Cricket: Ashes on the line as under-siege England look to bounce back

England head into the Boxing Day Test against Australia on Sunday knowing they must fix the mistakes that have blighted their tour or lose the Ashes series.

After a nine-wicket thumping in Brisbane and then crashing by 275 runs in Adelaide, Joe Root’s team must win at Melbourne Cricket Ground to keep their slim Ashes hopes alive.

A boisterous crowd of about 70,000 is expected on the opening day of the Test.

As holders, Australia need only to avoid defeat to retain the urn.

The omens are not good for England – the only instance of a team coming from 2-0 down to win the Ashes was Donald Bradman’s Australia back in 1936-37.

In the first two Tests the tourists’ batting, bowling and fielding were sub-standard and Root knows they must improve quickly.

“I am convinced we have what we need to win Test matches over here but we are not going to if we keep missing chances and don’t give ourselves an opportunity to get into the Test match with the bat,” he said.

Root blasted the side after Adelaide for “making the same mistakes”, highlighted by a first-innings batting collapse and his bowlers hitting the wrong lengths, allowing Australia to build a big score.

But he also came in for sharp criticism himself,…

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