Australia captain Steve Smith on BT Sport:"It was nice to be there at the end and get the boys to a draw. There were only really two results that could happen - we couldn't get enough runs and get in front of the game on this wicket.

"I'm pleased for Mitch Marsh - he played really well and a different role to the one he usually plays."

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BBC Test Match Special

Joe Root on the form of Stuart Broad: "Four wickets in the first innings, after a bit of criticism, he has responded extremely well and with the bat did what we needed.

"He is a senior player that has been through it all before and finds a way of digging deep and responding to situations like that. That is why he has been so successful for so long and why I believe he will be able to do that over a long period in the future."

Alastair Cook is man of the match for his superb 244 not out.

The hosts take a 3-0 series lead into the fifth and final Test at Sydney, which starts on 3 January (4 January in Australia).

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Another Steve Smith masterclass. The Aussie captain batted throughout day five, ending unbeaten on 102 - his 23rd Test century - to save the game and ensure a draw.

Not a showy innings in any way, but a masterful knock of application and concentration.

He was ably supported by Mitchell Marsh's 29 off 166 balls, after England had gone into lunch with real hope of pushing for victory.

At that point Australia were 178-4, just 14 runs ahead, after Joe Root suckered David Warner into skying it to cover for 86 and Stuart Broad removed Shaun Marsh, edging behind for just four.

But it wasn't to be for the tourists, who toiled on a lifeless pitch, before Australia declared on 263-4 to allow Smith and Root to shake on the draw.

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Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

England will take a serious amount of confidence. This Test showed that without Mitchell Starc England have a very good chance of taking it to Australia.

It shows the gap is not as far as it has seemed. If England get into a winning position and there is more in the wicket they have real chance of success. They have restored pride in themselves.

Joe Root, asked if he ever doubted Cook would return to form: "No. Simple as that."

On Cook's innings: "I thought he had great rhythm. At no point did he look flustered or out of control. That is as well as I have seen him drive the ball for a long time."

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England captain Joe Root on TMS: "We played really good cricket throughout five days.

"On that wicket to get them 327 all out (in the first innings) was a great effort from our bowlers. After the start they had to get back into that first day and produce the two sessions we did showed real courage and skill. We backed that up brilliantly the following day.

"Cookie was tremendous, an outstanding innings. He showed everything his record suggests he is as a player and looked in fabulous form. It is a great sign moving forward."

On the pitch, Steve Smith said: "It needs to have something in it - more pace or break up so so it spins. It was completely flat for five days if we played for the next two days it wouldn't change. The only thing that came into play was reverse swing"

"I am in a nice place mentally and am comfortably with my game. I am mixing things up with my feet and hands to different bowlers. I am enjoying batting and love my batting. Hopefully I can get another big one at Sydney in a week's time."

Australia captain Steve Smith, speaking to ABC: "It was nice in the end. We would have liked to have won the game but today that wasn't an option. It was about grinding it out and trying to bat the day out. I was pleased to be there at end.

"It was very hard to get guys out on that wicket. It was so slow. There was a little bit of reverse swing. We knew if we got through the spell of Broad and Anderson it was going to be hard for them to keep coming back and back."

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England captain Joe Root on BT Sport: "That's as flat a wicket as you'll ever see - another four days and it would be exactly the same.

"A lot of guys had points to prove in this game and you saw that in the middle. The desire to do it, especially senior players who have done it before, it shows in a performance like that.

"We tried pretty much everything. Maybe I could've come on to bowl a little bit earlier and played on the ego a bit earlier.

"Credit to the guys who worked extremely hard and I don't think we could've tried anything else."

The Boxing Day Test at Melbourne has ended in a draw.

Australia declared on 263-4, leading by 99 runs, but it wasn't to try and force a result, it was just to allow Steve Smith and Joe Root to shake hands on the draw.

Smith finished unbeaten on 102 - his 23rd century in 60 Tests and third in this series - to save the match, ably supported by Mitchell Marsh, who scored 29 off 166 balls.

Australia started on 103-2, trailing by 61, and were largely untroubled for the first two hours. Then just before lunch Joe Root had David Warner (86) caught at cover and Stuart Broad removed Shaun Marsh for just four, edging behind to Jonny Bairstow, who took a fine catch.

The hosts were effectively 14-4 but Smith and Marsh repelled everything for the rest of the day.

Australia will take a 3-0 series lead to the fifth Test at Sydney.

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Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Melbourne

Joe Root says England need different plans for Steve Smith in Sydney. What else is there to try? Maybe knotting his shoelaces together?

England captain Joe Root, speaking to BT Sport: "It's very frustrating given the position we were in at lunch.

"But it was a very flat wicket and very difficult for the bowlers. I felt they worked really hard and did well to get us into the position we were in.

"Steve Smith played very well and was backed up by Mitch Marsh - even on that wicket it's hard to bat that patiently for so long."

England's Alastair Cook on TMS: "It was a long day. Not too much was happening. The ball reversed a little bit. Steve Smith is in peak form and he never looked like getting out. The wickets before lunch gave us a sniff but if you bat sensibly on this pitch it is difficult to get you out.

"We needed to get Steve (Smith) and David (Warner) out early. We got two wickets that gave us half a chance. If you played straight and were prepared to bat a long time there wasn't much there. I have never seen a wicket stay together as well as that. It could be a timeless Test. It just hasn't changed.

"I was half tempered to ask to bowl but I had a good game and didn't want to ruin it."

Asked if he as played anyone in as good form as Steve Smith, Cook said: "Not as relentless as that. He is in one of those rhythms. It has been an amazingly good effort."

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

Joe Root's captaincy, I liked it.

With the field placings he gave it a shot. He was trying things. In the end England were on top but couldn't win. They needed all the time that was lost for rain yesterday.

Hello to those waking up at 6am in the UK. No live cricket to take in, I'm afraid.

Australia have declared at 263-4 and the two captains have agreed to the draw.

Robbie Hoare: Whoever prepared the wicket at the MCG needs to have a strong word with himself. Could’ve been one of the great days of Test cricket.

Expect to see plenty of criticism of the pitch at the MCG.

It's one that is prepared elsewhere and then 'dropped-in' at the ground, which is mainly used for Australian rules.

Adelaide was also a drop-in pitch and there was more for the bowlers there, which will increase the consternation at how slow and lifeless this one was.

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator

The total match attendance has been confirmed at 262,616.

Geoffrey Boycott
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

The England seamers did their absolute best. Anderson gave everything. He will be absolutely knackered. His rhythm was good as it has been all series.

Broad bowled well, particularly in the first innings. His pace was up.