The Ashes 2013-14: Australia go 4-0 up at MCG after Chris Rogers's hundred

Chris Rogers scored a match-winning 116 off 155 balls

Australia ended a frustrating 2013 on a brilliant hight after taking a daunting 4-0 lead in the Ashes down under when they completed an emphatic 8-wicket win over England at the iconic MCG today.

Australia required 201 runs on the final day of the 4th Test to win the match, and opener Chris Rogers and Shane Watson played strokeful innings to chase down the target.

Rogers, playing some delightful strokes, reached his 2nd Test hundred with a beautiful cover drive for four. Rogers’s century came off just 135 deliveries, with 11 hits to the fence. He eventually fell against Monty Panesar, having scored a match-winning 116 off 155 deliveries.

Watson, who suffered a scare on the opening day of this Boxing Day Test with a groin injury, remained unbeaten on 83 off just 90 deliveries. Australian captain Michael Clarke, who contributed 6 runs in the chase, reached a personal milestone when he became the sixth Australian to go past 8000 runs in Test cricket. This achievement comes a day after his counterpart, Alastair Cook became the youngest batsman to reach 8000 Test runs.

Mitchell Johnson, who took 8 wickets in the match and affected a crucial run out of Joe Root in England’s 2nd innings, was adjudged the Man of the Match for his performance. Johnson, making a comeback to the Test side in this Ashes, has been in exemplary form, and has taken 31 wickets so far in 4 matches at an average of 14.32. He’s been bowling with extreme pace and has also benefited from reverse swing on offer.

“I thought Chris did really well, so maybe he should be man of the match. Yeah, we got the ball to shape, there was reverse as well out there, so it was really enjoyable. The run-out just bounced nicely and I managed to hit. There’s a lot of people who’ve helped me, my team-mates have been behind me, so thanks to them. I think that’s the first time I’ve bowled on Boxing Day, in front of 91,000, so quite an experience,” Johnson said.

The 5th and last Test of the Ashes begins on 3rd January at the Sydney Cricket Ground where Australia will be aiming to inflict the dreaded whitewash which England suffered back in 2006/07.

Brief scores:

England 255 (Kevin Pietersen 71; Mitchell Johnson 5/63) & 179 (Alastair Cook 51; Nathan Lyon 5/50)

lost to

Australia 204 (Brad Haddin 65; James Anderson 4/67) & 231/2 (Chris Rogers 116; Monty Panesar 1/41)