Australia have retained the Ashes after a brilliant six-wicket haul from local boy Scott Boland helped them dismantle England’s second innings on Day 3 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Australia sealed the game by an innings and 14 runs and are now 𝐆3-0 up in the five-match ser♍ies.
Resuming at their overnight score of 31/4, England lost Ben Stokes for 1🀅1 in the fifth over of the day.
Captain Joe Root (28), Jonny Bairstow (5) and the rest of England lower order were undone by a sensat🎃ional spell of fast bowling from debutant Boland.
The 32-year-old pacer returned with impressive figures of 6/7 in just four overs. Aussie skipper Pat Cummins (3/29) picked up three wickets, setting up the seriesﷺ win for his side.
England were bundled out for 185 in their first innings after being put in to bat first on Sunday, December 26. The hosts registered an 82♎-run lead while heading into the second innings as they were b🌱owled out for 267 in their first innings.
The fourth Test will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from꧙ Wednesday, January 5.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Who says the BBL isn't good practice for Test cricket? Scott Boland bowled four overs in England's second innings and finished with 6-7.
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny)
Scott Boland w♋ꦜins the Johnny Mullagh Medal. Couldn’t script it
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron)
Keep going…. Hang in there…. Never know what tomorrow brings…. Scott Boland just told us that all over again
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
Australia's plan to rest Scott Boland for 12 years ahead of this Test really worked out
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay)
The day three Boxing Day Test crowd of 40,945 didn't even get to watch a full session. I doubt a crowd has ever been so happy watching little cricket. Scott Boland has made them all very happy.
— Andrew Wu (@wutube)
Pat Cummins a fifer at Brisbane, did not play the next at Adelaide.
Jhye Richardson a fifer at Adelaide, did not play the next at MCG.
Scott Bꦡoland has now taken a🐓 fifer at MCG, will he play the next at SCG?— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
Ashes retained on home soil! 🇦🇺
An incredible six♓-wicket haul from home town hero Scott Boland led our Aussie men to victory by an innings and 14 runs
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus)
Barely three weeks ago, S👍cott Boland was Australia’s SIXTH fast bowler in line to play this summer
Today, he has a 6-fa on debut as Aust🤪ralia win the . Life comes at you♔ fast
— Martin Smith (@martysmith1987)
Fastest 5-wicket hauls in Test cricket: (in terms of ﷽balls bowled)
19 – Ernie Toshack vs IND, Brisbane 1947
19 – Stuart Broad vs AUS, Nottingham 2015
19 – SCOTT BOLAND vs ENG, Melbourne 2021— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
Very poor from England side, total one sided but what a day for Scott Boland!!! Test debut at the age of 32 & then man of the match💃 on debut. 6-7 in four overs is unbelievable… Where was this gem befo𓆏re? 👏👏
— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm)
Updated best day of Scott Boland's life rankings:
1. Today
2. Yesterday
3. Day before that— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny)
What a day for Scott Boland – winning the Mullagh medal on debut.
And ꦫwhat a proud day for Australia and the Gu♒lidjan people.
— Linda Burney MP (@LindaBurneyMP)
Scott Boland is the second Aboriginal ma🐈n to play Tests foಌr Australia (after Jason Gillespie).
Very fittingly, he becomes first Australian to win ꦡJohnny Mullagh medal. Mullagh captained in the first ever Australian cricket tour of England in 1868 (a team of Aboriginals).
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
