Gooch and Gower take England to win over Australia
By A.C. De Silva
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Graham Gooch – the top score of 196 in the total of 464 runs
in the first innings total and helped England to gain full
control of the match.
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David Gower – a good knock of 157 helped England in a big
‘way to get to 464 runs in their first innings and with
Gooch (196) pulled England on to a big score.
|
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Richard Ellison was among the wickets and he took 2 for 35
in Australia’s 245 in the first innings and 5 for 46 in
Australia’s second innings score of 129 and helped England
to win.
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Allan Border made 38 in the first innings total of 241 and
made the top second innings score of 58 in Australia’s
second innings score of 129. Australia, however, lost the
match by an innings and 94 runs. |
FLASHBACK: Much to England's surprise and suspect to that of
Australians too, England won The Oval Test played on August 29,30, 31
and on September 2 and 3 in 1985, England beat Australia by an innings
and 94 runs.
For England, it turned out to be an excellent Test where they rattled
up 464 runs while batting first. Two cricketers - No. 1 bat Graham Gooch
rattled up a fine 196 runs, after the other opener R.T. Robinson was out
for 3 runs with the total at 28, there was that marathon partnership of
343 runs for the second wicket between Grahan Goach (196) and David
Gower (157) both of whom paid scant respect to the Australian bowlers
and scored runs at will.
For the exhilarating Gower and opening batsman Gooch it was a day of
merry-making and they scored runs at will against an Australian attack
that had no dangers.
Gower came out of his bad spot and his partnership with Gooch worked
wonders. Gooch laid his won personal bogey by hitting century and with
Gower by his side they worked wonders. The Australians lost the toss and
this England pair of Gooch and Gower took the England team to match
winning proportions. The Australians lost the toss, but the match was
not settled on that.
There was plenty of help for the faster bowlers on the first morning
but once again Lawson and McDermott were not up to making the best of
the conditions. Only Robinson perished in the first two hours when
England could easily have lost two or four wickets.
The ball was both moving and lifting. Once a good total was built up,
the going turned out to be smooth for England. Besides Gooch and Gower
no other England batsman made a half-century.
The two pacemen - Lawson and McDermott took four wickets apiece.
By the close of the second day, Australia was 145 for 6 wickets and
were in great difficulty.
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Greg Ritchie – made the top score of 64 for Australia in the
total of 241 in the first innings. |
Taylor had bowled well and without luck but the others had all picked
up wickets and more importantly they had been well deployed given the
conditions.
The dismissal which provoked the Australians to wrath was that of
Hilditch first out. Once again he fell for Botham's three card trick,
holding out at long leg off a bouncer. It was an embarrassing end for
Australian vice-captain because the dismissal was so irresponsible.
Gem of a catch
On the third morning, Ritchie batted well enough to show that runs
were there for the taking, but England was helped by a silly run out and
a spectacular catch by Botham standing ridiculously close at second slip
for the full slash which he took off Lawson's edge.
Australia was 24 short of making England bat again. Australia were
all out for 241 in their first innings and was forced to follow-on. G.M.
Ritchie (64) was the top scorer for Australia in the first innings while
Alan Border made 38.
Happy morning for England
It was a happy morning on the final day for England. Border was
caught again by Botham who was to pick up another blinder from McDermott
later in the innings.
Twenty minutes before lunch it was all over and Ellison had figures
of 5 for 46, giving him seven in the match to Botham's six. Only Border
with 58 made a score, the next being 11 from the hapless Bennett.
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND – 1ST INNINGS
G.A. Gooch and b McDermott 196
R.T. Robinson b McDermott 03
D.I. Gower c Benett b MaDermott 157
M.W. Gatting c Border b Bennett 04
J.E. Emourey c Wellham b Lawson 09
A.J. Lamb c McDermott Lawson 01
I.T. Botham c Phillips b Lawson 12
P.R. Downton b McDermott 16
R.M. Ellison c Phillips b Gilbert 03
P.H. Edmonds lbw b Lawson 12
L. Taylor not out 01
Extras (b13, lb 11, nb 26) 50
Total 464
Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-371, 3-376, 4-383, 5-385
6-418, 7-425, 8-447, 9-452
Bowling: G.F. Lawson 29.2-6-101-4
C.J. McDermott 37-2-108-4
D.R. Gilbert 21-2-96-1
M.J. Benett 32-8-111-1
A.R. Border 2-0-3-0
K.C. Wessels 3-0-16-0
AUSTRALIA – 1ST INNINGS
G.M. WOOD lbw b Botham 22
A.M.J. Hilditch c Gooch b Botham 17
K.C. Wessels b Eburey 12
A.R. Border b Edmonds 38
D.M. Welham c Downton b Ellison 13
G.M. Ritchie not out 64
W.B. Phillips b Edmonds 18
M.J. Bennett c Robinson b Ellison 12
G.F. Lawson c Botham b Taylor 14
C.J. McDermott run out 25
D.R. Gilbert b Botham 01
Extras (lw-3, w-2) 05
Total 241
Fall of wickets : 1-35, 2-52, 3-56, 4-101, 5-109
6-144, 7-171, 8-192, 9-235
Bowling: I.T. Botham 20-3-64-3
L. Taylor 13-1-39-1
R.M. Ellison 18-5-35-2
J.E. Emburey 19-7-48-1
P.H. Edmonds 14-2-52-2
AUSTRALIA – 2ND INNINGS
G.M. Wood b Botham 06
R.M.J. Hilditch c Gower b Taylor 09
K.C. Wessels c Downton b Botham 07
A.R. Border b Ellison 58
D.M. Wellham lbw b Ellison 05
G.M. Ritchie c Downton b Ellison 06
W.B. Phillips b Botham 10
M.J. Bennett c and b Taylor 11
G.F. Lawson c Downton b Ellison 07
C.J. McDermott c Botham b Ellison 02
D.R. Gilbert not out 00
Extras (b-4, nb-4) 08
Total 129
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-16, 3-37, 4-51, 6-71, 6-96
7-114, 8-127, 9-129
Bowling: I.T. Botham 17-3-44-3
L. Taylor 11-3-1-34-2
R.M. Ellison 17-3-46-5
J.E. Emburey 1-0-1-0 |
