25/12Result
4th Test, England tour of Australia and New Zealand at Melbourne, Dec 26-30 2017
Match drawn
Player of the Match
Alastair Cook
Alastair CookEngland
25/12Result
4th Test, England tour of Australia and New Zealand at Melbourne, Dec 26-30 2017
Match drawn
Player of the Match
Alastair Cook
Alastair CookEngland

  • Australia 1st Innings

    BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    CT Bancroft
    26
    95
    153
    2
    0
    27.36
    34.3 big appeal and up goes the finger! Bancroft knows a second opinion is futile. This was angled in, beat the inside edge, thumped the back pad, plumb in front of middle, to end a curiously durable innings from a man who never looked comfortable 122/1
    DA Warner
    103
    151
    216
    13
    1
    68.21
    47.4 edged, and he's gone this time! It's a thin tickle and Bairstow grabs it low down. Round the wicket, that nagging line outside off and Warner has a fiddle. This time there will no abrupt turn as he walks off. 135/2
    UT Khawaja
    17
    65
    107
    2
    0
    26.15
    57.1 dangled outside off stump, and Broad has a wicket at last! The line and length was what lured Khawaja, just a hint of movement exacerbating the temptation, and Bairstow gathers the edge. Broad's first wicket for some 70 overs, I believe, and the end of a grim innings from the off-colour Uzzie 160/3
    SPD Smith (c)
    76
    156
    211
    8
    0
    48.71
    96.2 got him! Dragged on. This time it is his first Test wicket. His foot is okay, they aren't checking for the no-ball. Short outside off, Smith went to force it through the off side and gets a bottom edge into his stumps. For all the planning, short outside off works a treat! 260/4
    SE Marsh
    61
    148
    227
    8
    0
    41.21
    109.6 a big appeal from Broad and England have reviewed! Broad reckons it's plumb, but that's rarely a fair indication. Certainly very full, and if there's no inside edge this is tight... sure enough, it is pad first. Hang tight... and it is out! Hitting the top of off, and that's a credit to the revised line of attack, bringing the stumps into play. Shock horror, it's been England's morning... 314/6
    MR Marsh
    9
    18
    19
    1
    0
    50.00
    100.5 another drag on! England have worked out their tactics. Short outside off, Marsh aiming to play square through the off side, gets a bottom edge into the pitch which then bounces into the timber. Slow-pitch dismissals 278/5
    TD Paine †
    24
    36
    55
    4
    0
    66.66
    112.2 another drag-on! Paine swivels into a pull, and pays the price as the ball stays a touch low, flicks off the toe and cannons into the base of his leg stump! Signs of the wicket's two-paced nature, maybe? But that is Anderson's 520th Test wicket, which puts him clear of the former world record-holder Courtney Walsh 318/7
    PJ Cummins
    4
    18
    30
    0
    0
    22.22
    115.2 edged, taken low down at slip! Nicely done by Broad, pushing full outside off, Cummins goes for the drive, the edge reaches Cook very low. And now the umpires are checking if it's carried. The soft signal is out. Cummins is almost off the ground. Safely into the hands. Well taken by Cook. That will be a quick confirmation by the third umpire. 326/9
    JM Bird
    4
    6
    10
    1
    0
    66.66
    113.6 big appeal and up goes the finger! Bird is walking immediately, but Cummins has called for the review, and why not, seeing as they've got a spare. No bat involved though, so this is surely dead. Wicket to wicket, recalibrating the line from off to middle, and the tailender had no answer 325/8
    JR Hazlewood
    not out
    1
    12
    24
    0
    0
    8.33
    NM Lyon
    0
    10
    17
    0
    0
    0.00
    118.6 full, straight given...Lyon has reviewed but he's also walking off! Does swing quite late. Probably clipping leg stump at worse. Certainly no edge. Umpire's call on hitting leg stump. Taking a decent chunk of it 327/10
    Extras
    2 (lb 1, nb 1)
    TOTAL
    327 all out (119 Overs, RR: 2.74)
    Fall of wickets: 1-122 (Cameron Bancroft, 34.3 ov), 2-135 (David Warner, 47.4 ov), 3-160 (Usman Khawaja, 57.1 ov), 4-260 (Steven Smith, 96.2 ov), 5-278 (Mitchell Marsh, 100.5 ov), 6-314 (Shaun Marsh, 109.6 ov), 7-318 (Tim Paine, 112.2 ov), 8-325 (Jackson Bird, 113.6 ov), 9-326 (Pat Cummins, 115.2 ov), 10-327 (Nathan Lyon, 118.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson29116132.1000
    SCJ Broad28105141.8200
    CR Woakes2247223.2700
    MM Ali1205704.7500
    TK Curran2156513.0901
    DJ Malan712002.8500

  • England 1st Innings

    BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    AN Cook
    not out
    244
    409
    634
    27
    0
    59.65
    MD Stoneman
    15
    37
    49
    1
    0
    40.54
    11.3 aggression from Stoneman and he's paid the price! Down the wicket, looking to hit against the spin, but he chips a fast leading edge high to Lyon's right, who sticks out a mitt and plucks a blinder! There's the justification for Lyon's early introduction, and England's solid day's work has its first wobble 35/1
    JM Vince
    17
    37
    53
    3
    0
    45.94
    24.1 full, straight, gone! That's stone dead. Gets in on the full length, at the stumps, perhaps just a shade of reverse - although more like seam movement - and Vince basically misses it. Oh dear, oh dear! The replay has shown he's got an inside edge! Vince had no idea he'd hit it, just asked Cook if it was sliding down 80/2
    JE Root (c)
    61
    133
    193
    7
    0
    45.86
    68.5 the breakthrough! That's a shocker from Root. Dropped in short, Root goes for the pull and just offers a top edge to deep square leg who is about two-thirds of the way to the boundary 218/3
    DJ Malan
    14
    43
    47
    3
    0
    32.55
    80.2 ping! There we go, wicket to wicket, thumps the front pad, and up goes the finger! Hang on, that looks like a massive inside edge but Malan hasn't reviewed! Like Vince before him, he's lost the nerve endings in his fingers. A big, big moment in the match, but due reward for Hazlewood's pace and persistence, instantly on the money from round the wicket 246/4
    JM Bairstow †
    22
    39
    45
    3
    0
    56.41
    89.6 and he's struck! Huge wicket for Australia. Another loose shot. It was a short outside off stump, Bairstow goes back and aims through the off side, gets a top edge to Paine. Excellent take from the keeper 279/5
    MM Ali
    20
    14
    17
    2
    1
    142.85
    93.1 super catch! Another wicket for not a great delivery. Short outside off, Moeen rocks back and doesn't try to keep the ball down, drives in the air and it's grabbed out of the air at short cover by Shaun Marsh 307/6
    CR Woakes
    26
    62
    93
    3
    0
    41.93
    114.5 and the short ball has done the trick! That's a bit of a waste from Woakes. Short on leg stump, he's almost through his pull too early and it glances off the glove to the keeper. Reward for Cummins' hard work 366/7
    TK Curran
    4
    15
    22
    1
    0
    26.66
    119.3 huge appeal for caught behind, Dharmasena says not out and Smith reviews almost before the appeal has finished. Back of a length ball, past the outside edge, and yes there's a Hot Spot on the bat. A simple overturn. Another edge an umpire didn't spot 373/8
    SCJ Broad
    56
    63
    88
    8
    1
    88.88
    137.5 slashed high and hard into the deep ... Khawaja hurtles round to scoop a tremendous take, low to the ground. The umpires are conferring to make sure it carried... but the soft signal is out, so let's see ... nope, that has burst through his hands on impact, so Broad will bat on! Or will he? They are taking an age to overturn it, and the upshot is that the TV replay is inconclusive! That's a very controversial finish, reminiscent of a Steve Waugh catch off Lara in the Caribbean some years ago - 1998-99, I believe 473/9
    JM Anderson
    0
    16
    27
    0
    0
    0.00
    144.1 well, it's taken just one ball! Round the wicket, short of a length at the body, and Anderson just turn it into the hands of Bancroft at short leg. Perfect for Australia 491/10
    Extras
    12 (b 4, lb 5, nb 3)
    TOTAL
    491 all out (144.1 Overs, RR: 3.4)
    Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Mark Stoneman, 11.3 ov), 2-80 (James Vince, 24.1 ov), 3-218 (Joe Root, 68.5 ov), 4-246 (Dawid Malan, 80.2 ov), 5-279 (Jonny Bairstow, 89.6 ov), 6-307 (Moeen Ali, 93.1 ov), 7-366 (Chris Woakes, 114.5 ov), 8-373 (Tom Curran, 119.3 ov), 9-473 (Stuart Broad, 137.5 ov), 10-491 (James Anderson, 144.1 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JR Hazlewood3059533.1600
    JM Bird30510803.6003
    NM Lyon42910932.5900
    PJ Cummins29.1111744.0100
    MR Marsh1214203.5000
    SPD Smith1011011.0000

  • Australia 2nd Innings

    BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    CT Bancroft
    27
    42
    72
    4
    0
    64.28
    15.4 bowled him! Another drag-on! What a give-away, England were starting to look resigned to a long fruitless toil, but Woakes plugged away on a tight line and induced another aberration from the under-fire opener 51/1
    DA Warner
    86
    227
    305
    8
    0
    37.88
    69.2 spanked up in the air, and Warner has had a brainfart! Root brought in the field, tempted the slog over the covers, and Warner took the bait, a horrible slog, skied straight into the pocket of Vince! Reminiscent of Root's ego-twanging of Chris Gayle in the World T20 final... and is this the twist in the tale ...? Unquestionably the best birthday present that Root has so far received today! 172/3
    UT Khawaja
    11
    14
    23
    1
    1
    78.57
    21.1 edged and gone! Just enough nip off the seam from a perfect line, and Khawaja is caught in two minds on the crease as Bairstow gathers the nick! 65/2
    SPD Smith (c)
    not out
    102
    275
    438
    6
    0
    37.09
    SE Marsh
    4
    22
    28
    1
    0
    18.18
    75.6 edged and Bairstow grabs a sharp chance on the stroke of lunch! Wow... what a finish to the session... England have persevered, and given themselves just a glimmer. Good delivery, in the channel outside off, took a fat deflection and flew quickly to Bairstow's left, where it was snaffled in one hand! 178/4
    MR Marsh
    not out
    29
    166
    198
    3
    0
    17.46
    Extras
    4 (b 4)
    TOTAL
    263/4d (124.2 Overs, RR: 2.11)
    Did not bat: TD Paine †, PJ Cummins, JM Bird, JR Hazlewood, NM Lyon
    Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Cameron Bancroft, 15.4 ov), 2-65 (Usman Khawaja, 21.1 ov), 3-172 (David Warner, 69.2 ov), 4-178 (Shaun Marsh, 75.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson30124611.5300
    SCJ Broad24114411.8300
    CR Woakes2676212.3800
    TK Curran2065302.6500
    MM Ali13.223202.4000
    DJ Malan812102.6200
    JE Root32110.3300

Match Details

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Series

England tour of Australia and New Zealand

Toss

Australia , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

EnglandAlastair Cook

Series result

Australia led the 5-match series 3-0

Match number

Test no. 2289

Season

2017/18

Hours of play (local time)

10.30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 17.30

Match days

26,27,28,29,30 December 2017 (5-day match)

Test debut

undefinedTom Curran

Umpires

Sri LankaKumar DharmasenaIndiaSundaram Ravi

TV Umpires

West IndiesJoel Wilson

Reserve Umpire

AustraliaSam Nogajski

Match Referee

Sri LankaRanjan Madugalle

Close of Play

  • Tue, 26 Dec - day 1 - Australia 1st innings 244/3 (SPD Smith 65*, SE Marsh 31*, 89 ov)
  • Wed, 27 Dec - day 2 - England 1st innings 192/2 (AN Cook 104*, JE Root 49*, 57 ov)
  • Thu, 28 Dec - day 3 - England 1st innings 491/9 (AN Cook 244*, JM Anderson 0*, 144 ov)
  • Fri, 29 Dec - day 4 - Australia 2nd innings 103/2 (DA Warner 40*, SPD Smith 25*, 43.5 ov)
  • Sat, 30 Dec - day 5 - Australia 2nd innings 263/4d (124.2 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

Match Coverage

All Match News

  • MCG pitch rated poor by ICC

    Australian cricket has been embarrassed by the ICC rating the MCG drop-in pitch for the Boxing Day Ashes Test as "poor" following a dull draw in which only 24 wickets were taken over five days

  • 'It's a shame it's taken until now' - Root

    There was no victory for England, but Joe Root could at least take consolation from a side that had finally competed with Australia

  • Warner tames the beast within (almost)

    There was little in David Warner's career history to suggest he could bat Australia to a draw on a slow pitch - but he has long proved he is more than a six-hitting circus act

  • Relentless Smith finds a fresh ally

    Steven Smith gave praise for his partner on the fifth day at the MCG, as Mitchell Marsh slipped into a supporting role with a mature, unbeaten innings

  • Smith continues his prolific run

    Steven Smith hit yet another hundred - the 23rd of his Test career - to ensure a draw in the Boxing Day Test

23rd in quick time

110

Numer of innings Steven Smith has taken to hit 23 Test hundreds. Only Bradman (59 inns) and Gavaskar (109) were quicker.

Record breaking Cook

1997

Last instance of a player from England carrying his bat before Cook - Atherton scored 94 against New Zealand. Cook's 244 is the highest score ever made by a batsman carrying his bat through a Test innings

Cook Marches on

11

150 plus scores for Cook in Tests - Most for a batsmen from England. He now has three such scores in Australia as well. Only Wally Hammond has more.

Centurion

32

Hundreds for Cook in Tests - joint seventh along with Steve Waugh. During the innings, Cook also went past Jayawardene's tally of 11814 Test runs.

Cook Down Under

5

Centuries for Cook in Australia. He now has centuries in each of the five big venues in Aus. Cook is the fifth player from England to score 5 or more centuries vs Aus in Australia

Cook comes good

10

Innings since Cook's last half-century. His previous score of fifty plus resulted in a score of 243 against West Indies

100 for Anderson

8

Bowlers from England to take 100 or more wickets against Australia. Anderson joined 4 other fast bowlers to this feat.

Centurion Warner

21

Test hundreds for David Warner- 15 of them have come at home. This is his third century against England and second at MCG.

Wonderful Warner

6000

Test Runs for David Warner in 129 innings- Joint fourth fastest for Australia after Bradman, Ponting, Hayden and Greg Chappel.