Bruised England stare at defeat

Adelaide, December 19

Mitchell Starc removed England captain Joe Root with the last ball of Day 4 to put Australia firmly on course for victory in the second Ashes Test here today. Australia declared their second innings on 230/9 before the tea break, setting England an improbable victory target of 468. The touring side were 82/4 at stumps, losing Root in the final over and staring at a second successive heavy defeat in the five-match series.

Ben Stokes, whose batting heroics secured England’s most successful Ashes run chase at Leeds two years ago, was unbeaten on three.

“Root is a huge wicket, he is in fantastic form,” Australia vice-captain Travis Head said. “I have a lot of sympathy for him. We got told to give him some space (on the pitch). Starc on that line is never pretty and unfortunately with the day he (Root) has had it wasn’t a great time to get hit.” — Reuters

Brief scores: Australia: 473/9 decl & 230/9 decl (Head 51, Labuschagne 51); England: 236 & 82/4 (Burns 34; Richardson 2/17).

Distant target

West Indies hold the record for the highest successful fourth innings chase of 418 achieved against Australia in 2003. England’s most successful Ashes chase came at Leeds two years ago when they reached their 359-run target thanks to Stokes’s superb century.