After losing four wickets in the last hour of Day 2, England were expected to lose the match comprehensively but many would not have expected in the manner they did. Starting the Day 3 at 31/4, England could add only 37 runs on the board and got bundled out. The visitors could not even get rid of the 82-run lead Australia took after first innings. With getting 68 all out in the first session itself, England lost the match by an innings and 14 runs.
Yet another collapse
It was Mitchell Starc who opened the floodgates on Day 3. Ben Stokes and Root were trying to do some damage control after 12 overs of poor batting display on the previous day. But Starc got rid of his nemesis once again by beating him with the swing and disturbing the woodwork. Jonny Bairstow tried to stitch a partnership with the skipper but Scott Boland trapped him in front of the wickets to start another collapse. Soon after Root followed went back to the dressing room after edging one to David Warner in the slips.
Jos Buttler remained stranded on the other end as Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson got out without troubling the scorers. All-rounder Cameron Green too joined the party and got the last wicket of James Anderson as Australia retained the Ashes with three consecutive wins.
Lowest in 117 years
68 all out is England’s lowest total at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 117 years. England have been bundled out for 61 twice at the venue in 1902 and 1904. Also, both totals were in the second innings. It is also England’s fifth-lowest total in Ashes history on Australian soil.
Boland’s unreal numbers
Boland ended the match with six wickets for just seven runs. His 6/7 bowling figures are the best by an Australian bowler on Test debut in Australia since 1895. Albert Trott took eight wickets for 43 runs at Adelaide Oval 126 years ago. He took just 3.1 overs to get his maiden Test fifer.
Shades of 2006-07
After the iconic Ashes 2005 that rekindled the rivalry, the Ashes 2006-07 turned out to be an one-sided affair. England were beaten badly in every single Test as Australia asserted their dominance on Andrew Flintoff-led side. This time around the Ashes 2021-2022 was played after a closely-fought Ashes 2019 which included Stokes’ Headingley heist, Smith’s unreal consistency and many other performances that made the series interesting.
