The Ashes 2013-14: Boycott: 'England shot themselves in the foot'
- 10 years ago
Geoffrey Boycott says England now face a desperate fight to win a test that they had controlled comfortably at the end of day two
Fourth Ashes Test, day three (stumps): Australia (204 & 30-0) trail England (255 & 179) by 200 runs
Australia moved within 201 runs of victory in the fourth Ashes test with all 10 wickets in hand after routing England's second innings for 179 to wrest back the momentum on a roller-coaster fourth day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Australia offspinner Nathan Lyon celebrated his 100th test wicket in a 5-50 haul as England lost their last five wickets for six runs, squandering a hard-fought advantage their bowlers had secured in the morning.
Chris Rogers was on 18 with fellow opener David Warner on 12 as Australia, chasing 231 for victory, reached 30 for no loss at the close of a blustery day's play in front of a crowd of more than 63,000.
Though victory and a 4-0 lead in the five-test series would seem Australia's for the taking, no team has ever chased down more than South Africa's 183 in 2008 since the first use of drop-in wickets at the MCG in 1996.
Both sides have struggled to score over 200 on a two-paced wicket amid Melbourne's notoriously fickle weather, which brought baking heat before a cool change ushered in chilly gusts and blew rubbish across the field late in the day.
Geoffrey Boycott said England were in large part the architects of their downfall in the second innings having pushed the lead to 116 without loss shortly after lunch.
"We were sitting pretty to win the game, we could only lose it by shooting ourselves in the foot. And we did exactly that," he said.
Rejuvenated seamer Mitchell Johnson firmed his bid for man-of-the-series by trapping England captain Alastair Cook in front with a searing inswinger and finished with 3-25 after having wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow caught behind for 21 and Monty Panesar lbw for a duck to wrap up the innings.
The 32-year-old left-armer also dismissed Joe Root for 15 with brilliant fielding, throwing down the stumps from mid-off with the England number three well short of his bid for a reckless single.
Two balls later Johnson, disbelievingly, took the simplest of catches at mid-off as Ian Bell lofted a horrid drive off the bowling of Lyon to be out for a golden duck.
That completed a collapse of 3-1, kicked off when paceman Peter Siddle trapped Michael Carberry in front after a dour knock that yielded only 12 runs from 81 balls.
England still held a lead of 182 after tea with six wickets in hand, but promptly imploded as Lyon combined with Johnson to mow through the tail.
Lyon struck to remove Ben Stokes for 19 to end a 44-run partnership with Kevin Pietersen, the spinner coaxing the all-rounder into a clumsy slog straight to Steven Smith at mid-on.
The 26-year-old struck again the second ball after drinks to bowl Tim Bresnan for a duck, and three balls later had his 100th when Stuart Broad was out for another duck by offering up a catch to Australia captain Michael Clarke at slip.
Lyon capped a banner day by dismissing Pietersen for 49 for his fifth wicket when the South Africa-born batsman slogged to Ryan Harris at long-off.
Source: Reuters
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Fourth Ashes Test, day three (stumps): Australia (204 & 30-0) trail England (255 & 179) by 200 runs
Australia moved within 201 runs of victory in the fourth Ashes test with all 10 wickets in hand after routing England's second innings for 179 to wrest back the momentum on a roller-coaster fourth day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Australia offspinner Nathan Lyon celebrated his 100th test wicket in a 5-50 haul as England lost their last five wickets for six runs, squandering a hard-fought advantage their bowlers had secured in the morning.
Chris Rogers was on 18 with fellow opener David Warner on 12 as Australia, chasing 231 for victory, reached 30 for no loss at the close of a blustery day's play in front of a crowd of more than 63,000.
Though victory and a 4-0 lead in the five-test series would seem Australia's for the taking, no team has ever chased down more than South Africa's 183 in 2008 since the first use of drop-in wickets at the MCG in 1996.
Both sides have struggled to score over 200 on a two-paced wicket amid Melbourne's notoriously fickle weather, which brought baking heat before a cool change ushered in chilly gusts and blew rubbish across the field late in the day.
Geoffrey Boycott said England were in large part the architects of their downfall in the second innings having pushed the lead to 116 without loss shortly after lunch.
"We were sitting pretty to win the game, we could only lose it by shooting ourselves in the foot. And we did exactly that," he said.
Rejuvenated seamer Mitchell Johnson firmed his bid for man-of-the-series by trapping England captain Alastair Cook in front with a searing inswinger and finished with 3-25 after having wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow caught behind for 21 and Monty Panesar lbw for a duck to wrap up the innings.
The 32-year-old left-armer also dismissed Joe Root for 15 with brilliant fielding, throwing down the stumps from mid-off with the England number three well short of his bid for a reckless single.
Two balls later Johnson, disbelievingly, took the simplest of catches at mid-off as Ian Bell lofted a horrid drive off the bowling of Lyon to be out for a golden duck.
That completed a collapse of 3-1, kicked off when paceman Peter Siddle trapped Michael Carberry in front after a dour knock that yielded only 12 runs from 81 balls.
England still held a lead of 182 after tea with six wickets in hand, but promptly imploded as Lyon combined with Johnson to mow through the tail.
Lyon struck to remove Ben Stokes for 19 to end a 44-run partnership with Kevin Pietersen, the spinner coaxing the all-rounder into a clumsy slog straight to Steven Smith at mid-on.
The 26-year-old struck again the second ball after drinks to bowl Tim Bresnan for a duck, and three balls later had his 100th when Stuart Broad was out for another duck by offering up a catch to Australia captain Michael Clarke at slip.
Lyon capped a banner day by dismissing Pietersen for 49 for his fifth wicket when the South Africa-born batsman slogged to Ryan Harris at long-off.
Source: Reuters
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