Cook’s doublecentury puts England in command

MELBOURNE: Alastair Cook struck a masterful, unbeaten double-century to drive England into a position of dominance on 491 for nine at the end of day three of the fourth Ashes Test.

The former England captain strode off the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 244 not out, the highest ever score by a touring batsman at the venue, having pushed his side to a first innings lead of 164 runs yesterday.

Stuart Broad provided gallant support with a swashbuckling 56, sharing a 100-run ninth-wicket partnership that crushed the spirits of a demoralised attack and trampled on Australia’s hopes of whitewashing the series.

The urn may be gone with England an irretrievable 3-0 down in the five-match series, but Joe Root’s team will savour the finest day of the campaign and are wellplaced to grab a consolation win.

Cook smashed a straight drive past bowler Jackson Bird for his 23rd four to raise his fifth double-century in 360 balls, triggering a standing ovation from the crowd of 61,839.

It was not a chanceless innings, however, with Australia captain Steve Smith dropping him on 66 on Wednesday and again on 153.

The pitch was a batsman’s paradise and the Australian attack shorn of injured spearhead Mitchell Starc, but England’s most prolific run-scorer may remember few more gratifying innings in his 151 tests. ■ PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa): South Africa crushed Zimbabwe by an innings and 120 runs inside two days in their one-off day-night Test at St George’s Park on Wednesday.

Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 68 in their first innings, Zimbabwe were shot out for 121 runs in their second innings. The match ended before the scheduled dinner break on the second day.

Fast bowler Morne Morkel was the destroyer in the first innings, taking five for 21, but medium-pacer Andile Phehlukwayo and leftarm spinner Keshav Maharaj engineered the second-innings collapse.

Phehlukwayo took three for 13 and Maharaj claimed five for 59, with stand-in captain AB de Villiers seemingly using his front-line fast bowlers sparingly so they could take advantage of the helpful conditions under floodlights. In the end they weren’t needed. —