English team bounced back strongly from the third test defeat and is in top gear. Their bowlers and batsmen have played extremely well and now Australia needs another 246 runs to avoid an innings defeat against England at the end of the third day’s play
of the Boxing Day test.
It seems that England was sent to Australia this year by her majesty with a license to kill and they are using it with perfection.
England recovered very well in the first test after a dream spell by Peter Siddle and took the game away from the Australians. In the second test match, England destroyed the Australian side in all departments. In the third test match, the Australian side
came back like a wounded tiger and was able to shake the English side. Englishmen accepted the defeat and in the fourth test they have tamed that wounded tiger.
On day one, English bowlers ran through the Australian batting line and reduced them to a minor total of 98. The English side came back strong with the bat and by the end of day one they were at 157 for no loss. Day two was also dominated by English batsmen
who pilled on the lead of England. At the end of day two England was 444/5.
Day three of this important test witnessed a record number of attendances for this test, even more than the Boxing Day. The official attendance was 68.733. The people came flocks to witness some good quality test cricket.
England started the day with Jonathan Trott on 141 and Matt Prior on 75 not-out. They English side was in a promising position to add at least two hundred more to the lead. The Australian bowlers bowled their heart out in MCG and put the breaks on the visitors.
Peter Siddle the hero from the first test rose again on the call of his captain and took a 6 wicket haul to dismiss the English side for 513. Jonathan Trott finished unbeaten on an impressive, well timed, well constructed 168. His strike rate was not high
but he held the innings from his end and helped in the huge total posted by England. England took a lead of 415 runs before handing the batting to the home side.
With this massive lead, England made sure that Australia is not in a position to go for a win and all they had to do was to get ten wickets and there is ample time available to the bowlers.
The Australians started the batting in style. Both the openers Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes batted really well. The timing of the ball was perfect. They played shots all around the ground and managed to keep the ball on the ground. Australia truly learned
from there mistakes in the first innings where they failed to keep the ball down. The drives were a delight to the batting fans. Just when the things were looking good, disaster struck and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Phillip-Hughes-c2185 who was looking so good got involved in a run out. After
this unfortunate incident, the skipper Ricky Ponting joined the crease. He was looking good and played some lovely drives. At one point when the score was 99, things were looking good for the home side.
Tim Bresnan decided that it is show time and took three very important wickets at this crucial time. Tim Bresnan dismissed Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.
This set the foundation of the English victory and they eyed an innings victory.
At the end of the days play Australia was 169 for 6 and technically speaking the visiting side just needs to take 3 more wickets for victory as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s Ryan Harris is unlikely to bat with his injury.
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