Aleem Dar and Ed Cowan were the targets of an angry Australia media today in the wake of England’s First Test victory.
The decision by umpire Dar (above) not to give Stuart Broad out when he clearly edged to slip in the second-innings enraged fans Down Under and the Sydney Morning Herald felt it was typical the English had got their own way.
“The definition of hell: waking up in the early hours of Monday morning, curled in the foetal position on the lounge and shivering from the cold, to giddy English cricketers prancing about and hugging each other like they’ve just won Powerball (an Australian lottery game),” it said.
“If this is how the next five weeks of Ashes cricket will be, with Australia bravely coming so close to victory in spite of itself, tough times are ahead.
“Aleem Dar’s performance in the past five days was so telling it would not be a surprise if Wills and Kate name their first born after him.”
Cowan endured a miserable first Test batting at No3, recording a duck and 14.
Under the headline ‘Ed Cowan left on edge as axe hovers’, The Australian made it clear he could easily be the fall-guy ahead of Thursday’s Second Test at Lord’s.
“Now the anxious wait begins for Ed Cowan to see what price he will pay, if any, for the two windy cover drives that cost him his wicket at critical moments in both innings of the first Ashes Test,” it said.
“For the first time in his 18-Test career, Cowan played not as an opener but in the No 3 position historically reserved for Australia’s best batsman. Clearly, that’s not the case in the current circumstances, as Michael Clarke is indisputably the best batsman in the side.”
