Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    16.5 pushed across, Cook nibbles and he's gone! Caught at second slip, an indecorous prod from Cook that seemed to betray the muddled state of mind he has got into with his batting, gulled into hanging his bat out and a thick edge flew to Clarke. Like a man reaching for another chocolate late on Christmas day, Cook couldn't resist temptation there 48/1
    38
    103
    146
    6
    0
    36.89
    33.6 That's right on target! Superb bowling. Followed the outswinger with the inswinger. Completely does Carberry who shoulders arms and sees the ball clip off stump. Another start not built on for him. Terrific skill from Watson 96/2
    42.1 lovely outswinger, right on the money and that's out! Root has been making half-promises and forget-me-not motions at balls outside off all innings and finally he gets something on one, pulled on to the front foot, bat dangling away from the pad and a thin but audible nick sails through to the keeper 106/3
    71
    161
    254
    5
    1
    44.09
    90.5 steps away again, swings the arms - and bowled! Pietersen is castled, two in the over for Johnson, a malevolent cat among spooked pigeons! That Bresnan ball had clearly flicked the switch for KP, who was aiming to cart a length ball towards deep midwicket, there was a flicker of inswing for Johnson, with the breeze at his back, and the ball steamed through to clatter leg stump 231/8
    72.6 gone! Harris again. What a bowler. In the channel outside off, hint of movement away - perhaps reverse - Bell plays this time and gets a thin edge to Harris. Another start, another start that doesn't count 173/4
    80.3 gone, Johnson's pace does for Stokes! It was in the right area, just holding its line on a good length as Stokes prodded at it indeterminately, too good for the newish batsman and a healthy edge flew to first slip 202/5
    84.4 bowled him, another one knocked over! Bairstow wasn't up to the challenge, couldn't learn his lines quickly enough and the ball clattered into the top of off! Excellent delivery from Johnson, just a little movement back in, ugly gap between bat and pad and cleaned him up 216/6
    90.1 ripping bouncer to start with, slamming into the shoulder of the bat as Bresnan fends at it... and snaffled over the shoulder at square leg! Johnson has battered through with his first delivery, it would have done for better batsmen, to be fair, good bit of work from George Bailey, too, turning and running back a few yards as the ball looped past him. That was a snorter of a ball, rising sharply towards the chest and neck, Bresnan heard the executioner's song too late and trudged off shaking his head 230/7
    94.2 now the yorker, gottim! Almost a re-run of the sandal-crusher that injured Broad in Perth, he was way back in front of the stumps and pinned right in front of middle. Broad thinks about reviewing, perhaps hoping just to waste a few more seconds (England might need them later), but there was no doubt about Dar's decision. Johnson raises the ball to salute another bone-juddering five-for 242/9
    not out
    11
    24
    42
    1
    0
    45.83
    2
    16
    24
    0
    0
    12.50
    99.6 leaves a straight one and is bowled, Lyon ties a bow on the England innings. We'll kindly call that a misjudgement from Monty, who planted the front foot and confidently lifted his bat in the air as an arm ball drifted on to rattle the top of middle and off 255/10
    Extras
    19 (b 10, lb 7, nb 1, w 1)
    TOTAL
    255 all out (100 Overs, RR: 2.55, 444 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Alastair Cook, 16.5 ov), 2-96 (Michael Carberry, 33.6 ov), 3-106 (Joe Root, 42.1 ov), 4-173 (Ian Bell, 72.6 ov), 5-202 (Ben Stokes, 80.3 ov), 6-216 (Jonny Bairstow, 84.4 ov), 7-230 (Tim Bresnan, 90.1 ov), 8-231 (Kevin Pietersen, 90.5 ov), 9-242 (Stuart Broad, 94.2 ov), 10-255 (Monty Panesar, 99.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    RJ Harris2484721.9500
    MG Johnson2446352.6210
    PM Siddle2375012.1701
    NM Lyon22.236713.0000
    SR Watson6.421111.6500
  • BATSMEN
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    52.1 oh my, what has Rogers done? A rare attacking stroke, he manages to slice it somewhat and Pietersen takes the catch running to his right from mid-off. England have another! He had been so patient, yet with a new partner at the other end, Rogers has tossed it away. Bresnan just kept plugging, the ball full and in the channel, Rogers wanted to loft down the ground and it possibly just stopped on him a little after hitting a footmark 112/5
    6.3 breakthrough! Bairstow gets his first Test catch as a keeper. Was short of a length, Warner tried to flip/whip it into the leg side - wasn't really a full-blown pull - and it looped into the air behind the stumps, giving Bairstow plenty of time to settle underneath it 19/1
    11.2 gone! But he's held this one. Stokes strikes. Full outside off, hint of movement back off the seam, loose drive just before lunch and it's a thin inside edge to Bairstow. They check the no-ball, and this time he's fine. As in first innings at Perth, a poor stroke from Watson 36/2
    25.2 nip-backer, Clarke elects to leave and it costs him his off stump! Anderson punches the air, he seems to being playing with a bit more vim again... That was a decent ball, shaping in from outside off, though it will go down as another misjudgement, similar to Carberry's dismissal in England's innings. Actually, it was reminiscent off Clarke's dismissal off Simon Jones way back in 2005, though the angle was more predictable 62/3
    49.5 bit of width, Smith finally loses patience... and edges to second slip! England have bored Smith out, they dried up the runs and when the chance came, Bell clung on superbly well. The ball wasn't quite there to cut, slightly cramping Smith for room, it flew off the top edge and Bell seemed to lose it momentarily, only to readjust and snap up the catch 110/4
    57.5 offers him a bit of width now and Bailey throws the bat, England think there's a sound but Aleem Dar shakes his head. Cook asks for the review, those in the cordon did seem confident... so here we go: no visible nick, Hot Spot it pretty inconclusive; however, there's a faint noise as Billy Bowden rock-and-rolls the replay and, crucially, Real-Time Snicko is picking up a murmur, too. Yep, it's enough for Bowden and up goes the finger, the decision reversed and Australia are six wickets down! 122/6
    82.2 that will do it! Dug in and chasing Haddin as he backs away, cramping an attempted pull and the ball loops off the top edge, possibly via the helmet, Bairstow jogs to backward square leg to take a comfortable catch - his fourth of the innings - and England, despite a few flutters, have wrapped up the innings with a lead of 51 204/10
    66.2 gone! This one is out for certain. And Anderson holds it. Johnson picks out midwicket with pull, he middle it well but it went straight, at knee height to Anderson who grabs it moving to his right. Relief for England 151/7
    71.6 eight down! Short leg had been brought in after the previous short ball and now he takes the catch. Wasn't a full-on bouncer, instead short of a length and Harris tried to work it away but couldn't roll his wrists in time and it was a sharp grab by Root who held his nerve and didn't turn away from the shot although it didn't come very quickly. 162/8
    73.3 and another! Broad strikes again. Rather limp from Siddle as he drives early at a full delivery - been a tough pitch to drive on - and spoons to cover. What a day for England 164/9
    not out
    18
    34
    43
    3
    0
    52.94
    Extras
    4 (lb 4)
    TOTAL
    204 all out (82.2 Overs, RR: 2.47, 369 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-19 (David Warner, 6.3 ov), 2-36 (Shane Watson, 11.2 ov), 3-62 (Michael Clarke, 25.2 ov), 4-110 (Steven Smith, 49.5 ov), 5-112 (Chris Rogers, 52.1 ov), 6-122 (George Bailey, 57.5 ov), 7-151 (Mitchell Johnson, 66.2 ov), 8-162 (Ryan Harris, 71.6 ov), 9-164 (Peter Siddle, 73.3 ov), 10-204 (Brad Haddin, 82.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson20.246743.2900
    SCJ Broad2064532.2500
    BA Stokes1544613.0600
    TT Bresnan1862421.3300
    MS Panesar921802.0000
  • BATSMEN
    R
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    21.3 appreciable reverse swing for Johnson and that's trapped Cook in front! Thinks about the review but doesn't find much support from his partner, so off he goes. It was a good delivery, homing back at Cook and past the inside edge, struck on the knee roll, would have hit middle and leg. Never mind Cook looking fluent - Johnson does it again 65/1
    27.5 round the wicket to Carberry, hit on the pads and given! Siddle ends a tortuous innings from Carberry, good use of the angle and the delivery seemed to beat him for pace, he had shuffled across and the ball ducked back at him. Root and Carberry had a chat about reviewing until Dharmasena told them time was up but Hawk-Eye suggests it would have stayed as umpire's call, the ball just clipping leg stump 86/2
    28.2 direct hit! That man Johnson! Root has gone. Pushed towards mid-off, Johnson was quickly to his left and hit the stumps as Root dived in vain for his ground. Well short. The umpire nodded before double checking with TV 86/3
    59.4 five for Lyon! What an afternoon for him. Pietersen tries to clear the straight boundary but can only pick out long-off. He didn't really have much choice over how he had to play. England folding again. 179/9
    28.4 would you believe it?! Bell has just chipped to mid-off. The wheels are coming off again for England. Flighted on off stump, Bell had to reach for his drive and just spooned towards Johnson who appears to be everywhere at the moment. Awful dismissal. Australia could barely believe it 87/4
    44.5 Stokes on the attack... but he's chipped straight to mid-off! England lose their fifth, the lead still less than 200, and Nathan Lyon wins a mini-battle for Stokes. He had mixed aggression and defence well until that moment but this dipped on him a little, maybe turned and the strike wasn't clean, picked out Smith - maybe halfway between mid- and long-off - and the 'G roared again 131/5
    54.3 pitched up, wide of the stumps - and Bairstow is caught at the wicket driving! Another huge blow, wrenching the game back towards Australia. Bairstow absolutely didn't need to play at that, fishing at a full, fast delivery in the channel without moving his feet, might have been a half-volley in ordinary circumstances but this was 91mph and beat him for pace. Australia, licking their lips, are into the tail 173/6
    57.2 and another goes! Lyon bags his third. Bresnan going for the pull and gets a thin bottom edge onto the top of his stumps. He wasn't sure if Haddin and knocked the bails off so stood his ground, but didn't take long to confirm the news. Another poor shot. Wasteful from England. 174/7
    57.5 100 Test wickets! Donated, it has to be said, by Broad. Nicely flighted outside off, tempting the drive and Broad obliges with a belated Christmas present. The edge is safely held at slip. Some of England's shot selection today has bordered on brainless. Australia have applied pressure, yes, but they've been handed some gifts 174/8
    not out
    1
    6
    17
    0
    0
    16.66
    60.6 stone dead! All over. Panesar opts to review as England have them left, but that was full, hint of late movement and it strikes him in front of off stump. Last five wickets have gone for six runs. 179/10
    Extras
    11 (b 5, lb 6)
    TOTAL
    179 all out (61 Overs, RR: 2.93, 289 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Alastair Cook, 21.3 ov), 2-86 (Michael Carberry, 27.5 ov), 3-86 (Joe Root, 28.2 ov), 4-87 (Ian Bell, 28.4 ov), 5-131 (Ben Stokes, 44.5 ov), 6-173 (Jonny Bairstow, 54.3 ov), 7-174 (Tim Bresnan, 57.2 ov), 8-174 (Stuart Broad, 57.5 ov), 9-179 (Kevin Pietersen, 59.4 ov), 10-179 (Monty Panesar, 60.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    RJ Harris1013403.4000
    MG Johnson1552531.6600
    NM Lyon1735052.9400
    PM Siddle1564613.0600
    SR Watson421303.2500

Close of Play

  • Thu, 26 Dec - day 1 - England 1st innings 226/6 (KP Pietersen 67*, TT Bresnan 1*, 89 ov)
  • Fri, 27 Dec - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 164/9 (BJ Haddin 43*, 73.3 ov)
  • Sat, 28 Dec - day 3 - Australia 2nd innings 30/0 (CJL Rogers 18*, DA Warner 12*, 8 ov)
  • Sun, 29 Dec - day 4 - Australia 2nd innings 231/2 (51.5 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

  • Outplayed and outdone by Australia

    England have been hammered in this series, but that doesn't mean the players and coaches are not good enough anymore

  • Seize the period of unstable equilibrium, boys

    A Test match generally trundles along at a sedate pace, but it is also besieged by moments of acute instability. The ones who take advantage of it win

  • It's the application, not the talent

    Rarely have we seen turnaround like the one Australia have just effected, but the gulf between the two teams is not as vast as the scoreline might suggest

  • The 52nd six

    Watching and hearing a six hit at a ground is a visceral experience, even in an age when sixes are the norm, not the exception

  • Cook commits to England captaincy

    Alastair Cook insisted he was "100% wanting to carry on" as England captain but was obliged to defend his senior players, the side's coaches and his own position in the aftermath of defeat in Melbourne

Australia 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st64CJL RogersDA Warner
2nd136CJL RogersSR Watson
3rd31MJ ClarkeSR Watson