AUS vs ENG 4th Ashes Test highlights: England beat Australia by four wickets at MCG

... DAY 2, THIRD SESSION ...

For large parts of this Test, England have stayed ahead of Australia, driven mainly by their work with the ball. Yet, as this Ashes has shown, they have often let control slip from positions of dominance. This time, though, the opportunity is significant. Eight wickets in hand and the target down to double digits with all the time in the world gives England a clear chance to finally close one out. Australia cannot be counted out still, but they do need a miraculous bowling display from their pace quartet if they are to turn this around. Another gripping and possibly the final session of the match is coming up. Play resumes at 4.34 am GMT. Don't go anywhere.

In reply, England were set a target of 175, the highest total of the match across all innings. Crawley and Duckett looked to cash in early before the heavy roller’s effect faded. Duckett threw the entire shot book at the bowlers, orthodox and unconventional alike, and settled in nicely before Starc uprooted him with a searing yorker. He still played his part with a brisk 34 off 26. England then tried the Carse experiment at number three, likely aiming to shrink the target quickly, but it did not pay off. The slide followed swiftly, from 51 without loss to 65/2. Normalcy resumed with Bethell and Crawley seeing off the rest of the session safely.

Australia were already on the back foot at the start of the afternoon session, and it never really improved. Steve Smith batted proactively, shuffling and moving at the crease, but partners kept disappearing around him. Cameron Green offered brief resistance, yet just as the stand began to take shape, Ben Stokes struck, and the collapse followed swiftly. From there, Australia unraveled from 98 for 6 to 132 all out, with only Head, Smith, and Green reaching double figures as Stokes and Brydon Carse tore through the lower order. The course correction from England’s bowlers was impressive, especially with Gus Atkinson sidelined by a left hamstring issue, and Carse stepping up with a four-wicket haul.

Finally, from England's point of view, Bazball has made an appearance, albeit a dead cat bounce. This has been the kind of Test match that has raced through time, where the action moved so quickly that it feels like five days of cricket have been wrapped into two. Another action-packed session where 111 runs were scored in 21.3 overs, with 6 wickets falling. As things stand, England shouldn't find it difficult to hunt this down. But we have seen some really unexpected things happen in this sport, so let's just prevent ourselves from drawing out the conclusion and witness drama unfold. 

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, Goes past the bat! Pitched up, around off, Zak goes for the drive without any foot movement. The ball cuts back in off the deck to go past the inside edge and it was not far away from crashing into the off pole. That will be TEA on Day 2!

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, A polite enquiry from the men behind the bat! Richardson goes wide on the crease and bangs it into the surface, sprays it down leg. Zak Crawley swivels for the pull but the ball sneaks under his bat. It is taken by Alex Carey diving to his left but no one is convinced enough to go for the review. The replays show that the ball actually clipped Zak's sweater on its way to the keeper.

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, Little bit short and wide, Zak tucks his bat inside the line as the ball nips away off the seam.

Jhye Richardson to Jacob Bethell, Leg bye! On a back of a length, on middle and leg. Bethell presses on the back foot and is late on the pull. The ball sneaks under the blade and catches him on the box. The ball drops at his feet and he is called through for a quick leg bye by Zak Crawley.

Jhye Richardson to Jacob Bethell, This goes away from the left-hander off a good length. Jacob Bethell has a slight poke at it and is beaten on the outside edge.

Righto, the final over before Tea coming up. Jhye Richardson (2-0-14-1) to bowl.

Jhye Richardson to Jacob Bethell, Jagging back in off a hard length, Jacob hangs back to fend it down but the ball goes past the bat to catch him on the thigh pad.

Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, On off, on a good length, Bethell walks across and gets closer to the line of the ball. He drops it with soft hands in front of cover for a quick single. England need 99 more runs.

Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! Lovely shot! Fractionally fuller, on middle. Bethell skips down the track and presents the full face of the blade. Just checks his drive and beats mid off to his right for four.

Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, On middle and leg, on a nagging length. Jacob is down the track and tries to fend it down but is beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the thigh pad.

Scott Boland to Jacob Bethell, Prodigious seam movement! On a back of a length from around the wicket, on off and middle. Jacob Bethell is half-forward for the block, but the ball jags back in sharply to go past the inside edge. Luckily for Bethell, the bounce takes the ball over the stumps.

Has Boland struck his first through LBW? A review taken by Australia to challenge the on-field decision. But the Ball Tracking shows the impact to be outside off. Kumar Dharmasena signalled leg bye even before the review was taken.

Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, Australia burn a review! Jagging back in, on a length, around off, Zak advances and is across the stumps. He drops his bat down on the ball, but is beaten on the inside edge and wears it on the back thigh. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes away on the off side. A massive shout for LBW but turned down. The impact looks outside off, but Australia opt for the review. As expected, the Ball Tracking shows that the impact is outside off.

Scott Boland to Zak Crawley, On a back of a length, on middle. Zak Crawley walks down the track and across the stumps. He tries to tickle it fine but misses. A good diving take by Alex Carey to his left.

Expecting a bit of normalcy to resume now with a few minutes left for the break. 

Jhye Richardson to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! Not convincing, but that will do, says Jacob Bethell! Richardson bashes the hard length, on middle. Betthell stays back and has a jab at it as he tries to go through mid-wicket. Gets a thickish outside edge that flies over the slip cordon for a four.

Jhye Richardson to Jacob Bethell, No ball! Banged in short, over middle. Jacob Bethell sways away and drops his wrists to let the ball pass. Richardson has overstepped.

That was a reckless shot from Carse and that experiment didn't quite work well for the tourists. Jacob Bethell is in at number 4. Big opportunity for the young lad to bat till the end and get some runs behind his name.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Brydon Carse had the license to go after everything, but it did not quite come off. Jhye Richardson has his first Test wicket on return to the side after 4 years. At the stumps, on a good length. Carse exposes all three stumps and clears the front leg. He has a swipe across the line but a top edge is found. It goes down to deep third, where Cameron Green settles under it and does the rest. England are now 65/2, needing 110 more runs.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, Keeps it full, on off. Brydon gets the front leg out of the way and heaves it away to the right of long on for a couple of runs.

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, Fuller and on off, eased away to deep point for one.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, Angled in on middle, on a back of a length. Brydon stays back and dabs it through point for a single.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, On a hard length, outside off, Carse has a big swing at it but is beaten for pace.

This is shaping up to be wrapped up even quicker than the Perth two-dayer. That first Test produced a result in 141.1 overs in two days, and already 118.4 overs have been bowled here, with England still needing 115 runs on the second day. Seems quite possible. But the traditionalists surely won't be liking the way things are panning out. 

Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, FOUR! Class written all over it! At 142 kph, full and angled across. Zak Crawley just presses on the front foot and extends his hands into the drive. He manages to beat the diving mid off fielder to his left for a four. England need 114 more runs.

Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, Very full, outside off, Zak reaches out but ends up mishiting it to mid on.

Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, Nearly chipped back! On a good length, on middle, Crawley sets up to work it away with a closed bat face but the ball holds in the surface. It pops up but well out of the reach of Starc to his right.

Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, Full and wide on off, Zak leans on for the drive but miscues it off the inner half back to the bowler.

Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley, Full and pushed across the right-hander, Crawley looks to firm the drive down the ground but is beaten as the ball leaves him.

Mitchell Starc to Brydon Carse, Probably Starc spotted Carse back away and hence, he followed him. Brydon manages to swipe it away to deep square leg for a single.

It has started to misbehave now. The final delivery from Richardson clearly showed the ball nipping around prodigiously. 

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, Beaten! A sharp nip-backer, on a length, on off. Zak Crawley presses half-forward to defend but is cut in half as the ball beats him on the inside edge.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, Nearly sneaked through! With an upright seam, on a good length, jagging back in. Brydon Carse stays back to a full ball and presents a straight bat out in front. Gets an inside edge onto the back pad and the ball dribbles in front of the slip cordon. That allows the batters to sneak in a quick single.

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, Banged in short, on middle. Crawley pulls it through mid-wicket and turns the strike over.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, Fuller and on off, Carse waits on the back foot and guides it behind square on the off side for a single.

Jhye Richardson to Brydon Carse, If it wasn't clear already, what is he sent for? It is clear now. On a nagging length, on middle. Brydon Carse shimmies down the track and swings for the hills, but fails to connect.

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, On a back of a length, on off, Zak taps it wide of point for a single.

Jhye Richardson to Zak Crawley, In the channel, on a good length, Crawley has feel for it and is beaten on the outside edge. Jhye has overstepped. No Ball given.

We have seen everything in this Test. From Boland opening for Australia, to Brydon Carse walking in at number 3 for England now. He surely hasn't been sent up the order to block and defend. He will definitely go bang bang to strike off a few runs quickly off the target before the heavy roller effect fades away. Jhye Richardson is brought into the attack, replacing Michael Neser.

Mitchell Starc to Ben Duckett, OUT! TIMBER! Ben Duckett fails to keep it out but he has given his side a good start in the chase. Starc gets it very full, on middle. Ben fails to get his bat down quickly and the ball sneaks under the blade before it brushes the back pad and crashes into the woodwork. Duckett falls for a brisk 34 (26). England are now 51/1, needing 124 more runs.

Mitchell Starc to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough! Not all that wide but fractionally short, Duckett stays on the back foot and slaps it to the right of deep point for a four. 50 UP FOR ENGLAND. They require 124 more.

Mitchell Starc to Ben Duckett, 3,000 Test runs for Ben Duckett! Fuller and swinging away, Duckett lets the ball come to him and eases the drive through covers for a couple of runs.

Mitchell Starc to Ben Duckett, Onto the pads, on a good length, Ben sets up to turn it away on the leg side but gets a soft leading edge back to the bowler.

Mitchell Starc to Ben Duckett, A big swing and a miss! Full and a late away shape, outside off. Duckett goes hard on the drive but is beaten on the outside edge.

Mitchell Starc to Ben Duckett, At 143.3 kph, moving away off the deck, on off and middle, on a good length. Ben Duckett gets slightly squared up but manages to keep it out.