Cricket Coverage - Australia vs England 4th Test 2017 - Match Analysis, Reports | ESPNcricinfo.com

Result

4th Test, Melbourne, Dec 26-30 2017, England tour of Australia and New Zealand

(124.2 ov)

327 & 263/4d

491

Match drawn

Player Of The Match

Sir Alastair Cook

England

Day 5

Joe Root looks pensive

'It's a shame it's taken until now' - Root

1y • George Dobell in Melbourne

David Warner completed the slowest fifty of his Test career

Warner tames the beast within (almost)

1y • Jarrod Kimber at the MCG

Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith walk back after an exhausting day

Relentless Smith finds a fresh ally

1y • Daniel Brettig in Melbourne

Steven Smith became the third quickest batsman ever to 23 Test hundreds.

Smith continues his prolific run

1y • Shiva Jayaraman

Which kind of pitch is worst for Tests?

2y • ESPNcricinfo staff

David Warner's innings ended with a skied shot into the off side

Steven Smith caps epic 2017 with hundred to deny England

1y • Report by Brydon Coverdale

It was toil throughout for the bowlers

MCG drop-ins under review after bore draw

2y • Daniel Brettig at the MCG

Day 4

The ball at the centre of the tampering allegations

Fair game or moral outrage? How the argument raged

1y • ESPNcricinfo staff

Cameron Bancroft dragged on against Chris Woakes

A pitch that saps Australia's will to win

1y • Daniel Brettig in Melbourne

Alastair Cook leaves the field after carrying his bat for 244

Warner, Smith and the rain frustrate England's push

1y • Report by Brydon Coverdale

Day 3

England's Joe Root, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Alastair Cook sing the national anthem while the Australian media sings a different tune

The Ashes is sinking into the mire of its own hogwash

2y • George Dobell in Melbourne

James Anderson and Joe Root inspect the ball

Bayliss bemused as England are drawn into 'ball-tampering' row

2y • Andrew Miller

Alastair Cook moved up to sixth on the all-time Test runs chart

Glutton for punishment... Cook shows appetite of old

1y • George Dobell at the MCG

Alastair Cook's 11th 150-plus score put him top of the tree among Englishmen

Cook's double delight puts him in elite company

1y • Gaurav Sundararaman

Josh Hazlewood removed Dawid Malan with the new ball, but replays suggested an edge on the lbw

'What's the opposite of a Shane Watson?'

2y • ESPNcricinfo staff

Steven Smith studies the pitch at the MCG

MCG pitch battle spotlights issue for Australia

2y • Daniel Brettig at the MCG

Alastair Cook raises his bat for 150

Cook's masterful 244* builds commanding lead

1y • Report by Brydon Coverdale

Day 2

Alastair Cook celebrates reaching his hundred

Cook 'hurt and frustrated' at failure to influence series

1y • ESPNcricinfo staff

Stuart Broad removed Pat Cummins for his fourth wicket

Broad rediscovers his competitive edge

1y • George Dobell in Melbourne

Alastair Cook rocks back and plays a cut

Cook can now determine his future on his own terms

1y • George Dobell in Melbourne

Shaun Marsh drives through the off side

Shaun Marsh stands up

1y • Jarrod Kimber

Nathan Lyon tosses a beach ball back into the stands

Australia blunted on day of toil

1y • Daniel Brettig at the MCG

Alastair Cook rocks back and plays a cut

Cook's drought-breaking hundred puts England on top

1y • Report by Brydon Coverdale

Day 1

England's seamers have been more effective than Australia's when bowling a good length, but Australia's pace attack has been more lethal off other lengths

The battle of lengths

2y • S Rajesh

Moeen Ali reflects on a dispiriting tour

Moeen's Ashes ills are low point of sickly day

1y • George Dobell in Melbourne

From ecstasy to agony: Tom Curran's first Test wicket will have to wait a while longer

Curran reveals truth of no-ball agony

1y • George Dobell in Melbourne

Ben Stokes's celebration proved premature as replays revealed a no ball

1y • ESPNcricinfo staff

David Warner - Joint fourth-fastest to 6000 Test Runs

Prolific Warner joins elite 6000 club

2y • Gaurav Sundararaman

From ecstasy to agony: Tom Curran's first Test wicket will have to wait a while longer

England battle but Warner, Smith put Australia in charge

2y • The Report by Brydon Coverdale

Others

The first day of the Boxing Day Test had over 88,000 fans in attendance

MCG pitch rated poor by ICC

2y • Daniel Brettig

Joe Root's unbeaten 67 gave England hope of completing a fifth-day chase

No day-night Ashes Test in 2019 - Harrison

2y • Daniel Brettig at Melbourne

Steven Smith cuts on his way to a half-century

Smith and Warner transcend the sluggish G

1y • Daniel Brettig at Melbourne

Steven Smith had to make extra use of the top hand after copping a blow during training

Sore hand forces Smith to make technical tweak

1y • Daniel Brettig at the MCG

Tom Curran nets for England ahead of a potential Test debut at the MCG

Tom Curran's competitive streak behind Test debut - Root

1y • George Dobell at the MCG

Australia's coach Darren Lehmann was in relaxed mood in Australia's practice session ahead of the Melbourne Test

For Australia, 'tis the season to be jolly

1y • Brydon Coverdale

"Thank you for not sleeping"

England never ever lose eight away Test matches on the trot

1y • Andy Zaltzman