Alastair Cook’s unbeaten century drives England’s strong fightback
FORMER SKIPPER ENDS A DROUGHT OF 10 INNINGS WITHOUT A HALF-CENTURY BY BRINGING UP HIS 32ND TEST TON
ALASTAIR Cook’s unbeaten century on the back of Stuart Broad’s four-wicket haul put England in a strong position against Australia on the second day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne yesterday.
Having lost the first three
Tests and surrendered the Ashes, England bounced back strongly with Cook and Broad silencing critics who questioned their place in the side.
As Australia resumed on 244/3, Broad picked up 4/ 51 to send the host crashing to 327 all out. He was aided by James Anderson, his newball partner who ended with figures of 3/61.
Cook then took charge, ending a drought of 10 innings without a half-century by bringing up his 32nd Test ton.
At the close of play, England was 192/2 and trailing by 135 runs. Cook was unbeaten on 104 and Joe Root, the captain, provided support on 49 in a 112-run partnership.
Cook was dropped on 66 by a juggling Steve Smith, the rival ON SATURDAY Bernie Turton set down a solid foundation on the opening nine, a net 30 for 24 points. Nineteen points in the second nine saw him return an unmatched 43 points total and a win in the Cub competition.
Brenton Marthinus was the runner-up on 41 points. The final prize was won by birthday boy Kevin Antill on 40 points.
Snowball draw
A count-out on 22 points placed Parks Mashabao first and Daryll Alexander second in the Sun Flamingo Niner on Friday. Peter Salo was third, alone on 20 points.
Derrick Dobson and Shane Arthur were fourth and fifth, each on 20 points.
The absence of Marlene Posthumus raised the snowball draw to R3 900 for Friday December 29.
Nico Ross, with two successful powerplay options on the first and the fifth, returned 26 captain, at first slip off Mitchell Marsh.
But apart from the drop, he looked in control for the most part of his innings, despite having scored just 83 runs in his previous six innings of the series.
Cook and Mark Stoneman started the innings solidly before Nathan Lyon dismissed the latter for 15 with a one-handed catch to his right off his own bowling.
Josh Hazlewood then trapped James Vince leg before wicket for 17, though there was no further joy for Australia as Cook and Root dug in.
Incredible run
Earlier in the day, Smith’s incredible run in Melbourne came to an end as the visitor bowled out Australia just after lunch, taking the last seven wickets for 67 runs.
Smith had not been dismissed in a Melbourne Test match since Boxing Day Test in 2014 and was looking good for his third century of the series on a batsman-friendly MCG pitch. In the last three Boxing Day Tests, Smith scored 192 against India, 134 not out against Windies points for a comfortable win in the KWV Powerplay Niner on Thursday.
Tenderson Manyetsa posted a big six on the fourth and 22 points in total finish second on the day. Andries Kori was third on 21 points, sans a powerplay.
Outside of the prize winners Machiel Cronjé recorded an eight-pointer on the first, while Herbie Woodbridge and Dave Wilson each claimed a big six.
The top scores in Wednesday’s Leon’s House of Liquor sponsored IPS competition reflected little of the discomfort of the hollow tyne.
Bernie Bennett was first on 39 individual stableford points.
B Schoeman and J Kriek were second and third, each on 38 points.
THE COMING WEEK
There will be a Thursday KWV Niner today, a Friday Sun Flamingo Niner followed by the R3 900 snowball draw tomorrow and a Saturday Competition with morning and afternoon times available. and an unbeaten 165 last year against Pakistan.
By the end of his innings, Smith had scored 502 runs in the series at a Bradmanesque average of 125.50.
It was an overdue slice of luck for Curran, who had David Warner caught on 99 on the first day only to have the dismissal overturned for an overstepping no-ball.
Warner was eventually dismissed for 103.
England benefitted from its tactic of bowling wide outside offstump when Mitchell Marsh also dragged on a Chris Woakes delivery for nine.
Shaun Marsh was trapped leg before wicket for 61 by Broad. The batsman chose to review the decision only to see the on-field decision being upheld.
Tim Paine became the third batsman to drag on to his stumps for 24 off Anderson, while Jackson Bird was trapped in front by Broad for four.
Broad then dismissed Cummins for four, caught in the slips, before Anderson ended the innings by getting Lyon out lbw for a duck.
African News Agency AT LONG LAST: Alastair Cook of England reacts after scoring a century on day two of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday.