Aussie bats ready for MCG salvage job

Australia believe they can bat long enough to force a draw in the Boxing Day Test after England took a 164-run first-innings lead at the MCG.

Pat Cummins removed England No.11 James Anderson with the first ball of the fourth day to ensure the visitors could not extend their advantage in the fourth Magellan Ashes Test, and the paceman said the game plan for the remainder was "just about batting time".

"Throughout the series (England) have bowled pretty tightly so I don't think we can be too expansive, it's just about batting time," Cummins told ABC Grandstand shortly before day four began.

"The wicket is still really, really good.

"For us to send them back in and have a crack at winning this Test we'd have to score really, really quickly.

"You never know, we've got people like David Warner in the team so never say no but the goal at the moment is just about batting time.

"We're a little bit behind the game now but there's only two days left and the wicket is really good. I feel like we can bat for the majority of that."

National Selector Mark Waugh said he expected Australia to reverse the "complacency" that lead to a first-innings collapse of 7-67 and bat long enough to save the Test match.

"Given the conditions, we really shouldn't lose the Test, I wouldn't expect that to happen," Waugh told Big Sports Breakfast radio.

"But we're going to have to play a bit better than we played in the first innings with the bat.

"It's going to be difficult for us to win unless we score very quickly and get a lead. With England 164 ahead, the pressure is on us, we are going to have to bat well.

"Even if the pitch is flat, if you're behind on the scoreboard that pressure can mount on you.

"We have to get off to a good start and nullify the energy and excitement in the England bowlers because they'll come out firing."

Waugh said Australia's second-morning collapse was a wake-up call for a line-up that had grown complacent.

"(The first-innings batting was) just complacent. Probably looking too far ahead, thinking it was just going to happen," Waugh said.

"We just thought it would happen, and you know what happens when you get a bit too far ahead of yourself in sport and you think you've just got to turn up.

"These things happen and it's a bit of a wake-up call really in that first innings."

Australia coach Darren Lehmann had lamented the lack of pace and bounce in the MCG pitch, and Cummins elaborated on the lack of assistance for bowlers.

"The wicket is so true it doesn't feel like you can get any snicks and catches behind the wicket," the 24-year-old said, adding hopes for a miscued pull shot were deemed the best offensive weapon in the bowlers' arsenal.

"(The MCG pitch) is a lot slower than the WACA was even on day five. The wicket is so hard the ball gets really soft.

"It started to reverse after 20 or 30 overs, and that was good because you felt in the game, but once it gets 40 overs old it's just really soft and you don't get much assistance off the wicket."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21