Lunch Australia 204 and 1 for 143 (Rogers 81*, Watson 36*) need 88 to beat England 255 and 179
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Chris Rogers guided Australia's chase towards a fourth consecutive victory over England, though not without significant help from the bedraggled tourists who missed two catches on the fourth morning of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
By lunch the hosts had reached 1 for 143, only 88 away from the target of 231. Well as Rogers and Shane Watson batted, they had considerable help from England.
Jonny Bairstow failed to react to a catchable edge offered by Rogers when the opener had only 19, before Alastair Cook dropped a straightforward edge from David Warner on 22. Warner was dismissed soon after, but the misses visibly sapped England's already fragile confidence as Rogers and Watson set about reducing the target.
Rogers' innings provided the tourists' major obstacle, while also serving to shore up his place in the Australian team ahead of the tour to South Africa next year. Having made a series of starts in this Ashes series, he would dearly love to move to a hundred in the afternoon.
Resuming at 0 for 30, Warner and Rogers began ticking down the required runs, but would offer England a pair of chances to gain a foothold. Befitting of their play the day before, the tourists spurned them with all the disdain of a team that has lost all confidence or sense of how to grasp a match.
On 19, Rogers edged a fine delivery from Stuart Broad moving across him, and watched helplessly as the edge flew towards the slips cordon. Though it was well within reach of Bairstow, England's gloveman did not move, and Broad cursed his misfortune as the ball scuttled away to the boundary. Rogers only enhanced his feeling of injustice by upper cutting the next ball for four over the cordon.
Stokes replaced Broad after only two overs, and duly created his own chance when Warner drove at a delivery not quite there for the stroke. This time the ball travelled straight to Cook at an ideal height. When that chance went down, no-one quite knew where to look. A few overs later Warner did fall, a square slash attempt settling into Bairstow's gloves, but the muted nature of England's celebration indicated a team aware their moment may have passed.
Rogers meanwhile carried on in a manner so infuriating to bowlers, one inside edge past the stumps further cruel and unusual punishment for Stokes. There were other more fluent shots from there, however, as Rogers moved to his second half century of a low-scoring match. Watson joined in with a few sweet blows, and their partnership was soon motoring along.
As if transfixed by his own error, Cook seemed even slower to react than usual, and furrowed many brows at the ground by opting for Joe Root before Monty Panesar. Neither spinner could gain the required traction, and by the interval Australia were well and truly on course for a win in which England have shown rare generosity to their opponents.
Rogers and Watson bury hapless England
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Rogers and Watson bury hapless England
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Rogers and Watson bury hapless England
