CatAshtrophe For Australia
Australia went into the fourth Ashes Test with the public believing they could fight back and win the Ashes. Now those dreams look to have gone up in smoke after a dismal opening day in the fourth Ashes test at the MCG.
Australia was sent into bat on a slightly green wicket and the English bowlers made the most of the conditions with a little help from poor shot selection from the Australians.
At the end of the day Australia had slumped to be all out for a miserable 98 runs. To make matters worse England came out and replied with 157 for the loss of no wickets.
England can now build a match winning lead and rub the nose of the Australians into the dirt. The Ashes look set to be staying with England.
Early in the opening innings Australia looked to have luck on their side as Shane Watson was dropped twice while still yet to score. Unfortunately he did not take advantage of this and he was soon dismissed for five after Chris Tremlett got a ball to hit high and the bat and go to Kevin Pietersen for an easy catch. Pietersen would have been relieved after not long before having dropped Watson.
Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting was next to come to the crease. With all the pressure on him to finally get a good score in this series he again failed. This time he again failed to trouble the English team and he was dismissed for 10. Just before Ponting was dismissed Phil Hughes had gone for 16.
Now Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey were at the crease. Hussey had managed to save Australia’s innings quite a few times in the previous Ashes test matches but not this time. He was out to James Anderson, the first of his four wickets that ripped Australia’s middle order apart. Hussey was gone for 8.
Next Steve Smith came and went for five. With Australia on 77 runs it was good bye to Clarke for 20, Haddin for 5 and Mitchell Johnson for a duck.
Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle managed to score 10 not out and 11 to slightly boost the scoring but in the end Australia was all out for just 98 runs. That was the lowest Ashes test score by Australia at the MCG in its 133-year history. A dark day for the Aussies.
England at 0-157 can now take their time and build a match and Ashes winning lead. Even the most optimistic Australian supporter would have trouble seeing their team coming back from this dark day.
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