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| December 27, 2002 | Friday | Shawwal 22, 1423 |
Hayden, Langer prolong England sufferings
MELBOURNE, Dec 26: Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer both made centuries as Australia’s batsmen launched a savage attack on the England bowlers on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test on Thursday.
Australia, who have already won the first three Tests of the five-match series by comprehensive margins, reached the massive first-day total of 356 for three at the close of play.
Captain Steve Waugh on 62 and opener Langer on 146 were the not out batsmen before a sell-out crowd of 64,189 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Seamer Craig White claimed the wickets of Ricky Ponting for 21 (from 32 balls) and Damien Martyn for 17 either side of the tea interval which brought the ever-popular Waugh to the crease at 265 for three and the crowd to their feet.
Waugh, 37, is under pressure to hold his place in the side beyond the Ashes series and responded with his second successive half-century, reaching 50 in 49 balls with 10 boundaries.
Langer carried his bat through the day, facing 256 balls in 372 minutes and smashing 19 boundaries and one six.
Hayden and Langer, who took 10 runs from the first over of the day on their way to their eighth century stand, added 195 for the first wicket.
They bettered a 95-year-old record for Australia against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The previous record for an Australia opening partnership against England in Melbourne of 126 was set by Victor Trumper and Monty Noble in 1907-08.
Hayden’s bold innings of 102 off 148 balls ended when he hit a catch to John Crawley at mid-off from the bowling of Andy Caddick in the 45th over. The 31-year-old from Queensland hit 10 fours and three sixes.
Hayden scored his 12th Test century and third in the series with a streaky pull shot to fine leg which Caddick failed to reach in a diving effort.
Langer reached his hundred with a four and a six in consecutive balls from the bowling of off-spinner Richard Dawson in the 48th over.
The 32-year-old Western Australian’s 13th Test century came from 135 balls with 15 boundaries and a six.
England captain Nasser Hussain gambled on the second new ball late in the day. Caddick almost brought him success in the first over and the 82nd of the innings when Waugh, on 56 at 340 for three, gave a low chance to Mark Butcher at slip.
Waugh stood his ground and engaged in animated discussion with the fielding side before he was eventually given not out by the third umpire Darrell Hair.
Earlier, Waugh won the toss and elected to bat on a brown-looking wicket which appeared to contain little early life for the seam bowlers.
Hayden, with his 24th run, reached the milestone of 3,000 Test runs including 400 in this series.
Hayden had two lucky breaks on his first ball and again on 33 when he played pull shots which England failed to grasp.
England made three changes to the side that lost the third Test in Perth by an innings and 48 runs, promoting reserve wicket-keeper James Foster for Alec Stewart who has a bruised hand and recalling Caddick and batsman Crawley.
Australia made two changes, including batsman Martin Love for his Test debut and recalling leg-spinner Stuart MacGill for injured pair Darren Lehmann and Shane Warne.
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):
J.L. Langer not out 146
M.L. Hayden c Crawley b Caddick 102
R.T. Ponting b White 21
D.R. Martyn c Trescothick b White 17
S.R. Waugh not out 62
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-1, NB-4) 8
TOTAL (for three wkts, 90 overs) 356
FALL OF WKTS: 1-195, 2-235, 3-265.
TO BAT: M.L. Love, A.C. Gilchrist, B. Lee, S.C.G. MacGill, J.N. Gillespie, G.D. McGrath.
BOWLING (to-date): Caddick 24-5-89-1 (2nb); Harmison 26-5-86-0 (1nb); White 21-4-77-2 (1nb); Dawson 14-1-67-0; Butcher 5-1-34-0 (1w).
ENGLAND: M.E. Trescothick, M.P. Vaughan, M.A. Butcher, N. Hussain, R.W.T. Key, J.P. Crawley, C. White, J.S. Foster, R. Dawson, A.R. Caddick, S.J. Harmison.
UMPIRES: D.L. Orchard (South Africa) and R.B. Tiffin (Zimbabwe).
TV UMPIRE: D.B. Hair (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE: Wasim Raja (Pakistan). —Reuters
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