009, when Graeme Swann bowled the last ball of his 28th over in the second innings, as England registered their first win since 75 years at Lord's Cricket Ground against the so called “mighty Australians” in the Ashes.

England set a mammoth target of 522 for the Australians to win the second test, at their very best Lord’s. All credit to the Andrew Strauss, the England captain who led the team by example by scoring 161 and 32. England had the best off the start in the second innings and it was Freddie Flintoff who took the wicket of SM Katich in the fourth over. It was the in the hands of Ricky Pointing to control the game and when he started to do so, once again Flintoff strike back with the wicket of PJ Hudhes, sending both the openers within ten over’s of the match. RT Ponting and MEK Hussey added few runs to the total, before RT Ponting was sent back by Stuart Broad. It was Clarke who joint MEK Hussey in the middle after the fall of his captain. Michael Hussey played a slow innings before he was caught by a brilliant catch by Paul Collingwood. MJ North inexperienced middle order batsmen, failed to move the score. It was BJ Haddin along with            MJ Clarke, the score board showed 128 for 5. Clarke a scored a silent 50 and Haddin just supported him. Haddin followed Clarke in scoring 50 and the mean time Clarke made a comfortable century. Both batsmen well settled in the middle, Andrew Strauss looked for different options in his bowling.

At the end of 4th day it was Haddin and Clarke who added 185 run to the total. Australia requires another 209 runs to win and at the same time England need another five wickets. It was James Anderson to start for England along with Flintoff. Flintoff’s first over in the final day say the wicket of BJ Haddin, who failed to add runs to his overnight score of 80. This movement gave the English side a much needed inspiration. MG Johnson, the new all-rounder in the Australian side came to join a well settled Clarke. They both moved the total to 356 for 6. Swann sent back Clarke when he was in 136, a fine innings came to an end. Flintoff was given the ball again, even thought his spell was over, came back strongly and took the wicket of NM Hauritz. Two more wickets for a historic win for England and it was Flintoff and Swann, who shared those wickets.The score board of second test at Lord's cricket ground showed that there were few other England members who contributed for this big win but it was Flintoff’s figures of 5 for 92 in the second innings that stood out from the rest and showed the way to victory. Flintoff was then awarded man of the match in the second test match at Lord’s.