Just yesterday, a very wise and knowledgable blogger wrote these prophetic words:
"I don't expect Anderson to stick around for long tomorrow, although Cook, Bell, Collingwood and Prior are all capable of big scores. Despite our advantage on the scoreboard currently, I feel Australia really needs to lead on the first innings in order to have any chance of winning this test and saving face in the series."Lo and behold, Anderson was out quickly in the morning and then Cook, Bell and Prior racked up mammoth scores in a day of humilation for Australia. They do not lead on the first innings - in fact they trail dismally - they cannot win the test, and all face is lost.
Cook was eventually out for 189, and is surely in contention for player of the series. No player apart from Walter Hammond has made more runs in an Ashes series for England than he. Ian Bell - memorably termed the "Sherminator" by Shane Warne in a previous series - brought up his maiden Ashes century in defiance of an apparently controversial referral, which I haven't yet been able to see for myself. Judging by the usually impartial ABC, the decision to overturn the wicket was technically correct but, pardon the saying, was 'just not cricket'.
England produced over 300 runs for the day for the loss of only four wickets and now lead Australia by 208 runs with 3 wickets in hand. Suffice to say, the test is gone. Australia cannot win it, England certainly cannot lose it, and only the weather can prevent England going 3-1 up in the series.
And then we have to wait until June 2013 before we can try to take the Ashes back.
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