Ashes 2017: Australia coach Darren Lehmann concedes defeat in bid for 5-0 series whitewash over England

Barring a spectacular change of fortunes Alastair Cook's double hundred leaves England as the only potential winners of the fourth Test ending Australia's hopes of a clean sweep

Darren Lehmann has conceded that Australia's hopes of a whitewash are all but over (Getty)

Coach Darren Lehmann has conceded that Australia’s hopes of a 5-0 series whitewash are effectively over.

England belatedly showed some fight - with the Ashes already lost - with Alastair Cook leading the charge in Melbourne with a brilliant unbeaten double hundred on day three.

Barring a spectacular change of fortunes Cook's knock leaves England as the only potential winners of the fourth Test.

But a draw would also deny the hosts a second consecutive clean sweep of their old rivals on home soil, one which for the majority of this tour has looked by far the most likely outcome.

Asked whether his side would look to push for victory from a significant first innings deficit, Lehmann said: “We’re 160 runs behind, mate. We’d have to get 450 in a day. How do you want us to do that? Slog?

“We’ve got to worry about getting past them first. That’s the first challenge. England scored reasonably quickly, but you would think we’re not going to score as quickly as that, so we’re just going to be passing them by stumps tomorrow night. So what do you want us to set them?”

Lehmann also complained about the lack of life in the pitch.

“You’d like a bit more bounce and pace,” he added. “Obviously it’s a big weapon of ours. But you’ve got to chop and change. Look, it is what it is, and we just get on with it.”