Ashes 2010-11: Peter Siddle lauds Aussie effort to square Ashes series at Perth
A magnificent bowling effort by their four-pronged pace attack has given http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 a real chance of squaring the Ashes series against England, as the tourists end day three of the Perth Test in tatters.
England were reeling at 81/5 in their chase of 391 runs as the day ended, while the Aussie squad celebrated deliriously after taking a bonus wicket on the last ball of the day. That wicket was of the obdurate Paul Collingwood,
the man England were relying on for a rescue effort after their top order blew away earlier in the day.
"It was a big point in the game for us to get five wickets at the end of the day," said Australian pacer Peter Siddle. "It was a massive moment for us."
Siddle, one of the four Aussie quicks responsible for England’s devastation, was excited about his team’s chances of levelling the battle for the greatest prize in Test cricket – the Ashes urn.
"There was obviously a lot of pressure on us in this match to get a result,” said Siddle. “There's still a lot of work to be done but it does make a big change for us."
Australia’s fast bowlers – Siddle, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus – have been in their element on one of the fastest and bounciest wickets in the world at the WACA Ground. Such was the pace attack’s
effective that there had thus far been no need for the other two bowlers in the line-up, leg-spinner Steve Smith and all-rounder Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326.
"We just knew that if we played our best cricket that would put them under a lot of pressure," Siddle said. "That's what we've shown in this Test match, that we can play some good cricket. We've shown everyone
out here, batting and bowling, that we can fight and we can work hard."
Siddle had special praise for the star of Australia’s second innings, Mike Hussey, who continued his Bradman-esque series with his second century. Hussey, who is now averaging close to the 100-run mark, played
a succession of pull shots that left the English bowlers running for cover and added 116 runs on the board for Australia.
Siddle thinks that the opponent bowlers erred on the shorter side when bowling full was the order of the day.
"I think it depends on the players you bowl to, because it's definitely a wicket when you pitch the ball up you get your success," said Siddle. "Mike Hussey's not a player you want to bowl short to, you choose
your batsman, but it helps having four quicks and everyone bowling well, with different roles for each of us”.
The series is going to be set alight if the Aussies succeed in mopping up the English tail tomorrow. A result in their favour would mean that the last two Tests – at two of the oldest Test venues of all time:
the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Sydney Cricket Ground – will be real humdingers.
The series has already provided rich entertainment to cricket fans around the world, as players from both sides have turned in big numbers at the first three Test venues. Siddle himself had an amazing hat-trick
in the first Test, which he later turned into a six-wicket haul. He could not pick up any wickets in the second Test though. Tomorrow is his chance to make up for that.
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