Melbourne, December 26
England’s hopes of keeping the Ashes alive plunged as their batsmen again capitulated on a dismal opening day of the third Test against Australia here today.
Sent in to bat on a grassy wicket after returning Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss, England were skittled for 185 to the delight of a festive Boxing Day crowd, leaving the tourists’ bowlers with an improbable rescue mission. By stumps, that mission appeared doomed, with Australia having pushed to 61/1 on the strength of a quickfire 38 by David Warner. Marcus Harris was 20 not out and nightwatchman Nathan Lyon yet to score.
Leading 2-0 after thumping wins in Brisbane and Adelaide, holders Australia need only a draw here to retain the urn. But Cummins’ men will be hell-bent on taking the series outright before the New Year Test in Sydney. Joe Root’s England, meanwhile, need a miracle. Only one team has ever turned around a 0-2 deficit to win the Ashes. That was Don Bradman’s Australia, winning the 1936-37 series 3-2 on home soil.
England could do little to repel Cummins, whose pace bowling accounted for three wickets in the morning. But several soft dismissals after lunch crushed England’s hopes of salvaging a respectable total while highlighting the team’s batting fragility this series.
Though Root chalked up his ninth half-century in Australia, he was culpable in his dismissal for 50, caught-behind with a loose drive at a Mitchell Starc delivery. The England captain now shares with former Australia opener Bruce Laird the unenviable record of the most Test fifties in Australia without making a century (9). Ben Stokes (25) and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler (3) also paid the price for poor shot selection. — Reuters
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