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MELBOURNE, Dec 29: Michael Vaughan’s sixth century of the year on Sunday helped England set Australia the relatively small target of 107 to win the fourth Ashes Test.
Australia, who lead the five-match series 3-0, faced two overs before the close of the fourth day’s play, reaching eight without loss.
Yorkshire opener Vaughan hit 145 before Australia dismissed England, who had been asked to follow on, for 387 in their second innings 18 minutes before the scheduled close of play.
Leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, recalled for his first Test in 11 months following a shoulder injury to Shane Warne, took two for 108 from 36 overs in the first innings and five for 152 from a marathon 48 overs in the second.
Paceman Jason Gillespie, with four for 25 and three for 71, was also a key weapon for Australia captain Steve Waugh after he enforced the follow-on.
Vaughan became the highest run-scorer for the 2002 calendar year, passing the 1,392 from India’s Sachin Tendulkar. His 1,481 runs from 14 Tests puts him behind only former West Indies captain Viv Richards who amassed 1,710 runs in 11 Tests in 1976.
The Yorkshire opener’s innings closed in dramatic fashion in the fifth over after lunch. The right-hander smashed MacGill for a six over mid-off and a boundary to square-leg before cutting a ball to slip where debutant Martin Love took his third catch.
Vaughan’s 277-minute innings included 19 boundaries and three sixes from 218 balls.
Australia had bowled England out on Saturday for 270 in reply to the home side’s 551 for six declared.
Captain Nasser Hussain’s England added 276 runs on the fourth day including a half-century from Robert Key (52).
Scoreboard
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 551-6 declared (J.L. Langer 250, M.L. Hayden 102, S.R. Waugh 77, M.L. Love 62 not out).
ENGLAND (1st Innings 270 (C. White 85 not out; J.N. Gillespie 4-25).
ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 111-2):
M.E. Trescothick lbw b MacGill 37
M.P. Vaughan c Love b MacGill 145
M.A. Butcher c Love b Gillespie 6
N. Hussain c and b McGrath 23
R.W.T. Key c Ponting b Gillespie 52
J.P. Crawley b Lee 33
C. White c Gilchrist b MacGill 21
J.S. Foster c Love b MacGill 6
A.R. Caddick c Waugh b MacGill 10
R.K.J. Dawson not out 15
S.J. Harmison b Gillespie 7
EXTRAS (B-3, LB-21, W-2, NB-6) 32
TOTAL (all out, 120.4 overs) 387
FALL OF WKTS: 1-67, 2-89, 3-169, 4-236, 5-287, 6-342, 7-342, 8-356, 9-378.
BOWLING: McGrath 19-5-44-1; Gillespie 24.4-6-71-3; MacGill 48-10-152-5; Lee 27-4-87-1 (6nb, 1w); Waugh 2-0-9-0.
AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings):
J.L. Langer not out 4
M.L. Hayden not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1) 3
TOTAL (for no wkt, 2 overs) 8
BOWLING (to-date): Caddick 1-0-5-0; Harmison 1-0-1-0 (1nb).—Reuters
