Bookmakers toast day five stalemate in Melbourne

Captains Joe Root and Steve Smith bemoaned the slow, turgid MCG pitch after the fourth Ashes Test ended in stalemate on Saturday.

England failed to take the eight wickets they needed to set up victory and Australia, with Smith finishing 102 not out in a Baggy Greens' second innings of 263-4, were not able to force the pace to set a pressurising target.

However, Coral were among the bookmakers jumping for joy at the dank Melbourne weather and the gentle nature of the 'G' drop-in track as the dead-rubber draw meant the end for all bets on an Australia 5-0 series success.

The firm's John Hill said: "Alastair Cook will be the toast of all bookmakers on New Year's Eve as his fantastic innings (244 not out) meant England avoided defeat in the fourth Test, and as a result, we have dodged a bullet with the gamble on a 5-0 whitewash."

New Zealand are 1-2 to go 2-0 up in their three T20 series with West Indies (Sky Sports Main Event/Cricket. 6am Monday) but the best bet in Mount Maunganui looks to be Colin Munro to be top Black Caps batsman at 7-2.

Munro hit a 37-ball 53 in Friday's game one in Nelson, when edged out for those honours, and has hit two quickfire T20 centuries in the last year including 101 against Bangladesh at the Bayside venue.

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