Australia skittle England for 68 to retain ‘The Ashes’

London: England suffered yet another batting collapse to be bowled out for a paltry 68 in the second innings of the third Ashes Test against Australia in Melbourne on Tuesday. 

England were dismissed for 68 on the third day of the third Test to hand Australia an easy win.

Joe Root described England's Ashes defeat in Melbourne as "gut-wrenching" as Australia retained the urn at the earliest opportunity with a crushing innings-and-14-run victory. 

"It is everything you do not want from this stage of the tour," Root added. 

The 32-year-old Victorian had astonishing figures of six for seven as England’s batsmen capitulated for 68 before lunch on day three on a glorious day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“I thought we had a pretty good chance of winning but I had no idea we would do it before lunch,” said Boland. “That’s my best ever figures… Nothing happened that quickly”.

England had resumed on 31 for four, their faint hopes pinned on captain Joe Root and Ben Stokes building a partnership.

But it all went up in smoke as paceman Mitchell Starc bowled Stokes for 11 before Boland started an incredible spell of fast bowling.

Australia sealed the series 3-0 ahead of the remaining two Tests in Sydney and Hobart.

 “Credit to Australia, they blew us away last night and they’ve outplayed us in this Test match and in this series so far,” said Root. 

“We’ve got a lot of hard work to do to make sure we come back strong in the last two games”.