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Ashes 2002/3 | Australia v England 4th Test | Melbourne
Australia
v England M.C.G Melbourne, 26 - 30th December 2002
Result: Australia
Won by 5 wickets
Umpires
: R Tiffin (ZI) and D Orchard (SA)
Match
Reports : Day
1; Day
2; Day
3 - Day
5 - Scorecard
Toss:
Australia
Australia
knocks the stuffing out of a sorry England
Going into the fourth Test with only four recognised
bowlers against the strongest batting side currently
playing Test cricket was a major mistake and it didn't
take long for the tourists to realise their predicament.
With
Alec Stewart deemed unfit for the Test, England had
little option but to give Foster a recall and due
to his ability in the batting department, John Crawley
was also brought in at the expense of a fast bowler.
The bowling attack consisted of Caddick (who has yet
to prove himself to me on this tour), Craig White
(a bowler who has certainly improved this series),
Harmison (still finding his way but a good prospect)
and Dawson (out of his depth in test cricket).
In
fairness, despite not taking any wickets in the first
session, England played well in the field to restrict
Australia to a little under three runs an over in
the two hours of play. Langer was the more circumspect
of the two openers throughout his innings.
 Both
openers hit centuries in what was really a one sided
affair in the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne. Ponting
and Martyn both failed but when Steve Waugh came in
to bat at the fall of the third wicket, the crowd
rose as one and the Australian hit back at the critics
calling for his retirement.
In
13 overs after lunch, Hayden and Langer ripped England
apart scoring 95 runs to take the game away from the
touring side. Hayden hit three big sixes and 10 fours
in his cavalier innings, easily the more aggressive
of the two.
When
Hayden fell to a Crawley catch at mid off, Caddick
the grateful bowler, the pair had shared a 195 partnership
for the first wicket. Langer reached his deserved
century in style with a big six going from 91 to 101
in two shots.
With
both Martyn and Ponting failing on what was a comfortable
wicket, the pressure was on Australian captain Steve
Waugh to deliver the goods and deliver he did with
a magnificent 62 not out at stumps.
 Hussain
showed little respect to his opposite captain when
he gave easy singles to Langer to give the strike
to the 'out of form and under pressure' captain. Waugh
answered in the only way he knew how by hitting 12
fours in his 78 ball innings. It was as if Waugh had
turned back the clock on his career and was under
pressure to score runs for what has been a long time.
He
hit Butcher (5 overs costing 34 runs, one of them
a maiden) out of the attack with three successive
fours in one over. Butcher was brought on to give
Harmison and Caddick a rest before the new ball was
due but due to the shoddy bowling, Hussain had little
option but to bring back his strike bowlers early.
Both
Langer (146 not out) and Waugh (62 not out) shared
in a 91 run partnership at stumps and will aim to
increase the partnership and lead tomorrow.
For
England; the only positive thing to come out of the
first day was Harmison. He bowled with heart and determination
not seen on the tour so far. England will be looking
more towards him tomorrow and unless they get the
early breakthrough will struggle to cope with the
mighty Australian batting line up.
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