The Prague Post - England 77-2 at tea, need 98 more to win chaotic 4th Ashes Test

At tea on day two, they were 77-2 off just 12 overs with Zak Crawley on 22 and Jacob Bethell nine, as they inched closer to restoring some battered pride after crashing in the first three Tests.

The pumped-up tourists dismissed Australia for 132 soon after lunch in front of another bumper crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, following the 20 wickets that tumbled on day one.

Travis Head top-scored with 46 while Carse took 4-34.

England have not won a Test in Australia since January 2011, losing 16 and drawing two since, and openers Crawley and Duckett had a clear objective to snap the streak -- play ultra-aggressive "Bazball" style.

Duckett hit a boundary off Mitchell Starc in his first over while Crawley slammed Michael Neser for a six and a four in successive balls.

But they lived dangerously -- Duckett was dropped by Starc off his own bowling on eight and Crawley survived an lbw review on 15.

They brought up a whirlwind fifty opening partnership in the seventh over but next ball Duckett was bowled by a Starc yorker for 34.

Fast bowler Carse then strode to the middle as a surprise number three in place of Bethell.

But England's pinch-hitting experiment failed as Carse lasted only eight balls before skying Jhye Richardson to Cameron Green.

Australia resumed on day two on 4-0 in their second innings after an explosive opening day of searing pace saw 20 wickets fall with the hosts dismissed for 152 and England just 110.

It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth.

With 10 millimetres of grass on the track it was a bowler's dream, but a host of former greats criticised the pitch for "doing too much" and being "unfair for the batters".

- Atkinson injury -

Head got going with a boundary off Gus Atkinson and nightwatchman Scott Boland added two to his overnight four, but his time was always going to be limited and he edged Atkinson to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Atkinson left the field soon after clutching what appeared to be his left hamstring.

Josh Tongue came into the attack on a hat-trick after bagging the last two Australia wickets on day one, but Jake Weatherald whipped his full ball for three.

Weatherald needed a decent knock to cement his spot at the top of the order, but he failed again, bowled by Ben Stokes for five leaving a delivery that nipped back.

Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Joe Root in the slips off Tongue.

Head was in good touch before being bowled by a peach of a delivery from Carse that beat the outside edge, and when Usman Khawaja (0) and Alex Carey (4) departed in the space of nine balls, the momentum was back with England.

After reaching lunch at 98-6, Green (19) became the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 119, edging a rising ball off Stokes to Harry Brook at slip.

Carse bagged Neser and Starc without scoring and Richardson fell to Stokes as the tail collapsed with the last four wickets tumbling for 13 runs, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 24.

Australia have already retained the Ashes after crushing eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane and an 82-run win in Adelaide.

M.Soucek--TPP