Ashes 2011 (35 page)

Turn, turn, turn: After Mitchell Johnson’s crucial reprieve for Andrew Strauss…

…Alastair Cook combined with his captain then with Jonathan Trott to bat England to safety, eventually spending all but an hour of the match on the field.

Outrageous fortune: Jonathan Trott’s run out of Simon Katich in the first minutes of the Second Test blew Australia’s first innings wide open.

Kevin Pietersen’s dismissal of Michael Clarke with the last ball of the fourth day did the same to the second.

One Step Ahead: As James Anderson celebrated dismissing Brad Haddin on the last morning, victory was minutes away – rain wasn’t far behind.

A Lot of Hard WACA: Ricky Ponting’s fall to an outstanding slip catch by Paul Collingwood summed up Australia’s first day in the Third Test.

Mitchell Johnson’s peremptory lbw dismissal of Kevin Pietersen was at the centre of Australia’s fightback on the second day.

On his home ground, Mike Hussey was one of few batsmen to conquer the conditions.

Under Siege: The Fourth Test, Ricky Ponting’s last of the summer, was costly to his pocket and reputation. He incurred a heavy fine for a second-day altercation with umpire Aleem Dar.

In between times, Phil Hughes was another victim of Jonathan Trott’s deadly arm.

Ricky Ponting finished a parlous season with the bat on the third day by playing on after a painful second innings to Tim Bresnan.

Vanquished: Graeme Swann’s sprinkler dance (above) and the Barmy Army’s reciprocal exultation (below) marked the retention of the Ashes in Melbourne, while Australia’s captain pondered the turn of cricket’s cycle.