Australia v England – story of day four
England must bat out the last day to keep the series alive
England were left needing a miracle in the middle or help from the elements to pull off a great escape in Perth.
Australia registered their highest Ashes total on home soil and then left Joe Root’s tourists to bat through almost five sessions to avoid an innings defeat in the third Test.
Steve Smith (239) and Mitch Marsh (181) added only 10 runs to their epic combined contribution before James Anderson (four for 116) had both lbw, but the Australia captain was still able to declare on a mammoth 662 for nine.
England’s task was unenviable but James Vince (55) and the arrival of rain in the evening session at least helped to push this mismatched contest into a final day, with a stumps total of 132 for four.
A losing run
As they go, England’s in Australia is a pretty significant 7-0 and counting, dating back to the start of their 2013-14 campaign. The Ashes are always a contest – albeit one favouring the hosts – in the northern hemisphere. But on their travels, only England’s outlier series victory of 2010-11 has been remotely competitive over more than a decade.
Shot of the day
Pat Cummins’ slog-swept six on to the grass bank off Moeen Ali just before lunch was an apt snapshot of the gulf between the two teams.
Stat of the day
105.33 – Moeen’s bowling average after this three wickets in three Tests so far. England’s shortcomings have been evident in many areas, and one of them has been the lack of productivity from the off-spinner who arrived with the reputation of a world-class all-rounder.
Australia up their game
England’s hosts were beating themselves a little after two slip catches went down on day one. But since then, they have taken everything. Sub fielder Peter Handscomb’s diving effort at point to break the Dawid Malan-Jonny Bairstow stand was pivotal, and Josh Hazlewood’s caught-and-bowled to account for Alastair Cook and Smith’s slip catch via the wicketkeeper’s gloves to do for Root were only half-chances.
Tweet of the day
What next?
The endgame – weather permitting.
