CRIK:Near-misses hurt as Ponting fumes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2010
CRIK:Near-misses hurt as Ponting fumes

By Mike Hedge

MELBOURNE, Dec 27 AAP - Australia came within a couple of centimetres of cricketing
respectability on Monday.

But on a day when the Barmy Army chant "You're Getting Sacked in the Morning" failed
to amuse besieged Australian captain Ricky Ponting, the home side still ended day two
of the fourth Ashes Test against England 346 runs behind.

The Aussies collected five English wickets, but face the indignity of an innings defeat
and a series loss when their opponents allow them a second dig sometime on Tuesday.

As dreadful as the scoreboard looks for Australia, they played better than on a dismal day one.

Things may even have looked promising but for a touch-and-go decision involving Jonathon
Trott and second thoughts by umpire Aleem Dar that gave England back Matt Prior's wicket
when even the batsman thought it was lost.

The first of the day's controversies prompted unseemly protests from Ponting after
a caught-behind was knocked back with an apparent "hot spot" on Kevin Pietersen's bat
clearly not near where the ball passed.

As he has done so often this series, the hapless Ponting got it wrong.

He then appeared to have made amends when a pin-point throw from near the boundary
looked to have caught Trott just short of his ground.

Not so, said the slow-motion replay.

Trott went on to make a so-far unbeaten 141.

The most mysterious decision came after Mitchell Johnson had Prior caught behind for five.

Umpire Dar raised his finger and Prior walked, only to be called back by the umpire.

A second look at the popping crease by Dar, and an examination of the replay by the
third umpire, revealed Johnson had bowled a no-ball by a couple of millimetres.

Prior was recalled and was still there at the end of the day on 75.

For Australia, the only effort to resemble heroic came from Peter Siddle.

The Victorian fast bowler had a hand in each of the five wickets to fall.

Siddle had the openers Andrew Strauss and Alistair Cook caught off his bowling, he
had Pietersen out lbw and he caught both Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell in the deep off
Johnson.

England finished the day at 5-444 and tantalisingly close to retaining the urn.

AAP mh/nh/djw

KEYWORD: CRICKET AUST FRONTER

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.