Player of the Match
Player of the Match

So before Christmas, the Ashes are done and dusted and now Australia have the chance to push for another whitewash. But Melbourne and Sydney are two grounds where England have traditionally been more comfortable and they will be desperate to respond having been totally outplayed so far. Australia are on a roll and head to Boxing Day in fine fettle with players in form and confidence high. That's when we'll be back, so have a good break and rejoin us for the fourth Test. But from Monty and I, for now, it's goodbye and Merry Christmas!

Here's the Presentation. Man of the Match goes to Steve Smith for that century on day one which set the game up for Australia. He describes the knock as the innings of his life.

Alastair Cook has to begin another post-mortem: "It was a fantastic innings full of character from Ben Stokes. With those cracks there it's daunting but he played so well. You never know in sport but just as we got a partnership going we lost it, not for the first time in this series. It's not for lack of effort but we've been out-skilled in all departments, that's the honest truth. Everyone's hurting now but all we can do is work as hard as we can and turn it around on Boxing Day.

Michael Clarke can't get to the microphone quickly enough:"10 out of 10, it doesn't get much better. Team performance has been exceptional. We went through what England are feeling now in England but we've now got our earned reward. I didn't say too much at lunch. We didn't get much luck in the morning session but we held our chances well after lunch. No doubt Mitch deserves a lot of credit but it's been a team performance over three matches. And there's a lot of people behind the scenes that don't get the credit they deserve so to those people that have stuck by us, thank you."

England have been well off the pace yet again with the bat and that has cost them dearly. They have been chasing matches throughout this series and this was no different. At least Ben Stokes stuck his hand up, showed some bravery and technique and mental fortitude to make a magnificent hundred and the rest of the dressing room surely have to look at Stokes and think, if a bloke playing his second Test can do it, why can't we? The batting failure came off the back off another chance - for the third Test running - with the ball in the first innings. But Australia responded in a manner winning sides managed to do - how many times did England come back from 30 for 3 at home in the last series?

It's pretty much been the same tale as the first two Tests, Australia won the toss and battled hard through a spot of bother to make a solid first innings score. England then failed to stay in the game with another sloppy opening dig with the bat and from there, Australia dominated with big runs second time around and managed to swat off a bit of England resistance. The Australian attack has again been superb, three nagging seamers, complimented by Nathan Lyon whose contribution cannot be underestimated, and, of course, Mitchell Johnson's raw pace that has rattled England to their core.

Australia have completed the turnaround and a 150-run victory has put them 3-0 up and enough to regain the Ashes for the first time since 2006-07. Mitchell Johnson has a tear in his eye as his celebrates, he has been the difference between these sides and the reason why almost the same teams have produced a markedly different result from the last series. "Proper emotion" Ryan Harris has just described as the Australians realise their ambitions in only 14 days of this series.

103.2
W
Johnson to Anderson, OUT, back of a length on the stumps, Anderson square up and pops a chance into the leg side which Bailey dives forward to take and Australia have regained the Ashes. Pace doing for Anderson who got it high on the bat and presented a straightforward catch to Bailey and fittingly it is Mitchell Johnson that has finished it off

JM Anderson c Bailey b Johnson 2 (9m 8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 25.00

103.1
1
Johnson to Broad, 1 run, full on the stump, Broad chips it through square leg

END OF OVER:
103 | 2 Runs | ENG: 352/9

  • Stuart Broad1 (6b)
  • James Anderson2 (7b)
  • Nathan Lyon22-5-70-3
  • Mitchell Johnson25-6-77-3
102.6
1
Lyon to Broad, 1 run, back across the off stump, pushes through point and they take the easy single on offer
102.5
1
Lyon to Anderson, 1 run, forward and gets a thick outside edge backward of point for a quick single
102.4
0
Lyon to Anderson, no run, outside off, not a length to cut, Anderson tries anyway and misses, poor stroke
102.3
0
Lyon to Anderson, no run, more air and pushed firmly in the air for a while but well away from cover
102.2
0
Lyon to Anderson, no run, forward again playing back up towards the bowler
102.1
0
Lyon to Anderson, no run, around the off stump, forward playing back up the wicket

Abhishek: "Not sure if this is heroic from Broad or just plain foolish. There's no way England are winning it beyond this point. So to run the risk of aggravating his injury for a losing cause doesn't seem prudent to me. He's been England's best bowler of the tour, and he should have been given ample rest in order to fully recover for the next Test."

END OF OVER:
102 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 350/9

  • Stuart Broad0 (5b)
  • James Anderson1 (2b)
  • Mitchell Johnson25-6-77-3
  • Nathan Lyon21-5-68-3
101.6
0
Johnson to Broad, no run, a sharp bumper and Broad does well to dart under it

So Johnson to Broad, can he finish it off...

101.5
1
Johnson to Anderson, 1 run, back of a length at the body, Anderson turns it down to long leg, just a single
101.4
0
Johnson to Anderson, no run, full toss on the stumps, Anderson turns it to midwicket

So Australia now one wicket away from getting the Urn back at the earliest opportunity, just James Anderson to knock over now...

101.3
W
Johnson to Bresnan, OUT, slower ball, 82mph, Bresnan forward pushing hard and it presents a chance to Rogers at mid-off who dives and takes a fine catch to his right that is a perfect example of how well Australia have fielded in this series, a marvellous catch

TT Bresnan c Rogers b Johnson 12 (66m 40b 1x4 0x6) SR: 30.00

101.2
2
Johnson to Bresnan, 2 runs, full and wide and Bresnan drives from low on the bat past extra cover and Broad gingerly waddles back for two
101.1
0
Johnson to Bresnan, no run, length on off stump, Bresnan forward to push into midwicket

END OF OVER:
101 | (wicket maiden) | ENG: 347/8

  • Stuart Broad0 (4b)
  • Tim Bresnan10 (37b)
  • Nathan Lyon21-5-68-3
  • Mitchell Johnson24-6-74-2
100.6
0
Lyon to Broad, no run, floated up and Broad smothers it on middle stump, it runs to cover and they refuse the single

Field goes back to try and give Broad one...

100.5
0
Lyon to Broad, no run, ignored again outside off
100.4
0
Lyon to Broad, no run, forward and left alone outside off
100.3
0
Lyon to Broad, no run, full on off stump, Broad punches it back to the bowler

Stuart Broad comes out, braving his well-strapped boot...

100.2
W
Lyon to Swann, OUT, forward, a little turn, takes inside edge onto pad and it loops to short leg for a pretty cheap dismissal, easy catch for Smith and Lyon chips in again with a useful wicket. Swann propped forward on around middle and followed the ball that turned in and bounced a touch, he got a feather edge onto the pad and it popped up easily for Smith and Swann walked straight off

GP Swann c Smith b Lyon 4 (8m 6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

100.1
0
Lyon to Swann, no run, forward and let go outside off, it comes back a little but not enough to trouble off stump

END OF OVER:
100 | 6 Runs | ENG: 347/7

  • Tim Bresnan10 (37b)
  • Graeme Swann4 (4b)
  • Mitchell Johnson24-6-74-2
  • Nathan Lyon20-4-68-2
99.6
2
Johnson to Bresnan, 2 runs, back of a length angled across Bresnan who stays leg side of it and angles down towards third man
99.5
0
Johnson to Bresnan, no run, now goes very full and Bresnan punches from outside off to extra cover

England tour of Australia 2013-14 News

England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0MA CarberryAN Cook
2nd62MA CarberryJE Root
3rd14KP PietersenJE Root
4th45IR BellKP Pietersen
5th99IR BellBA Stokes
6th76MJ PriorBA Stokes
7th40TT BresnanBA Stokes
8th11GP SwannTT Bresnan
9th2TT BresnanSCJ Broad
10th4JM AndersonSCJ Broad