Scott Boland six-for leads humiliation as Australia romp to Ashes glory

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England blown away in little more than an hour on third morning for third Test rout

Australia 267 (Harris 76, Anderson 4-33) beat England 185 (Root 50, Cummins 3-36, Lyon 3-36) and 68 (Boland 6-7, Starc 3-29) by an innings and 14 runs

Scott Boland’s six-wicket haul on Test debut powered Australia to an emphatic Ashes defence, as they sealed an unassailable 3-0 series lead by lunch on the third day at the MCG.

Australia’s quicks continued their demolition job on England, with Boland adding to his two wickets from three balls during a devastating final hour for the tourists on the second day, taking six wickets in 21 balls in all, to seal an innings victory.

Mitchell Starc, whose two wickets had a big hand in reducing England to 4 for 31 in a cauldron-like atmosphere on day two, added the wicket of Ben Stokes inside the first 25 minutes of the resumption, to end with 3 for 29.

But the day – as short as it was – belonged to Boland. After taking 1 for 48 in England’s first innings, he was simply unplayable for an England side with its confidence beaten and its batting in disarray.

The task always looked insurmountable for England, even with Stokes and Joe Root still in on the second day, but the emphatic way in which Australia rammed home their advantage consigned the tourists to a new low.

More to follow

Valkerie Baynes is a general editor at ESPNcricinfo

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