England looking for back-to-back wins after two-day victory in Boxing Day game at MCG; Australia have retained Ashes, lead 3-1 after victories in first three Tests at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide; Usm

When tested on 58 by Cameron Green from the Randwick End, another cross-batted attempt landed just short of sub fielder Josh Inglis on the fine-leg fence. Two deliveries later, he reprised the same effort, with contorted torso and upwardly-breaking wrists, straight into the stands beneath the big screen.

This has been an underwhelming Ashes series. England have operated far below their ability and been bad enough for Australia to sweep them aside, despite plenty of injuries and struggling batsmen. Two two-day Tests?

Joe Root has continued to shatter records in Test cricket and has levelled with Ricky Ponting to enter an elite list of company.

Spinner Todd Murphy will have to wait to find out if he will get his first taste of test cricket on home soil on Sunday after captain Steve Smith said Australia were keeping options open for the fifth Ashes clash with England.

Police with long-armed rifles, a rarity at sporting events in Australia, will patrol the final Ashes cricket test in Sydney starting Sunday as part of heightened security measures following the Bondi Beach terror attack in the city.

Cricket is seen as a non-contact sport but a ball needs to be robust and hard-wearing which means they are hard and potentially dangerous.

At 3-1 down in what has been a mostly miserable series for the tourists, nothing England can do will prevent Australia from lifting the trophy.

Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes test beginning Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

India Test captain Shubman Gill has reportedly made a bold suggestion to improve the team’s fortunes in the red-ball format, in which they have suffered two whitewashes at home in the span of a year recently.