CRICKET
Day 4: Aussies need just 6 wickets to win
Australia is very close to another victory in this series as they require only 6 wickets on day 5 to make take 2-0 lead in the series.
England can only wish for a miracle right now to save the match.
Australia will look to wrap up things as quickly as possible tomorrow.
Australia 1st innings 473-9 Dec
Labuschagne 103 Stokes 3-113 Warner 95 Anderson 2-58 Smith 93 Robinson 1-45
England 1st innings 236 all-out
Malan 80 Starc 4-37 Root 62 Lyon 3-58 Stokes 34 Green 2-24
Australia 2nd innings 230-9 Dec
T. Head 51 Root 2-27 Labuschagne 51 Malan 2-33 Green 33* Robinson 2-54
England 2nd innings 82-4
Burns 34 Richardson 2-17 Root 24 M. Neser 1-7 Malan 20 M. Starc 1-21
England is on the verge of another loss in this series.
England’s biggest hope, Joe Root was dismissed in the last over of the day as he nicked the ball in Starc’s over that went straight into the keeper’s hands.
It was the last over the day and the play was called off after his dismissal.
England is 4 down on 82 runs at the end of day 4.
Good start by England with the ball
Australia continued their innings today from their overnight score of 45-1.
England made a great start with the ball as they picked up 3 early wickets.
First of all James Anderson clean bowled the night-watchman Neser and in the very next over Stuart Broad got the wicket of Harris who was given caught behind.
After a brilliant start by the senior fast bowlers in the first hour, the young Robinson picked up the big wicket of Steve Smith.
Labuschagne-Head stand
Australia was struggling a little a bit on 55-4 but Labuschagne and Head fought back with their brilliant 5th wicket partnership.
Both Labuschagne and Head scored crucial half-centuries and they helped their side to set a big target of 468 runs on the board for England to chase.
Green remained unbeaten on 33 runs as Australia declared their innings on 230-9.
The part-time spinners: Root and Malan picked up 2 wickets each.
Robinson also picked up 2 wickets.
Both the senior bowlers, Stuart Broad and James Anderson bowled brilliantly but they were only able to dismiss only 1 batter each.
England was given a target of 468 runs to chase in 4 sessions.
England again started badly as they lost their opener, Haseeb Hameed on a duck in the second over of the innings.
Hameed was dismissed by Jhye Richardson on a very good delivery.
Finally, Rory Burns got a good start today and he made an important partnership of 44 runs with David Malan.
Sadly, Burns again failed to capitalise on the good start as he was also dismissed by Richardson on 34 runs.
Malan was looking good but he was given LBW on a good delivery bowled by the debutant Neser.
All the hopes were once again on the skipper Joe Root.
He played superbly in the last part of the day but he struggled hard after getting hit by Starc.
Root showed some brilliant fighting spirit but in the last, over of the day, he got an edge that went into the wicketkeeper hands.
Australia will be very happy after the last ball wicket of Root and they will be feeling much relaxed now.
England will have to survive the whole day tomorrow to save the game but it is looking almost impossible for them to turn back things right now.