Australia storm to 4-0 Ashes series lead

Chris Rogers has struck a sparkling century to fire Australia to a dominant eight-wicket win in the fourth Ashes Test.

The victory, completed before tea on day four on Sunday, pushed Australia to a 4-0 series lead and the prospect of sweeping England in the fifth and final Test in Sydney.

Needing quick wickets to have any chance of salvaging pride at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, England were let down badly by their captain Alastair Cook, who put down two catches at first slip in the first half-hour to reprieve Rogers on 19 and his opening partner David Warner for 22.

Though Warner lasted only three more runs, Rogers combined with number three batsman Shane Watson to flog a demoralised attack, their carefree partnership of 136 putting the hosts within 31 runs of victory before the opener succumbed for 116.

Australia captain Michael Clarke (six not out) joined Watson (83 not out) to administer the last rites for England, who played out the final sessions with a deflating weariness that allowed the hosts to mow through the 231 runs required for victory without breaking sweat.

Watson whipped a boundary square to secure the win in style, and charged down the sun-bathed pitch with arms raised as a crowd of more than 38,000 roared their approval.

“We’ve had our ups and downs. There’s no doubt that the winning feeling is back in our camp,” Clarke said after his team finished a tough year that started with nine straight tests without a win on a high.

“Today could have went one or two ways. We could have just got over the line but I think because the boys just have so much confidence in their own ability and in the work that they’ve been putting in, we ended up winning quite convincing today.”

Having started the day needing 201 runs for victory, Rogers added only one run before nicking a Stuart Broad delivery behind but wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, replacement for the dropped Matt Prior, teamed up with Cook to make an absolute mess of the chance.

Fourth day scorecard

England first innings 255 Australia first innings 204   England second innings 179   Australia second innings   C. Rogers c Bairstow b Panesar 116  D. Warner c Bairstow b Stokes 25  S. Watson not out 83  M. Clarke not out 6  Extras (nb-1) 1 9

Bairstow stuck barnacle-like to his mark rather than take the catch that was rightfully his, leaving a late-moving Cook to put down the ball after lunging to his right with one hand.

England heads dropped further when Cook fluffed the simplest of chances shortly after, with Warner driving recklessly at a Ben Stokes delivery to send the nick straight into the skipper’s lap.

Mercifully for Cook, Warner was out for 25 slashing at another Stokes ball to be snaffled by Bairstow, but Rogers marched on.

He rode his luck to his half-century, moving to 49 when an inside edge whistled past the stumps and beat the keeper to run for four, but brought up the milestone with a lovely cut through the covers for two.

He and Watson helped drive Australia past 100, and then opened their shoulders in the last 40 minutes before lunch to smack 113 runs in the morning session.Chris Rogers has struck a sparkling century to fire Australia to a dominant eight-wicket win in the fourth Ashes Test.

The victory, completed before tea on day four on Sunday, pushed Australia to a 4-0 series lead and the prospect of sweeping England in the fifth and final test in Sydney.