England lose Ashes 3-0 after falling to defeat on third day in Melbourne

England surrendered the Ashes in embarrassing vogue in Melbourne blitzed for 68 all out of their second innings to droop 3-0 behind in simply 12 days of cricket.

A tour that has lurched from disappointment to disappointment actually since ball one – when Rory Burns misplaced his off stump – plumbed new lows as England capitulated on the third morning of the Boxing Day Check.

The ultimate margin of defeat, an innings and 14 runs, was an indictment on each stage given they’d restricted the hosts to a modest 267.

Veteran seamer Scott Boland, who was seventh alternative just some weeks in the past, was their unlikely destroyer claiming outstanding figures of six for seven as a procession of batters queued up to surrender their wickets.

There was no combat, no high quality and no respite as England resumed on 31 for 4 and misplaced their subsequent six for an additional 37, failing to even make Australia bat once more.

A lot of the harm had been performed on the second night, when 12 overs of shock and awe with the brand new ball, left them 31 for 4 and circling the drain of yet one more damaging defeat.

However they nonetheless had their high-class captain Joe Root on the again of his career-best yr and their a while miracle employee Ben Stokes on the crease, with two gamers preventing for his or her Check futures – Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler – nonetheless to come back.

None may summon a fightback worthy of the title. Root top-scored, as he virtually all the time does, however managed 28 and won’t be pleased with the way of his personal dismissal.

Stokes and Bairstow have been taken care of far too simply, with Buttler ending not out because the tail fell to items briefly order.

The continuation of the match had been unsure as a result of a Covid-19 outbreak within the England camp, which has now seen six constructive circumstances cut up between relations and backroom workers, however each squads acquired the all-clear and play started on schedule.

Regardless of the dramatics of the earlier night time, the place Pat Cummins, Mithcell Starc and hometown favorite Boland labored the MCG right into a frenzy, there was nonetheless a sliver of hope that the vacationers would possibly mount some type of fightback with Root and Stokes on the crease.

Salvaging the sport had lengthy since handed as a practical ambition however a few periods of metal weren’t inconceivable. Issues even began positively as three straight drives disappeared to the boundary, two from Stokes and one from his skipper.

However that was nearly as good because it received for a aspect who misplaced observe of how one can compete Down Underneath after 12 defeats from their final 13 Exams on Australian soil.

Stokes, whose much-anticipated comeback to the aspect has given little trigger for celebration, was gone for 11 when Starc fizzed one between bat and pad and nailed his center stump.

Jonny Bairstow was subsequent to the crease and he had a quick however torrid time.

He fended a ball simply in entrance of the cordon on three, was dropped by Cameron Inexperienced within the gully on 4 after which fell lbw for 5. It was essentially the most marginal of calls by umpire Paul Wilson in Scott Boland’s favour, however the shot was poor and at 60 for six England have been circling the drain of a dismal defeat.

Boland’s dream begin to life within the Dishevelled Inexperienced simply saved getting higher as England made his skill to pound out a difficult size round off stump appear to be an excellent energy.

Root turned simply the third participant in historical past to make 1,700 Check runs in a calendar yr, however hopes of going previous Viv Richards or Mohammad Yousuf faltered. He is not going to bear in mind the achievement fondly.

He aimed a half-hearted drive at a ball angled into the stumps and sprayed a catch to David Warner at slip.

Mark Wooden and Ollie Robinson each fell for nought – taking England’s duck tally in a depressing yr to a staggering 54, equalling their world file low from 1998. Boland took care of each, Wooden with a brisk caught and bowled whereas Robinson nicked off within the channel.

James Anderson did simply sufficient to ensure he wouldn’t make it 55 zeroes in 2021 however he didn’t linger lengthy, seeing his off stump flattened by Inexperienced, who thrust his arms out in celebration to kick off a celebration for the 40,000 followers in attendance.