England retain the Ashes with innings win
England have retained the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years, after inflicting one of Australia's heaviest losses, with a margin of an innings and 157 runs on the fourth morning at the MCG
12/25Result
4th Test, England tour of Australia at Melbourne, Dec 26-29 2010
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![Australia]( "Australia")
98 & 258 (85.4 ov) -
![England]( "England")
Player of the Match
12/25Result
4th Test, England tour of Australia at Melbourne, Dec 26-29 2010
-
![Australia]( "Australia")
98 & 258 (85.4 ov) -
![England]( "England")
Player of the Match
Day 4
England dominant in every aspect
Though England lost in Perth, their overall numbers for the series are significantly better than those of the Australians
Strauss aims higher after Ashes secured
England will enjoy their Melbourne celebrations after retaining the Ashes, but Andrew Strauss insisted there was still much work to do to reach their ultimate aim of being the No. 1 side in the world
Strauss joins Ashes elite, with the promise of more
Douglas Jardine, Len Hutton, Ray Illingworth, Mike Brearley, Mike Gatting... Andrew Strauss. In almost 80 years of Ashes combat, only six England captains have been able to win in Australia
Whitewash lessons guide England to glory
Andrew Strauss was part of the team humiliated 5-0 on the 2006-07 Ashes tour, but those harsh lessons have served England well
Injured Harris out for up to four months
Ryan Harris was sent for surgery on his injured left ankle on Wednesday and is likely to be out for three to four months, but he hasn't entirely given up hope of being fit for the World Cup
Ponting considers a move down the order
Ricky Ponting was asked before the Ashes series started to consider moving from No.3, but only in the past fortnight has he considered shifting from his home of nine years
Jump before you are pushed, Chappell tells Ponting
The former Australia captain Ian Chappell has called on Ricky Ponting to resign from the Test captaincy in the wake of England's Ashes-sealing victory in the fourth Test at Melbourne
Day 3
Bresnan bowls England within sight of victory
The fathers in England's team know the excitement that Christmas Eve brought their children four nights ago, and they were feeling a similar anticipation on Tuesday evening after Tim Bresnan bowled them to within sight of an innings victory
Australia have to survive the new ball
Join Andrew Miller and Peter English to discuss the Melbourne Test during the lunch interval at 12.30pm local (0130 GMT, 0700 IST). Send your questions to chatterbox@cricinfo.com
Grassy bank wanted
A South African checks out the MCG and his team's competition
Stress fracture leaves Harris needing surgery
Ryan Harris is expected to undergo surgery for a stress fracture on his left ankle after suffering an injury that threatens to curtail his promising Test career
England's understated craftsman
The battle for the 2010 Ashes was won on the playing fields of Chittagong. That is the extraordinary conclusion that can be drawn from the performance of Tim Bresnan
The sad demise of Ponting
His team needed a huge score, but Australia's captain managed just 20 as the end of a career looms larger
Ashes loss will be 'horrendous' - Watson
Shane Watson says it will be "shattering" and "horrendous" to be part of the first Australian side in 24 years to finish a home Ashes series without the urn
Day 2
Trott keeps England on target to retain the urn
On a day when Ricky Ponting lost his cool with the umpires, Jonathan Trott was a picture of composure as his second century of the series kept England on target to retain the Ashes
Time running out for Collingwood
Almost everything has gone right for England in Melbourne, but Paul Collingwood's poor form continued with another failure
Siddle's efforts clouded in controversy
Peter Siddle was Australia's everywhere man, including a brief stint as a self-appointed on-field spokesman, as the hosts tried but failed to stay in touch with England at the MCG
A thin line for Johnson, a rare failure for Bell
Plays of the day from the second day between Australia and England at the MCG
Depressing scenes at the 'G
An Australian fan can't bear to watch England pummel his side
Australia have to force the game
Andrew Miller and Peter English discussed the Melbourne Test
Ponting fined as the match slips away
Ricky Ponting finally cracked under the strain of impending Ashes defeat when he picked a series of arguments with the umpires and Kevin Pietersen after the batsman correctly survived a caught-behind referral
Trott's hunger hurts Australia
After the bowlers did their job yesterday, England's No.3 ensured there was no let-up with another impressive display
Day 1
Dominant England bring Ashes triumph nearer
Within three sessions of complete England dominance at the MCG, they moved to within touching distance of retaining the Ashes by dismissing Australia for 98 and passing their total with no wickets down
England's quicks set up Ashes history
It was a day of dreams for the visitors as their impressive pace attack proved too much for Australia
Too much on too few for Australia
Australia's win at Perth felt like a lifetime ago as they were blown away for 98 on Boxing Day
Edge ends Hussey's run, but restarts Cook
Plays of the day as the Boxing Day Test gets underway at the MCG
Clarke lost for words after awful display
"What can you do?" Michael Clarke and the Australians are almost out of answers on how to fix Australia's regular batting collapses
Others
The wreck of the good ship Oz
In which Tyers cackles and Kimber washes his hands off his side
There goes Ponting the Test hero
When thinking and grumbling about Ricky Ponting in his current state, don't forget that he has been Australia's best batsman since Bradman
England have made a fatal mistake
They’ve gone and awoken Australia and put them on the road to betterment, haven’t they?
The voice of New England
The MCG result tells us things about the visitors and the hosts both: one young and ambitious, the other inept and fretful
Ricky, the defender of the weak and the useless
Kimber and Tyers conclude that the UDRS should be replaced by Ponting
Clarke focussed on delivering results
Michael Clarke is prepared for even more criticism in his latest role, but he knows captaining Australia is about achieving good results rather than winning the popular vote
Clarke replaces Ponting as Test captain
Michael Clarke is Australia's 43rd Test captain after succeeding the injured Ricky Ponting for Monday's fifth Ashes Test in Sydney
The perfect Paul Collingwood pitch?
All signs point to a turgid pudding at the MCG
The biggest stage set to sizzle
ESPNcricinfo's preview of the fourth Test between Australia and England at the MCG