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- AUS vs ENG 4th Ashes Test highlights: England beat Australia by four wickets at MCG
AUS vs ENG 4th Ashes Test highlights: England beat Australia by four wickets at MCG
The pumped-up tourists dismissed Australia for 132 soon after lunch in front of a bumper 92,045 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, following the 20 wickets that tumbled on day one.
It left them chasing 175 to win, with Harry Brook (18) and Jamie Smith (three) seeing them home for the loss of six wickets to huge roars from their travelling "Barmy Army" of fans. Jacob Bethell contributed 40 and Zak Crawley 37.
England crashed in the first three Tests and came to Melbourne under enormous pressure amid questions about their limited preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break.
But they finally came good and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test brimming with confidence.
England had not won a Test in Australia since January 2011 at Sydney, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Ben Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak -- play ultra-aggressive "Bazball" style.
Duckett hit a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over while Crawley slammed Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive balls.
They brought up a whirlwind fifty opening partnership but next ball Duckett was bowled by a Starc yorker for 34.
Fast bowler Brydon Carse then strode to the middle as a surprise number three in place of Bethell.
But England's pinch-hitting experiment failed as Carse lasted only eight balls before skying Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green.
Crawley fell lbw to Scott Boland after a gritty knock and Bethell was caught by Usman Khawaja from the same bowler.
Richardson trapped Joe Root (15) lbw and Starc accounted for Ben Stokes (2), but by then only 10 runs were needed and Brook and Smith completed the job.
- Atkinson injury -
Australia resumed on 4-0 in their second innings after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110.
It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth.
With 10 millimetres of grass on the track it was a bowler's dream, but a host of former greats criticised the pitch for "doing too much" and being "unfair for the batters".
Nightwatchman Boland added two to his overnight four, but his time was always going to be limited and he edged Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Smith.
Atkinson left the field soon after clutching what appeared to be his left hamstring.
Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Jake Weatherald whipped his full ball for three.
Weatherald needed a decent knock to cement his spot at the top of the order, but he failed again, bowled by Stokes for five leaving a delivery that nipped back.
Travis Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Root in the slips off Tongue.
Head was in good touch before being bowled on 46 by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge, and when Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) departed in the space of nine balls the momentum was back with England.
After reaching lunch at 98-6, Green (19) became the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 119, edging a rising Stokes ball to Harry Brook at slip.
Carse bagged Neser and Starc without scoring and Richardson fell to Stokes with the last four wickets tumbling for 13 runs, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 24.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Not that wide for the cut and not too short either. Jacob Bethell crouches and attempts the square cut, but ends up chopping it down on the strip before the ball rolls behind towards the keeper.
- Joe Root 0 (2)
- Jacob Bethell 27 (32)
Scott Boland to Joe Root, Full and straight, attacking the stumps, Root watchfully keeps it out.
Scott Boland to Joe Root, Fuller in length, on off, Root presses on the front foot and pushes it to the left of the bowler.
Boland opens it up for Australia with a big breakthrough. And now, the man who has never tasted a victory on Aussie soil, Joe Root, walks to the crease at number 5. He is on a pair as Carey is standing up to the wickets.
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, OUT! LBW! This looks straight but Zak Crawley has taken the review. This looks like a review more in hope than anything else. On middle and leg, on a length, Crawley's head falls over to the off side slightly and is beaten on the flick on the inside edge. Gets rapped on the front pad. No bat involved and the Ball Tracking comes up as three reds with the ball crashing into the top of the leg stump. Crawley would have wanted to finish the job, but his stay has been cut short. 37 (48) for him. Boland has now dismissed Crawley for the fourth time in Tests. England are 112/3, needing 63 more runs.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Slightly fuller, on middle. Jacob exposes all three stumps and swings at it. Gets a thickish outside edge down to deep third for a single.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, This is on a short of a good length, on middle. Jacob backs away and steers it to gully.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Sharp and quick from Boland! Banged in short, over the left shoulder. Bethell premeditates as he charges down the track and then tries to duck, but ends up playing the hook. He fails to connect as the ball goes over the blade.
- Zak Crawley 37 (47)
- Jacob Bethell 26 (29)
Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, Well wide on off, on a back of a length. Zak Crawley throws his hands at it but misses.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, On off, on a length, Jacob gets forward for the block but gets an outside edge that goes behind square on the off side for a run.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, A ripper from Starc! Angling in and then straightening off the deck, on a good length. Jacob Bethell presents a straight bat to cover the line but is beaten on the outside edge, and the ball sails over the off pole.
Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, Dug in short, pushed across, Zak stands tall and steers it behind point for one.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, In the corridor, the length is pulled back. Bethell runs it down to deep third for a single.
Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, Starts with a full ball, on off, Bethell presses on the front foot and taps it to mid off.
Mitchell Starc (5-0-28-1) replaces Michael Neser. One of the ground staff is out with a hammer-like thing and is flattening out the landing area for the left-armer. Set to continue.
- Jacob Bethell 24 (25)
- Zak Crawley 36 (45)
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Into the deck, on off, Bethell nudges it wide of mid-wicket for a run.
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, Slides onto the pads, on a length, helped down to deep fine leg for one.
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, Lands it full, on off, Crawley knocks it back to Boland.
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, On a good length, on off, Zak Crawley is solid in defence.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Leg bye! Jagging back in, on a nagging length. Bethell is taken aback by the sharp inward movement. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the thigh pad on the off side.
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, Full and attacking the stumps, whipped firmly by Zak. Mitchell Starc dives to his right at mid on and keeps the batters down to a single.
- Jacob Bethell 23 (23)
- Zak Crawley 34 (41)
Michael Neser to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! Nicely controlled! Neser digs it in short, around the helmet of the batter. Jacob Bethell gets his hands high and swivels to control the pull. Plays it along the ground to the left of deep square leg for a boundary.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, On a short of a length, on off, Crawley dabs it in the vacant point region for a single. 100 comes up for England. They need 75 more.
It's 3.50 pm local time, and it is time for the hat tip. The MCG crowd sincerely joins in tipping off the hats. A wonderful tribute to the great Shane Warne. The ones to lead this time around are Australia's Adam Gilchrist and Stuart Broad of England.
Michael Neser to Jacob Bethell, Full and outside off, Bethell extends his hands for the drive but gets an inside edge that rolls behind on the leg side for one.
Michael Neser to Jacob Bethell, Beaten! Full and around off from around the wicket, Jacob Bethell is drawn forward but the ball nips away to beat him on the defence on the outside edge.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, Curving back into the pads, on a length, Zak Crawley squeezes out an inside edge that drops beside the strip on the leg side. The batters scamper across for a quick single.
Halt in play as Crawley is put off by a beach ball rolling on the sightscreen. The members of the ground staff get rid of that. Good to resume.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, Full and on off, Crawley plays a punchy drive to cover.
- Jacob Bethell 18 (20)
- Zak Crawley 32 (38)
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, A bit of nip back, on a good length, on middle. Jacob Bethell drops his bat down on the ball and ekes out an inside edge onto the pads.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Boland spots Bethell dancing down the track, and he bangs it in short at the bodyline. Jacob fails to duck out of the way in time and wears it around the left shoulder.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, On the fuller side at the sticks, Jacob Bethell backs away to go go through the off side but ends up mishiting it to mid off.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Bashes the hard length and gets a bit of lift off the deck, on middle. Jacob Bethell manages to fend it down off the back foot.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Scott pushes the length up, around off, Bethell leans into the drive and knocks it between cover and mid off for a brace.
18 runs off the first 2 overs after Tea for England. They need 80 more. If they don't lose quick wickets, guess this will get finished in the next 10 overs or so. Gotta feel for the English fans who are currently on the flight to Melbourne for day three.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, On top of off, on a hard length. Bethell hangs back and stabs it down.
- Zak Crawley 32 (38)
- Jacob Bethell 16 (14)
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, On off, on a back of a length, punched to cover.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, On a good length, on off, Zak taps it back to Boland.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, Not in control but safe! On a length, on off, Crawley has a big swipe at it and the ball gets sliced over cover for a couple of runs.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, FOUR! Off the edge! Fuller in length, on off and middle. Zak Crawley pushes out in front of his body, but the ball nibbles away to catch the outside edge. The ball goes down and through the gap between second slip and gully. Steve Smith at second slip dives to his right, but the ball is out of his reach.
Michael Neser to Jacob Bethell, Tailing back in at the off stump, on a good length. Jacob Bethell chops it wide of gully for a single.
Guess what the talk was during the break in that English dressing room? Why don't you try a reverse scoop against Boland? Jokes apart. A really positive start for England as they managed to trim 8 runs off the target right away. Michael Neser (3-0-26-0) to operate from the other end.
Michael Neser to Zak Crawley, This is on a back of a length, outside off. Zak waits on the back foot and glides it nicely with an open bat face to the left of deep backward point. Cameron Green goes after it from gully but cannot prevent the batters from taking the third run.
- Zak Crawley 23 (33)
- Jacob Bethell 15 (13)
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, Attacking the front pad, full in length, Zak Crawley clips it towards deep mid-wicket and keeps the strike with a single.
Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, Alex Carey is back up to the stumps. In the channel, on a length, left alone by Zak.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Leg bye! On a good length, on middle, angled in, with the keeper now back to his usual position, Jacob Bethell walks down the track and tries to clip it away. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the pads on the leg side.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Very full, on off, Bethell digs it out to cover. Zak sets off for the single and is almost halfway through before he is sent back.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! A shot of high class! A half-volley from Boland, on off, Bethell transfers his weight onto the front foot and creams the drive between cover and mid off for a boundary.
Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Whoa! Action straightaway! Full and on middle, Jacob Bethell brings out the reverse scoop on the very first ball. He wanted to go more over the slip cordon but ended up getting it over the head of the keeper up to the stumps. The ball plugs in the outfield and Bethell collects a couple of runs.
Welcome back for the evening session. The umpires and players walk out refreshed off a much-needed break. The Australian players scatter across and take their spots on the field. Zak Crawley and Jacob Bethell are all set to resume their batting for England. Scott Boland (1-0-5-0) will get us underway after the Tea break. Bethell to face with a couple of slips in position. 98 runs to win for the tourists, with 8 wickets in hand. Here we go...
Australia resumed on 4-0 in their second innings after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110.
It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth.
With 10 millimetres of grass on the track it was a bowler's dream, but a host of former greats criticised the pitch for "doing too much" and being "unfair for the batters".
Nightwatchman Boland added two to his overnight four, but his time was always going to be limited and he edged Gus Atkinson to wicketkeeper Smith.
Atkinson left the field soon after clutching what appeared to be his left hamstring.
Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Jake Weatherald whipped his full ball for three.
Weatherald needed a decent knock to cement his spot at the top of the order, but he failed again, bowled by Stokes for five leaving a delivery that nipped back.
Travis Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Root in the slips off Tongue.
Head was in good touch before being bowled on 46 by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge, and when Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) departed in the space of nine balls the momentum was back with England.
After reaching lunch at 98-6, Green (19) became the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 119, edging a rising Stokes ball to Harry Brook at slip.
Carse bagged Neser and Starc without scoring and Richardson fell to Stokes with the last four wickets tumbling for 13 runs, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 24.
Match Statistics
Venue
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne
