Close England 270 (White 85*, Gillespie 4-25) and 111 for 2 (Vaughan 55*) trail Australia 551 for 6 dec by 170 runs
Scorecard

Just as England thought things couldn't get any worse, they lie on the cusp of a depressing piece of history after another manhandling at the hands of Australia at the MCG. Never before have they lost three Tests in a row by an innings, but that is the likeliest scenario here. England were bowled out for 270 despite a brave unbeaten 85 from Craig White, and after following on they reached 111 for 2 at the close. They need a further 170 runs to make Australia bat again.

White's first half-century against Australia, which rescued England from a perilous 118 for 6, was even more commendable because of a torn side muscle which will rule him out of the last Test at Sydney. There was also an immaculate display from Michael Vaughan (55 not out) in the second innings, but overall this was another day of thorough Australian pre-eminence.

England resumed this morning on 97 for 3, and after Stuart MacGill polished off the nightwatchman Richard Dawson in textbook fashion, Robert Key fell second ball for 0 to a glorious, 94mph inswinging yorker from Brett Lee (113 for 5). It was a majestic piece of bowling, sullied only fractionally by Lee's bizarre, Red Indian celebration.

A whiff of justice then permeated the Melbourne air, as Nasser Hussain fell to MacGill for 24. As an attempted sweep lobbed up to the vacant silly-point area, Matthew Hayden at short leg hurtled across the pitch like a man about to rescue a loved one from an onrushing car, and took a stunning diving catch as his knees grazed across the turf. Hussain didn't like the decision, and replays weren't conclusive, but he has had more lives than James Bond in this series - he would have another later - and could have few complaints.

His replacement, White, carried on his good form from the VB Series, check-pulling, straight-driving and launching MacGill for classy sixes in a 134-ball innings. John Crawley (17) kept him company in a partnership of 54, but then lost the plot completely and pulled Gillespie's second ball of the day, which was too full for the shot, straight up in the air (172 for 7).

Gillespie should have had another wicket when Russell Tiffin missed a clear edge from James Foster to Adam Gilchrist, but Foster took advantage to bat with a bit of spunk during a boundaryless 76-ball 19. He added 55 with White - the third fifty partnership in a row for this odd couple, after two in India last winter - before he was dubiously lbw to a yorker from Steve Waugh - yes, Steve Waugh. It was Waugh's first Test wicket since he dismissed another stand-in England wicketkeeper here: Warren Hegg on Boxing Day 1998.

Andy Caddick slogged a quick 17 before Gillespie cleaned him and Steve Harmison up to finish with 4 for 23, leaving White high and dry. He played really well, scoring only one run less here than he had in 12 previous innings against the Aussies. It also took his Test average at No. 8 to over 50, as against 19 anywhere else. Perhaps he should have been batting there all along.

When Waugh predictably enforced the follow-on – the first time England had been invited to do so in Australia for 20 years – Marcus Trescothick and Vaughan saw off their respective nemeses and then set about MacGill.

Trescothick slog-swept him for six, but two overs later the same shot brought about his downfall. Trescothick plonked his foot down and missed, Tiffin raised the finger – but the ball had hit the pad a long way outside the line of off stump. It was a wretched decision, continuing Tiffin's minor shocker, and Trescothick was gone for 37 for the second time in the match (67 for 1).

Vaughan continued to look like he could handle MacGill and Lee in his sleep, and when he reached 44 he became the highest English Test runscorer in a calendar year, passing Dennis Amiss' 1379 in 1974. But Mark Butcher's poor series continued when a back-foot force at Gillespie flew low to first slip, where Martin Love took a top-drawer catch despite getting his hands in a muddle (89 for 2). Butcher made 6.

Then, with 14 balls left in the day, Hussain had another stroke of luck with the third umpire. His back foot slipped out of the crease as he missed a sweep at MacGill, but he got it back just as Gilchrist whipped off the bails. Inevitably it went to the third umpire, and after about ten replays Hussain was given not out. It was a seriously close call, but the crucial replay from the stump camera showed the wicket broken with Hussain's foot on the line.

He was lucky to survive. England, you fear, won't be so fortunate tomorrow.

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Rob Smyth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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