My picks of the third day:
England survived until lunch thanks to an impressive batting innings and partnership by Stuart Broad (61) and Graeme Swann (62). But the inevitable defeat came shortly after lunch, Mitchell Johnson completing the third five wicket haul of his career and finishing off England, who were well and truly beaten by an innings and 80 runs.
Run of Play: Advantage to...
1st session, England 245 for 8 (200 behind) at lunch: Australia, as the only "worry" for them was if England could avoid an innings-defeat.
2nd session, England 263 all out, Australia beat England by an innings and 80 runs: Australia for dashing even that little hope, thrashing England by over an innings.
Partnerships: 108 runs between Stuart Broad (61) and Graeme Swann (46): A little spree of just 78 balls - 73 runs of the partnership coming from just 5.3 overs - added at least a bit of fun and smiles to the English faces, even if the result was clear and inevitable, one way or the other. After James Anderson and Matt Prior fell early to Ben Hilfenhaus, caught at slip and behind respectively, the match could have ended within the opening hour.
Bowling: Johnson got the five-wicket haul Peter Siddle denied Hilfenhaus, who ended up with four. Siddle knicked a wicket, having Broad caught at backward square-leg and ending an entertaining, but in the big picture, meaningless partnership. Johnson then finished England off having Swann caught behind and Graham Onions bowled, knocking the off-stump over and England out. The Aussies were the stars, Johnson and Hilfenhaus especially, without a doubt, dazzling England out of the park.
Ups: The England fans got to see more batting and entertainment from the England bowlers than from the top order on the previous day. At least a little bit entertainment during the great depression - the fourth Ashes test.
Downs: Will England be able to get back from this? I know, it is only 1-1, but with the Aussies on fire and England in the dumps, I am not to sure they will be able to get the win they require to regain the Ashes.
Hero to zero: Everyone keeps saying this could not and would not have happened if Kevin Pietersen and/or Andrew Flintoff would have been fit to play, but I do not think so. Stop moaning and start looking: These Aussies, on fire the way they were in this test, would have wiped out KP and Freddie just alike - especially because both have been and shown only a fraction of their best over the last year-or-so.
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