Cook hangs on as England suffer another review debacle

Opener Alastair Cook was 134 not out with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow alongside him on 16 after a steamy morning session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when the tourists trimmed Australia’s first innings lead to 63 runs.

England resumed on 192-2 and Cook and Root extended their partnership to 138 before Cummins, who had battled a stomach ailment on day two, induced the latter to pull a short ball straight to Nathan Lyon on 61.

Cook and Dawid Malan had combined for only 28 runs before the middle order batsman departed in bizarre circumstances.

He was dismissed leg before for 14 when paceman Josh Hazlewood rapped him on the pads but declined to review the decision after a short conference with Cook.

As he trudged off the ground, the review technology showed that he had hit the ball, with ‘snicko’, ‘hot-spot’ and the video replay all producing evidence of an inside edge off the bat before it struck his pads.

It was the second England wicket to fall lbw with a nick in the innings, with number three James Vince failing to review his dismissal on day two.

Cook completed his century in the final over of day two, smashing Australia captain Steve Smith’s part-time leg-spin in a late blaze of glory, but was held accountable by the home quicks early on day three and added only 30 runs to his tally.

Australia regained the Ashes with victory in the third test in Perth and hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.