Batting		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
Andrew Strauss	b Warne	50	132	206	1	0	37.87

Alastair Cook	c †Gilchrist b Lee	11	37	49	1	0	29.72

Ian Bell	lbw b Clark	7	30	46	0	0	23.33

Paul Collingwood	c Ponting b Lee	28	82	115	4	0	34.14

Kevin Pietersen	c Symonds b Warne	21	70	104	0	0	30.00

Andrew Flintoff (c)	c Warne b Clark	13	31	36	1	0	41.93

Chris Read †	c Ponting b Warne	3	17	28	0	0	17.64

Sajid Mahmood	c †Gilchrist b McGrath	0	9	11	0	0	0.00

Steve Harmison	c Clarke b Warne	7	12	11	1	0	58.33

Monty Panesar	c Symonds b Warne	4	19	27	0	0	21.05

Matthew Hoggard	not out	9	10	15	1	0	90.00
Extras	(b 2, lb 1, nb 3)	6
Total	74.2 Ov (RR: 2.13, 324 Mins)	159
Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Alastair Cook, 10.5 ov), 2-44 (Ian Bell, 20.5 ov), 3-101 (Paul Collingwood, 45.6 ov), 4-101 (Andrew Strauss, 46.2 ov), 5-122 (Andrew Flintoff, 55.5 ov), 6-135 (Chris Read, 62.6 ov), 7-136 (Sajid Mahmood, 65.4 ov), 8-145 (Steve Harmison, 68.2 ov), 9-146 (Kevin Pietersen, 70.2 ov), 10-159 (Monty Panesar, 74.2 ov)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	ECON	0s	4s	6s	WD	NB
Brett Lee	13	4	36	2	2.76	60	1	0	0	2
10.5 to AN Cook, GONE! Cook tried to leave it but was late, couldn't get the bat out of the way - the ball just feathering the bottom, or toe-end of his bat. 23/1 45.6 to PD Collingwood, gone! Straighter this time from Lee, cutting away a touch from Collingwood who is unnerved by the extra bounce, spooning it to Ponting at second slip who took a fine, tumbling catch. 101/3
Glenn McGrath	20	8	37	1	1.85	103	4	0	0	1
65.4 to SI Mahmood, as was that one, but this time Mahmood aims some kind of airy drive with only partial footwork and a thick edge is well taken by Gilchrist moving swiftly to his right. 136/7
Stuart Clark	17	6	27	2	1.58	88	1	0	0	0
20.5 to IR Bell, that's about as out as you can get without hitting the stumps. Bell caught in the crease by one that zipped back and hit him on the knee roll, and Bell was off and the crowd were celebrating before Rudi Koertzen's finger had even started it's super slow-mo upwards motion. 44/2 55.5 to A Flintoff, outside Flintoff's off stump, a touch more bounce but it's in the perfect channel. He prods at it with a stiff, concrete-like front leg and the ball flies to Warne who takes a simple catch. 122/5
Andrew Symonds	7	2	17	0	2.42	33	0	0	0	0
Shane Warne	17.2	4	39	5	2.25	81	3	0	0	0
46.2 to AJ Strauss, 700 for Shane Warne! There it is, his 700th Test wicket and what a ball to reach the milestone! Outside Strauss's off stump, spinning massively back past Strauss's expansive cover drive. 101/4 62.6 to CMW Read, on off stump, Read flays it straight to Ponting - who was in very close at short extra cover - who took an excellent catch. It was the big, juicy "come and get me" from Warne; outside off, tempting Read, and he couldn't refuse - but he was off balance, spooning the ball airborne. 135/6 68.2 to SJ Harmison, and the folly of Pietersen leaving his partner exposed is underlined as Harmison heaves a ball full and wide down the throat of mid-on who doesn't have to move. 145/8 70.2 to KP Pietersen, Warne strikes, Pietersen, stranded with the rabbits, looks to loft the ball into the stands behind the bowler, and deep mid-off and mid-on converge just inside the ropes and it's Andrew Symonds who makes a difficult catch look ridiculously easy. 146/9 74.2 to MS Panesar, Panesar perishes trying to drive Warne down the ground, never getting hold of the ball and barely reaching Symonds at mid-on. 159/10

Australia 1st Innings

Batting		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
Justin Langer	c †Read b Flintoff	27	29	45	3	0	93.10

Matthew Hayden	c †Read b Mahmood	153	265	418	13	2	57.73

Brett Lee	c †Read b Flintoff	0	1	2	0	0	0.00

Ricky Ponting (c)	c Cook b Flintoff	7	28	37	0	0	25.00

Michael Hussey	b Hoggard	6	20	37	0	0	30.00

Michael Clarke	c †Read b Harmison	5	5	6	0	0	100.00

Andrew Symonds	c †Read b Harmison	156	220	327	15	1	70.90

Adam Gilchrist †	c Collingwood b Mahmood	1	8	10	0	0	12.50

Shane Warne	not out	40	54	75	6	0	74.07
Stuart Clark	c †Read b Mahmood	8	24	34	0	0	33.33

Glenn McGrath	c Bell b Mahmood	0	6	9	0	0	0.00

Extras	(lb 6, nb 9, w 1)	16
Total	108.3 Ov (RR: 3.86, 505 Mins)	419
Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Justin Langer, 9.2 ov), 2-44 (Brett Lee, 9.3 ov), 3-62 (Ricky Ponting, 17.3 ov), 4-79 (Michael Hussey, 24.1 ov), 5-84 (Michael Clarke, 25.2 ov), 6-363 (Matthew Hayden, 90.4 ov), 7-365 (Adam Gilchrist, 92.3 ov), 8-383 (Andrew Symonds, 99.2 ov), 9-417 (Stuart Clark, 106.5 ov), 10-419 (Glenn McGrath, 108.3 ov)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	ECON	0s	4s	6s	WD	NB
Matthew Hoggard	21	6	82	1	3.90	95	12	0	0	1
24.1 to MEK Hussey, Hussey, who has been beaten a couple of times in his short stay, is bowled through the gate by Hoggard who brings one back into the left hander. That's the end of a run that has seen him make six fifties on the trot against England. 79/4
Andrew Flintoff	22	1	77	3	3.50	95	4	0	0	8
9.2 to JL Langer, GONE. Langer has walked. Angling across Langer who drove, on the up, and got a thin outside edge to Read who took a good catch low to his left. 44/1 9.3 to B Lee, GOT HIM! A lovely ball just moving away from Lee who fished at it, edging it through to Read. 44/2 17.3 to RT Ponting, GODDIM! Flintoff banging it in, short and wide and Ponting tries to pull it, gets a top edge to Alastair Cook at midwicket who steadies himself and swallows an easy catch. 62/3
Steve Harmison	28	6	69	2	2.46	125	5	0	0	0
25.2 to MJ Clarke, now this is interesting! Harmison's second ball is just short of a length outside off stump, Clarke spars and a thin but oh-so-audible nick is heard all over the ground and Clarke doesn't wait for the decision as a jubilant Chris Read hurls the ball to the heavens. 84/5 99.2 to A Symonds, well bowled, Harmison, but that was a disappointing shot from Symonds. Full and wide - certainly driveable - but Symonds failed to move his feet; going for an expansive drive, he got a thick outside edge which flew to gleeful Read. 383/8
Sajid Mahmood	21.3	1	100	4	4.65	78	8	1	1	0
90.4 to ML Hayden, oh well bowled, that's a snorter from Mahmood squaring Hayden up who tried to work it to leg, got a thick outside edge to Read. And he walked. 363/6 92.3 to AC Gilchrist, GONE! Well done Mahmood. Very full indeed, and very wide - it deserved punishment, frankly - but moved just a touch away from Gilchrist who got a thick edge, the ball flying to Collingwood at second slip who took a fine catch above his head. 365/7 106.5 to SR Clark, gone; good-length ball outside off, Clark nibbles at it and it's taken by Read. 417/9 108.3 to GD McGrath, yes he can! Full, outside off and McGrath squirts it to Ian Bell at point to pick up his 35th duck, denying Warne a fifty. 419/10
Monty Panesar	12	1	52	0	4.33	41	2	1	0	0
Paul Collingwood	3	0	20	0	6.66	7	1	1	0	0
Kevin Pietersen	1	0	13	0	13.00	1	2	0	0	0

England 2nd Innings

Batting		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
Andrew Strauss	c †Gilchrist b Lee	31	107	173	2	0	28.97

Alastair Cook	b Clark	20	46	64	1	0	43.47

Ian Bell	lbw b McGrath	2	11	21	0	0	18.18

Kevin Pietersen	b Clark	1	8	7	0	0	12.50

Paul Collingwood	c Langer b Lee	16	38	52	0	0	42.10

Andrew Flintoff (c)	lbw b Clark	25	45	60	2	0	55.55

Chris Read †	not out	26	77	127	1	0	33.76
Sajid Mahmood	lbw b Warne	0	2	3	0	0	0.00

Steve Harmison	lbw b Warne	4	26	44	0	0	15.38

Monty Panesar	c Clarke b Lee	14	19	20	2	0	73.68

Matthew Hoggard	b Lee	5	20	21	0	0	25.00

Extras	(lb 12, nb 4, w 1)	17
Total	65.5 Ov (RR: 2.44, 301 Mins)	161
Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Alastair Cook, 14.5 ov), 2-48 (Ian Bell, 19.2 ov), 3-49 (Kevin Pietersen, 20.5 ov), 4-75 (Paul Collingwood, 31.4 ov), 5-90 (Andrew Strauss, 37.5 ov), 6-108 (Andrew Flintoff, 45.5 ov), 7-109 (Sajid Mahmood, 46.3 ov), 8-127 (Steve Harmison, 56.5 ov), 9-146 (Monty Panesar, 61.2 ov), 10-161 (Matthew Hoggard, 65.5 ov)

Bowling	O	M	R	W	ECON	0s	4s	6s	WD	NB
Brett Lee	18.5	6	47	4	2.49	93	3	0	0	3
31.4 to PD Collingwood, dear, oh dear. Loose drive spanked straight to Langer at short extra cover, a good catch slightly to his left, and Lee turns in triumph to his detractors ... who carry on singing regardless!. 75/4 37.5 to AJ Strauss, GODDIM, that's the length from Lee. Fuller and straighter, Strauss drives and gets a thick outside edge which flies through to Gilchrist and Lee celebrates like a cowboy, swishing his hand in a circular motion above his head. 90/5 61.2 to MS Panesar, bouncer, well aimed, and Panesar doesn't know whether to duck or play it, and the self-preservational jab loops to Michael Clarke in the slips. It's almost curtains now .... 146/9 65.5 to MJ Hoggard, that's it, full and right through Hoggard's half-hearted defence. 161/10
Glenn McGrath	12	2	26	1	2.16	59	0	0	1	0
19.2 to IR Bell, GONE: Rudi has given an lbw. It hit him above the knee roll and Rudi raises his slow finger of death. 48/2
Stuart Clark	16	6	30	3	1.87	83	3	0	0	1
14.5 to AN Cook, GONE! A lovely delivery from Clark, pitching it right up, swinging in to Cook who got a thick inside edge to knock out his off stump. 41/1 20.5 to KP Pietersen, GONE! What a delivery from Clark, cutting back into Pietersen who drove expansively, completely misreading the movement and it pings back his off stump. 49/3 45.5 to A Flintoff, again this swings into Flintoff, at good pace, who goes for a booming straight drive but is rapped on the pad. He's hit quite high up on his pad but it's good enough for Rudi who raises his finger. 108/6
Shane Warne	19	3	46	2	2.42	85	2	0	0	0
46.3 to SI Mahmood, GONE! The flipper! What a ball from Warne. Mahmood didn't have a clue, as it hurried onto him and he couldn't get his bat down in time. 109/7 56.5 to SJ Harmison, full, Harmison lunges forward but misses and the ball hits him on his back foot and that's about as out as you can get, right in front of middle and hitting about a third of the way up. 127/8

Unlocking the magic of Statsguru

Close of Play

Tue, 26 Dec - day 1 - Australia 1st innings 48/2 (Matthew Hayden 17*, Ricky Ponting 0*, 11 ov)

Wed, 27 Dec - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 372/7 (Andrew Symonds 154*, Shane Warne 4*, 96 ov)

Thu, 28 Dec - day 3 - England 2nd innings 161 (65.5 ov) - end of match

Match Flow

Day 1

England 1st innings
Drinks: England - 22/0 in 10.0 overs (AJ Strauss 9, AN Cook 11)
Rain: England - 36/1 in 15.4 overs (AJ Strauss 15, IR Bell 7)
Lunch: England - 36/1 in 15.4 overs (AJ Strauss 15, IR Bell 7)
Rain: England - 46/2 in 22.4 overs (AJ Strauss 21, PD Collingwood 2)
England: 50 runs in 23.6 overs (147 balls), Extras 5
Drinks: England - 72/2 in 34.0 overs (AJ Strauss 41, PD Collingwood 8)
AJ Strauss: 50 off 130 balls (1 x 4)
3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 141 balls (AJ Strauss 29, PD Collingwood 21, Ex 0)
England: 100 runs in 44.6 overs (273 balls), Extras 5
Tea: England - 117/4 in 52.0 overs (KP Pietersen 3, A Flintoff 13)
Drinks: England - 146/8 in 70.0 overs (KP Pietersen 21, MS Panesar 0)
England: 150 runs in 72.1 overs (436 balls), Extras 6
Australia 1st innings
End Of Day: Australia - 48/2 in 11.0 overs (ML Hayden 17, RT Ponting 0)
Attendance: 89,155

Day 2

Australia: 50 runs in 11.4 overs (73 balls), Extras 4
Drinks: Australia - 79/3 in 24.0 overs (ML Hayden 29, MEK Hussey 6)
Australia: 100 runs in 29.5 overs (187 balls), Extras 10
ML Hayden: 50 off 101 balls (6 x 4)
Lunch: Australia - 111/5 in 35.0 overs (ML Hayden 52, A Symonds 4)
6th Wicket: 50 runs in 93 balls (ML Hayden 28, A Symonds 22, Ex 0)
Australia: 150 runs in 45.6 overs (284 balls), Extras 10
Drinks: Australia - 176/5 in 49.0 overs (ML Hayden 79, A Symonds 42)
6th Wicket: 100 runs in 149 balls (ML Hayden 54, A Symonds 46, Ex 0)
A Symonds: 50 off 79 balls (5 x 4)
Australia: 200 runs in 54.1 overs (334 balls), Extras 11
ML Hayden: 100 off 170 balls (9 x 4, 1 x 6)
Tea: Australia - 226/5 in 62.0 overs (ML Hayden 109, A Symonds 61)
6th Wicket: 150 runs in 226 balls (ML Hayden 80, A Symonds 69, Ex 1)
Australia: 250 runs in 65.5 overs (404 balls), Extras 12
6th Wicket: 200 runs in 289 balls (ML Hayden 108, A Symonds 90, Ex 2)
Australia: 300 runs in 75.2 overs (461 balls), Extras 12
A Symonds: 100 off 151 balls (8 x 4, 1 x 6)
Drinks: Australia - 322/5 in 80.0 overs (ML Hayden 146, A Symonds 119)
New Ball Taken: Australia 322/5 after 80.1 overs (ML Hayden 146, A Symonds 119)
6th Wicket: 250 runs in 343 balls (ML Hayden 120, A Symonds 128, Ex 2)
ML Hayden: 150 off 251 balls (11 x 4, 2 x 6)
Australia: 350 runs in 86.1 overs (526 balls), Extras 13
A Symonds: 150 off 205 balls (14 x 4, 1 x 6)
End Of Day: Australia - 372/7 in 96.0 overs (A Symonds 154, SK Warne 4)
Attendance: 75,770

Day 3

Australia: 400 runs in 103.2 overs (629 balls), Extras 15
England 2nd innings
Lunch: England - 28/0 in 12.0 overs (AJ Strauss 12, AN Cook 15)
England: 50 runs in 21.2 overs (130 balls), Extras 8
Drinks: England - 55/3 in 24.0 overs (AJ Strauss 21, PD Collingwood 3)
Tea: England - 90/4 in 37.0 overs (AJ Strauss 31, A Flintoff 11)
England: 100 runs in 41.1 overs (251 balls), Extras 10
Drinks: England - 122/7 in 54.0 overs (CMW Read 15, SJ Harmison 2)
England: 150 runs in 62.5 overs (382 balls), Extras 13
Attendance: 79,426

Match Details

Melbourne Cricket Ground
Toss	England, elected to bat first
Series	England tour of Australia
Season	2006/07
Player Of The Match	Shane Warne
Series result	Australia led the 5-match series 4-0
Match number	Test no. 1824
Hours of play (local time)	10.30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 17.30
Match days	26,27,28 December 2006 - day (5-day match)
Umpires	Aleem Dar Rudi Koertzen
TV Umpire	Bob Parry
Reserve Umpire	Paul Reiffel
Match Referee	Ranjan Madugalle

Match Coverage

All Match News

The Adelaide horror

England were coasting one minute, in tatters the next: a look back at how Adelaide 2006 reduced Flintoff and Co to gibbering wrecks

Rudiwatch continued

I wasn't in a position to see a replay of Rudi Koertzen's refusal of the lbw appeal against Alistair Cook, so suspended judgement, and have only just caught up with it

Were England spineless?

There's an adjective we'll be seeing a lot of in the next day or two: spineless

Legend status

There have been a few legends involved in this game, but only two 'Legends'

The Best-Laid Plans

"I just close my eyes and whang it down anyway, so there's not much planning there." Thus Matthew Hoggard, bringing the house down at his press conference last night, in response to the mysterious straying of England’s bowling plan

Instant answers to T20 questions

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Videos

All Match Videos

5:53

The relentless Australian juggernaut

5:50

Warne's magic at the MCG

England Innings

Player Name		R	B
AJ Strauss	caught	31	107
AN Cook	bowled	20	46
IR Bell	lbw	2	11
KP Pietersen	bowled	1	8
PD Collingwood	caught	16	38
A Flintoff	lbw	25	45
CMW Read	not out	26	77
SI Mahmood	lbw	0	2
SJ Harmison	lbw	4	26
MS Panesar	caught	14	19
MJ Hoggard	bowled	5	20
Extras	(lb 12, nb 4, w 1)
Total	161(10 wkts; 65.5 ovs)

Player Name	O	M	R	W	Econ
B Lee	18.5	6	47	4	2.49 (3 nb)
GD McGrath	12	2	26	1	2.16
SR Clark	16	6	30	3	1.87 (1 nb)
SK Warne	19	3	46	2	2.42

Wkt	Runs	Players
1st	41	Andrew Strauss	Alastair Cook
2nd	7	Andrew Strauss	Ian Bell
3rd	1	Andrew Strauss	Kevin Pietersen
4th	26	Paul Collingwood	Andrew Strauss
5th	15	Andrew Flintoff	Andrew Strauss
6th	18	Andrew Flintoff	Chris Read
7th	1	Chris Read	Sajid Mahmood
8th	18	Chris Read	Steve Harmison
9th	19	Chris Read	Monty Panesar
10th	15	Chris Read	Matthew Hoggard

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