- Steve Smith century saves Australia as Boxing Day Test is drawn
- MCG pitch comes in for criticism after uninspiring final two days
And that is that. I have to dash down to the press conference, so I will leave it there for today. Thanks for your company across the Test match. Not a memorable one, but some brilliant moments. On behalf of JP, Rob, Geoff and me, thanks for your company throughout the week. We’ll see you in Sydney. In the meantime, here’s Vic Marks’ report from the ‘G:
Related: Steve Smith century frustrates England as Australia save fourth Ashes Test
Sam Lobascher channeling most of us. “The fact that I’ve barely missed a ball of today’s play fills me with self-loathing. What on Earth am I doing with my life? What have I achieved today? Sport isn’t meant to make us feel like this.”
England walk over to thank the Barmy Army.
Speaking of the crowd:
The umpires have realised that Australia can declare now, and they have. In turn, a draw is recorded with 263-4 is the score, Australia 99 ahead. Smith unbeaten on 102, Marsh 29. “Congratulations to the winner of this match,” says Simon Mann on BBC, “the MCG pitch.” Not wrong. Some reaction from the presentation in a couple of minutes.
124th over: Australia 263-4 (Smith 102, M Marsh 29) Instead, Root bowls himself. Four byes! First extras of the innings. Beats a swinging Smith and YJB’s gloves. Actual spin. Second time he’s landed in the footmarks, the first when he removed Warner with his second ball today and briefly injected some excitement into this final day. Feels like a million years ago.
123rd over: Australia 259-4 (Smith 102, M Marsh 29) Geoff is singing next to me: “Undismissable, that’s what you are!” Marsh is. Certainly not where Moeen is concerned. He actually beats the bat here. I think YJB appealed. Give COOKIE A BOWL.
122nd over: Australia 259-4 (Smith 102, M Marsh 29) Smith defends each of Curran’s mixed bag of cutters, as if to make a point to the young man.
Filtered: Steve Smith's Test record since scoring his first century in the 5th Test of the 2013 #Ashes, thanks to @ESPNcricinfo. Remarkable pic.twitter.com/PFnPcn3qlG
121st over: Australia 259-4 (Smith 102, M Marsh 29) Marsh took a couple off Moeen to point. In four, maybe six, overs they can shake hands and we can all move on with life. What did it look like before this, anyway?
In Affectionate Remembrance
OF
THE FOURTH ASHES TEST
WHICH DIED AT MELBOURNE
ON
30TH DECEMBER, 2017,
Scantily lamented by a dwindling circle of stupefied players and spectators.
NB The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Sydney.
PS Send help
120th over: Australia 257-4 (Smith 102, M Marsh 27) Curran returns to the attack. He’s had a decent debut. Looking forward to watching his journey in Test cricket. Leaks a few singles here before Marsh drives three through point. Second slowest ton by three deliveries for Smith, the 262 he took in Brisbane the longest.
119th over: Australia 251-4 (Smith 100, M Marsh 23) Moeen back. To Marsh. Nothing to see here. Moeen registers his first maiden of the innings. Make that match. Yuk. Mason Crane surely to debut in Sydney. One way or another.
“I recently saw the splendid animated film Ferdinand,” reports Aditi. “It features a dance-off between German horses and Spanish bulls. Everyone was laughing their heads off in the theatre. I propose we have one now to decide the winner of this Test. Warner’s pass double vs Cook’s ballet. I suspect Smith’s German Expressionist break dance would just about tip Australia over the line.” That’ll do me. I’m done.
Root just now - "Right. Chef is going to do his Bob Willis as usual, I'm going stick out my tongue and do my Shane Warne and Rocky's off to stick cushion up his jumper for his Merv. Can anyone do a Jeff Thomson?" @collinsadam
118th over: Australia 251-4 (Smith 100, M Marsh 23) Smith to 99 with a clip from Malan’s first ball. Marsh pushes to mid-off, takes one as well. Puts Smith back on strike. And he cuts to point, racing through safely to 100! Very calm response from the champion, a sedate wave of the bat. 23rd ton in 60 Tests, third of the series. Eight of them against England. Four at the MCG, where he averages 135. Only his third second innings ton. 259 balls to get there, nearly seven hours at the crease. Phew.
117th over: Australia 247-4 (Smith 98, M Marsh 21) Smith, instead of driving a lavish boundary to bring up a ton, strokes sedately down the ground for one. Brings up 600 runsin the series for Smith. Averaging 150. First Australian since Slater in 1994-95. First Australian captain since Bradman, who did it a couple of times. Andrew Samson has my back there, as always.
This will be only the second Ashes draw in Australia this Millennium. Both have featured Alastair Cook double-centuries.
116th over: Australia 246-4 (Smith 97, M Marsh 21) Malan is on. I like this because it might prompt something barking mad. Or at least they will get through the overs quickly. That’s what we are reduced to at the moment. Or Mitch Marsh will defend every delivery. He does, of course. “In a different setting Marsh might hit that for six,” Ed Smith says of the least flattering delivery. Not today.
115th over: Australia 246-4 (Smith 97, M Marsh 21)“This has been a desperate pitch,” says Ed Smith on TMS. Not wrong. Woakes rolls into Smith. He misses a great chance to move to 100 with a ball that is sprayed down the legside. Leaning back into his defensive posture either side of that. A maiden. This really is grim.
SANTA: Right, the rest of you lot. You can have the lump of coal, or you can watch Mitch Marsh block out 200 dot balls. #Ashes
114th over: Australia 246-4 (Smith 97, M Marsh 21) A new Broad over starts to Smith. He’s working ot out to cover first ball for one. Leading edge actually, but along the ground. Marsh actually attempts ot cut shot later in the over, but it is stopped at point. Okay, Smith on strike next over. Ton then? Come on .
113th over: Australia 245-4 (Smith 96, M Marsh 21) Woakes on for Jimmy. Smith drives, so straight that it hits the stumps! No run. He has another go, just to the right of short cover, so they take the quick single. Home comfortably. He’s a boundary away from three figures now. You already know what Marsh did next. The lead is 81.
Ridiculous that the gates at the @MCG haven't been thrown open to let people in free for the last session at a game which is destined for a draw. Just saw three families decide not to go in.
112th over: Australia 244-4 (Smith 95, M Marsh 21) Smith five from a ton, then. Hook/pulling a Broad bumper of sorts. Marsh getting a very good net in here, defending the rest. This wasn’t always his bag. Plenty of critics who thought he wasn’t capable of this type of effort against top-notch bowling. An excellent selection. Smith raises his bat up when the scoreboard reveals he now has 3000 Test runs in Australia and the crowd applaud. They’ll get another chance to do that soon. Averages 76 in Australia, the local captain, Andrew Samson says on TMS. Have that.
NEVER CHANGE, LIAM. Come hang out with us later tonight.
Pissing down in Melbourne have a guess who's not wet coz they brought there parka ME AS YOU WERE LG x
111th over: Australia 243-4 (Smith 94, M Marsh 21) Marsh playing rope-a-dope with Anderson. Probably his last spell of 2017. Simply knocking these on the head, then getting out of the way with a sway. Picture-perfect forward defence to finish.
Don't want to sound old fashioned @collinsadam, but when a bloke makes 244* against you, you usually have to work hard to get the draw. That, to their credit, is what Aus have done. And England's failure to take 20 wickets? Well that's hard work away, even with an in-form attack
110th over: Australia 243-4 (Smith 94, M Marsh 21) Marsh lovely off the back foot behind point, there’s a gap there and he’s hit it well enough to reach the rope. To 20 from his 113rd ball. Another single to midwicket, albeit off the inside edge, gives Smith a couple of deliveries to keep moving through the 90s. But he declines, defending both.
Perth has won the WBBL blockbuster at Lilac Hill by six wickets over the Sixers, chasing down 139. Villani top scored, another half-century. Sciver smashed a few at the end.
109th over: Australia 238-4 (Smith 94, M Marsh 16) Anderson still giving it his best at Marsh, trying twice to go upstairs at Marsh. But nothing coming of it. On his pads, Marsh just squeezes it out to square leg for one. Another that hoops back a bit. So the movement is there for both bowlers, but these two are so set it is going to take something very special now. They have added 60 in 200 balls.
The average height of deliveries from seamers at the stumps has been just 73cm in this innings, the lowest of the series. The third innings at Brisbane saw the highest bounce (99cm) #Ashes
108th over: Australia 237-4 (Smith 94, M Marsh 15) Broad taken through square leg for another Smith single. Marsh gets a fright when leaving one that swings back, only just missing his woodwork. 34 overs to come, lead to 73. Maybe we are on track for handshakes? Wouldn’t have thought that two hours ago. Credit to this Australian pair for all-but shutting it down.
Boycott pointing out England's bizarre tactical error in not picking Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram for this Test. Glad someone's finally said it.
107th over: Australia 234-4 (Smith 93, M Marsh 14) Smith edges! But not to hand, through the relatively vacant cordon, to the rope. He’s into the 90s. Anderson can’t believe it. It hasn’t carried despite how close the slips are.
"Use a piece of this MCG pitch on your new driveway" #Asheshttps://t.co/F7NDpJsrzn
106th over: Australia 230-4 (Smith 88, M Marsh 14) Smith pulls Broad for one. Marsh’s turn, and he breaks with the trend, after 37 scoreless balls he smacks a cover drive to the rope! That was his 100th ball of the innings and brings up the 50 stand between these two.
“Christopher emailed that there had been a lack of international readers of the OBO messaging in,” writes Michael Klinski. “First time emailer, long-time reader here from South Dakota, USA, Home of Mount Rushmore and a current temperature of -17 Celsius. My first experience with cricket was when I visited my British grandparents in 1993 at age 11. I watched cricket all summer on TV and learned the game from my grandfather, who patiently explained all the differences from cricket to baseball. I became hooked, even though our lads weren’t that good that year. When I returned to the states, I brought a cricket set with me and taught all the neighborhood kids how to play. Every subsequent trip to England to visit family was made with the cricket schedule in mind. Had to watch as many tests as possible. Oh, what I would have given back then for a monthly cricket subscription package and access to OBO — those being pre-Internet days of course. Thanks for the coverage! And come on England!”
The General presents Sergeant Tony with a signed shirt
Legend. #Ashespic.twitter.com/x1NOk5zUXw
Righto - they’re back! One final session. Maybe they will shake hands in an hour? In theory, 36 overs to come.
Answer to highest total with zero extras. Ben Parker has the good oil: “This question was posed in the 91st over and I found that the great Bill Frindall answered this in 2007. It was Pakistan’s 1st innings score of 328 (187.5 overs) in 1955 in Lahore against India.”
Whitewash, no more. “Listening to Clarke and Warne on Ch 9 is pretty funny,” Ian Forth adds. “Their emphasis on all-out attack overlooks England’s lurking anxiety that never quite goes away: the possibility of the whitewash. England got dismissed by Bangladesh in a session within the last year.” I never want to hear that word again.
Scoring rates. “Marsh brothers scoring rate today 0.7,” calculates Ian Forth. “Even a strike rate of 2.5 from those two slots would have put England in for a tricky session for an hour/hour and a half, and a chance for a sensational win?” Not so sure about that. Marsh the junior was brilliant then. For a long, long time Australia haven’t known how to draw. See Kandy, Cardiff, Perth. This year, they have Ranchi and Melbourne.
“Difference between English and Australian bowlers,” emails John Ryan. “If this was Australia needing 6 wickets the England batsmen would be threatened 24-7 until close of play; Smith and Marsh haven’t had a hair on their collective heads ruffled since their partnership began. While some will call it an unfair argument, as Australian bowlers are more used to Australian conditions, it is fair when considering how England could ever win a test, let alone the Ashes, down under. Not a hope in hell of winning now, let alone even getting two or three more wickets. BT should have given Day 5 back to Sky.” To be fair, I doubt Mitchell Johnson of 2013-14 could get a decent bouncer up on this track.
105th over: Australia 225-4 (Smith 87, M Marsh 10) Last over before the short break. Jimmy has it. Smith collects an easy single, leaving Marsh to see it out. He does it well. Perfect session from the hosts, getting through unscathed. Runs irrelevant now, but they are 61 ahead. Smith and Marsh have well and truly earned a couple of slices of orange and a cup of tea. The captain can help himself to his 23rd Test ton when they get back, if he likes. I reckon he might. Back in a few minutes.
104th over: Australia 224-4 (Smith 86, M Marsh 10) Smith gets Broad away off the pads. You know the rest - Marsh has faced 94 balls for his ten runs. Would never have played an innings this slow in professional cricket. I’ll assert that without checking but without any doubt, either. This helps substantiate that claim.
“Warne and Clarke are very critical of England being too defensive,” emails Ian Forth, “but why aren’t they levelling the same at Australia? Why don’t they back themselves to win and start opening up now? Set England a testing 130 to get off 20 overs (or whatever), with the chance of panic setting in.” Get Glenn McGrath on there and he’ll pitch that up, I am sure.
Marsh has played a lower percentage of attacking shots (13.1%) than he has in any other Test innings where he's faced 50 or more balls #Ashespic.twitter.com/lqCcl7NYOb
103rd over: Australia 223-4 (Smith 85, M Marsh 10) Smith flicking in his most distinctive way. Then Marsh digs in. Liking his work. They are within an over or two of getting through the session unscathed. And the Aussie captain is coming up to 30 hours of batting in the series, Andrew Samson says on TMS. That’s madness.
102nd over: Australia 222-4 (Smith 84, M Marsh 10) Stuart Broad is on too. So, once more with gusto from the England openers. About 13 minutes until the tea break when he begins the fresh spell, so he’ll get two in. Nice cricket, Marsh having to get down low to deny a full, swinging delivery. Defending conventionally thereafter. Ball moving around a bit. They needed some of that reverse again. Maybe it is here.
Steve Smith has just faced his 1,200th delivery of the series. That's 200 overs on his own.
101st over: Australia 222-4 (Smith 84, M Marsh 10) Jimmy is back, replacing Malan from the northern end. To Smith. “Not now!” roars the Aussie captain when defending. You pick up on certain mannerisms of players when following them around the world. With Smith, when he calls this loudly it is a pretty good sign that he is in the zone. Oh, now I’ve written that of course he was going to play and miss. Bowled, Jimmy. Maiden.
The year is 2050. 79-year-old Brad Hogg is still rolling the arm over in the BBL. And this MCG pitch still hasn't broken up.
100th over: Australia 222-4 (Smith 84, M Marsh 10) Smith drives straight without any risk, again scoring early in the over. Set and forget from Marsh, down and defending. “Very good, Moeen!” says YJB from behind the stumps. Malan probably the spinner more likely at the moment, though.
In this innings, only Woakes (6.5%) has seen a higher percentage of his deliveries edged by the batsman than Malan (5.5%) #Ashes
99th over: Australia 221-4 (Smith 83, M Marsh 10) Malan drives wide of cover to begin. Geoff informs me that his batting average is above 63, in his 110th innings. Ooh, nice delivery to Marsh who tries to drive but doesn’t get much of it, spitting out behind point. They take another. Then a third, Smith clipping to midwicket. Easy peasy.
98th over: Australia 218-4 (Smith 81, M Marsh 9) Spin twins. Moeen is back for his first trundle in a fair while. Smith cuts him square early in the over. Marsh gets a long way down to protect against any spin. Unlikely as it is that he will generate much. Not on this strip. Let’s be honest with each other. Maybe this bloke should get a go next?
Come on, Joe. Give the people what they want. #Ashespic.twitter.com/JQ0C5Lw22M
97th over: Australia 217-4 (Smith 80, M Marsh 9) Malan keeping Smith at home with decent accuracy early on. Oh, is that a wrong’un? Smith up to it, taking one and keeping the strike. Within striking distance of his third ton of the series. I was about to write fourth, but he didn’t get one in the first innings. We all just assumed that he was going to before chopping on. Australia’s lead is 53.
“Agar means ‘if’ in Hindi,” reports Aditi on the email. “CA’s hopes really seem pinned on a big ‘if only’ we could get a world beating second spinner. I like Agar, but his bowling, like Earth in the Hitchhikers Guide, seems Mostly Harmless.” I’m a fan. We’ll see.
96th over: Australia 216-4 (Smith 79, M Marsh 9) Woakes does get another set. Operating with two catching covers, but no slip. No gully. A man at backward point as well. Almost fly slip, really. Straight mid-on in the mix as well. But Smith gets it through the covers anyway, for two. Then past the midwicket for another. Mixing up his pace, Marsh defends again. Doing his job the no. 6. “I sense a little bit of belief is draining out of England’s bowlers,” says Ed Smith on TMS.
95th over: Australia 213-4 (Smith 76, M Marsh 9) Malan on for a second crack today, running away from us here at the northern end. Well, walking away from us. I quite like his no-nonsense stroll to the bowling crease. Smith takes a full toss to mid-on, then Marsh defends respectfully.
“To these Pommie eyes it does seem a little strange that Agar’s been called-up for the SCG,” writes Thomas Jenkins. “Lyon’s already proven he can hold-down an end against England. What’s the point of picking Agar? He seems like a worse version of Ashley Giles at this stage in his development: a little better than the King of Spain with the bat, but considerably worse with the ball. Given the series standings and Lyon’s ability to tie-up the English why not finally take a flyer on a young leggie again in Test cricket, particularly given what Swepson’s done in the Shield? Is there something about him I don’t know? If nothing else, picking Mitchells appears to be a good policy for the Ozzies in Test cricket.”
94th over: Australia 212-4 (Smith 75, M Marsh 9) Woakes continues his long spell. Geoff Boycott on TMS talking about things he would do had he his time again. Said he would a) have two more daughters and b) bat like Brian Lara. Righto. Smith grabs one fine, then Marsh does the same behind point. Good batting. There will come a stage where the runs they collect will shift pressure back onto England. They are not there yet, with a lead of 48, but it is the right plan from the Australian duo to keep it ticking. Smith keeps the strike with another tickle. Might be time for a change from that end.
The young fans who bumped into Simon Katich wearing a T-shirt with his face on it. They came to watch Alastair Cook bat and wanted to honour an opening batsman who could bat all day pic.twitter.com/OH1N6TGIk2
93rd over: Australia 209-4 (Smith 73, M Marsh 8) Curran again from the northern end. Another of those (very) slow balls to get him going, barely registering at 100kph. Next, Smith gets off strike with a clip forward of square as the Barmy Army get stuck into a loud version of GSTQ. They need something. Not urgently, though. 49 overs remain on the day. Important that Root keeps his cool. Marsh again does his bit.
Smith able to do stuff with his full batting kit on that I can’t do in yoga. Show off.
#Ashespic.twitter.com/BztNanRPjH
92nd over: Australia 208-4 (Smith 72, M Marsh 8) Lovely clip from Smith begin the third hour of the day. They race back for three and he’s into the 70s. Another ton, Smudger? Fill your boots, I say. Woakes has Marsh defending. Oh, then an inside edge that very nearly goes through. A few oohs and aahs. Still, he’s doing well, the younger of the brothers in this middle order. As Michael Vaughan noted on TMS before, it is about balls faced rather than runs at this stage, and he’s hung around for 56 of them now.
Yum on the email is watching the speed gun: “Curran is possibly overdoing his 105kph slower ball, the one he got Smith with was just 10kph slower than his normal mid 130’s but it was enough.” I do admire his back of the hand work, mind.
Afternoon all. Thanks JP. A lovely long spell from you. So then. Do we get the grandstand finish that this pitch definitely does not deserve? Or the dreary draw? Let’s find out together. Like Fox Mulder, I want to believe.
91st over: Australia 205-4 (Smith 69, M Marsh 8) More of the same from Smith and Marsh who are untroubled right now. Curran unable to tempt a false shot from his bag of tricks.
A little curio to keep an eye on - England have bowled 91 overs without an extra. John Catchlove has noticed and asks “what the record score is for an innings with no extras?” Can anybody furnish us with an answer?
90th over: Australia 204-4 (Smith 68, M Marsh 8) Woakes with another over that lacks anything of note for the fielding side. Smith and Marsh are in for the long haul.
Paul makes a worthwhile point that has to be factored in when considering Moeen’s place in Sydney. “Moeen has been a great mainstay for England. With Cook and Broad finally getting their mojo back wouldn’t a team and coaching effort to nurse cajole support enthuse rejuvenate Moeen back to form be a kinder more positive and potentially successful strategy in what is basically a dead rubber anyway?” I’m instinctively of this way of thinking but he’s bowled and batted so poorly this tour it may do him more harm than good putting him in harm’s way. Maybe pulling him out of the spotlight for a while might do him good?
89th over: Australia 201-4 (Smith 65, M Marsh 8) This pair are increasingly at ease at the crease as Australia pass 200. Woakes and now Curran are not forcing any false shots and the ball is showing no sign of misbehaving. Michael Clarke on TV wants the spinners to bowl and take advantage of the footmarks, the only element of unpredictability on offer.
88th over: Australia 198-4 (Smith 64, M Marsh 6) Woakes seems unsure what he should be doing out there. He’s mixing up his lines and lengths but nothing seems to be coming out with any vim. Anything short is easy to ride, anything really short is tennis ball bouncing through to Bairstow, and anything full is not deviating offline. England might need to start bowling for play-ons again.
@JPHowcroft , gday, I'm a Pom in Laos not expecting more than a draw but hoping for some drama
87th over: Australia 193-4 (Smith 59, M Marsh 6) Double change for England with Curran replacing Anderson. The debutant doesn’t cause Marsh too many problems though who looks to have his eye in, standing tall at the crease, looking to press forward and drive whenever he can. England have not made this new ball count yet.
Smith has only edged 2% of the balls he's faced in this match, the lowest percentage he's managed in the series #Ashes
86th over: Australia 193-4 (Smith 59, M Marsh 6) Woakes relieves Broad but you get the feeling they could both bowl simultaneously to Smith and he’d keep two balls out, so in control is he at the crease. Marsh is less convincing but he’s growing into his work.
@JPHowcroft Van Den bowling in toward the Stretford End. Teammates (Trevor) Bailey, FarBracewell, (Phil) Sharpe, (Bruce) Reid and that Lineker was no slouch with a bat. You're starting a trend now!!
85th over: Australia 189-4 (Smith 57, M Marsh 4) Anderson continues with plenty of intensity but no reward. This new ball is carrying through nicely but gun barrel straight.
@JPHowcroft As Sydney isnt a drop in pitch, would it be good idea to keep Moeen and see how he goes on a proper one?
84th over: Australia 188-4 (Smith 56, M Marsh 4) Marsh is off the mark after 20 deliveries with a textbook cover drive, down on one knee, caressing the new cherry through the covers for four. Broad looks like he might be tiring, could be time for a change.
“Hello Jonathan,” Hi, Neil Ticky. “I can’t help but think that as disappointing as this match has looked over the previous 4 days it’s still had time to show us two batsman who stand up there with the big names. I’m not sure if it is because Cook and Smith don’t have a name that roles off the tongue like Don Bradman, Brian Lara or Sachin Tendulkar but they’re up there, right?” Bang on. And if anybody is yet to adjust their mindset to the all-time quality of Smith, they need to do so soon. We are witnessing idiosyncratic greatness.
83rd over: Australia 183-4 (Smith 55, M Marsh 0) Smith accepts a single from the opening delivery of Anderson’s over, but England can’t take advantage and Marsh handles the remaining five deliveries comfortably.
Theo Collier has a zinger. “Surprised the gentleman in Quintana Roo (77th over) is not an Aussie supporter.”
82nd over: Australia 182-4 (Smith 54, M Marsh 0) Broad also has the misfortune of bowling to Smith for his first over with the new ball. The Australian skipper is looking more positive against the new rock, aiming to get on the front foot and drive rather than hanging back and playing with soft hands as we saw for most of the morning. This intent almost gets Smith into trouble when he top-edges a guided pull that lands tantalisingly between Malan and Moeen in the deep. Broad’s one ball at Marsh whistles past the outside edge. This is a terrific passage of Test cricket as Australia’s lead creeps to 18.
Aditi alerts me to something I’ve neglected to comment on so far, the prevalence of fielders either side of the non-striker. “The short mid on and off page attendants that been used throughout the series by Root make me want to throw the traditional hat eating challenge. I have yet to see anyone get dismissed by hitting there. Or are they simply functioning as psychological cricket bouncers (of the club kind).” I think that’s a lovely way of looking at it. That, ore annoying sledging bollards.
81st over: Australia 181-4 (Smith 53, M Marsh 0) England take the new ball straight away, what can Anderson do with it? Not a lot in his first over, which is full and straight but Smith is equal to it. There’s extra pace through the air and off the pitch but still no conventional swing or much seam movement.
@JPHowcroft Referring to old Van Den’s interesting point about carrying one’s bat (67th over), I disagree with him. I think time at the crease, not ball count, is important here. Both opening batsmen start at the same time, so it doesn’t matter who faces the first ball.
80th over: Australia 180-4 (Smith 52, M Marsh 0) In what I presume will be the final over before the new ball is taken Marsh keeps Broad out, but on a couple of occasions only just. The riskiest was a loose drive that bounced inches in front of Vince at point but Broad also found some reverse swing tail to prompt a nervy defensive stab.
79th over: Australia 180-4 (Smith 52, M Marsh 0) Steve Smith just keeps on keeping on, blunting Anderson with that unique method of his. Never has a batsman more maddened a fielding side with the old “good job he hit that” comeback.
Chris Jordan has a question. “Loving your work spicing up this occasionally dull fifth day! Could you shed any light on why Steve O’Keefe doesn’t get a look in for Australia and is deemed unlikely to be seen again?”
Related: Steve O'Keefe overlooked by Cricket Australia for 2017-18 contract
78th over: Australia 178-4 (Smith 50, M Marsh 0) Broad has the first dart at Mitchell Marsh and after three postprandial looseners there’s a narrow play and miss outside off followed by a half-shout for a catch down the legside. Marsh survives.
77th over: Australia 178-4 (Smith 50, M Marsh 0) Anderson gets us underway after lunch, bowling a maiden to the watchful Smith. After five uneventful deliveries around the wicket the sixth comes from over and beats the outside edge to oohs and ahhs. It’ll be fascinating to follow England’s tactics this session as they maximise Anderson and Broad’s impact with the new ball.
“It has been curious during this mesmerising game to read so few messages from all over the world,” emails Christopher MacLehose. “This — from Yucatan — to let you know that your coverage has not been wasted and that Cook’s magnificent innings brought tears of joy to grateful readers in Balacar.” Great to have you on board Christopher. You are where I’d like to be. I had a fun backpacking experience in that neck of the woods a few years ago, doing all the touristy stuff on the coast and losing a few mezcal-soaked nights in Merida.
It’s still dry, the players are out, and the afternoon session is moments away.
We’re about ten minutes from the resumption of play and it’s dry again at the G. The tail end of the band of showers has yet to pass through - according to the radar - so we may be in for some minor disruption yet. I’ll keep you posted.
Starc's doing some work in the break under the supervision of the team doctor. He's charging in from his full run-up before bailing out at the delivery stride. Looks a good chance to play in Sydney. #Ashes
Lucky it’s during the lunch break but the reappearance of rain doesn’t bode well for the afternoon. The BOM radar indicates it’s a fast-moving band of showers which should pass quickly - hopefully in time for a prompt restart. No more rain is forecast for the rest of the day after this. But then, this is Melbourne, so anything could happen.
Now that we might be heading towards the exciting finish this Test absolutely does not deserve, it is really chucking it down with rain. #Ashes
I’ll return in a few minutes, until then here’s confirmation of the news Ashton Agar has been drafted into the Australian squad for the final Test in Sydney.
Related: Ashton Agar drafted into Australia's Test squad for Ashes finale
Well, cricket, eh? After almost two hours of composed batting and popgun bowling on a lifeless surface, England have snuck a pair of wickets late in the session to give themselves a great opportunity to push for victory. They’ll have the new ball early in the afternoon session with plenty of time left in the game to force a result.
Bang bang! England roaring back into this one on the stroke of lunch. After Smith brought up his 50 Broad found the edge of Marsh’s bat and Bairstow took a blinder, diving quickly to his left, interrupting the flight of the ball almost in line with first slip. No mean feat considering how close he is to the stumps. After a long morning slog, we have a game on our hands again.
Fair grab that! #Ashespic.twitter.com/nYAOuErNjw
75th over: Australia 177-3 (Smith 49, S Marsh 4) With Marsh on strike the atmosphere is filled with expectation, but the result is the same, a well-presented straight bat accepting the momentum of the Kookaburra and returning it assuredly in the direction from whence it came.
74th over: Australia 177-3 (Smith 49, S Marsh 4) Broad with a brief dash as we edge 15-minutes or so towards the lunch break but Smith’s having none of it, dabbing delivery after delivery down the pitch like a considerate dad trying not to dishearten his progeny during an early career net session.
Warner had a golden chance to become the only batsman to make twin Test tons four times. If you need me I'll be staring into the distance with a single tear running down my cheek. #Ashes
73rd over: Australia 177-3 (Smith 49, S Marsh 4) After nine deliveries on strike to Anderson Smith accepts a single. Now, what can England’s premier paceman do to Marsh? Oof! He finds the outside edge first up, but it’s played with soft hands and earns four through the vacant gully region. A couple of dots complete the over. There’s a refreshing zing about this game again.
72nd over: Australia 172-3 (Smith 48, S Marsh 0) Root keeps himself on, targeting that same dusty footmark that did for Warner. Marsh is aware of the tactic, getting forward, playing in the ‘v’ and crunching a drive straight into Cook’s nether regions at silly point. Nothing is surer to enliven a TV Commentary crew than the sound of a crunching box. Maiden over, Australia lead by eight.
71st over: Australia 172-3 (Smith 48, S Marsh 0) Anderson back into the attack hoping for an early dash at Marsh, but he’s denied the opportunity by skipper Smith who dismissively blocks out an over, defending each delivery with a look in his eye as if to say “mate, you’re wasting your time, he’s not on strike, and he ain’t gonna be any time soon.”
Joe Root with the big breakthrough
LIVE: https://t.co/osnYPjcpzQ#Ashespic.twitter.com/ykaJ9YdvKQ
70th over: Australia 172-3 (Smith 48, S Marsh 0) Warner has batted beautifully all match, and so diligently this innings, making that dismissal all the more unexpected. It was an ugly swipe across the line out of nowhere and it’s given England a sniff half-an-hour from lunch and ten overs from the new ball. The seventh bowler of the day finally does the trick.
Joe Root on for a birthday boy bowl and David Warner hands him a priceless gift! Warner doesn’t pick one from Root that bursts through the top of the pitch, following through with a massive lofted drive, succeeding only in launching an edge high into the sky that Vince takes comfortably at cover.
Game on again?
69th over: Australia 171-2 (Warner 86, Smith 47) After Malan’s positive start he’s begun to be worked out by this excellent Australian pair. The part-timer is still landing most where he wants though and getting away with the ones that don’t.
Day five in order of interest.
1. Fontgate
2. Man removes plastic bag
3. Cricket#Ashes
68th over: Australia 169-2 (Warner 85, Smith 46) A milestone over for Australia as a single from Warner begins the building of a lead and the completion of a century partnership. Smith reinforces Australia’s confidence with one of the shots of the day, a crushing heavy-handed drive for four through the covers.
As a spinner on Day 5 with your team bowling for a victory .. if you can’t have aggressive fields you shouldn’t be in the team IMO .. #OnOn#Ashes
67th over: Australia 164-2 (Warner 84, Smith 42) Malan resumes his over after that shower and a terrific sweep-ish shot with a periscopic bat from Smith brings scores level.
“Hi Jonathan, bit of a question to ponder over definitions. Should the term “carry ones bat” be used only for the opening batsman who faces the first ball Instinctively I would say it should. Thoughts?”. Pat Howe with a pearler for the OBO inbox. While you’re here Pat, I do hop your nickname is ‘Van Den’.
The covers are coming back off, play will resume shortly.
1 - This is the most balls that David Warner has ever faced in a Test match (previously 337 vs NZ, Brisbane 2015/16). Patient. #Ashespic.twitter.com/ceZNyudiUY
Malan (40.32) has a better first class bowling average than Moeen (40.58) so perhaps he really is England's no 1 spinner ?#Ashes@JPHowcroft
“I suspect auto-correct did for Ian Forth a moment ago when he called Slint ‘Saint’, but all is forgiven,” writes Okala Elesia. “That record even has the perfectly titled end track: Good Morning, Captain. I mean, sure, ostensibly it’s a song about a man returning after a long time at sea to find his connection with his family completely tethered (I think) but it could easily be about Smith praying Moeen bowls forever on the fifth day, or Root waking from a dream to discover the fourth day rain never happened. Either way, I’m grateful to be reading about the Ashes and thinking about Slint.”
Stuart’s all over this rain.
@JPHowcroft Starting to rain in Elwood (20 minutes from the MCG). Perhaps the weather can save us from boredom?
Rain stops play. Out of nowhere, and with blue sky all around the MCG, a squally shower has blown in. We won’t be off for long.
66th over: Australia 158-2 (Warner 83, Smith 37) Woakes replaces Curran and Warner uses the change of bowling to reinforce the view that he’s working up through the gears after dead-batting most of the opening hour. There’s intent to his posture and trigger movements, enabling him to step inside the line and work runs behind square on the legside. It’s a decent over from Woakes mind you, finding hints of reverse swing in both directions, keeping Warner on his toes. Meanwhile, there’s a nice moment for Joe Root who is serenaded by the Barmy Army on his 27th birthday.
65th over: Australia 152-2 (Warner 77, Smith 37) Malan appears for his first twirl of the day, replacing Moeen who bowled a toothless five over spell. The part-timer’s first dart is bang on the money, landing consistently in the rough outside Smith’s leg stump and Warner’s off. Nothing is ripping dangerously, but it’s brought an added intensity to the contest nonetheless. The deficit is down to 12.
SCG 2nd spinners (squad, didn't always play) since 1985 a good list
Bennett
Holland
P Taylor
Sleep
Hohns
Rackemann (jokes)
Warne
Matthews
May
McIntyre
Bevan
Warne
Miller
MacGill
Hogg
Beer
Maxwell
O'Keefe
Agar#Asheshttps://t.co/TdVttNPVgu
64th over: Australia 148-2 (Warner 74, Smith 36) Among this meandering it would be remiss not to praise David Warner for his superbly compiled innings. He’s coasting to consecutive centuries with ease, reigning in his natural attacking instincts but still pummelling the bad ball when it arrives, like one from Curran that’s overpitched and spanked through extra-cover.
Why can't Melbourne produce any remotely decent cricket wickets? Etihad Stadium has been turgid in both BBL games this season; this MCG track sucks the life out of Test cricket
63rd over: Australia 140-2 (Warner 69, Smith 33) Moeen continues after drinks with a couple of singles whittling the deficit to 24.
There's something a little eerie about today (as far as I can discern from the OBO). it's akin to the feeling that grows on Chris in "Get Out" - reality is a little off-kilter and something horrible might just happen before we're done @JPHowcroft.
62nd over: Australia 138-2 (Warner 68, Smith 32) After giving himself a sighter of Curran the previous over, Australia’s opener has figured out his approach. It is to hang back on his crease, move towards the offside and work Curran’s natural angle from around the wicket to leg. He times that flick-pull beautifully for four and nurdles a pair of twos for good measure.
“Is it too early to suggest Malan, Cook or Stoneman bowl?” asks Matthew Doherty. Nope, not too early at all. England are going through the motions out there against two very good set batsmen. With the pitch offering so little and 18-overs still to the new ball, it’s worth mixing things up a bit.
61st over: Australia 130-2 (Warner 60, Smith 32) Moeen bowling his offies with all the venom of a snake sock puppet. Smith and Warner are untroubled milking a couple of singles.
Ian Forth has taken issue with my suggestion this match is not a rock and roll spectacle. “This may not be rock’n’roll but I find conventional rock’n’roll too full of its own testosterone. This passage of play is more reminiscent of an early Red House Painters album, or something off Spiderland by Saint perhaps. And all the better for it.”
60th over: Australia 128-2 (Warner 59, Smith 31) Curran gets his first bowl of the day and his liquorice allsorts are repelled by Warner for a maiden. Curran’s over is delayed by another classic cricket hold-up at the MCG as a grey plastic bag floats onto the sheeting that extends the sight-screen over some of the Southern Stand seating. A Woolworths disposable plastic bag if I’m not mistaken. We can add that to the red bin incident and the stop: for hammer time (thanks Damian Clarke).
@JPHowcroft I disagree. This is test cricket, Jim, but not as we know it (random Star Trek reference). Well, not for decades. Slow, tense, but something might leap out - like a French avant garde flick crossed schlocky horror. My Wednesdays In A Lukewarm Bath With Norman Bates.
59th over: Australia 128-2 (Warner 59, Smith 31) The latest innocuous Moeen over contains a Warner four, flayed to the point boundary as if only to prove it’s no doppelgänger under the helmet.
Looking ahead to the Sydney Test, Australia have called up their customary second spinner for the final match of the summer.
Australia have confirmed WA left-arm spinner Ashton Agar has been added to the squad for the SCG Test #Ashes
58th over: Australia 123-2 (Warner 54, Smith 31) Smith dead-bats a Broad maiden. Andy Mayston has emailed in, presumably to the soundtrack of Blur’s Girls and Boys. “David Warner is making Alastair Cook look like David Warner...”.
@JPHowcroft risky- but throw curran the ball now- let’s see how that plays out for three overs. The aussies wd go for him, and his blood wd be up, and anything could happen.
57th over: Australia 123-2 (Warner 54, Smith 31) A rapid Moeen over goes for one. Rock and roll this is not.
Around this time every four years, the sleeplessness and excess grips me and I start to confuse matters @JPHowcroft. Has David Warner been knighted? Barry Gibb batting for a draw (and for which team)? Darcy Bussell essaying a little spin? Stuart Broad awarded a VC for his fifty?
56th over: Australia 122-2 (Warner 54, Smith 30) Runs for Australia with Broad losing his rhythm this over, playing havoc with his pace, line and length. The foot-holes appear to be the problem with the groundsman making an appearance with a massive mallet to flatten the landing area for Broad’s left boot.
@JPHowcroft This situation is where Adil Rashid would be useful
55th over: Australia 118-2 (Warner 52, Smith 28) Moeen into the attack for the first time today, and you’d think he’ll have to return to form if England are going to force a result here. He starts OK, forcing a leading edge from Smith, but there’s no mischief from the offie.
@JPHowcroft admirable as this patient batting is I'd like to see Australia push on a bit. Try and set up an insane late run chase
54th over: Australia 115-2 (Warner 50, Smith 27) Broad bowls a maiden to Smith that Mark Taylor barely describes on commentary, preferring to extol the virtues of bowling Malan to shake the game up a bit. It’s not an over that deserves a great deal of attention but one fuller delivery swings a tad, reinforcing the view that Smith might not be as switched-on as usual this morning.
David Kalucy is where I want to be. “Good morning. The ground may be sparse, but in amongst the kung fu movies and drunken locals in a late night Barcelona water hole we find a youngish Australian fretting about the fate of the #1 & #2. Suspense is not lost in the noise”.
53rd over: Australia 115-2 (Warner 50, Smith 27) A more eventful maiden from Anderson who’s bending his back out there despite the apparent futility of the exercise. He gets one to jump from a length and hit the splice of Warner’s bat and then whistles a tasty bouncer past the left-hander’s grille.
52nd over: Australia 115-2 (Warner 50, Smith 27) What can Broad do? Not a great deal with conditions stacked against him and Smith in uber-defensive mode. He is noticeably fuller, trying to draw Smith out of his crease, and he succeeds with one that’s unconvincingly driven to gully, but that’s as good as it gets for England in another patient over.
Impressive, out of character 50 from Warner - showing what was required of a senior player in the context of this match #Ashes
51st over: Australia 115-2 (Warner 50, Smith 27) A Smith single brings up the 50-partnership and reduces the deficit below 50. Not much else to report from another Anderson over that’s on a probing line and length. Time for Broad to see if he can conjure something out of this lifeless pitch.
50th over: Australia 114-2 (Warner 50, Smith 26) Warner brings up his 26th Test 50 and at 161 balls presumably his slowest. He does so by cutting Woakes for two, an example that while Australia’s vice captain is focussed on defence he hasn’t put all his shots away.
@JPHowcroft greetings JP
Draw very likely for me
Cant see england forcing a result
49th over: Australia 112-2 (Warner 48, Smith 26) “GOT ‘IM!” cries Bill Lawry as Smith fends absent-mindedly at Anderson outside off, but the ball didn’t carry to Bairstow and replays suggest there was no edge. Still, always nice to hear the legendary Victorian clear his throat. Smith switches back on and sees out an Anderson maiden.
48th over: Australia 112-2 (Warner 48, Smith 26) Woakes continues to toil unthreateningly, Warner and Smith continue to bat within themselves. All very humdrum so far to start the day. There’s a slight hold up in play because a shiny red bin has been left in front of the sight-screen at the Great Southern Stand end. Cricket, eh?
47th over: Australia 111-2 (Warner 48, Smith 25) The first false shot of the morning earns Warner four. Anderson finds a smidgen of movement on a length with Warner leaning into a checked drive that races along the ground through gully. Otherwise more of what we can become very familiar with, leaves and firm defensive strokes.
Damian has joined in the doomsday scenario spitballing (09:40).
@JPHowcroft Hi John. Just joined Twitter as I can't find an email for you. The end? Cook and Anderson requiring 35 runs with a session to play but Anderson plays a demon and is not giving up the strike and there are two runs required ...
46th over: Australia 107-2 (Warner 44, Smith 25) Woakes gets to stay on after his one-ball effort. Warner works a single with that ungainly pull-flick off his hip that is so often undoing. Thereafter Smith sees off the over with all the intensity of a man shadow batting in his slippers and dressing gown waiting for his toaster to furnish him with breakfast.
What a load of all this ball tampering talk is...#ashes
45th over: Australia 106-2 (Warner 43, Smith 25) James Anderson has the first full over of the morning and he sends down a warm-up over to David Warner from around the wicket. Warner leaves everything outside off and defends compactly from the crease to anything straight. One of those defensive pushes contains some sweet timing and the ball pierces the packed cover field for a jogged three. Nothing happening in the air or off the seam for Anderson.
To the point off the top, @buckrogers55 on @abcgrandstand: "It is lifeless, it is dead. Not what a fifth-day pitch should be, is it?” #Ashes
44th over: Australia 103-2 (Warner 40, Smith 25) In a sparsely populated MCG Steve Smith defends the final ball of Chris Woakes’ rain-interrupted over from yesterday.
The players are out in the middle and the final day’s play will be underway shortly.
Continuing the Cook conversation (09:18), Raymond Reardon wants to know “whose name has Cook’s 244 not out replaced, as Sir Donald Bradman has the second highest individual batting record at the MCG of 270 runs”.
Cook has replaced Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards whose 209 was the previous highest score by a visiting batsman in Tests at the MCG. The honours board in the Percy Beames bar reflects the highest scores and best bowling figures by Australians and their opponents.
In excitement of AN Cook's historic innings of 244* we've not mentioned Day 4 factsheet. It features man with top banner & his 9/121 in 1920/21 New Year Test @MCG Collect @MelbCCLibrary Level 3, 50yr Members Level 2, Membership Level 1, or enjoy online https://t.co/RVX7AF9VSzpic.twitter.com/1M59EF9avU
In case you missed this thread from yesterday, it’s worth revisiting. Geoff is always insightful but angry Geoff is especially fun.
Staggering how many people are happy to slag off Cook for a great individual performance, just because the series is decided. #Ashes
Hard to see any demons in this day-five drop-in.
The pitch on Day 5 #Ashespic.twitter.com/Pay3eBiAFP
This will be the fourth Test this series to reach day five, which suggests a tighter contest than the 3-0 scoreline might signal. However, this is the first time England have gone into the final day pushing for victory, as opposed to battling to avoid defeat.
Ian Forth has a question about Alastair Cook’s signage (see 09:18). “Don’t want to be picky (oh, all right then), but hasn’t someone accidentally pressed the bold button on Cook and his score in the Percy Beames bar?”.
The excellent Melinda Farrell has the answer. “It’s a temporary board. The permanent one will be the same. Terrific work getting something up so that it can be a part of this Test”.
I’ve been reminded by Gary Naylor that England have previous when it comes to losing the unlosable.
Only one result possible @JPHowcroft? Here's an England team (with 10 first class centurions) bowled out in a session not so long ago - https://t.co/rvhaAHBawy
Related: Three memories of cricket in 2017
For what it’s worth, I have no problem with ‘ball tampering’. I’ve never been convinced why it’s such a big deal. The potential benefit to the spectacle is obvious, especially in Australia, where the Kookaburra is near-impossible to move in the air and recent pitches make it a slog to get it deviating off the pitch. Why not allow for ingenuity to improve the spectacle?
Bat technology has improved, pitches have become more docile, why is the bowler penalised for fighting back? And not just penalised, vilified. It seems disproportionate.
As is often the case on slow days stories appear out of the ether to fill time. Yesterday’s distraction piece was a series of nod-and-wink accusations of ball tampering against England. From the off it stunk like a beat-up and England coach Trevor Bayliss gave it short thrift after the day’s play.
Related: Ashes ball-tampering claims just ‘Pommie-bashing’, says Trevor Bayliss
One of the storylines of this Test has been Alastair Cook’s accumulation of records. Among the milestones the England opener has passed at the MCG is the highest total scored by a visiting batsman in Tests at the famous old ground. His reward is a massive scoreboard-style banner in the venue’s Percy Beames bar, adding his name to one of the most iconic scenes in Australian sport.
It’s up!! #Cook244* banner joins other Test record holders in #percybeamesbar looking new, but now we can watch it fade & age with others as history grows pic.twitter.com/MKIJYrLyPv
You've nailed it Alastair!
7.30am @MCG#bbccricket#ashespic.twitter.com/7LY17B4bve
In case you care (I know you do, really) Phil Taylor is demolishing Gary Anderson in a vintage performance at the darts. He’s one set away from the semis in his final appearance at the world championships.
Yesterday may have been frustratingly wet but Adam Collins still found plenty to enjoy out in the middle, not least “the contest within a contest between two legitimate champions of the sport, Jimmy Anderson and David Warner”.
Related: David Warner holds fire in Ashes patience game with Jimmy Anderson | Adam Collins
Here we are then, live OBO coverage of day five of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. England fans will be hoping it’s redemption day as their side begins play the only possible winners from a stodgy contest dragged down by a disappointing surface. Australian supporters already have a 3-0 scoreline in the bag but they’ll still be keen to see their troops force a draw and show the kind of resilience they haven’t been famed for in recent years.
To recap: Australia will begin day five 103-2 in their second innings, trailing England by 61 runs. Because of yesterday’s rain today’s play has 98 overs scheduled. Action will get underway half-an-hour earlier than usual with a 10am start (11pm UK).
While I pour myself a coffee and move one of my eyes away from the darts at Ally Pally, ease your way into this fifth-day OBO with Vic Marks’ view from a damp day four at the MCG.
Related: Rain stalls England's push for victory after attritional day of Ashes cricket
Jonathan will be here shortly.
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