England face the heat in Sydney Test
SYDNEY : Australia are poised to close out the Ashes series with a huge victory after the Marsh brothers made centuries before England lost four wickets in the scorching Sydney heat on day four of the fifth and final Test.
England were lifeless and zapped of energy throughout the penultimate day, having already surrendered the urn, as Australia posted 649-7 – earning a lead of 303 thanks to memorable hundreds from Shaun and Mitchell Marsh – before Steve Smith declared post-lunch.
Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins then wreaked havoc as the temperature exceeded 41 degrees Celsius on Sunday – and staggeringly 56 out in the middle – with the embattled tourists stumbling to stumps at 93-4, still needing 210 runs to make the Aussies bat again.
Alastair Cook (10) became the sixth player to bring up his 12,000th Test run but he fell to Lyon (2-31) after Starc trapped Mark Stoneman leg before without scoring, with James Vince and Dawid Malan also failing.
Joe Root took a nasty blow to the finger but was unbeaten on 42 at stumps and Jonny Bairstow (17 not out) also prevented further damage on another punishing day for England.
Cook was given a warm ovation after reaching yet another milestone, but was cleaned up by Lyon after Stoneman was done for pace by Starc in a horror start to England’s second innings.
England breathed a sigh of relief when Vince’s decision to review was successful on 15 – DRS showing the bat only hit the ground after he had been adjudged to have edged Lyon’s delivery through to Tim Paine. Brief scores: England 346 and 93-4 (J Root batting 42, N Lyon 2-31, M Starc 1-17, P Cummins 1-12) v Australia (overnight 479-4) 649-7 decl (S Marsh 156, M Marsh 101, T Paine 38, M Ali 2-170)