Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
England close in on Ashes as Australia crash
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
England close in on Ashes as Australia crash
AFP - Wednesday, December 29
Send
IM Story
Print
England close in on Ashes as Australia crash
MELBOURNE (AFP) - – England were on the verge of retaining the Ashes after feeble Australian batting left the fourth Melbourne Test at their mercy on Tuesday.
The tourists left the Australians with the huge task of either scoring 415 runs to make England bat again or lasting out eight sessions to secure a draw but the home team showed little fight after their opponents had amassed 513 at the MCG.
Australia were facing probable defeat some time on Wednesday's fourth day with no rain forecast over the last two scheduled days of the match.
At the close, Australia were trailing England by 246 runs at 169 for six with Brad Haddin on 11 and Mitchell Johnson on six.
Yorkshire seamer Tim Bresnan prised open the Australian top order in a mesmerising spell of three wickets in 18 balls to trigger the slide.
"We've had a good day of Test cricket," Bresnan said. "Hopefully, we've done all the hard work and do the rest tomorrow and wrap up this win.
"I do like being under the pump. I do like the big occasion and I do like being under pressure. I think it brings the best out in me."
Australian opener Shane Watson conceded that hopes of regaining the Ashes were gone.
"It's a very shattering position we are in now," Watson said.
"We haven't been in a great place from day one, and it's all gone pear-shaped, it's extremely disappointing to be in the position we are."
Ricky Ponting's grim struggle for runs ended after 101 minutes when he was bowled by Bresnan for 20.
The Australian skipper got an inside edge onto his stumps to continue a wretched series, having now scored just 113 runs at 16.14 and putting his distinguished 152-Test career in peril ahead of next week's final Test in Sydney.
It has been a fraught match for Ponting. He lost a crucial toss, his side were routed for a first-day 98, he was fined and censured by the match referee for a prolonged argument with the umpires over a disputed referral, and the runs have dried up.
Australia's hopes of saving the Melbourne Test plunged with Ponting's exit and it got worse when their series leading scorer Mike Hussey perished for a duck in Bresnan's next over, snapped up by Ian Bell at short extra cover.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke capped a poor series when he fell to spinner Graeme Swann for 13, playing forward and edging to Andrew Strauss.
Young Steven Smith resisted for 91 minutes before he attempted a pull and was bowled by James Anderson for 38.
Watson, who ran out his opening partner Phillip Hughes, yet again failed to build on a half-century and was out lbw for 54 after not offering a shot to Bresnan.
Watson has passed 50 a total of 17 times in Tests, but only converted two of them into centuries.
Hughes, fighting for his Test career, was the victim of a poorly-judged run by batting partner Watson.
The openers had comfortably taken the score to 53 but inexplicably Watson scurried off for a risky single to cover only for Jonathan Trott to swoop in and effect the run out.
Hughes looked a disconsolate figure as he trudged from the ground after scoring 23 off 30 balls.
Watson has been involved in six run outs in 26 Test innings and has been run out just once.
England were dismissed at lunch with Trott remaining unbeaten on 168 as the team's marathon innings, stretching over 700 minutes and 159.1 overs, finally came to an end.
Trott batted for 468 minutes, faced 345 balls and hit 13 fours in an innings that fortified England's impregnable position.
England, resuming at 444 for five, lost their remaining five wickets in the morning session.
Matt Prior, who was caught off a no-ball when he was on five, chipped a catch to Ponting at mid-on off Peter Siddle for 85.
Siddle then had Bresnan caught behind for four and Ben Hilfenhaus picked up his first wicket with Swann caught behind for 22.
Hilfenhaus bowled Chris Tremlett for four and Siddle wrapped up a big-hearted bowling performance with the wicket of Anderson for one.
Siddle finished with 6-75 off 33.1 overs but Australia lost paceman Ryan Harris with an ankle stress fracture while bowling in the morning session.
Australia will now need to find a bowling replacement for Harris for the Sydney Test.
Scoreboard
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Laxman, bowlers put India on top in SA Test AFP - 15 minutes ago
China 'stepping up anti-carrier missile tests' AFP - 2 hours 11 minutes ago
Saudi court delays beaten Indonesian maid's case AFP - Wednesday, December 29
Nobel laureate Liu marks 55th birthday in prison AFP - Wednesday, December 29
Legal threat hits Blackburn's new Indian owners AFP - Wednesday, December 29
News Search
Top Stories
Elton John and partner become parents: report
European stocks struggle for direction, euro firms
French growth revised down, public debt shrinks
Alcatel-Lucent pays US fine on corruption charges
Tail end of US blizzard sows travel chaos
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Playboy's Hefner proposes to 24-year-old Playmate
Tail end of US blizzard sows travel chaos
Israel to close door on African influx
Iraq oil production tops 2.6m barrels a day
Oil prices climb on US, European weather woes
More Most Viewed »
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Entertainment
Photos
Yahoo! News Network
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Tuesday, 28 December 2010 Twin suicide bombings kill 17 in Iraq's Ramadi
Parcel bomb found at Greek embassy in Rome
Tail end of US blizzard sows travel chaos
Swine flu kills 56 in Egypt since October
Iraq oil production tops 2.6m barrels a day
U.S. embassy in London was a target of UK suspects
|
Taliban car bomb kills three in Kandahar
PepsiCo's Russia deal gets initial go-ahead
Iraq twin bombings kill seven
US-TECH Summary
Oil prices climb on US, European weather woes
Netanyahu says interim deal possible if talks fail
|
'Three die, 12 hurt in Afghan car bomb attack'
Suicide bomber kills 3 in south Afghanistan
Pakistan regional party says ministers to quit
|
Suicide car bomb kills 3 in south Afghan city
Car bomb kills 3 in south Afghan city
Zaheer, Harbajhan boost India in S.Africa Test
Venezuela arrests more than 12,000 for drug crimes
|
Blast in south Afghan city of Kandahar kills 3
Suspect identified in Philippine Christmas attack
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Natalie Portman pregnant, engaged to French dancer
IMF gives Pakistan nine-month extension on loan
Bubbles key to New Year's champagne: study
Hanoi's bird man sees legacy stolen, eaten
IMF extends Pakistan loan as economic reforms drag
Japan's sushi chefs to go on global training mission
Pakistani stocks, o/n rates end up; rupee firms
Tel Aviv bourse seeks to become high-tech centre
|
US-TECH Summary
New Kindle becomes Amazon's all-time best seller
Germany reports 'sharp rise' in cyberattacks
Tel Aviv bourse seeks to become high-tech centre
Alanis Morissette gives birth to son
|
Natalie Portman pregnant, engaged to French dancer
|
Iran hangs 'Mossad spy'
Bomb at Rome embassy linked to anarchist attacks
Germans detained in Iran meet families
Russia finds oil tycoon guilty in second trial
Nine remanded in custody over British 'bomb plot'
Netanyahu says interim deal possible if talks fail
Japan DPJ's Ozawa to appear at ethics panel
|
Strike call fails to hit main Ivory Coast city and ports
|
No Israel apology on Turkish ship raid: Netanyahu
|
Microfinance faces hurdles in empowering Afghan women
|
Oscar ballots get mailed to voters
Nobel laureate Liu celebrates 55th birthday in prison
Wild Oats XI yacht leads Sydney to Hobart race
I overstepped the mark with umpire, says Ponting
South Korea's Lee says unity vital to counter North
Sandra Bullock in, "Jersey Shore" out in neighbor poll
New species abound in Peru, but so do threats
Pakistan regional party says ministers to quit
'Little Fockers' tops N.American box office
Flooding prompts evacuations in Australian towns
Elton John becomes father of Christmas baby
Seoul shares open up modestly on autos, techs
Oscar nomination ballots sent to voters
IMF extends Pakistan loan as economic reforms drag
Chris Brown hints at Justin Bieber collaboration
Japan industrial output up 1 percent in November
Oscar ballots get mailed to voters
Ryan Gosling gives fans another acting "Valentine"
Kylie Minogue defends racy 'All the Lovers' video
Elton John becomes father of Christmas baby
|
Sandra Bullock in, Jersey Shore out in neighbor poll
|
Ryan Gosling gives fans another acting Valentine
|
Chris Brown hints at Justin Bieber collaboration
|
Oscar ballots get mailed to voters
|
Hangover stuntman injured during Thai shoot
|
Parents of reporter held in Afghanistan speak out
Russia slams Western pressure over Khodorkovsky
Alcatel-Lucent pays US fine on corruption charges
Parents in plea for French journalist held in Afghanistan
Iran hangs man convicted of spying for Mossad
Russia accuses West of meddling in tycoon Khodorkovsky's trial
|
UAE considered keeping Hamas hit under wraps: WikiLeaks
|
Official: Afghan police defuse motorcycle bomb
Official: Afghan police have defused bike bomb
Iran hangs man convicted of spying for Mossad: IRNA
|
U.S. embassy in London was a target of UK suspects
|
Nigeria says at least 80 died in Jos attacks
|
Small blast at Karachi's main university
|
Thailand ends emergency rule in part of restive south
Japan DPJ's Ozawa to appear at ethics panel
US missile salvo 'kills 15' in Pakistan
Small blast at Karachi's main university
Somali pirates free tanker, seize cargo ship
|
U.S. Northeast digs out after storm snarls travel
England close in on Ashes as Australia crash
Factbox
Belarus' Lukashenko reshuffles govt, names new PM
|
Japan's 'Shadow Shogun' to testify over funds scandal
Venezuelan ex-leader Perez to get US burial: daughter
Australian surfer champ Gilmore attacked: report
Anger festers in politically divided Thailand
Japan's deflation persists, but rising output provides hope
Floods force evacuations in eastern Australia
Investors line up for first IPOs in communist Laos
Japan bakery scores surprise hit with 'edible iPhone'
Japan sounds alarm as yen rises against dollar
IPhone and iPad users sue Apple over privacy issues
|
Japan's Ozawa to appear at ethics panel over scandal
SK Energy inks deal to develop lithium batteries with Formosa
Alcatel agrees to settle bribery case for $137 million
|
Chinatrust makes 'biggest bid for AIG Taiwan unit'
Barnes & Noble loses bid to end Nook lawsuit
|
Q+A
Amazon says Kindle holding its own against tablets
|
Hitachi says in talks with Hon Hai on panel tie-up
|
Pakistan
Germany plans cyber-warfare defense center
|
LG Group aims to lift 2011 sales by 11 percent
|
China shrinks rare earths export quota
AMD expects non-cash gain from GlobalFoundries
|
Vinashin given interest-free loans to pay salaries
Saudi court delays beaten Indonesian maid's case
Tel Aviv bourse seeks to become high-tech center
|
China miner gives $7.5M after 22 killed by breach
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights