Australian bowlers rampage through England line-up in Ashes finale
Australia skittled England for 155 to bring up tea on the second day of the fifth and Ashes test on Saturday, leaving the hapless tourists with a 171-run first-innings deficit as they fight to avoid a 5-0 series sweep.
While a dispirited England again contributed to their own downfall, Mitchell Johnson (three for 33), Ryan Harris (three for 36) and Peter Siddle (three for 23) played more than an incidental part in proceedings with another display of top quality pace bowling.
They ripped through England’s top order in the first hour’s play at the Sydney Cricket Ground to remove captain Alastair Cook (seven), nightwatchman James Anderson (seven), Kevin Pietersen (three) and Ian Bell (two).
Debutant Gary Ballance departed caught behind for 18 just after lunch and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, who also scored 18, followed after offering some resistance in a partnership of 49 for the seventh wicket with Ben Stokes.
When all-rounder Stokes was bowled by Siddle for 47 with the final ball of the same over, England’s hopes of any kind of respectable score went with him.
Debutant leg spinner Scott Borthwick made one run before getting a thick edge on a Harris delivery which Steve Smith took well at third slip.
England looked like they might just scramble to tea but Johnson returned to the fray and bowled Boyd Rankin, the third of the England new caps, for 13 to end the innings.
Stuart Broad, welcomed to the crease by a chorus of boos, scored 30 not out in a late flourish but England will now need him to shine with the ball if they have any hope of saving the test.
The hosts had made 326 in their first innings before reducing England to eight for one overnight and looked well on course for a fifth dominant victory after the first hour of the day.
