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Australia decimate England in monster defeat

High fives all round for Mitchell Johnson as he tore through the English line-up. (AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER JOE)
Roar Pro
19th July, 2015
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Australia has gotten themselves right back into the Ashes series, with an emphatic win over England that took just four days.

Australia looked to make quick runs early on day four, and Rogers and Warner got off to another good start.

Rogers made it to 49, before he suddenly fell ill, with what looked like a dizzy spell, possibly from a head knock he suffered earlier in the Test.

SECOND ASHES TEST – FULL SCORECARD

He was forced to retire hurt, which brought Smith to the field at 0/114.

He and Warner started to pick up the pace, putting on 51 runs before Cook took a screamer from Warner, who tried to bludgeon Ali through cover, dismissing him for 83.

Smith’s quick-fire cameo ended in the 43rd over, when he came charging at Ali and took an air swing, the ball going on to clatter into off stump.

This brought Mitch Marsh out to the field, with hopes to push the lead out past the 500 mark.

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Clarke and Marsh did just that, with Marsh hitting back-to-back sixes off Ali to put the lead at 508, with Clarke declaring with about three overs left before lunch.

Cook and Lyth managed to weather the storm before lunch, though not without a couple of appeals, and Lyth managed to avoid getting a pair of ducks at the home of cricket.

They went to lunch at 0/7.

Starc combined with Nevill to end Adam Lyth’s match in the second over after lunch, being caught behind for seven.

Starc was replaced by Johnson for the next over at the Pavilion end – an unusual change which delivered immediate results.

Cook was looking solid, though he failed to last, being tempted into a drive by Johnson, which nicked the outside edge, Nevill comfortably taking the catch and sending Cook off for 11.

It was eight overs later when Marsh took his first wicket for the innings, Ballance nicking to Nevill, heading back after making 14.

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It was fairly quiet for the next few overs, the score was creeping along, but it never looked like Root or Bell was about to start hitting out.

Lyon got the next wicket, Bell playing a forward defensive shot that popped up to short leg, caught comfortably by substitute Shaun Marsh.

A magnificent piece of fielding from Johnson saw Stokes run out for a duck, when Johnson got a direct hit on middle stump.

England resumed at 5/64, but within one electrifying over it became 7/64.

The very first ball after tea was a length ball edged to Nevill by Buttler, dismissing the opposite wicketkeeper for 11.

Three balls later Ali was sent packing, Shaun Marsh again being put to work at short leg, with Ali mistiming a pull shot, popping up nicely for Marsh and sending Ali out for a duck.

Prior to the first over back, Johnson’ figures were remarkable, having taken 1/11 off seven overs.

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After that over, his figures became outstanding, going up to 3/11 from eight overs, finishing the over as a double-wicket maiden.

Lyon was supporting well, and Johnson continued to intimidate in the following over, Stuart Broad looking vulnerable to Johnson’s barrage.

Broad and Root started to make some bigger shots, and England finally got past the 100-run mark, before Broad scooped the ball to Adam Voges, departing for 25 off 17.

Josh Hazlewood finally got rewarded for his excellent performance, clean bowling Joe Root, who only made 17 from 44 balls during his 80 minutes on the field.

Hazlewood finished off the English innings, bowling Wood for two.

England’s capitulation was astounding, all out for 103, in only 37 overs. Australia won by a monstrous 405 runs, the third largest defeat for England against Australia.

Australia played like a completely different team compared to Cardiff, but I don’t think anyone could’ve expected such a convincing victory.

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One of the most concerning statistics England have to consider after this innings is that top scorer Stuart Broad made only 25.

For a bowler to be the top scorer in what was already a huge run chase shows how poorly the English top order performed, and demonstrated the excellence of an on-song Australian bowling attack.

The English selectors will have to take a long, hard look at their batting line-up if they want to avoid another shocking performance with the bat, and keep their Ashes chances alive.

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