Feeble Australian fightback delays England’s Ashes victory

MELBOURNE - Australia’s 6 for 169 at stumps on the third day’s play here delayed an inevitable victory for England in the fourth Ashes cricket Test.

To reach the 246 needed to make England bat again, captain Ricky Ponting would need his tail-enders to each score more than half a century over the remaining two days at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

England, who are on the cusp of retaining the Ashes trophy for the first time since 1987, went to lunch at 513 all-out, a lead of 415 and looked set to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

Australia posted a first-innings total of just 98 Sunday, their lowest against England in 133 years. Recovery was always going to require a miracle.

Tim Bresnan (3 for 26) showed the depth of England’s bowling attack, with the Ashes debutante needing just five overs to take the wickets of Shane Watson (54), captain Ricky Ponting (20) and Michael Hussey (0).

Vice captain Michael Clarke capitulated on 13 just when he needed a really big score to advance his claim to be the obvious successor to 36-year-old Ponting, dubbed “Captain Calamity” in the local press.

Ponting, who has averaged just 16 in the first four Tests, is likely to pay with his job for what is shaping up as his third Ashes loss in four campaigns.

Next week’s closing Test in Sydney could easily be his last after frailty at the crease exposed the ravages of age and spats with the umpire showed the brittleness of his character.

Ponting was fined 40 per cent of his match fee for berating Pakistan’s Aleem Dar for a verdict that had been confirmed by the third umpire in play Monday.

“I understand that I overstepped the mark,” Ponting said after accepting his punishment.

“I went into the hearing. I accepted that 40-per-cent fine pretty much straight away.”

In a post on a blog on national broadcaster ABC’s website, local cricket fan Fred said Ponting’s outburst was symptomatic of a skipper on his last legs.

He added: “After Sunday’s capitulation, the entire Australian top order should be fined 100 per cent of their match fee.”