Australia and England meet in the fourth Test of the Ashes series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 10:30am (AEDT).
Compliments of the season everyone and welcome to the home of Australian cricket and one of the most romantic days on the Australian sporting calendar.
Despite the Australians holding a series winning three-nil lead, there is never a truly ‘dead’ rubber between these two nations.
After the disaster of Perth, where England began the match so well with a more than competitive total on the board before succumbing to the constant pressure of the Australians, the visitors will need to show more fight against a confident home side.
Much pressure will sit on Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad’s shoulders, as both have been underwhelming in this series and skipper Joe Root has also disappointed.
The Australian attack has had the measure, and more, of the English batsmen and Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will look to continue that trend, albeit without their mate Mitchell Starc, who sits out with a heel injury.
The statistics across the board suggest that the Australians have utterly dominated this series, however, there have been moments and sessions where the English could have applied some telling pressure on the baggy green.
Sadly for the ‘poms’, this series has been a continuation of the world trend of home dominance in Test Series’ and on a special day for Australian cricket at the MCG, it will be hard for the visitors to reverse the patterns of the previous three matches.
With England potentially looking to make selection changes and with numerous players well off their best form, the locals will look to apply the blow-torch once again.
Prediction
The Boxing Day Test is far too important for the Australians to allow the English even a sniff in this one. Look for the most dominant performance of the series as a relaxed Australian team attacks mercilessly.
Catch all the action on The Roar live coverage from 10:30am (AEDT).
Don Freo
Guest
James, that was not true of Handscomb and Renshaw. You need a career to lock down a spot. You are looking for something that is not a thing.
Lester Logical
Guest
Well said bro.
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
Sois Malan is now the Pom's #1 spinner? Ali bowled buffet balls while Malan was pretty accurate.
I Worlds Biggest
Guest
Good days play, Aussies are ahead but have had to work very hard for there runs. Bancroft and Usie never looked particularly comfortable out there. Great knock Warner and used his luck to get another ton. Hopefully Smith and Marsh will continue long into tomorrow, it’s going to be a hot day so we need to occupy the crease for most of the day.
Fadida
Guest
3/244 gets Australia a mile ahead IMO
Jameswm
Guest
As usual England bowled well in patches, but were too short and negative.
Jameswm
Guest
Yeah - people who score 1 or 2 tons lock down the spot after 4 tests. People who score one 50 in 7 innings don’t.
Jameswm
Guest
Don’t judge the pitch till both teams have batted.
Rob
Guest
I'm not sure the wicket was as good to bat on as the experts predicted. It appeared to be even harder to play shots as the ball got older, with it not coming onto the bat. I don't understand why people are complaining about negative bowling and players not scoring at 3-4 an over? England doesn't have a menacing bowler and they are playing a patience game with defensive fields. Bowling one side of the wicket to a field is not bad bowling in my opinion. That's how they play the game. It's Test cricket and they're probable a little unlucky not to have picked up a couple more wickets during the days play. Bancroft toughed it out and anytime you get a 100+ opening stand you have done well. Warner had a good day and was lucky enough to bring up a good 100. Smith and Marsh have got Australia into a good position. Australia are in front by having England in the field all day only 3 down.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
I'm not surprised at the scarcity of wickets or the lack of bounce or the slow scoring. Bowling on a paddock does that. Did the curator leave the thatch on because tomorrow is going to be 32 and sunny in the afternoon? There was hardly anything extra for the bowlers when the second new ball was taken, so Root was probably justified in not taking it straight away. A disappointing pitch
Don Freo
Guest
This is his fourth test. No one locks down a spot in 4 tests.Obvious. He is just not deserving of the negatives. Far more of what Australia wants in that partnership than what Australia doesn't want.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Australia probably has their nose just in front of England after the first days play in the fourth Ashes Test. Early in the day, it appeared the pitch would be a paradise for batsmen and with David Warner making an excellent century, the Australians seemed to have the English at their mercy. After a rather tragic not out decision that robbed England of Warner's wicket, when footage showed that debutante Curran had bowled a no ball, Warner was able to convert, however, when he fell just three runs later and on the back of Cameron Bancroft's earlier dismissal, the game took on an interesting shape. The second session belonged to England as they starved the Australians of runs and eventually snared Khawaja as well. Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh steadied the ship and fought though to stumps without many risks and the Joe Root's decision to deny his bowlers the new ball was odd. All in all, it was a good days play and a pitch potentially a little less productive than the pundits had predicted. I'll be back for day two tomorrow. Join me on the Roar for full coverage.
doogs
Guest
I totally feel your grief. I really don't understand why he is criticised so often.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Stumps No run off the last ball of the day and play is done for the first day of the fourth Test. Score: 3/244
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Two balls remain in the days play. No run as Smith defends.
Over: 88.5 Score: 3/244
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Smith defends again.
Over: 88.4 Score: 3/244
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Smith defends again.
Over: 88.3 Score: 3/244
Stuart Thomas
Expert
No run off the first two balls.
Over: 88.2 Score: 3/244
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Anderson starts a new over.
Over: 88.1 Score: 3/244
Stuart Thomas
Expert
No run.
Over: 88.0 Score: 3/244