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The Ashes Thread
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Topic Started: Nov 10 2006, 01:56 PM (4,468 Views)
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Tealey
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Jan 29 2007, 04:45 PM
Post #151
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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You know, depressing as it seems, we've got more chance of winning in the Six Nations rugby than in the CB Series.
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
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hugh
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Jan 29 2007, 11:18 PM
Post #152
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two trophies, many runner-ups.
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Doesn't matter really, the CB series mean jack all. Coming from an Australian, where I see my country win every single year, the format is past it's use-by date and should be changed.
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TC Admin
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Jan 30 2007, 07:11 PM
Post #153
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How would you like to see it laid out, hugh?
England v New Zealand :: CB Series :: Perth
New Zealand: 318-7 England: 260-7
New Zealand win by 58 runs

- "BBC Sport"
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England produced another woeful display to slump to a 58-run defeat by New Zealand in their CB Series game.
Only Monty Panesar (2-35) bowled with real control as the Kiwis racked up 318-7 in Perth, aided by 22 wides and occasionally shambolic fielding.
Lou Vincent (76) and Ross Taylor (71) put on 137 before Jacob Oram smashed four sixes in his 54 off only 33 balls.
Ed Joyce (66) hit his maiden ODI fifty and Paul Nixon finished on 49 but England came up well short on 260-8.
They need to win their last two games - one of which is against the rampant Australians - and hope New Zealand lose both theirs to qualify for the best-of-three finals.
That looks unlikely after another miserable day for a team that has become used to losing and was again without captain Michael Vaughan (hamstring).
Liam Plunkett gave them a good start, after taking a while to realise fuller deliveries were the way to go on a good pitch, by trapping Stephen Fleming plumb lbw and having Peter Fulton caught behind.
Vincent was dropped by Ian Bell at short extra-cover when on 33 and Taylor had a reprieve on 30 when umpire Steve Davis refused to refer a stumping appeal from Nixon off Monty Panesar.
Apart from those scares the duo tore into some dreadful bowling, particularly from Jamie Dalrymple (0-43 off five overs), as the 100 partnership came up off 116 balls.
There were plenty of embarrassing moments in the field, with fielders letting the ball slip through hands and legs, poor backing up and wayward throwing.
But Panesar - who impressed with his fielding as well as his left-arm spin - deservedly had Craig McMillan stumped and Brendon McCullum caught in a spell which suggested the Kiwi score could be kept under 300.
That was until burly left-hander Oram scored 35 runs in 10 balls, hitting three maximums as 38 runs were shipped in the last two overs from Chris Tremlett (1-72) and Andrew Flintoff (0-66).
New Zealand, although far from flawless themselves, were nowhere near as generous in the field and had bowlers who could land the ball more consistently in the right areas.
Bell (31) and Joyce looked anything but convincing early on before launching some high-quality strokes.
Joyce whipped Franklin through mid-wicket and cracked Oram twice through the cover-point region, while Bell's straight drive off Franklin was one of the best shots of the day.
Just when the partnership was blossoming and the Warwickshire man crashed a flat six off Jeetan Patel over long-off, he chipped straight to mid-wicket in the off-spinner's first over.
Joyce completed his fifty shortly after but it was pretty much all downhill from there.
Andrew Strauss' wretched run continued when Vettori deceived him with a quicker ball, while Joyce was run out by a sharp piece of fielding from Vincent at mid-on.
Part-time bowler McMillan, brought on after Oram injured his right ribs catching Joyce off a Patel no-ball, saw Collingwood meekly pick out short fine-leg and Dalrymple hole out to deep cover.
Flintoff also gave his wicket away, bowled shuffling across to the excellent Vettori (2-40).
New Zealand's fielding then deteriorated rapidly, with Nixon (twice) and Plunkett dropped as edges and shots flew all over the place.
The eighth-wicket pair added 76 and saw out the 50 overs but the game had long been up for England.
Scorecard
The next match of the Series is Australia v England - from Sydney - on Friday.
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Tealey
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Jan 30 2007, 07:18 PM
Post #154
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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So bad it's laughable. However, saying that, at least Jonny Wilkinson will be playing on Saturday. We'll still lose. God, I'm such a cynic.
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
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TC Admin
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Feb 2 2007, 07:57 PM
Post #155
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Australia v England :: CB Series :: Sydney
England: 292-7 Australia: 200
ENGLAND win by 92 runs!

- "BBC Sport"
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England completed their first victory over Australia since the 2005 Ashes after Ed Joyce's century in Sydney.
Joyce, dropped twice, made 107 from 142 balls to help better by 66 England's previous best of the one-day series.
Chasing 293, Australia were bowled out for 200 in 38.5 overs, with Andrew Symonds having retired hurt on 39. Matthew Hayden was top-scorer with 51.
Liam Plunkett (3-24) and Sajid Mahmood (2-38) both struck in the first eight balls to cut the hosts to 4-2.
It was the fourth-heaviest defeat inflicted by England on Australia in a one-day match.
Despite the victory, and whatever Sunday's result between Australia and New Zealand, England still need to beat the Kiwis on Tuesday to reach the best-of-three series finals.
Marcus Trescothick was the last England batsman to score a one-day ton, 15 matches ago, against Sri Lanka at Headingley last July.
With the World Cup looming, Joyce finally provided England with a viable alternative to the burly left-hander at the top of the order, although his innings was far less aggressive.
On a pitch with good pace and carry, he demonstrated some impressive drives either side of the wicket, although he was also a little lucky pulling and cutting into spaces in the field.
Shaun Tait put down a simple chance at fine leg and Symonds also gave the Irishman a let-off from his own bowling.
But he went on to reach three figures from 136 deliveries with 10 boundaries.
England's bowlers have struggled recently with first-choice opening pair Jon Lewis (ankle) and James Anderson (back) unavailable.
But Plunkett was at his best as he unleashed an inswinging yorker first ball to send Adam Gilchrist on his way.
Mahmood, playing his first match of the series in place of Chris Tremlett, followed up with a blazing delivery that Brad Hodge failed to get out of the way of, and he played on.
Plunkett also had Michael Clarke caught wafting at a wide delivery and trapped Glenn McGrath lbw on his way to career-best figures.
The aggressive fourth-wicket duo of Hayden and Symonds dragged the odds back in Australia's favour, adding 71 together in just eight overs
Hayden took 18 off a single over from Andrew Flintoff and Symonds thrashed Monty Panesar's second ball for six.
Fortunately for England, Hayden became overconfident and thrashed Mahmood to cover.
Symonds injured his biceps flaying Mahmood through the covers and had to depart shortly afterwards.
And England were soon into the tail after Ravi Bopara - in his second over of international cricket - saw Mike Hussey play onto his stumps.
Tait denied McGrath the number 11 batting position for the first time in his 235-ODI career but the veteran survived just seven balls.
Ian Bell ran out last man Tait with a direct hit to finish the job.
With captain Ricky Ponting resting a hip problem, the home side lacked their usual urgency in the field under, conceding 19 wides.
Fiery pace bowler Tait, making his debut with Brett Lee taking a break, was responsible for nine.
Joyce and Mal Loye (29) made the most of that early chance to put on 58 for the first wicket, England's best opening stand of the series so far.
Loye had time to unleash his trademark slog-swept six off Bracken but a similar shot at McGrath brought a top edge into his helmet grille and he was out next ball.
Bell (51) joined Joyce in a low-key partnership worth 111 in 22 overs, with successive cut fours off McGrath early in his innings the only time he ventured to hit out.
McGrath returned to the attack with immediate success as Bell tried to pull the first delivery after the drinks break - a short one from the veteran - and departed shaking his head in dismay.
But Andrew Strauss enjoyed a confident run-a-ball cameo 26, his dismissal from an inventive shot trying to keep the rate high in the late overs.
And Jamie Dalrymple hooked McGrath for six in making 30 from 18 balls.
Scorecard
We finally beat Australia! And we picked up a bonus point! (I've been waiting for ages to include a picture - for the report - of England beating Australia! :|)
The next match of the series is at Melbourne - Australia v New Zealand, on Sunday.
EDIT: When I was updating the first page to show the result, I actually typed "LOST" - I'm so used to writing it!
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hugh
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Feb 2 2007, 09:42 PM
Post #156
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two trophies, many runner-ups.
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good on you!
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Tealey
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Feb 3 2007, 12:35 PM
Post #157
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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There aren't many obvious negatives in a loss. Having said that, we've got players making starts but then getting out. We need them to convert them into big scores. Maybe Bell should have gone on from 50 to get 100. Also, I think Loye should stop playoing that damn sweep shot. He plays it a couple of times then gets out chasing a wide one.
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
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TC Admin
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Feb 4 2007, 06:54 PM
Post #158
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Australia v New Zealand :: CB Series :: Melbourne
New Zealand: 290-7 Australia: 291-5
Australia win by 5 wickets

- "BBC Sport"
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Australia kept England's hopes of reaching the Commonwealth Bank Series final alive with a five-wicket victory against New Zealand in Melbourne.
Lou Vincent hit 90 in a 151-run stand with Peter Fulton to set up an imposing total of 290-7 for the Kiwis.
But Ricky Ponting returned in style for Australia with his 22nd ODI hundred and Brad Hodge saw them home with 10 balls to spare, finishing on 99.
England now play New Zealand on Tuesday to decide who qualifies for the final.
New Zealand decided to bat first after winning the toss and although they lost skipper Stephen Fleming for nine, Fulton and Vincent scored freely.
Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and part-time spinner Michael Clarke took two wickets each, with Glenn McGrath rested.
Vincent and Fulton set the foundations for a big total and steadily scored five runs an over until Fulton was unlucky to be given leg before to Clarke's left-arm spin.
Vincent continued his good form since being drafted in as a replacement on the Australian tour, but fell short of what would have been his first century against Australia since his Test debut in the summer of 2001-02, when he was bowled by Shaun Tait.
Clarke, who also picked up the wicket of Ross Taylor (21) trying a cross-bat swipe, picked up 2-45 from nine overs.
Australia worked themselves back into the match when Vincent fell in the 37th over, but cameos by Scott Styris (34), Brendon McCullum (19), Jacob Oram (15) and James Franklin (13 not out) helped the Kiwis add 86 runs in the final 10 overs.
The required rate for the home side was 5.81 but when Adam Gilchrist's ungainly swipe at Franklin cannoned into the stumps off the inside edge with the final ball of the 11th over, it had risen over six.
Franklin added the wicket of Matthew Hayden in his next over, the burly opener heaving one straight to deep mid-wicket and Clarke fell cheaply, toe-ending a cut at one from Daniel Vettori that would have been called wide.
But Ponting and Hodge shared 154 in 24 overs to put their side back into the ascendancy.
Hodge, who made nought and one in his two previous innings in the competition against England, made a watchful start, hitting his first boundary off his 46th delivery.
Ponting, by contrast, was immediately into his stride, getting off the mark with a lofted straight drive to the boundary and soon launching Vettori back over his head into the stands.
Having completed his second ODI fifty, Hodge drove Franklin through the covers for four and two balls later lofted him comfortably over mid-on for six.
When Ponting was superbly caught in the 47th over by Vincent diving forward at deep mid-off, 25 were still needed for victory.
The tension increased in the next over when MIke Hussey was sent back by Hodge and run out at the bowler's end.
When Cameron White arrived at the crease, the requirement was 12 from 14 balls but any anxiety was immediately lifted when Jacob Oram sent down a no-ball that Hodge sliced through the covers.
Hodge needed to hit a boundary to record a maiden century but had to contend with a pivotal role in the highest successful chase at his home ground.
Scorecard
The next match - on Tuesday - is the final match of the Commonwealth Bank Series before the Final. It's England v New Zealand from Brisbane - effectively a semi-final!
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 Credit to Bandit! @TheComplexII
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Tealey
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Feb 5 2007, 07:20 PM
Post #159
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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No pressure
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Tealey 
My Trophies:
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TC Admin
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Feb 5 2007, 07:23 PM
Post #160
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I think Mal Loye will get replaced with Vaughany coming in.
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TC Admin
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Feb 6 2007, 07:15 PM
Post #161
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England v New Zealand :: CB Series :: Brisbane
England: 270-7 New Zealand: 256-8
ENGLAND win by 14 runs

- "BBC Sport"
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Paul Collingwood hit 106 and his Durham team-mate Liam Plunkett took three wickets as England beat New Zealand by 14 runs to reach the CB Series final.
Collingwood, who had not passed 50 since 206 in the Adelaide Test, shared 103 from 118 balls with Andrew Strauss (55) in a total of 270-7 in Brisbane.
Plunkett bowled five wides in a first over costing 11, but recovered to take 3-60, while Collingwood took 2-46.
Stephen Fleming hit his first ODI ton since 2004 in New Zealand's 256-8.
With Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood again unable to control the new white ball, 26 came from the first three overs as England made a horrific start to the defence of their total.
Lou Vincent, who had been fortunate with edges through a gap in England's slip cordon, played a reverse sweep to the boundary when Monty Panesar was introduced into the attack in the 12th over.
The spinner, who dived superbly to cut off a boundary at fine-leg, then induced a top-edge in his second over, after which Michael Vaughan took the next powerplay.
Vaughan elected to bring Plunkett back and took the final powerplay, but Fleming, rapped on the thumb by a combative Andrew Flintoff, brought up the 100.
Fleming and Ross Taylor had reduced the requirement to 102 from 96 balls when they found themselves at the same end and bowler Flintoff was able to run almost the length of the wicket carrying the ball to complete the run-out.
Flintoff was by far the pick of the bowlers, pegging the Kiwis back whenever he came into the attack and 96 were needed from 13 overs.
Jacob Oram sliced Plunkett between the keeper and a solitary wide slip, but became England's fifth wicket next ball when a finer edge was gleefully snaffled by Paul Nixon, leaving 63 to score from 44 balls.
After Brendon McCullum was bowled off his pads by Plunkett, Daniel Vettori swiped two boundaries to lower the rate to 49 from 29.
But Collingwood's clever variations were rewarded when the left-hander hoiked to mid-wicket and Flintoff then ousted Fleming with 39 needed when Nixon took off to his left like a circus acrobat.
James Franklin sliced a boundary to leave 20 wanted from Mahmood's final over and to England's delight there were to be no further twists.
England's selection for the Brisbane showdown raised a few eyebrows, as Mal Loye and Ravi Bopara, two players who had injected some life into the side and helped gain the vital victory over Australia, were unceremoniously shelved.
Conditions certainly backed Vaughan's decision to bat, with a smooth pacy surface and a rapid outfield.
Shane Bond's spell began ignominiously with an off-side wide that barely pitched on the cut strip.
The next one, however, was virtually unplayable and rattled the beleagured England captain's middle stump.
The average score in the first innings over the last 10 matches at The Gabba was 253 but with the first 10 overs producing only five boundaries, Fleming had no hesitation taking the second powerplay.
Ed Joyce advanced down the pitch to hit a four, but trying to continue the attack in similar manner, he backed away against Franklin and got a thin edge.
That brought in Collingwood, with scores of 10 or less in four of his six matches in the series, and no one-day fifty in his last 10 innings.
Having pulled a sweetly timed six, Strauss was given a reprieve by umpire Daryl Harper on 31 when he missed a standard Franklin delivery that appeared to have trapped him lbw.
England moved to 95-3 at the completion of 20 overs but had another double stroke of fortune when Collingwood offered a fairly routine return chance to Oram, who could only get one hand to the ball and failed to cling on.
His deflection took the ball into the stumps at the non-striker's end but Strauss had managed to scramble his way back.
Collingwood was soon employing his trademark shovel into the on-side, and a lofted stroke just eluded the deep fielder to record both the 100 and the fifty stand off 49 balls in the 22nd over.
The next boundary did not arrive for 13 overs, and in that time Strauss swished and missed at a straight one from Scott Styris.
Having reached a hesitant nine, Flintoff mis-timed a launch towards mid-wicket and Ross Taylor appeared to be in perfect position to take the catch, only for the ball to dip beneath his hands.
But England's big-hitting talisman failed to take advantage and in the next over recklessly lofted Bond straight to long-on where Franklin made no mistake.
Collingwood hit two fours as 14 came from the Styris over, and raised his arms aloft in jubilation when he reached three figures with a rapidly run two.
Jamie Dalrymple added some quick useful runs, but inadvertantly distracted his partner by dropping his bat as Bond ran in and bowled Collingwood with another yorker in the 48th over.
Bond was denied a fifth wicket when Peter Fulton spilled a chance at mid-wicket, and the paceman compounded his misfortune by conceding an overthrow as England scrambled an all-run four in a final over costing 16, which was to prove significant.
Scorecard
We won again!
The first match of the Finals is in Melbourne on Friday (Australia v England).
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Tealey
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Feb 6 2007, 07:27 PM
Post #162
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Mali 'Till I Die (Or Become Inactive)
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I think Broad and Gough should play in the CWC. At least they can control the new ball. I think Vaughan should rest and net as he looks horribly out of form. Nixon should be forced out as he's too old. Have Read for the CWC, and maybe bring Davies or Foster in for the summer tests and ODIs. Other than that and the fact that Loye wasn't playing which is ridiculous, not a bad result.
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My Trophies:
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Lee Vilenski
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Feb 9 2007, 09:33 AM
Post #163
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England started badly with 18-3. But are looking goodwith 118-3 againsed Australia's 252
EDIT:We won! Gettin! 253-6 againsed Australia's 252ao. We won with 3 balls left!
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TC Admin
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Feb 9 2007, 12:35 PM
Post #164
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Australia v England :: CB Series - 1st Final :: Melbourne
Australia: 252 England: 253-6
ENGLAND win by 4 wickets

- "BBC Sport"
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Paul Collingwood was England's hero as they beat Australia by four wickets in a Melbourne thriller to go 1-0 up in the best of three tri-series final.
The all-rounder produced a stunning catch and two run outs in Australia's innings and then hit 120 not out, his second century in consecutive games.
Australia collapsed from 170-1 after 30 overs to be all out for just 252.
But England faltered to 15-3 before Collingwood and Ian Bell (65) inspired the recovery by putting on 133.
Andrew Flintoff, who bowled beautifully to take 3-41, contributed 35 more runs to the cause, and three balls were remaining when Collingwood drove Nathan Bracken through the on-side for the winning hit.
Earlier, Flintoff took 3-41 as Australia collapsed from 170-1 to be bowled out for a below-par 252.
Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting put on 138 off 147 balls for the Aussies and when the scorecard read 170-1 from 30 overs a score well in excess of 300 was on the cards.
But England's spinners combined to lower the run rate while taking wickets, and Flintoff came back to polish off the lower order with nine balls remaining.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, despite having successfully chased targets batting under lights in two previous matches this series at the MCG.
Hayden struck four boundaries inside the first three overs as Australia threatened to run Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood ragged.
But Adam Gilchrist was deceived by one of a number of slower balls from Mahmood, driving high to Flintoff at mid-off.
The wicket brought in Ponting, who was almost caught at point off his first ball faced.
But two boundaries off Plunkett got him going and he and Hayden set Australia's stall for what looked to be a total well in excess of 300.
Finally, Ponting attempted a square cut off Monty Panesar, but was a fraction early on the shot and Collingwood leapt to his left at short extra cover to take a tremendous catch.
The run rate slumped, and three overs later, Hayden fell to Jamie Dalrymple, driving high to Mahmood at long on.
Brad Hodge, who was lucky to survive a run-out appeal on nought, was unlucky soon afterwards when the error-prone umpire Darryl Harper ruled him lbw to Panesar.
Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke put on 33 before falling to consecutive deliveries in the 43rd over.
Clarke (33), attempting a quick single, was beaten by Collingwood's throw and Hussey nicked Flintoff to Paul Nixon.
Things declined rapidly for the Aussies. The 47th over saw two more wickets fall, bringing last man Glenn McGrath to the crease.
And an inswinging yorker from Flintoff was far too good for the man celebrating his 37th birthday.
If England began their chase with cause for optimism, the momentum swung back Australia's way immediately.
Umpire Harper was up to his tricks again as Mal Loye was ajudged lbw to Brett Lee and the same bowler had Ed Joyce caught at mid-on.
When Bracken angled a ball into Andrew Strauss's pads, England's position was a desperate one.
It took Bell and Collingwood plenty of time to inject a sense of purpose into the England innings, mindful of the need to lose no further wickets.
And Bell had one major reprieve when McGrath dropped him on 18 at fine leg.
But in the final powerplay they played some valuable lofted drives for boundaries, one of Collingwood's clearing the rope for six as McGrath was put to the sword.
England were unexpectedly on top when the two right-handers took the score to 147 - the tourists needing 105 from 103 balls.
But a pinpoint yorker from Lee crashed into the base of Bell's stumps to end his innings on 65.
Flintoff began uncertainly, but was given confidence when a clean hit off Brad Hogg soared over wide mid-on for six.
With the wicket getting slower and slower, boundaries were thin on the ground, but England ran the ones and twos well to leave 31 wanted off the last 29 balls.
At that precise point, Flintoff edged Shane Watson - playing his first international game of the season - behind.
The run-out of Dalrymple left the equation a harder 25 off 18 balls.
But Ponting kept Watson on when he could have turned to Bracken and Collingwood hit two vital boundaries with the over costing 12.
Nixon produced the final supporting role with Collingwood and there were punches of jubilation from the England dressing-room.
Scorecard
England are on a 3 game winning streak!
The next game is in Sydney on Sunday. England lead the Final series 1-0.
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Lee Vilenski
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Feb 9 2007, 12:44 PM
Post #165
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We could win this, playing the worst of everyone!:)
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