England a sniff away from retaining Ashes at MCG
By ANITuesday, December 28, 2010
MELBOURNE - England has moved closer to retaining the Ashes for the first time in 24 years following another dominant display against Australia on day three of the fourth Test being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia ended the day on 169-6, still needing 246 to make England bat again after they reached 513 in their first innings.
England fast bowler Tim Bresnan finished the day with figures of 3-26 from 15 overs, while James Anderson (1-62), Graeme Swann (1-23) and Chris Tremlett (0-55) performed better than their figures suggest.
Australia had made an encouraging start to its unlikely bid to avoid defeat, before Bresnan dismissed opening batsman Shane Watson, captain Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey in a spell of three wickets for two runs.
Watson (54), who was earlier responsible for the dismissal of his partner Phil Hughes (23) to a shocking run-out, was baffled by Bresnan’s in-swing and was given out LBW without playing a shot. He referred the decision to the third umpire to no avail.
Ponting, who scratched his way to 20 from 72 balls, was bowled off the inside edge, while Hussey was out nine balls later for a duck, stroking an off-drive straight to Ian Bell at short extra cover.
Michael Clarke then followed for 13, caught in the slips off Swann, and before the close, Steve Smith’s stubborn resistance was ended by Anderson as he departed for 38, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin is unbeaten on 11, while Mitchell Johnson is on six.
England will be keen to wrap up the victory as early as possible on Wednesday, and with the form their bowlers are in, that could happen well before lunch.
Earlier in the day, after resuming on 444-5, England lost their last five wickets for 54 runs to be restricted to 513.
England batsman Jonathan Trott deservedly finished unbeaten on 168, while Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle picked his second six-wicket haul of the series to finish with figures of 6-75 from 33.1 overs.
Brief Scorecard:
Australia:- Ist innings: 98 (Clarke 20, Hughes 16, Tremlett 4-26)
England:- Ist innings: 513 (Trott 168 not out, Prior 85, Siddle 6-75)
Australia:- Second innings: 169-6 (Watson 54, Smith 38, Bresnan 3-15) (ANI)
