Australian captain Ricky Ponting was understandably frustrated by England’s attempts at time wasting in the final stages of the first Ashes test match, where they held out for an unthinkable draw against all the odds.
There is no doubt that England were guilty of some extreme gamesmanship, sending on 12th man Bilal Shafayat to deliver new gloves to batsman James Anderson and then re appearing with the physio at the end of the next over, only to be ushered off the pitch by angry Australian players.
If the tactics frustrated Ponting, the way that Australia allowed England back into a game they had so obviously lost earlier in the day – will no doubt have angered the Aussie captain more than anything else.
England have been second best throughout the first test against what many consider to be a weak Australian team. The have performed the great escape in Cardiff earning themselves a draw against all the odds, but I can’t see Ponting and co letting such an advantage slip through their fingers in the remainder of the Ashes series.
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