My picks of the fourth day:
After just under an hour's play on day four, Ryan Harris took the stump and honours of this match with his best record of six wickets for only 47 runs this innings, nine in the match, same as Mitchell Johnson (6-38 + 3-44), who missed out on the chance of taking ten in the match.
England have fallen and failed hard with the bat in this match, no batsman really turning up or making a match of it, 187 and 123 all out. Australia won emphatically by 267 runs to level the series 1-1 with two matches left and regaining a lot of confidence. Next is Christmas, then the fourth Test kicks off on Boxing Day in Melbourne, the contest back on.
Australia v England third Test fourth day as it happened
- Michael Clarke is debutising for Australia this morning, as skipper Ricky Ponting is out with a fracture on his left hand (little fingers) which he got with the last ball of the day yesterday, with Paul Collingwood's wicket, the ball deflecting/bouncing off his hand and to the wicket keeper. England need a miracle on 81-5, 310 behind, with nightwatchman James Anderson at the crease, Ian Bell joining him.
- Mitchell Johnson kicks off day four for Australia, 5 runs from the over, 85-5.
- New man Ian Bell faces Ryan Harris at the other end, off the mark with a boundary, England cruising 89-5, ha, Anderson on 3, Bell on 4. Australia need 5 wickets to win, England need 302 runs.
- 89-3 after 3 overs on the day, 30 of the innings, runrate just under 3.
- Harris appeals for lbw against Bell, looks way too high, the ball nipping the top of the batsman's pad, not even worth contemplating. Bell hits a boundary off the next ball. Single. WICKET, Anderson is bowled for 3 for 14, England 94-6, the nightwatchman gone, Matt Prior on, joins Bell who is on 9 off 10, a record partnership needed for England. 94-6 at the end of that over.
- A maiden over by Johnson v Bell.
- New man Prior faces Harris at the other end. A six sees England pass 100, cheeky one behind him by Prior. 10 off the over in total, England 104-6.
- Third boundary of the morning for Bell, England 111-6. 30 runs off 7 overs this morning and one wicket.
- Bell given out lbw 16 off 23 to a full straight delivery, gambles on a review, DEAD OUT, the ball would have knocked out the middle stump, Harris has struck again, career best figures for him with 4 wickets for 41 wickets, England 111-7. Graeme Swann is on and off the mark straight away. And Harris gets his maiden Test FIVE-WICKET-HAUL, Prior caught at gully, out for 10, England 114-8 and collapsing. Chris Tremlett on. Figures of 10-1-44-5 for Harris. England finish the over 114-8, trailing by 277.
- Swann swings the ball over the keeper. OUT next ball for 9 off 5, beaten by a short ball, inside edge onto the stumps, England 120-9. Johnson needs one more wicket to reach 10 in the match. Australia need one more to win. Steven Finn on. 120-9 at the end of the over. The card makes sorry reading for England, Jonathan Trott top scorer with 31.
- Harris finishes England off, Finn caught at slip, OUT for 2 off 7, England 123 all out, Australia win by 267 runs and level the series 1-1 with two matches left and regaining a lot of confidence. After just under an hour's play on day four, Harris takes the stump and honours of this match with his best record of six wickets this innings, nine in the match, same as Johnson who missed out on the chance of taking ten in the match. England have fallen and failed hard with the bat in this match. Next is Christmas, then the fourth Test kicks off on Boxing Day in Melbourne, the contest back on.
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