Desperate times call for desperate measures

"We've got to find a way of getting Ponting back."

Things are not looking good in the Manchester Youth Hostel, on Wednesday night. The Australian team management are meeting in the television room.  Michael Clarke and Darren Lehman are both clear on the need for changes to the Australian line-up, but they both know that they do not have the power of selection.  Calls are put in to John Inverarity, but he is not budging.

Clarke and Lehman get increasingly angry, but in the background, vice-captain Brad Haddin is distracted; he is watching Escape to Victory.  

"I've got an idea," he says, with his face lit up.

The next morning, Chris Rogers, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes and Ashton Agar have all suffered broken arms, without apparent explanation, and in their place, Michael Hussey, Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich and Fawad Ahmed are all recalled to the Australian side.  Unfortunately, in the confusion someone forgot to check that flights were available, so the Australians are forced into the first day with just seven players.

Graciously, Alastair Cook lets the Australians bat first after winning the toss, in the hope that the Australians can get a full crew together.  Unfortunately, they have lost all of their six available wickets by 2:15, with the score on just 117 (Anderson 6-16, Clarke 42*). The seven men of Australia field bravely for the remainder of the day, but England are clearly well placed at 273-0.

Fawad Ahmed makes it through customs at Manchester Airport to take the field on the second day. He is brought on to bowl the first over.  His first over goes for 13, his second goes for 16, and that is his bowling done for the day. Just after lunch, England declare on 501-2 (Cook 251*, Taylor 154*), as Agar look on disconsolately from the Australian balcony, arm in sling.

However, Australia bat commendably in their second innings, and by close of play, Australia are on 200-2 (Ponting 108*, Hussey 56*). The pitch has flattened out somewhat, and under the summer sun of August James Anderson and Stuart Broad are unable to get the ball to swing.

But the dye is cast, and when Monty Panesar traps Ponting leg before wicket in the first over on Saturday morning, a cascade of wickets inevitably tumbles. Katich follows the ball after Ponting, and within 16 overs, Australia have been bowled out for 241 (Panesar 4-102, Swann 4-102).