Athers on the benign MCG pitch and whether Mason Crane will debut in Sydney
Sunday 31 December 2017 08:05, UK
Michael Atherton bemoans the MCG pitch - and says England will have Mason Crane in mind as they move on to the SCG - as he reflects on day five of the drawn fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne.
Watch Athers' video review above after Steve Smith's unbeaten 102 - his 23rd Test century and third of the series - steered Australia to a stalemate in Melbourne, which ensured they will head to Sydney with a 3-0 lead but also guaranteed England will not be whitewashed.
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Athers is highly complimentary about the "phenomenal" Smith, but not about the MCG deck, which he says offered nothing to the bowlers, believing even a top-class spinner would have struggled for purchase.
England's spinner Moeen Ali is enduring a torrid time in Australia - he bowled just 13.2 overs in Australia's second innings and his series stats now read three wickets in four matches at an average of 135.
Athers says those figures, and the fact Sydney has been conducive to spin in the past, means England will be seriously considering handing Mason Crane a Test debut in the final match of the series.
Head to skysports.com every day of the Ashes Tests for Athers' video reviews.
