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Former players slam ‘unfair’ MCG pitch

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of movement to look threatening” while ex-Australian pacer Glenn McGrath said it had too much grass. “That pitch has too much life in it for Test cricket. It was 10mm of grass when I think 7mm would have been better, but I think he (the groundsman) was more con cerned with what was happening on days three, four and five,” McGrath said. However, he also said the con ditions could favour England later on when they bat for a second time. “The weather is getting warmer, which will have an impact on top of the rollers,” he added. “So it could get to the stage where England are batting in the fourth innings in the best batting conditions of the match.” – Reuters

ters,” Vaughan told BBC . “The pitch has done plenty. There’s been plenty of movement out there. “It’s not been easy for both sides but I don’t like seeing a pitch do so much.” Another ex-captain and open ing batter Alastair Cook was equally unimpressed and said it was “not a great Test match wicket” as England were dismissed in just 29.5 overs. “I think it was an unfair contest. Could both sides have battled slightly better? Yes, but I was watching some of that bowling and I don’t know how you face that,” Cook told TNT Sports . Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad said the pitch was “doing too much” and that Test bowlers “don’t need this amount

AS 20 wickets fell on the first day of the fourth Ashes test on Friday, the carnage prompted sharp criticism from former England cricketers who questioned whether the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground offered a fair contest. Ex-England skipper Michael Vaughan said the record crowd of 94,199 at the MCG were “royally entertained” as they watched the most wickets to fall on the first day of an Ashes test since 1909 but slammed the pitch after both line ups crumbled in spectacular fash ion. England won the toss and elected to field, bowling out Australia for 152 before the visitors were dismissed for 110. “We’re always looking for a fair balance between bat and ball. I thought that was unfair for the bat

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England win chaotic Test

England’s Ben Stokes (left) and Harry Brook run between the wickets during the Fourth Test of the Ashes series against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

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Lions snaps 15-year Ashes losing streak to restore battered pride

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A FIGHTING England won their first Test on Australian soil in 15 years yesterday, restoring their battered pride with a gutsy four wicket victory to clinch a chaotic fourth Ashes clash that was all over inside two days. The pumped-up tourists dismissed Australia for 132 soon after lunch in front of a bumper 92,045 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, following the 20 wickets that tumbled on day one. It left them chasing 175 to win, with Harry Brook unbeaten on 18 and Jamie Smith on three seeing them home for the loss of six wickets to huge roars from their travelling “Barmy Army” of fans. Jacob Bethell contributed 40 and Zak Crawley 37. “A good feeling, a tough tour up to now,” said England skipper Ben Stokes. “After the build-up to the Test, a lot thrown our way, to put in a performance on the back of all that, and beat a very good Australian team, a lot of credit has to go to players, staff and management for keeping the

then strode to the middle as a surprise number three in place of Bethell. But England’s pinch-hitting experiment failed as Carse lasted only eight balls before skying Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green. Crawley fell lbw to Scott Boland after a gritty knock and Bethell was caught by Usman Khawaja from the same bowler. Richardson trapped Joe Root lbw for 15 and Starc accounted for Ben Stokes for two, but by then only 10 runs were needed and Brook and Smith completed the job. “It was a tricky one, a quick game,” said Australia captain Steve Smith. “If we had got 50-60 more in both innings then things might have been different. The wicket played as expected, but once the ball softened, it didn’t quite behave the way I’d hoped. “When you see 36 wickets fall in two days, that probably tells you it did a bit more than intended,” he added of the MCG pitch. – AFP

focus on cricket. Very proud. We showed bravery and were courageous.” England crashed in the first three Tests and came to Melbourne under enormous pressure amid questions about their limited preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break. But they finally came good and will head to Sydney for the fifth and final Test brimming with confidence. England had not won a Test in Australia since January 2011 at Sydney, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Ben Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak – play ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style. Duckett hit a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over while Crawley slammed Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive balls. They brought up a whirlwind fifty opening partnership but next ball Duckett was bowled by a Starc yorker for 34. Fast bowler Brydon Carse

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