MacGill bags 5-wicket haul
England in trouble in final Ashes test
Posted: Sunday January 03, 1999 02:21 PM
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Shane Warne bowls for Australia for the first time after returning from a shoulder operation AP |
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- England's hopes of winning the fifth and final Ashes test to square the series 2-2 faded Sunday as its batsmen caved in against Australia's three-pronged spin attack.
Replying to Australia's first innings total of 322, England was dismissed for 220 before stumps on the second day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia then added 13 without loss in its second innings to hold an overall lead of 115 with three days to go.
Australia has already retained the Ashes, but needs to either win or draw this match to secure a record sixth series win.
Australia's three slow bowlers took eight wickets between them on a strip renowned for taking spin.
Stuart MacGill led the way with career-best figures of five for 57 while Colin Miller grabbed two wickets and Shane Warne took one in his first test match for more than nine months.
Paceman Glenn McGrath took two for 35 to become the 10th Australian to take 200 test wickets.
Australian captain Mark Taylor equaled Allan Border's record of 156 for the most catches by a fieldsman as the home side stamped its authority on the match after its surprise 12-run defeat in the fourth test.
MacGill, who made a first-ball duck on Saturday as England's Darren Gough took a hat trick to restrict Australia to 322, returned the favor on Sunday.
He cleaned up the last four Englishmen in 15 deliveries after picking up Graeme Hick earlier in the innings.
He bowled Alex Tudor with a wrong 'un that completely deceived the Surrey paceman then provided Taylor with his record equaling catch when he found the outside of John Crawley's bat.
He trapped Gough leg before wicket for a second-ball duck then finished off the innings when Dean Headley skied a ball to McGrath at long off
Warne, playing his first test since undergoing shoulder surgery, made a triumphant return to the international arena.
He trapped England opener Mark Butcher leg before wicket for 36 with his fourth delivery.
He also caught England captain Alec Stewart for three and Hick for 23 when Australia were in need of vital wickets.
Warne, who was unlucky not to have taken another wicket, finished with one for 67 from 20 overs.
Crawley top scored for England with 44 while Nasser Hussain made 42 but, as has been the case this series, none of their batsmen went on to make a big score.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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