England hit back with Warner, Marsh wickets on final day

Image
AFP Melbourne
Last Updated : Dec 30 2017 | 9:20 AM IST
England hit back with two key wickets as they chased victory in the fourth Ashes Test on the final day in Melbourne on Saturday.
After two painstaking hours of slow scoring, the tourists grabbed the wickets of David Warner and Shaun Marsh in the final half-hour to dramatically improve their chances of pulling off their first win in an already-decided series.
At lunch, Australia were 178 for four and leading by just 14 runs with skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 50 after Marsh was out in the final over of the morning session.
Warner had looked set for his 22nd Test hundred and second century of the Test match before he attempted to slog the second ball of Joe Root's first over.
The ball, pitched into the foot marks, skewed into the air and James Vince took a comfortable catch in the covers to give Root the perfect gift on his 27th birthday.
Warner dropped his head realising he had botched a golden chance to claim his Test twin centuries for a fourth time in his career.
The normally adventurous opener had played with great circumspection to keep England at bay, 301 minutes and 227 balls in his slowest Test innings.
It also ended a 107-run stand with Smith, which helped Australia wipe out the innings deficit.
More drama came in the final over when Marsh edged Stuart Broad to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, who took a splendid catch for four.
It was painful going early on with Warner and Smith adding just 35 runs in the 75 minutes to drinks as the Australians dug in to save the Test on the final day.
But the momentum swung back to England with the double breakthrough nearing lunch.
Groundstaff rushed to cover the wicket when rain fell during the luncheon interval.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 30 2017 | 9:20 AM IST

Next Story