Rather depressingly I have to report that on the most crucial day in the whole Ashes series(yes, it really is, even though it's only the second Test) England have given away 2 early wickets via dreadful shots whilst forcing the issue when occupying the crease was the order of the day.
Vince and Root need to have a long, hard look at themselves because they have in effect destroyed any semblance of a revival that England may have conjured.
At 66-3 we have a snowflakes chance in a furnace and are lloking down the barrel of a whitewash, Pomnishambles 2.
And just as Cook begins to look settled he goes, 80-4. Will probably be following-on by the last hour of the day so it'll be Test over before tea on Day 4.
No follow-on, although Aus had the option. A bit of a better end to the day as we got them down to 53-4. Probably need to have them all out for under 150 to have any kind of a chance though.
I've been sleeping since last night's debacle(currently on nights) and I'm frankly fuming!
Why? Because such a brilliant response had already been negated by our 'top order' batsmen in their first innings. None properly applied themsleves and were guilty of dereliction of duty. Shamefully, it was a tailender who had to show them how to bat in such a tough situation. We needed occupation, not accumulation.
Sadly, despite a brilliant bowling riposte the damage had already been done and the cries of 'what if?' will reverberate long into the tour if we end up losing this Test.
It's just galling, wondering what could have been had the more senior players stepped up to the mark from the off.
Rant over!
Well, we did get the Aussies out for 138, and then reached 176-4 chasing like 350 or something around that. So... yeah, we won't win. But maybe it'll be close for a change. A better day from England.