England show fighting spirit
Stuart Broad ignited an England fightback on day two of the fourth Ashes test, helping bowl Australia out for 327 shortly after lunch.
Broad, who was retained in the tourists’ XI after several pundits called for his axing following a poor showing at the WACA, has snared 4-51 from 28 overs at the MCG.
Steve Smith, Tim Paine and Mitch Marsh all chopped on during the morning session, with a collapse of 7-67 underlining the risks involved with trying to up the run-rate on such a slow pitch.
Broad helped his side clean up the tail quickly. Pat Cummins, having been part of a wagging tail that helped Australia regain the urn with comfortable wins in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, became the veteran’s fourth victim in the first over after lunch.
The hosts’ innings ended during Jimmy Anderson’s second over of the post-lunch session, when Nathan Lyon was trapped lbw.
Smith lashed at a wide delivery outside off stump on 76 during the eighth over of the day. It reduced the skipper’s test average at the venue to 119 and handed debutant Tom Curran his maiden scalp.
Mitch Marsh was out to Chris Woakes for nine in near-identical fashion, while a mistimed pull shot ended Paine’s knock of 24.
Shaun Marsh, who has played a key role in Australia taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series, pushed Australia’s total
beyond 300. His knock of 61 started with England reviewing a Broad lbw shout and it ended, almost four hours later, the same way.
Broad pinned the left-hander with a full delivery, having attacked the stumps a lot more since the opening session of the game when he failed to contain centurion David Warner.
Jackson Bird was also trapped lbw by Broad.
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