Australia were confident rain would not deny them the Ashes despite play being abandoned early on the fourth day of the third Test against England in Perth on Sunday.
The home side lead
the five-Test series 2-0 and a win in the last-ever Ashes Test to be
played at the WACA Ground would see them regain the urn, and at stumps
on the fourth day they could smell victory despite the showers sweeping
across Perth and predicted to continue into the final day's play.
Trailing
by 259 runs in the first innings after Australia declared at 662 for
nine, England were 132 for four when stumps was called early after a
rain-interrupted final session, with Dawid Malan on 28 and Jonny
Bairstow on 14, still behind by 127 runs.
Australian
pacer Josh Hazlewood, who claimed the wickets of opener Alastair Cook
and Mark Stoneman said the home side didn't expect rain to stand in
their way.
“We've looked at it (weather forecast) a
little bit,” he said. “I think there is just some rain tomorrow morning,
hopefully that doesn't hang around too long and we can get the best
part of two sessions in to take these next six wickets.”
“We'd
love to have stayed out there for another today and got that fifth
wicket, but we'll come back tomorrow for the other six.”
The
last man out on the fourth day was James Vince for a neat 55, bowled
when a Mitchell Starc ball jagged off a crack and crashed into his
stumps. The delivery left the fans and commentators stunned, with the
former great Wasim Akram saying it reminded him of his playing days.
Hazlewood said the crack would be part of the Australian attack's game plan on the last day.
“I'd
like five or six more (to hit the crack) tomorrow,” he said. “You only
need a couple to straighten off it and you are in the game.
“It's
a pretty simple method, there is not much more out there to aim at than
that crack.” Vince conceded there was nothing he could have done
against the delivery.
'It's going to be tough'
More rain is forecast for Monday, although it is only predicted to be a problem before lunchtime.
Vince said the English believed they could save the game regardless of the weather.
“I
think we try and put the rain to the back of our minds,” he said.
“We've got to have belief that we can save the series and get over the
line tomorrow.
“It's going to be tough and I'm sure
there's going to be some good balls flying around out there but these
two especially showed in the first innings that they can occupy the
crease for a long time, so hopefully they get off to a good start in the
morning.”
The tourists' second innings got off to a
dismal start when opener Stoneman was caught behind from the bowling of
Hazlewood for just three in the second over.
In his
150th Test, Cook's woes then continued when Hazlewood snared a brilliant
one-handed return catch to remove him for 14, leaving the former
skipper with just 83 runs at 13.83 for the series.
Captain
Joe Root was the third man out, to spinner Nathan Lyon's first ball of
the innings, caught at first slip by his Australian counterpart Steve
Smith for 14 off the glove of wicket-keeper Tim Paine.
Earlier Australia scored their highest Ashes total at home and fifth-highest against England.
Although
Smith added just 10 to his overnight total before being dismissed for
239, his innings was the cornerstone of the massive total.
Smith
was adjudged leg before wicket on review after James Anderson's
confident shout was turned down by on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney.
The review ended a chance-less 399-ball epic innings which included 30 fours and one six.
The
other overnight batsman, Mitchell Marsh, had departed a few minutes
earlier — failing to add to his 181 when he was trapped leg before
wicket by Anderson to end a 301-run partnership with Smith.
Anderson finished with four wickets, all claimed on day four, while Stuart Broad recorded career-worst figures of 0-142.
