England set to retain Ashes
Source: Agencies |
December 29, 2010, Wednesday
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ENGLAND'S bowlers continued to maintain their stranglehold on Australia's batsmen in the fourth test yesterday, putting the visitors on the brink of a first successful Ashes tour triumph in 24 years.
Needing 415 runs just to make England bat again, Australia's brittle top order disintegrated under pressure once more, limping to 169-6 at stumps in Melbourne. Australia, which was bundled out for 98 in the first innings, trails England by 246 runs and is odds-on favorites to become the first team to surrender the Ashes on home soil since Alan Border's defeat to the Mike Gatting-led England team in 1986/87.
Brad Haddin (11) and Mitchell Johnson (6) survived the last few overs to stumps and face the unenviable and virtually impossible task of staving off England's victory charge on day four.
Tim Bresnan, called into the side for Steve Finn, took three wickets in a brilliant spell after tea to leave Australia reeling on 104-4 before Graeme Swann and James Anderson took a wicket apiece to inflict further pain on the hosts.
One of Bresnan's wickets was Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who struggled to 20 before chopping onto his stumps, continuing a woeful run in a series in which his highest score remains an unbeaten 51 in the drawn first test in Brisbane.
Ponting apologized before taking the crease for his ugly remonstration with the umpires on Monday over a video referral.
Australia's bowlers, to their credit, had earlier raced through England's last five wickets for the addition of 69 runs to have the tourists dismissed for 513 just before lunch.
Worst runners
Shane Watson enhanced his reputation as one of the worst runners in elite cricket by running out opening partner Phillip Hughes for 23. The pair had made a bright start, notching 50 runs at a rapid run rate of more than five an over, before Watson pushed to cover and called Hughes through for a single.
Jonathan Trott, whose unbeaten 168 earlier put England in command, swooped on the ball and flung it low and straight to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who whipped off the bails with Hughes short of the crease.
Watson and Ponting helped Australia stutter to 95-1 at tea but rarely appeared comfortable at the crease and both soon lost their wickets to Bresnan.
Michael Clarke, who has managed one half-century in the series, scratched around unconvincingly for 13 runs in a 66-ball knock before nicking a Swann delivery to England skipper Andrew Strauss at slip. Steve Smith survived a little longer but was bowled by James Anderson for 38 to leave the hosts reeling at 158-6.
Needing 415 runs just to make England bat again, Australia's brittle top order disintegrated under pressure once more, limping to 169-6 at stumps in Melbourne. Australia, which was bundled out for 98 in the first innings, trails England by 246 runs and is odds-on favorites to become the first team to surrender the Ashes on home soil since Alan Border's defeat to the Mike Gatting-led England team in 1986/87.
Brad Haddin (11) and Mitchell Johnson (6) survived the last few overs to stumps and face the unenviable and virtually impossible task of staving off England's victory charge on day four.
Tim Bresnan, called into the side for Steve Finn, took three wickets in a brilliant spell after tea to leave Australia reeling on 104-4 before Graeme Swann and James Anderson took a wicket apiece to inflict further pain on the hosts.
One of Bresnan's wickets was Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who struggled to 20 before chopping onto his stumps, continuing a woeful run in a series in which his highest score remains an unbeaten 51 in the drawn first test in Brisbane.
Ponting apologized before taking the crease for his ugly remonstration with the umpires on Monday over a video referral.
Australia's bowlers, to their credit, had earlier raced through England's last five wickets for the addition of 69 runs to have the tourists dismissed for 513 just before lunch.
Worst runners
Shane Watson enhanced his reputation as one of the worst runners in elite cricket by running out opening partner Phillip Hughes for 23. The pair had made a bright start, notching 50 runs at a rapid run rate of more than five an over, before Watson pushed to cover and called Hughes through for a single.
Jonathan Trott, whose unbeaten 168 earlier put England in command, swooped on the ball and flung it low and straight to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who whipped off the bails with Hughes short of the crease.
Watson and Ponting helped Australia stutter to 95-1 at tea but rarely appeared comfortable at the crease and both soon lost their wickets to Bresnan.
Michael Clarke, who has managed one half-century in the series, scratched around unconvincingly for 13 runs in a 66-ball knock before nicking a Swann delivery to England skipper Andrew Strauss at slip. Steve Smith survived a little longer but was bowled by James Anderson for 38 to leave the hosts reeling at 158-6.
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