SYDNEY, 17 October 2005 — Australia were in a commanding position to win the ICC Super Test against the World XI yesterday despite suffering one of the worst batting collapses in their proud cricketing history.
Ricky Ponting’s men lost their last nine wickets for just 47 runs to be all out for 199 but still finished the third day in complete control as the star-studded tourists slumped to 25-2, chasing 355 for victory.
Glenn McGrath celebrated his elevation as the most successful paceman in Test cricket by bowling World XI skipper Graeme Smith for a duck then leg-spinner Stuart MacGill had dangerous Indian opener Virender Sehwag caught behind for one.
India’s new skipper Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 17 with West Indian world record holder Brian Lara yet to score when play was called off early because of bad light on a gloomy day at the Sydney Cricket Ground that both teams might prefer to forget.
Australia’s batting collapse was their worst in a Test on home soil since they lost 9-40 to be all out for just 42 against England in Sydney in 1888 and their worst anywhere in the world since they lost 9-36 to be all out for 84 at Old Trafford in 1956. It was all the more extraordinary given that it came after Matthew Hayden and Ponting both posted half-centuries in a 122-run partnership for the second wicket.
The pair were virtually untroubled as they took the overnight score from 66-1 to 152-1 when the wheels suddenly fell off just before lunch. England’s Ashes heroes Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison once again did most of the damage, capturing three wickets each, while Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan polished off the tail to also finish with three scalps.
Harmison triggered the collapse when he bowled Hayden for 77 and Michael Clarke for five, sending the ball crashing into both men’s leg stumps after beating them with his sheer pace.
Flintoff grabbed the prize wicket of Ponting after lunch, caught behind for 54, then added the scalps of Shane Warne for seven and Shane Watson for 10.
Muralitharan, turning the ball at alarming angles on a pitch ideally suited for spin bowlers, picked up two wickets before tea in as many overs and was unlucky not to have got more.
