Anderson-Woakes, Root script brilliant fightback

After the best part of three days at Adelaide Oval were spent with the Australians dominating England, the visiting side’s pace attack, led by James Anderson and Chris Woakes, turned the script around on the fourth day, and Joe Root built on it to give England hope of a dramatic series-levelling win.

The fourth day started with Australia 53 for 4 in its second innings after having taken a 215-run first-innings lead, but Anderson (5 for 43) and Woakes (4 for 36) made short work of the rest of the batting order to skittle Australia for 138.

That still gave Australia an advantage of 354, but with Root hitting an unbeaten 67, England ended the fourth day on Tuesday (December 5) on 176 for 4, just 178 away from victory with six wickets in hand. The highest successful chase at Adelaide Oval is 315 for 6 by Australia against England in 1902.

Even as the Barmy Army roared its approval, Root took control of the chase as Steven Smith, his counterpart, wasted two reviews and put down a tough catch, perhaps signalling the turn in tide.

Root, when on 32, had an lbw verdict off Nathan Lyon overturned on review, and Australia lost its second and last review when Dawid Malan survived an lbw shout on three off Josh Hazlewood, replays showing that the ball was going over the stumps, the same as the earlier instance.

Smith then dropped Malan at first slip off Lyon when the batsman was on eight as Root and his junior colleague added 78 for the fourth wicket.

In the morning, Lyon, the night watchman, hit a couple of fours but was also struck on the helmet by Stuart Broad before he was dismissed by Anderson for 14. Peter Handscomb was then caught by Malan for 12 as Anderson got his fourth wicket.

Woakes accounted for Tim Paine, who had scored a half-century in the first innings, and then got his fourth and last wicket of the innings when he sent back Shaun Marsh, the first-innings centurion, for 19.

Anderson wrapped up his five-for, his first in Australia, when he sent back Mitchell Starc, and Craig Overton finished off the innings in just 58 overs when Hazlewood fell to him, leaving Pat Cummins unbeaten on 11. Usman Khawaja and Starc were the joint top-scorers in the innings, with 20 each.

In the England reply, Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman, the openers, put together 53 for the first wicket before both fell soon after each other. Lyon won a successful lbw review to remove Cook for 16 and Starc had Stoneman caught at gully by Khawaja for 36 to leave England 54 for 2. That became 91 for 3 when Starc got James Vince to edge one, but Root and Malan steadied the ship.

Malan was dismissed at the fag end of the day, bowled by Cummins, for 29 before Root and Woakes, the night watchman, took England to stumps.