Key events
19th over: England 112-3 (Bethell 27, Root 0) Target 175: England require 63 more runs for victory. The MCG is buzzing.
WICKET! Crawley LBW Boland 37 (England 112-3)
The definition of risk is obviously subjective. Bethell advances to Boland only to be bounced back in his crease. Then he steps to leg and swings a big drive on the bounce down to third.
With the strike rotated Crawley misses a straight one and he’s plumb LBW. Oh England.
18th over: England 111-2 (Crawley 37, Bethell 26) Target 175: Starc returns by bowling over the wicket and sending inswingers down to the left-handed Bethell, who defends compactly from the crease and rotates strike. Offered width, Crawley returns the honour, as England chip away at the target with rare composure. Bazball has done its job. It’s broken the back of the run-chase, scattered the field, ruined the attack’s pitchmaps, and means England can nurdle their way to victory without taking any further risks.
17th over: England 108-2 (Crawley 36, Bethell 24) Target 175: “After his exploits in Noosa, it’s nice to see Duckett do well and finally find some semblance of form in the Ashes and kickstart England to what might be a famous (infamous?) victory,” emails Colum. “Crawley and Bethell appear to have their eyes in and are riding their luck. Crawley might just be the first player in this match to reach fifty. On a pretty rank pitch, described by Graeme Swann as a snake pit, I think only Bazball England could pull off this chase against Starc and co.”
No luck-riding required this over as Boland suddenly looks military medium as the ball softens and the pitch behaves itself. It might no longer be the Victorian’s surface and time for a New South Welshman to shake things up. Over to Mitchell Starc…
Emma John
Hello from the Members Area of the MCG where this cricket writer is wondering how to fill the next three days. Do any of our Melbourne readers know of anywhere that does social dancing? As a ballroom hobbyist I’m feeling like there must be some holiday dances to go to…
16th over: England 104-2 (Crawley 34, Bethell 23) Target 175: Neser finds a tight line and length that England struggle to get away. Crawley remains composed though and pushes his side into triple figures as the crowd, almost as one, remove their hats to salute the late Shane Warne. With the Victorian spinner’s name reverberating around his old stomping ground Bethell swivels and pulls a boundary to reduce the target to 71.
15th over: England 97-2 (Crawley 32, Bethell 18) Target 175: Bethell unfurls that cover drive again, but only earns two for his elegance. Then there’s some cat and mouse between batter and fielders. Carey retreats back to his conventional station, allowing Bethell to step out of his crease to leg and mistime a swipe towards the offside. Then he advances down the track only for Boland to spot him, dig one in short, and bruise England’s boy wonder on his right shoulder. Further evidence that even if the shotmaking doesn’t come off, when executed Bazball can force bowler’s off their lines and lengths – and on a surface this capricious that is a sizeable part of the battle.
14th over: England 95-2 (Crawley 32, Bethell 16) Target 175: Neser shares responsibility for Australia after the interval but he starts too short and wide to Crawley, who guides a neat dab behind point that Bethell’s speedy running turns into three. Strike rotated, the cricket Gods demonstrate further that they are on England’s side this afternoon as Crawley gets a regulation edge that flies for four in the gap between second slip and gully. Then he flat-foots a lofted two off the leading edge that lands safely in the covers.
England are now just 80 runs from victory.
13th over: England 85-2 (Crawley 23, Bethell 15) Target 175: This is remarkably remarkable. Bethell’s international career could have gone down in flames one delivery after Tea but instead he forces Boland off his length and England have all the momentum again as the target drops to 90.
Then Bethell caresses a drive through extra cover for a textbook four.
Bethell reverse scoops the opening delivery for two. I’m not sure I’m qualified to narrate this any more.
Boland to resume to Bethell after the interval. Carey is standing up to the stumps. Here we go.
What we can assume is the sixth, and final, session of the fourth Ashes Test is imminent. Australia need eight wickets. England require 98 runs. I’ll be perched on the edge of my seat for the next 150 minutes.
“For more than a decade I’ve been arguing that it’s silly that Test teams routinely pick average specialist opening batsmen, given that nowadays all bowlers get bounced and most of them are good at basic defensive shots,” emails Thomas Jenkins. “What’s the point of selecting an average specialist opening batsman who could be out at any point to a new ball jaffa when you’re avoiding picking good bowlers largely because they can’t play shots? I say pick those good bowlers who can only play a forward defensive and put them in at the top of the order. If they get out, you’ve lost your worst batsman. If they see off a few overs of the new ball, you could be golden.”
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“I don’t know what England thought they were going to achieve by sending a number 9 out at number 3, but it ended very predictably,” emails Andy Roberts (not that one). “If England keep swinging like this, I can’t see them winning.”
Andy, the only way I can see England winning is if they continue to keep swinging like this! After all the hype about Bazball this tour, this is perhaps the first time we’ve seen it implemented with gusto. Yes, it clearly relies on good fortune, but Crawley and Duckett made a mess of Starc’s line and length for the first time this series, and demonstrated that Neser can be hit off his length if the ball-striking is good enough.
Is it capable of winning a five-Test series? Demonstrably not, but I’d rather we saw it in full flow than the muddled neither nowt nor sommat fare of Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide.
Tea: England 77-2 chasing 175
12th over: England 77-2 (Crawley 22, Bethell 9) Target 175: Crawley pinches a canny leg-bye to rotate the strike just as Richardson was settling into a decent line and length to Bethell. The opener then might have questioned his decision as he aims a lazy pull that is caught by the diving Carey down the legside, only for nobody to appeal with any conviction, then he misses with a windy whoosh outside off stump!
And that’s Tea.
11th over: England 76-2 (Crawley 22, Bethell 9) Target 175: A buzz swirls around the MCG as hometown hero Scott Boland is thrown the ball. Immediately he gets prodigious movement off a length that whistles down Crawley’s legside, then he’s on the spot, rapping the right-hander above the knee roll on his back pad. The Victorian is adamant it’s LBW but the on-field call indicates impact outside the line of off stump. AUSTRALIA REVIEW and it is quickly determined the initial call was correct. Decent forward-and-across defensive technique with bat and pad together to counter exactly that delivery.
After coming over to Crawley, Boland switches around to the left-handed Bethell and he sends down a beauty that almost clips the top of off stump after seaming miles off the deck. England’s bemulleted young hope responds with a classical on drive that is the picture perfect response to questions around his place in this XI.
Despite that boundary, Boland is appreciably more threatening than the rest of Australia’s attack. He looks to be the key to this match now.
10th over: England 70-2 (Crawley 22, Bethell 4) Target 175: Now Bethell comes to the crease, and after an opening delivery no-ball he top-edges an attempted pull that lands safely behind square on the off side and trots away for four runs. Why won’t this match be normal for a few minutes?
WICKET! Carse c Green b Richardson 6 (England 65-2)
Crawley and Carse nurse easy singles before the England allrounder almost swings his shoulders from his sockets sending a giant mow down to cow corner for two. He goes again next ball and almost swings himself airborne, only to send a top edge straight down the throat of third, where Green hangs on unconvincingly. After years of pain Jhye Richardson has a long-awaited Test wicket.
9th over: England 61-1 (Crawley 21, Carse 3) Target 175: Starc’s spell survives into a fifth over and it begins with Carse stepping to leg and mowing a lofted single to midwicket. Crawley then checks a couple of strokes that could easily have gone to hand on another day but is lucky to see them fail to find the palms of the bowler or straightish mid-on. When he decides to follow through with his shot he creams a drive through extra cover to extend the dippiness.
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8th over: England 56-1 (Crawley 17, Carse 2) Target 175: This is wild. Not Jacob Bethell at three, but England’s new ball bowler. Richardson replaces Neser in the attack, Crawley rotates the strike, then Carse tries to send his opening shot to the moon! He doesn’t, but the statement of intent is obvious. This is chaos. What would Boycott think? The pinch hitter then calmly guides a single behind point, the first of a trio of neatly nurdled singles in a row as Richardson finds a decent line and length.
Brydon Carse walks out at number three… it’s Nighthawk time!
WICKET! Duckett b Starc 34 (England 51-1)
Starc’s fortunate his captain allows him to bowl a fourth over, and it’s his first to begin with a line and length delivery. He can’t repeat the trick though and is lucky Duckett fails to connect with a wild delivery wide outside off stump. The line tightens but England’s left-handed opener defends stoutly then drives a couple through the covers to pass 3,000 Test runs. He’s had a ghoulish series but he still averages 40.55 from 42 caps. Adrenaline coursing though his body Duckett back cuts another poor Starc effort through third for four more, to bring up England’s 50!
Then Starc makes a mess of Duckett’s stumps with a full straight yorker. Redemption of sorts for a disappointing spell. Duckett walks off with a very handy 34 from 26 deliveries. He has given England the momentum, finally, after a horrible week in the spotlight.
7th over: England 51-1 (Crawley 15) Target 175
6th over: England 45-0 (Crawley 15, Duckett 28) Target 175: Ben Duckett has had more luck in the past 17 minutes than in the rest of the tour put together. He welcomes Neser to the crease for the bowler’s third over by skewing a mighty hoick away to the vacant third region for four. Emboldened by the knowledge he may be touched by God, Duckett then attempts another scoop, this time executing it perfectly and sending the Barmy Army wild with a six over fine-leg! Smith is now trying to plug holes all over the place, which means the concession of easy singles if England are alert – which Duckett is.
5th over: England 34-0 (Crawley 15, Duckett 17) Target 175: Full and swinging from Starc, too quick for Crawley’s booming drive outside off stump. The bowler straightens up and traps England’s opener on the back pad. It’s a decent shout for LBW but it’s declined on-field. Australia review! No bat involved…pitched in line…impact umpire’s call on the outer margin of the longer spigot of the leg-stump bail. Very close. Strike rotated Duckett hangs in his crease and drives uppishly down the ground for two, crashes a couple more through the covers, then clips three off his pads as Starc continues his erratic opening spell.
Momentum with England. Can they capitalise?
4th over: England 26-0 (Crawley 15, Duckett 10) Target 175: BAZBALL! Where have you been all tour? Crawley stands and delivers to Neser, clobbering a length ball miles over the sightscreen for a sweetly timed six. Then he remains in his crease, rocks back and square drives for four! Strike rotated Duckett steps miles outside off and misses an attempted scoop, then gets caught on the crease by one that seams into him from around the wicket.
Anyone with day three tickets, the forecast is for cloudless ssies and a top of 29 tomorrow. Enjoy your daytrip to the seaside.
Starc drops Duckett
3rd over: England 15-0 (Crawley 4, Duckett 10) Poor again from Starc. Full and wide to start the over, then recalibrating onto Duckett’s pads to allow the left-hander to double his score in the same manner he opened his account. Starc puts his foe on notice with a beauty that beats the shoulder of the bat, to which Duckett responds by stepping down the pitch and to leg only to miss a wild swipe and for the ball to whistle past the pegs. Then STARC FAILS TO HOLD ONTO A RETURN CATCH! It wasn’t easy, spinning away from his fingertips in his follow through, but it wasn’t as tough as the screamer from earlier in the series. Duckett compounds his rare stroke of luck by slapping a wide long-hop for a couple.
Very Bill Lawry voice: It is all happening at the MCG.
2nd over: England 9-0 (Crawley 4, Duckett 4) Michael Neser shares the new ball, sending down his heavy, length deliveries, right-arm over the wicket to the right-handed Crawley. The Englishman is watchful twice, then sashays away to turn a decent ball into a half-volley and chip it over the infield for a couple, much to the delight of the Barmy Army. A more conventional two follows with the lanky man of Kent whipping off his hip down to fine-leg.
The received wisdom of the retired internationals on the telly is that England should approach this like a white ball chase. This appears to be how they have set off, and clearly it suits the character of this pair.
1st over: England 5-0 (Crawley 0, Duckett 4) Starc is uncommonly short for his first couple of deliveries. Crawley takes the first in his midriff then runs a legbye to get the chase underway and rotate strike. Starc then gifts Duckett the dream delivery – full and on his pads – and the left-hander doesn’t need an Uber to guide that to the square-leg fence. He misses out next ball too with Starc dropping short and wide only for the big slash to connect only with thin air. After four balls out of character Australia’s spearhead finds his range, beating the shoulder of Duckett’s bat with one that holds its line. Then it’s ugly all round… the delivery is full and wide, but the the batter had already stepped to leg making him unable to reach the third buffet ball of the over.
Following that out-of-sorts over, Starc rushes off for a change of spikes.
Aside from the funny business happening on the 22 yards of rolled grass conditions are perfect. Glorious afternoon sunshine bathes the MCG, it’s about 20C, and there’s a gentle cooling breeze. Mitchell Starc has the new ball, Zak Crawley is on strike…
The two teams are back out in the middle. There’s an hour of play before the Tea break. WinViz reckons England will win from this position three times out of four. I think WinViz might have been hammering the Christmas chocolate liqueurs.
Or is this another opportunity for Australia to ram home their ascendancy? Mitchell Starc with another first-over wicket? Scott Boland to further improve his minuscule MCG average?
Is this finally England’s moment of redemption? After his week from hell can Ben Duckett anchor a successful chase? Will Jacob Bethell arrive as a Test cricketer?
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Jonathan Howcroft
Thank you very much Rob. What a ludicrous Test this has been, and will doubtless continue to be, regardless of the outcome.
After just four and a half sessions of play the final act is already on stage. England need 175 runs, Australia ten wickets (assuming Gus Atkinson takes guard with his dodgy hammy). For England it would mean the highest score of the match, in the fourth innings. For Australia it likely means a second two-day Test victory of the series.
I’ll hand over to Jonathan Howcroft for the England runchase. And yes, we really are heading into the fourth innings after 109.4 overs of play.
WICKET! Australia 132 all out (Richardson c Crawley b Stokes 7)
One shot too many for Jhye Richardson, who hacks a Stokes short ball miles in the air and is caught by Crawley at cover. England need 175 to win this preposterous Test match.
That’s the same total Australia were chasing on this ground in 1998, when Dean Headley and Darren Gough bowled England to a famous victory.
34th over: Australia 131-9 (Smith 23, Richardson 7) Smith again takes a single off the first ball of the over. Richardson shows why Smith trusts him by swivel-pulling Carse excellently for three runs. Later in the over he plays an even better shot, rifling a drive down the ground for four. Australia lead by 173.