Australia poised to regain the Ashes
Perth, Dec. 17: Australia were confident rain would not deny them the Ashes despite play being abandoned early on the fourth day of the third Test against England in Perth on Sunday.
The home side lead the five- Test series 2- 0 and a win in the last- ever Ashes Test to be played at the Waca ground would see them regain the urn, and at stumps on the fourth day they could smell victory despite the showers sweeping across Perth and predicted to continue into the final day’s play.
Trailing by 259 runs in the first innings after Australia declared at 662/ 9, England were 132/ 4 when stumps was called early after a rain- interrupted final session, with Dawid Malan on 28 and Jonny Bairstow on 14, still behind by 127 runs.
Australian pacemen Josh Hazlewood, who claimed the wickets of opener Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman said the home side didn’t expect rain to stand in their way.
“We’ve looked
( weather forecast) at it a little England ( 1st innings): 403
Australia ( 1st innings, o/ n 549/ 4): C. Bancroft lbw b Overton 25, D. Warner c Bairstow b Overton 22, U. Khawaja lbw b Woakes 50, S. Smith lbw b Anderson 239, S. Marsh c Root b Ali 28, M. Marsh lbw b Anderson 181, T. Paine ( not out) 49, M. Starc run out 1, P. Cummins lbw b Anderson 41, N. Lyon c Ali b Anderson 4. Extras: ( b4, lb16, nb1, w1) 22. Total: ( for 9 wkts decl. in 179.3 overs) 662.
FoW: 1- 44, 2- 55, 3- 179, 4- 248, 5- 549, 6- 560, 7- 561, 8654, 9- 662.
Bowling: Anderson 37.3- 9- 116- 4 ( 1nb), Broad 35- 3- 1420, Woakes 41- 8- 128- 1 ( 1w), Overton 24- 1- 110- 2, Ali 33- 4120- 1, Root 3- 0- 13- 0, Malan 6- 1- 13- 0
England ( 2nd innings): A. Cook c and b Hazlewood 14, M. Stoneman c Paine b Hazlewood 3, J. Vince b Starc 55, J. Root c Smith b Lyon 14, D. Malan ( batting) 28, J. Bairstow ( batting) 14. Extras: ( lb4) 4. Total: ( for 4 wkts, in 38.2 overs) 132.
FoW: 1- 4, 2- 29, 3- 60, 4- 100.
Bowling: Starc 10- 3- 32- 1, Hazlewood 9- 3- 23- 2, M Marsh 3- 1- 14- 0, Cummins 8.2- 2- 31- 0, Lyon 8- 3- 28- 1.
bit,” he said.
“I think there is just some rain tomorrow morning, hopefully that doesn’t hang around too long and we can get the best part of two sessions in to take these next six wickets.”
“We’d love to have stayed out there for another today and got that fifth wicket, but we’ll come back tomorrow for the other six.”
The last man out on the fourth day was James Vince for a neat 55, bowled when a Mitchell Starc ball jagged off a crack and crashed into his stumps.
Hazlewood said the crack would be part of the Australian attack’s game plan on the last day. “I’d like five or six more ( to hit the crack) tomorrow,” he said.
“You only need a couple to straighten off it and you are in the game.
“It’s a pretty simple method, there is not much more out there to aim at than that crack.”
Vince conceded there was nothing he could have done against the delivery.
More rain is forecast for Monday, although it is only predicted to be a problem before lunchtime. Vince said the English believed they could save the game regardless of the weather.
“I think we try and put the rain to the back of our minds,” he said.
“We’ve got to have belief that we can save the series and get over the line tomorrow. It’s going to be tough and I’m sure there’s going to be some good balls flying around out there but these two especially showed in the first innings that they can occupy the crease for a long time, so hopefully they get off to a good start in the morning.”
The tourists’ second innings got off to a dismal start when opener Stoneman was caught behind.