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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Duo put Australia back in command | Duo put Australia back in command |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds put England to the sword on the second day as Australia wrested back control of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne. | Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds put England to the sword on the second day as Australia wrested back control of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne. |
| The hosts were struggling on 84-5 in reply to England's 159 in the morning. | The hosts were struggling on 84-5 in reply to England's 159 in the morning. |
| But Hayden accelerated from a slow start to reach his 27th Test century in 170 balls, while Symonds also recovered from an uncertain beginning to hit 61. | But Hayden accelerated from a slow start to reach his 27th Test century in 170 balls, while Symonds also recovered from an uncertain beginning to hit 61. |
| The duo had put on an unbroken 142 by tea with Australia - 3-0 up in the series - cruising on 226-5, 67 ahead. | The duo had put on an unbroken 142 by tea with Australia - 3-0 up in the series - cruising on 226-5, 67 ahead. |
| It marked quite a turnaround after England had put their Boxing Day batting misery behind them with a fine bowling display in the first session. | It marked quite a turnaround after England had put their Boxing Day batting misery behind them with a fine bowling display in the first session. |
| Skipper Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard were right on target from the off, causing Ricky Ponting and Hayden plenty of problems with a combination of probing lines and movement through the air. | Skipper Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard were right on target from the off, causing Ricky Ponting and Hayden plenty of problems with a combination of probing lines and movement through the air. |
| Ponting skied a pull off Flintoff to Alastair Cook at mid-wicket before Hoggard, who was carrying a slight rib injury, comprehensively bowled the prolific Mike Hussey. | Ponting skied a pull off Flintoff to Alastair Cook at mid-wicket before Hoggard, who was carrying a slight rib injury, comprehensively bowled the prolific Mike Hussey. |
| Things got even better for the visitors when Steve Harmison's extra bounce induced Michael Clarke into edging behind during his first over, a wicket maiden. | Things got even better for the visitors when Steve Harmison's extra bounce induced Michael Clarke into edging behind during his first over, a wicket maiden. |
| Hoggard was arguably the pick of England's bowlers at the MCG | Hoggard was arguably the pick of England's bowlers at the MCG |
| Hayden and Symonds rode their luck outside off-stump and the stand could have ended two balls after the lunch interval if Sajid Mahmood had hit the target from mid-off and run out Hayden. | Hayden and Symonds rode their luck outside off-stump and the stand could have ended two balls after the lunch interval if Sajid Mahmood had hit the target from mid-off and run out Hayden. |
| But it was not long before the burly Queenslanders launched a succession of powerful strokes, finding the deep MCG boundaries with ease at times. | But it was not long before the burly Queenslanders launched a succession of powerful strokes, finding the deep MCG boundaries with ease at times. |
| Symonds hammered Hoggard high over cover from successive deliveries before brutally lofting him over mid-wicket and the pressure seemed to lift when he reached his third Test fifty off 79 balls. | Symonds hammered Hoggard high over cover from successive deliveries before brutally lofting him over mid-wicket and the pressure seemed to lift when he reached his third Test fifty off 79 balls. |
| Hayden, inspired by his friend's aggression, was also starting to free his arms and swung Hoggard over backward square-leg as the century partnership came up off 150 balls. | Hayden, inspired by his friend's aggression, was also starting to free his arms and swung Hoggard over backward square-leg as the century partnership came up off 150 balls. |
| There were a couple of glimmers of hope for England in the last 40 minutes before tea: Collingwood got his fingertips to the ball when Symonds drove Flintoff high towards gully. | There were a couple of glimmers of hope for England in the last 40 minutes before tea: Collingwood got his fingertips to the ball when Symonds drove Flintoff high towards gully. |
| And Monty Panesar had a confident lbw shout against the all-rounder rejected by umpire Rudi Koertzen. | |
| But Australia's comfort was encapsulated by the sight of Hayden crashing the left-arm spinner down the ground for six and over wide mid-on to bring up his fifth century in the last six Tests at the MCG. | But Australia's comfort was encapsulated by the sight of Hayden crashing the left-arm spinner down the ground for six and over wide mid-on to bring up his fifth century in the last six Tests at the MCG. |
| Normal service had been resumed. | Normal service had been resumed. |