"Any time there's a bit of rain and you're on top in the game it's a bit frustrating, but we've got an opportunity tomorrow to win and that's the attitude we've got to take," England coach Trevor Bayliss told reporters. "We showed in the first innings that we can take a number of wickets reasonably quickly. "So, 98 overs tomorrow, it's more than enough time if we play well to force a result."WORLD RECORD
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) December 28, 2017
Alastair Cook 244 not out is the highest ever score by any player carrying his bat in Test match history #bbccricket #ashes pic.twitter.com/4js6aiOETg
Bayliss also slammed claims of tampering after footage of England bowler James Anderson working the ball with his thumbnail drew suspicions. "I'm not sure you are allowed to use your fingernail there," former Test spinner Shane Warne said on the Channel Nine TV coverage. Fellow former Test star Michael Slater added: "That's interesting, you can't get your nail into the ball. That's a no-no." Anderson, skipper Joe Root and fellow fast bowler Stuart Broad were involved in discussions with umpires Sundaram Ravi and Kumar Dharmasena. But Bayliss said the umpires had later told him that the allegations were trumped up."Only one team can win from here and that is England if they come out in the morning get a couple of wickets." @glennmcgrath11
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) December 29, 2017
What are your thoughts?
Live review and analysis ? https://t.co/WgaEgq6af2 #Ashes #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/CpUUEK0XDc
"It's a beat-up. As soon as I saw the headlines I raced into the umpires and that was their words: 'Nothing to worry about, it was a beat-up, absolutely fine'," Bayliss said. "The umpires spoke to both captains during this game about throwing the ball into rough areas. "Every team in the world does that and obviously the umpires don't want it to go overboard and both teams have taken it on board. "I did see the footage and if he (Anderson) was trying to scratch it then he was scratching the wrong (shiny) side for it to go reverse. I'm quite sure that wasn't the case.""That's interesting, you can't get your nail into the ball..." - Slats. AUS 0/30 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/gGyOmXQWEn
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) December 29, 2017
The match referee Ranjan Madugalle said after the day's play there would be no report into the allegations. Earlier, England were all out on their overnight total of 491 on the first ball of the day, when Anderson was caught by Cameron Bancroft off Pat Cummins for a duck. It meant that Cook achieved the highest score of anyone carrying his bat -- the rare feat of batting throughout the innings -- in Test cricket, bettering New Zealand's Glenn Turner's 223 not out against the West Indies in Kingston in 1972.Ashes: England coach Trevor Bayliss denies ball-tampering claims in fourth Test - BBC… https://t.co/WmaMNcCKf6 ➜ https://t.co/1YldkonCr2 pic.twitter.com/XnAAtsy4Dw
— Editing the BBC (@bbc_diff) December 29, 2017
The last Englishman to carry his bat in Tests was Mike Atherton, who scored 94 in New Zealand in 1997. Cook set a number of records on Thursday's third day, when he surpassed the highest score by a visiting batsman in a Melbourne Test, bettering the 208 by West Indian great Viv Richards in 1984. As Australia began their second innings 164 runs behind, England snared the wickets of Bancroft and Usman Khawaja to send jitters through the home side. Bancroft chopped Chris Woakes on to his stumps on 27, while Khawaja was caught behind off Anderson for 11.No talk of ball tampering in Australia camp – Marshhttps://t.co/KJwLVpn0yq #Ashes pic.twitter.com/meWpLAGZ8x
— Sporting News Australia (@sportingnewsau) December 29, 2017
.@englandcricket coach Trevor Bayliss described suggestions of ball tampering by his side in the Australian media as "a bit of pommie bashing". #Asheshttps://t.co/HVffXkRBMp
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) December 29, 2017
