England captain Root retired hurt with illness as the home side beat England by an innings and 123 runs. Midway through the second session, Australia sealed what was widely expected. They bowled England out in the second innings for 180 to seal an innings-and-123-run victory in the final Ashes 2017-18 Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Pat Cummins nipped out the tail to end with 4/39, even as fought hard in troubling circumstances – Joe Root, their captain and overnight batsman, had been hospitalised overnight for gastroenteritis.
England needed a mammoth effort to survive the day, and Root was key to their hopes. However, he didn’t resume the day’s play, as Moeen Ali walked out with Jonny Bairstow. Ali lasted 43 deliveries before Nathan Lyon once again got the better of him, trapping him in front for 13. It was only then that Root walked out, gingerly. He fought hard to add the eight runs required to post another half-century, as England went in to lunch at 144 for 5. That was as good as it got for them on the day. Root didn’t re-emerge from the tunnel, and when Bairstow was scalped by Cummins in the third over after play resumed, Australia knew it was only a matter of time. Bairstow’s 143-ball vigil had yielded 38 runs, and his dismissal exposed the tail.
Stuart Broad, who had scored an enterprising 31 in the first innings, fell to Cummins two balls later, the bouncer doing the trick this time. The catch was skied to Tim Paine behind the stumps. Then, another Cummins short delivery saw to Mason Crane’s dismissal. He gloved the ball behind, and though he asked for a review, replays suggested there was significant contact with his thumb.
