Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    7
    16
    22
    1
    0
    43.75
    4.4 full and fast, 149kph and trapped in front! No review from Cook, he knows that was plumb... Starc finds his line and sends a searing attempted yorker into the pads, no big innings for Cook in his 150th Test (at least for now); too slow to get the bat down and his lean series continues 26/1
    37.5 ripping bouncer, Stoneman throws up the hands and is beaten... or is he? No, there was a flick of glove on it! Paine took a leaping catch and Australia quickly reviewed Erasmus' not-out decision, with Aleem Dar determining that a ripple on Snicko was evidence of contact. Erasmus has to reverse the call and up goes the finger, Stoneman's gutsy knock is over! That was a snorter, unlucky for the batsmen on several levels 131/4
    25.3 There's the (fatal) cover drive from Vince and he nicks it off with six minutes to go for lunch. Good length and hung up outside off, Vince can't restrain himself from having a crack at it. He wafts away from the body and feathers it behind to Paine. Vince loses his patience, Hazlewood reaps reward for keeping his patience 89/2
    32.4 gottim, tickled down the leg side! Root fails to calm the roiling waters as Cummins gets him again, 146kph and it just flicks the gloves on its way through as he looked to turn off his hip! What a way to go, a huge breakthrough for Australia 115/3
    106.5 It takes a terrific catch from the sub fielder - Handscomb - to end a terrific stand. Malan dares to step out and hit against the break over wide mid-on/midwicket. He is nowhere close to the pitch of this offbreak and ends up skewing it to backward point, where Handscomb judges it expertly and completes a sprawling catch - horizontal to the ground. The fifth-wicket stand ends at 237 - 18 shy of the all-time record for England 368/5
    119
    215
    319
    18
    0
    55.34
    111.2 Starc returns and floors the middle stump. This is pretty full - not quite a yorker - and jags back in. Bairstow aims for a leg-side flick, but doesn't account for the inward movement. The ball takes the inside edge and rattles the stumps. England have lost four wickets in six overs. Nonetheless, excellent innings from YJB 389/8
    107.2 Just like that Australia have plucked out two wickets in four balls! Cummins runs in hard, hits the pitch harder, and bounces out Moeen. This one bursts from a back of a length outside off, Moeen stays leg side of the ball and has a flirt at it. He winds up gloving it behind to Smith at wide-ish second slip 372/6
    110.5 Cummins runs in from long leg dives forward to snap up a smart catch. Good change-up from Hazlewood: he follows up a very full ball with a shorter one on the hips. Woakes shapes for a flick-pull but ends up flapping a catch to the man in the deep. Make that three wickets in five overs 389/7
    112.6 Fire and brimstone at the WACA! Accurate short ball, just over the chest, Overton sits back and aims to fend it off. Instead, he only loops it off the glove to Bancroft under the helmet short leg 393/9
    115.1 Starc bounces out Broad and wraps up England for 403. Broad ventures a long way across the off stump and aims to hook it over to long leg. Instead, he cue-ends a catch to forward short leg 403/10
    not out
    0
    7
    12
    0
    0
    0.00
    Extras
    14 (b 10, lb 2, nb 1, w 1)
    TOTAL
    403 all out (115.1 Overs, RR: 3.49)
    Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Alastair Cook, 4.4 ov), 2-89 (James Vince, 25.3 ov), 3-115 (Joe Root, 32.4 ov), 4-131 (Mark Stoneman, 37.5 ov), 5-368 (Dawid Malan, 106.5 ov), 6-372 (Moeen Ali, 107.2 ov), 7-389 (Chris Woakes, 110.5 ov), 8-389 (Jonny Bairstow, 111.2 ov), 9-393 (Craig Overton, 112.6 ov), 10-403 (Stuart Broad, 115.1 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    MA Starc25.159143.6100
    JR Hazlewood2899233.2801
    PJ Cummins2888423.0010
    NM Lyon2247313.3100
    MR Marsh914304.7700
    SPD Smith31802.6600
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    17.2 Overton spins around for an lbw appeal. Erasmus shoots it down. England challenge the on-field call. Sharp nip-backer from Overton, fuller; Bancroft plays around his front pad and misses the ball. There's a noise - he smacked his bat onto the pad. No bat on ball. Impact in line and that's crashing into the middle stump. Two for Overton in three overs. Root pumps fist and celebrates after his review proves sucessful 55/2
    13.2 Overton finds the outside edge again, Bairstow snaffles it. Good length, angling in towards off stump from around the wicket, then straightens away a touch. This is much closer to off stump and has Warner pinned to the crease. He jabs at it and nicks it off 44/1
    50
    123
    156
    8
    0
    40.65
    51.1 he's been given lbw! Khawaja has called for the review. Could height save him? Round the wicket, beats the inside edge, takes the back leg, very top of the pad flap. Looks like it touched the front pad first. Or is it an edge? Was given on-field, remember, so evidence has to be conclusive to change the decision. A lot of rock-and-rolling from the third umpire. Now they've gone to the tracker and it's umpire's call on impact and height! 179/3
    156.1 another review. Smith is hit on the pad in front of middle, just like Marsh. There were a couple of sounds. Umpire's said not out...there's no bat on the replay. And ball tracking says that's hitting! Decision overturned. A good review from England. Anderson was unsure, because of the sounds I reckon. Smith was playing down the wrong line as this one straightened from a middle stump line. He was right back in the crease as he is wont to do. England hitting the right spots this morning. Smith's highest score will read 239. An epic ends 560/6
    74.4 got him, edged to slip! Where did that come from...?! Two strokes of genius from Marsh, followed by a pallid poke and Moeen strikes, maybe turned a fraction and dollied off the outside edge to Root 248/4
    181
    236
    322
    29
    0
    76.69
    152.2 it looks like Anderson has trapped him right in front of middle stump. It's been given. It's also been reviewed. Slightly fuller length ball from the last one, nips back in a touch. Marsh sitting on the back foot and he's beaten on the inside edge. The reviews shows no edge...and tracking tells us that's clipping the top of the stumps for what will remain an umpire's call and that is an abrupt end to Marsh's innings 549/5
    not out
    49
    85
    133
    6
    0
    57.64
    156.6 oh dear Starc has messed this one up. Paine's blinded - he's just taken a big inswinger on the pad as he's looked to flick. It's flown towards gully as England make the appeal. Starc's called for the run, then realised there's no chance. Paine's halfway down when he gets the call for no. A bit of an empty stare between the batsmen before Starc decides it'll be him who takes the fall. England have a mere walk to clip the stumps at the striker's end 561/7
    177.6 we have another review for lbw. Another one that looks plumb too. It's an inswinger at middle stump, headed for leg. He looks to flick and can't get bat on it. It's given out. This is full and he hasn't moved too far forward. There is nothing to suggest and edge and ball tracking confirms this is hitting leg stump 654/8
    179.3 he's holed out and they've declared. Anderson goes full just outside off, Lyon clears the front leg and heaves for midwicket. Not quite the connection he hoped for. It's gone high and it's wobbly, but Moeen Ali is smart as he gets under it at mid-on 662/9
    Extras
    22 (b 4, lb 16, nb 1, w 1)
    TOTAL
    662/9d (179.3 Overs, RR: 3.68)
    Did not bat: JR Hazlewood
    Fall of wickets: 1-44 (David Warner, 13.2 ov), 2-55 (Cameron Bancroft, 17.2 ov), 3-179 (Usman Khawaja, 51.1 ov), 4-248 (Shaun Marsh, 74.4 ov), 5-549 (Mitchell Marsh, 152.2 ov), 6-560 (Steven Smith, 156.1 ov), 7-561 (Mitchell Starc, 156.6 ov), 8-654 (Pat Cummins, 177.6 ov), 9-662 (Nathan Lyon, 179.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    JM Anderson37.3911643.0901
    SCJ Broad35314204.0500
    CR Woakes41812813.1210
    C Overton24111024.5800
    MM Ali33412013.6300
    JE Root301304.3300
    DJ Malan611302.1600
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    7.3 lunges with his right hand out in his follow through and hangs on low! Cook's gone! As feeble as he's been all innings series. A full ball at middle stump, probably sticking into a crack. Stops on him a touch. But he's moving backwards, no weight going into the ball at all as he closes the face to push this through the leg side. Comes off the leading edge and it's a sharp catch 29/2
    1.5 got him! Elementary corridor bowling. He's taken it away from the crack, he's gotten it to rise, he's offered the pull and he's kept plugging it in. All in a span of five balls. Stoneman's thinking about a lot already and that leads to a lazy push at this length ball slanted across him. No feet, bat away from the body, taken by Paine 4/1
    55
    95
    117
    12
    0
    57.89
    29.5 absolute snorter! Angled in, pitched on middle, bit off the turf like a legbreak. Plucked out the timbers! Think Steyn to Vaughan at Port Elizabeth in 2004, it was a very special ball to end a valiant knock. No disgrace in getting out when well set this time for Vince. That was a beauty 100/4
    14.1 edged and taken at slip, Lyon strikes with his first ball! Smith had to readjust quickly to take the catch after it flicked Paine's gloves but he holds on - still plenty going right for the captain - and Australia dance around gleefully, another failure for Root and perhaps Engand's best chance of salvation has to drag himself off the field. Root was looking to be assertive, tried to drive and got done by one going straight on 60/3
    63.2 short and leg side, Malan swishes at a pull... and gloves through to the keeper! Erasmus puts up the finger and Malan walks! What a way to go, though credit to Hazlewood for the thorough frisking he gave Malan in the previous over. Saw the leg-side half-tracker and wanted to put it away, execution was wanting and Australia move a step closer to #ReturningTheUrn 196/7
    39.1 good to meet cha, off stump! Hazlewood tunnels under the bat, with a little help from the pitch as the ball straightens add keeps rather low after pitching. 133/5
    11
    56
    66
    2
    0
    19.64
    54.5 does him second time around! This looks a smidge quicker than the last ball, but everything else is the same. Pitches on a good length just outside off and slides on with the arm. Moeen plays for turn, gets beaten on the inside edge, struck in line with all three and walks off knowing not to review. 172/6
    72.5 short ball, Woakes tries to ramp, but can only feather through to the keeper! Job done, England have been rumbled and Australia have reclaimed the Ashes! They're into a huddle, jumping up and down as the WACA screen broadcasts the news, for the last time in contests such as these, that Australia have won and recaptured the urn! 218/10
    67.5 good length, straightening as Overton plays across the line - and well taken low at gully! Hazlewood has his five-for, Overton is extracted by another excellent delivery, although he helped out by closing the face, looping deflection off the shoulder of the bat and the Aussies erupt again! 210/8
    68.2 banged in short and Broad throws up the hands, gloved through to the keeper! Make that one wicket away! That's another good bouncer, Broad pretty much raises the white flag, there was a noise as it touched the glove and Cummins gets in amongst 'em. The Ashes are almost in Australian hands once again... 211/9
    not out
    1
    7
    27
    0
    0
    14.28
    Extras
    18 (b 6, lb 11, nb 1)
    TOTAL
    218 all out (72.5 Overs, RR: 2.99)
    Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Mark Stoneman, 1.5 ov), 2-29 (Alastair Cook, 7.3 ov), 3-60 (Joe Root, 14.1 ov), 4-100 (James Vince, 29.5 ov), 5-133 (Jonny Bairstow, 39.1 ov), 6-172 (Moeen Ali, 54.5 ov), 7-196 (Dawid Malan, 63.2 ov), 8-210 (Craig Overton, 67.5 ov), 9-211 (Stuart Broad, 68.2 ov), 10-218 (Chris Woakes, 72.5 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    MA Starc1754412.5800
    JR Hazlewood1864852.6600
    MR Marsh311404.6600
    PJ Cummins19.545322.6701
    NM Lyon1544222.8000

Close of Play

  • Thu, 14 Dec - day 1 - England 1st innings 305/4 (DJ Malan 110*, JM Bairstow 75*, 89 ov)
  • Fri, 15 Dec - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 203/3 (SPD Smith 92*, SE Marsh 7*, 62 ov)
  • Sat, 16 Dec - day 3 - Australia 1st innings 549/4 (SPD Smith 229*, MR Marsh 181*, 152 ov)
  • Sun, 17 Dec - day 4 - England 2nd innings 132/4 (DJ Malan 28*, JM Bairstow 14*, 38.2 ov)
  • Mon, 18 Dec - day 5 - England 2nd innings 218 (72.5 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

Comprehensive series wins

10

Number of times an Ashes series of 5+ Tests has been decided by the third Test. 9 of those have been wins for Australia; England's only such win was in 1928-29

WACA dominance

8

Number of successive Test wins for Aus v Eng at the WACA, starting 1991. The last time they didn't win was in 1986, when the Test was drawn

England's away woes

7

Number of away Tests England have lost in a row, which equals their worst streak. They also lost 7 in 1993-94; 3 in Ind, 1 in SL, and 3 in WI

Malan's WACA feat

4

England batsmen who have passed 50 in each innings in a WACA Test. The others, apart from Malan, are Pietersen (2006), Randall (1982), and Boycott (1970)

Lyon bosses Moeen

5

Number of times Nathan Lyon has dismissed Moeen Ali in this series. Moeen has scored 68 from 169 balls off him, for an average of 13.60

Bowler centuries

5

England bowlers who conceded 100 or more runs in Australia's 1st innings, only the eighth such instance in Test history, and the third for England

Top Scores for Aus in Aus

662

Runs made by Australia in this Test - Third highest score for Australia at home. The highest was 735 for 6 in 2003 also at Perth

Captain's knock

239

Runs scored by Steven Smith - Third highest score for a captain from Australia in an Ashes Test behind Bob Simpson and Don Bradman.

Mr Consistent

4

Consecutive years in which Smith has scored more than 1000 runs- Second cricketer to achieve this behind Mathew Hayden who did it five times between 2001-05.

Centurion Smith

108

Innings in which Steven Smith scored 22 Test centuries - Third quickest to this feat behind Don Bradman(58 innings) and Sunil Gavaskar(101 innings).

Warner at WACA

3

Centuries for Warner at the WACA . Before this innings he averaged 89.22 at this ground - Highest for Warner at a venue in Australia.

Double Trouble

1938

Last instance of a 200 run partnership for the fifth wicket for England against Australia. Compton and Paynter added 206 in Nottingham.

Strong Day 1 performance

305

Runs scored by England on Day 1 of A test in Australia - Highest since 2002 when they made 295 for 4 in Adelaide.

Maiden century

1

Century for David Malan in Tests. This is the first century for England in Australia since the 120 made by Ben Stokes at Perth in 2013.

Long time coming

2010

Last instance of England adding more than 100 runs for the fifth wicket in Australia. Pietersen and Bell added 116 in Adelaide.