AUSTRALIA CRUSH ENGLAND WITH DRAMATIC VICTORY

England despair as Australia snatch victory

Australia struck what could prove to be the fatal Ashes blow with an unbelievable six-wicket win over England on the final day of the second Test in Adelaide.

The tourists wilted under a Shane Warne-led bowling onslaught which forced them all out for 129, and the home side reached the victory target of 168 with 19 balls to spare to take a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series.

In one of the Australian cricket side's most memorable team performances, they managed to win despite England posting a mammoth 6 for 551 declared in their first innings.

No team in history has declared with a bigger score and gone on to lose the Test, and morale for England would be rock bottom.

Australia, having crushed the visitors by 277 runs in the first Test in Brisbane, can now regain the Ashes with victory in the third Test in Perth, which starts next Thursday.

"There's a long way to go but we've made a good start," Australian captain Ricky Ponting said.

"We were forced to work hard after the first couple of days of this game. To be able to turn this game around and get into a winning position today has been an amazing effort."

England counterpart Andrew Flintoff said his team paid the ultimate price for one poor session.

"We've played a lot of good cricket in this Test match apart from an hour today when we let it slip, and it just shows it can cost you," he said.

"You have a bad hour and you are out of the Test match. That's exactly what's happened today."

'Miracle win'

Warne's 4 for 49 set the tone for Australia, the spin king bowling 27 overs unchanged at one stage which included 11 maidens, putting intense pressure on the English batsman.

"This is a sensational win for us from a great team," he said. "To go 2-0 up was a great effort by all the guys. They all did their bit when they needed to.

"I think the belief was there deep down that we could cause a huge upset, but it was going to have to be a miracle sort of win.

"This is probably the best Test match I've played [in], 140 odd Tests, it's definitely the best Test match I've played in."

The quicks shared in the rest of the spoils and then batting lynch pins Ponting (49) and Michael Hussey (61 not out off 66 balls) knocked off the bulk of the required runs.

Openers Justin Langer (7) and Matthew Hayden (18) fell cheaply in the chase but Hussey was pushed up the order and he and Ponting shared in a fine 83-run stand.

Hussey raced to his half-century off only 56 balls and was superb. He had the honour of hitting the winning runs.

Ponting, who scored 142 in the first innings, now has a staggering 447 runs for the series at an average of 149.

 

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