Visitors come back strongly at MCG Test
Melbourne: Alastair Cook (104 batting, 166b, 15×4) hit a long-awaited century and Stuart Broad (4/51) ended his wickets drought as England’s much-maligned old guard finally enjoyed a day to remember in the Ashes series at the MCG here, Wednesday.
At 0-3 down after three Tests, the Ashes urn is already lost to Australia but Cook and Broad showed their careers are not over yet after critics had questioned their place in the England team.
In scorching heat here, England bowled out the Australians for 327, with 113-Test paceman Broad producing his best bowling performance in more than a year. Cook then ended a 10-innings stretch without a half century, the longest drought of his 151-Test career, to claim his 32nd Test ton.
At close, England were 192 for two and trailing by 135 runs with Cook, playing in an English-record 34th consecutive Ashes Test looking well settled at the crease. Giving him company was skipper Joe Root (49 batting, 105b, 6×4). The two so far have put on an unfinished 112-run stand for the third wicket.
Cook had a huge and symbolic let-off on 66 when rival skipper Steve Smith put down a two-handed chance after a couple of grabs at the ball in the slips off Mitchell Marsh.
But apart from the drop, it was more like the former captain’s signature batting after just 83 runs in his previous six innings of the series.
The Australians claimed two wickets with Josh Hazlewood trapping James Vince leg before wicket for 17 and Mark Stoneman out to a blinding one-handed return catch by spinner Nathan Lyon for 15.
England earlier ended Steve Smith’s incredible three-year unbeaten run at the MCG as they bowled out the hosts for 327 just after lunch, claiming the last seven wickets for 67 runs.
Debutant Tom Curran celebrated his first Test wicket as Smith chopped a short, wide delivery on to his stumps on 76, early on the second day.
England got more return for bowling wide of the stumps when Mitchell Marsh also dragged on a Chris Woakes delivery for nine after his 181 in the third Test in Perth. His elder brother, Shaun (61, 148b, 8×4) lost a leg before wicket review to Stuart Broad.
Tim Paine (24) became the third batsman to chop on to his stumps in the session off James Anderson (3/61), while Jackson Bird fell lbw to Broad for four.
Cummins was snapped up at slip off Broad for four, before Lyon was lbw to Anderson for a duck to end the Australian innings.
Brief scores: Australia 327 (Steve Smith 76, Stuart Broad 4/51, James Anderson 3/61); England 192 for two (Alastair Cook 104 batting, Joe Root 49 batting). Match to continue.
Broad holds no grudge for critics
England fast bowler, Stuart Broad said he didn’t hold a grudge against critics who called for him to be dropped after he ended a poor run of form with four wickets in the fourth Ashes Test here, Wednesday.
The Nottinghamshire seamer had been under fire from detractors – including former England captain Michael Vaughan – after his career-worst 0-142 at Perth.
Broad admitted he was too defensive in Perth, where he was more concerned about conceding runs than taking wickets, and said just a subtle mental adjustment had put him back on track.
“I think every time you step on to the field you’re pretty much playing for your career, that’s the pressure of international cricket,” Broad said.
“You never know how things will go, you just need to focus on making sure that your mindset’s right, your work ethics are right to make sure you’re doing everything to be at your best.
“I’ve gone to the place that you have to go to as a sportsman sometimes where you find something within yourself and you get support from people around you and you build yourself back up again,” added the fast bowler.
But Broad also said he ‘deserved’ criticism and held no animosity towards those, including Vaughan.
“Things happen and can change really quickly in sport and I’ve always had this appreciation that people are just doing their jobs,” Broad pointed out.
“You’ve got to say your opinion, you’ve got to be critical at times and I deserve criticism after the Perth Test defeat for sure. I am not going to hold any grudges because at the end of the day in 15 years’ time I might be doing the same, not six months,” he quipped with a smile.