3rd Test, South Africa versus Australia, day 2

Australian 1st innings: 7/494 from 127.4 overs
Michael Clarke 161*, David Warner 135, Steven Smith 84, Shane Watson 40

Yesterday evening Michael Clarke would have wanted to have had a bowl at the Proteas. Instead the rain came down with us just short of 500 runs and play was called off for the day. The result is that while we find ourselves in a fantastic position to win this Test, three days remain and with no great idea as to how the pitch will play from here it may be a tough ask to get 20 South African wickets, bearing in mind we may need to have a second bat, depending on their output. With some high quality bowling we may not need to.

The Proteas still have to bat so I will spare the analysis on how we can roll them. With the covers on, there may be a spongy dynamic to the wicket which, while flat, has had great carry to the keeper and variable bounce. With Dale Steyn out injured, Morne Morkel was able to showcase this area of life in the track. Unfortunately, for the Proteas, he doesn't strike me as an intelligent enough bowler to really unleash his true credentials when the track really suits him, as seen with his hostile performances but poor returns to show for it. For a player who has been at it a while now, it just feels Morkel has never lived up to his ultimate abilities as a tall, fast bowler. I am okay if we keep him at bay for much longer.

Mitchell Johnson and James Pattinson will be eager to see how they go after assessing Morkel in particular, while Ryan Harris knows that knee operations isn't far away so he can go all out for this Test, and give us a special performance seeing that there is realistic risk that his playing future could be in doubt post-operations. Wish him all the best for the challenge that should come tomorrow. What a champ, Ryano!

Michael Clarke's innings was his defining one to back the "get ready for a broken f***in' arm" comment he made to James Anderson during the Ashes.

This innings showed us he is also a mentally tough player, who can take the physical blows to the body, the psychological battle to combat fear and pressure, while also believing in ones technique to still find your shots, watch the ball, and play hard to get the runs. Clarkey has 161 of these, topping his 2011 effort by 10 runs. It has been a gritty, true Test innings.

Starting the day in the 90s he was kept under pressure on 99 with some tight bowling from Kyle Abbott, but he found a way to make his way through the 21 deliveries he had to measure up against. From there, it was a fluent innings with lovely stroke play and some intensity stepped up to a level of urgency with the rain lurking about.

He was well supported by Steven Smith who continued to run between the wickets, smack the rubbish to the boundary, and just play another brilliant innings as he shapes himself as an Australian middle order batsman. He has come of age over the last 5 months and has been a joy to watch. He deserved a century but some low bounce found the bottom edge of his bat as he tried to cut Dean Elgar. It was a soft way to end a hard fought innings, a real anti-climax. Playing the number one team in the world, the dubbed best bowling attack in the world, Smithy has returned great batting figures to show the world he is a Test cricketer.

Shane Watson (who took a 5-fer at the ground in 2011) made his return and was under LBW pressure from the word "go", but he managed to get through a shaky start and then let his natural game flow in the number 6 position. He scored 40 runs with three sixes and, like Smith, deserved a milestone of sorts for a very positive innings showing intent and no doubt following team orders to get on with it and find a way to get the boundaries with the rain creeping over Table Mountain.

We lost a number of wickets passing the 400 run mark but we find ourselves 6 runs short of 500 runs, which would have been the ideal landmark to reach. However, I sense an overnight declaration. Time was lost with the rain, we have a strong grip on this match and need time to get into the batsmen. Our bowlers have had two days to stay fresh and relaxed and no doubt the game plans can be well strategised and executed with the game map well presented based on our innings.

Newland's always has an opportunity on offer for a really big team score. That is why I don't want to think too far ahead, but we've certainly done the job having won the toss and posted a big total on the scoreboard. Whether or not Clarke advances it, time will soon tell us but my gut feeling is he will look to bowl as soon as possible. I wonder how the moisture will work the Newland's track?

All in all, it's now about focusing on how to get those wickets while I personally find it exciting to see how/if this track will change character. I really don't have much more to add other than lets see how day 3 of the final Test between these two fine teams plays out.

Verdict: Having not had a bowl at the Proteas it was a lost opportunity to further drive a stake into their match claim, but with nearly 500 runs on the board and our team leader unbeaten on a monumental performance of 161 runs and the bowlers fresh and ready to go, it was our day. Up the Baggy Greens!

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The Ashes, 4th Test, day 4

Reports for day 1, day 2, and day 3.

Result: Australia lead the Ashes 4-0 in dominant style. 

England 1st Innings: 255 all out from 100 overs overs
Kevin Pietersen 71, Michael Carberry 38
Ryan Harris 2-47, Mitchell Johnson 5-63, Shane Watson 1-11

Australia 1st innings: 204 all out from 82.2 overs
Brad Haddin 65, Chris Rogers 61,
Stuart Broad 3-45, James Anderson 4-67

England 2nd innings: 179 all out from 61 overs
Alastair Cook 51, Kevin Pietersen 49
Nathan Lyon 5-50, Mitchell Johnson 3-25

Australia 2nd innings: (Target 231) 2/231
Chris Rogers 116, Shane Watson 83*

Plays: England set us a challenge after taking the 1st innings lead. We accepted the challenge and we have conquered it in historic style to win by 8 wickets at the MCG. Rising up the rankings again with the win and now the whitewash of 5-0 is a reality. It's now about pushing our ICC points to the max to prepare for the South African tour.

Yesterday I wrote of a 2nd innings trend (Shane Watson especially), where we get solid runs from our specialist batsmen, after 1st innings woes which has seen Brad Haddin rescue us 1st innings in, 1st innings out, but we recovered in gigantic style. 

Live the moment, celebrate a brilliant Test victory. Feel the pride!

On a fun note, we were 2/222 at 2:22 pm. Just imagine if Richie Benaud had been in the commentary box? Classic. It was good to hear Bill Lawry back behind the mic.

Chris Rogers resumed the day with David Warner, who was dismissed after they'd past a stand of 64. That was England's only moment of joy as Shane Watson came on out to partner Bucky Rogers and they ensured we not only came within sight of victory, but pulled off a match winning effort to bring in 136 runs, leaving little work for Michael Clarke.

Rogers was not given Man of the Match, which is a bit unfortunate given his performances have been invaluable, but this is a team sport and Mitchell Johnson, who was awarded Man of the Match, acknowledged Rogers' efforts and stated he deserved it. It shows the good sportsmanship element of Mitchell's character. Well done.

Mitch took 8 wickets for the match (a series tally of 31 at 14.32), but I feel the majority of the fans wanted Chris to have his moment. The team stands united though and that is what matters. No one can take that century and what it means away from him.

The 2nd innings total is definitely a special one for Rogers after his 1st innings effort came undone with an uncharacteristic shot after a hell of a lot of hard work. While the wickets tumbled, he stayed true to his game of patience, caution and classy shot execution. He threw it away and this would have only burdened his mind after he has been vocal in the media that he has not felt settled in the opening spot.

Having made these comments, he used that pressure to step up and deliver a century I will remember for many, many years to come. We needed a centurion and he delivered, we needed an opener to build a solid foundation, he delivered. We needed experience in a challenging setting, and although he doesn't have the international experience - as such - he has immense experience in different scenarios across a First Class career raking in more than 20,000 runs.

That experience shone through and our man, who was scorned as being "too old" by clueless supporters, showed that a quality batsman is better than a flashy upcoming hipster. The result was a century at his now home ground (once the WACA), the MCG, and we went 4-0 up. He now has 333 runs at 41.62. He averages more than 40 for the calendar year.

He had some luck in his innings, but that is required in the game of Test cricket. Michael Hussey always noted it. It's how you cash in on that luck though.

Shane Watson will feel a bit on edge still given his runs keep coming in the 2nd innings, but having written this, his input has counted massively towards our current standing at 4-0. He was able to play aggressively and after David Warner departed, England still had a chance but Watto was able to do what Warner would have done. The result was an unbeaten half-century with little fuss.

Michael Clarke was able to pass 8,000 Test runs. An outstanding achievement and one I am proud to have followed from run number 1 in India.

Another player to pass 8,000 Test runs was England's skipper, Alastair Cook. On a note of Cook, I feel his pain and the pressure. It was there for Ricky Ponting, there for Michael Clarke not long ago (despite his individual performances being the best of the group), and I felt strong supporting them both through the criticism.

Cook will be taking a pounding from the media, verbal abuse from the blinker fanatics, and his achievements for England as a Test cricketer will be quickly forgotten. It is the unfair vulture like culture of the media. He has had a bleak series, and while he may not seem to inspire his troops he was given a chance, was involved as skipper in a winning Ashes campaign, and he was the man chosen for the job.

I am glad we have thumped England, but I will always have an empathetic outlook and Cook will take constructive criticism, but there will be harsh words too. The true supporters come to light in dark times.

For this reason I am super excited to be 4-0 up and having proudly supported my team through the lows. I brought out my critical views and I did vent my frustration, no doubts there, but I still saw the positives and believed we would not only win the Ashes but also find a sense on unity under better leadership and selection consistencies.

It was a remarkable Test match win after being down and now winning convincingly.
Again, we were better in the field, better in attitude, and hungry to win with confidence. England had nothing and it reflected. After yesterdays collapse it was all over for England. This is a special achievement, epic history for our side, so it's vital to embrace the emotions and enjoy the ride. More battles ahead but this must be celebrated.

My closing note is that Shane Watson and Ryan Harris may miss the Sydney Test with injury niggles. Doug Bollinger will likely come in for Ryano, where he made his debut against South Africa 2008, but the man to replace Shane Watson will be a tough decision. I will keep my view aside on this until the news is confirmed whether he will or won't play.

Verdict: After bringing down the axe on England yesterday, it was our game to win and a massive opportunity to cement our status as a team on the mend. These messages need to go out with a Test series against the current number one team around the corner, and this was the style to do it in.

In England we were unlucky as, besides the Lord's Test, there wasn't much between the sides, but we couldn't secure those key moments. This time around we have found ways to win those moments and claim the winning edge, we have a unified team, match winners performing with experience, and the results show.

Despite the great team effort, the standout players were Chris Rogers, Brad Haddin, Nathan Lyon, Shane Watson, and mighty Mitchell Johnson for this clash.

We lead 4-0. I love it. I love this team and I am really proud.

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The Baggy Green team that regained the urn

I wrote many times that we would win the Ashes. I noted that if our batting clicked into place we would win as it would give our bowlers consistent opportunities to defend totals of competitive substance, rather than defend totals in desperate attempts to stay in the game. Consistency was a key, as was self-belief, balancing experience and upcoming players. Fortunately, this time around it occurred and it proved the theory, finally.

However, having stated this I will also be honest that I did go into this Ashes series with few expectations, reserving this execution of a winning recipe to be handled by our team day by day. No expectations creates a better platform for a team with a new coach reigniting the concept of pride and fun for the players and supporters. I kept this in mind and now in hindsight I am glad I took this approach with my writing in the build up to this series.

Here is my article looking at the team that has led us to an Ashes victory in 2013. More discussion via the Facebook page.

I had zero objections with this side heading into the Ashes. I wanted an unchanged unit because, as the word "unit" intends, unity comes from consistent selection policies. This was followed and as a result this team is the most united Australian team in many years. Even before we took that final wicket to bring the urn back (although not officially form Lord's) there was a strong sense of unity amongst the team. It's so uplifting.

Mitchell Johnson (23 wickets at 15.47, BBI 7-40, BBM 9-103/ 147 runs at 49.00, HS 64) has been praised for his performances. It seems as if he is the only man in this team though. I think this is both unfair and hypocritical on the media's behalf. Mitch has been treated like trash from the media in particular in the past. The way it's being portrayed by them (the media) one would think his efforts, while absolutely remarkable and rare to witness (Brisbane & Adelaide), were the only occurrence of excellence this Ashes series.

I am so proud of Mitch. I cannot emphasise this enough. There is no shame on my part that a few years back I wrote an article that the gap between his best (match winning) and worst was too great for the harsh nature of Test cricket. He is a confidence player and in a team environment with constant change and high expectation on him to show up like the star player, game in game out, was unfair and harsh upon his character. It was not enough to develop him. Limited overs cricket was a much better platform for him to rebuild his confidence for two reasons.

Firstly, it is a form of the game that is not as harsh a reality as Test cricket, allowing shorter bursts and erratic bowling spells to still produce erratic results. This came to light during Mitchell's IPL stints then his tour to India a few months ago.

Secondly, it would give him chance to still be a member of the Australian Cricket team and also allow him time to balance limited overs duty with State duty to rebuild his confidence across a variety of formats and realign both his focus and objectives. This was to return as a Test cricketer with performances to back his return and of course win an Ashes series to put away all that criticism and degrading he had to endure.

The time away from the game at the elite level was the best thing for him and now we see Mitchell Johnson, confident, refreshed, focused, settled, but most importantly backed by both a united team and bowling attack. The leadership is strong and Mitch is thriving. The environment is better able to accommodate his bowling nature. The results say it all. Welcome back mighty Mitch!

Despite this return, Mitch was backed by a consistent bowling unit consisting of Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson and Nathan Lyon. Their input made Mitchell's performances possible and they all played a massive role in the result that sees us 3-0 up. That is why I find it unfair to put it all on Mitch, which also creates unfair expectation on him - a reason that led to his initial fall from great (media) heights. Time for people to get some perspective on what is a team sport and what was a bloody special team effort it has been!

Ryan Harris (12 wickets at 23.58/ 76 runs at 38.00, HS 55*) suffers through grueling body aches and the fear he could break down at any point. He still continues to take his catches, dive in the field, save boundaries, train hard, and above all do his primary job which is to charge in and bowl a ball around 140 - 145 km/h with swing. He hasn't been red hot but he's contributed, notably removing Alastair Cook for a golden duck at the WACA in England's 2nd innings. Cook was coming off a well fought half-century in the 1st innings and Ryano ensured the most beautiful delivery ended his contribution for the Test. It was massive.

Peter Siddle (11 wickets at 22.09) gets criticised, at times justifiably, for his lack of variation. Where he makes up for the tricks of the trade, is a burning ambition to succeed and unrivaled passion to play for the Baggy Greens.

When a track is dead, he finds something out of nothing on many decks and is able to bowl a line that probes and attacks a batsman whether they decide to defend or attack. He keeps coming at you and in times when the opportunities look slim he can pull out enough energy to pick the troops back up.

There is evidence that in times when desperately needed he hasn't been able to put in significant performances, but for Siddle to succeed you need bowlers around him with good pace, natural variation and a strong understanding of their duties. This is why he may appear the leader of the pack with a younger bowling unit, but they lack the experience and understanding Mitchell and Ryano have. With these factors he can play with greater significance. A few years back the combination with Ryano and Ben Hilfenhaus against India further proved this theory of mine.

He is a work horse and teams need those men. We have Siddle and this man was able to work over Kevin Pietersen - England's danger man - to the point where we have contained KP and the English critics want him gone. He has also rattled Matt Prior and these bunnies essentially add to the psychological demolition of the opposition. Personal battles but successful to come back to the concept of synergy. Sids is a big player and it's hard to not select him on this basis.

Nathan Lyon (10 wickets at 31.40) was only ever going to succeed through consistent selection. The more he bowls the better he gets, the more pitches he plays on, the more it forces him to look at his abilities (or enhance them). He initiated the collapse of England's batsmen yesterday and as a result we won the Ashes quicker than anticipated heading into the lunch break. It was a passage of play that may have defined him, just as Steve Smith's century in the 1st innings was a coming of age, the innings that has ultimately become his career defining moment.

Nathan took a 5fer on debut. He has struggled too, don't get me wrong. Many felt he didn't deliver when needed, but he has always been the right man for the job and until you've played as a spinner in multiple conditions against the best of the best, along with a winning team, it is a bloody tough initiation. He has come out on top and John Inverarity and his panel deserve the respect for this. We lacked consistency from the awful Hilditch regime and we have had this with the one position we were lost on. The spin bowler.

To add to Nathan's success as a spinner, a solid wicket keeper is needed. Enter Brad Haddin (15 catches, 325 runs at 65.00, HS 118, x1 century & x3 fifties from 5 innings) who, like Mitchell, was facing a high hill to return.

Matt Wade deserved his opportunities for us, I have no doubt about it. He had ticked all the boxes to make the Australian side and entered the mix at a time when Brad was going through a horrible time off the field which brought his game into a state of demise. His standards were low and it was not his time. Every player has a period of pain and this was his - sadly with personal matters as well which he fought through strongly for his family. That was the ultimate victory for Brad. Forget cricket.

Yet, when Matt Wade started to show chinks in his armor and Tim Paine still on the mend after his finger injury, Brad reawakened and raised the benchmark higher than his standards have been in years. The result was a keeper/batsman of an elite standards. Forget Adam Gilchrist, what you have seen here is a performance that most teams would give anything for from their keeper. Brad has delivered and he saw the opportunity for a return and made it count big time.

His keeping to Nathan Lyon's bowling was brilliant, with a technique Ian Healy waxed lyrical about from the outset. This has aided Nathan's output immensely and for this Hads must be added to the reward we have seen from our spinner. It is also a reason why Hads is, at present, my stand out player of the series.

His batting has been Michael Hussey like. He has stepped up when the team was in desperate need of a big innings and he's crushed England's winning edge, which in previous years would have not materialised. He's executed rescue missions and shown belief in our lower order.
A century at the Adelaide Oval, a near miss in Brisbane, performances in every other innings and then his partnership with Steven Smith in the 1st innings of the WACA Test. It all points to invaluable input with the bat from our keeper. England have not had this and it's been another huge difference between the teams.

Brad Haddin has been sensational and enhanced other players performances. Synergy once again.

Our batting has been hit and miss at times (a few small collapses requiring some remedy) but consistent in the fact that every single batsman, including newbie George Bailey, has stepped up as opposed to just Michael Clarke, which has been the case for too long.

David Warner (457 runs at 91.40, x2 centuries, HS 124) has become the top order destroyer we have missed since Matthew Hayden. He will have his blue patches but his cockiness has been most appreciated and his self-belief nothing but extraordinary when consider what this man went through off the field in recent months. It's been a personal relationship off the field that has helped him through this dark passage in his career and now look. It's a great sporting story.

He's been brutal with the bat and has now bagged two centuries, along with some high class fielding standards - another major difference between the two sides. Catches win matches but they also separate teams in terms of standards. Mike Young is back in the mix and his impact has been noticed.

Chris Rogers (156 runs at 26.00, 4 catches) hasn't scored a century but I don't care. I called for his selection in 2009, as I did now in 2013 before the English Ashes series. We needed to stick with him and once again the selectors have done so. He is the ideal partner for David Warner at the crease. He has experience, a well grounded game, and is able to quite likely put the right advice and encouragement into David Warner's mind in the battle zone.

I said I had few expectations heading into this series but right now I do have expectations of Chris to deliver big time in the final two Tests. I see a place for him in this team while Phillip Hughes continues to dominate the State field, and young batsmen like Nic Maddinson, Joe Burns, and Jordan Silk fine tune their craft for a while longer.

Chris, like Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin, realised that this was his final chance to quite likely be a member of a winning Ashes series. Ryano and Hads have endured one too many and now they have it. This was evident in the emotion Ryano displayed during the post-match celebration as his voice cracked and he held back the tears of relief. A raw moment in this harsh but great game.

Michael Clarke (331 runs at 55.16, x2 centuries), well, not much to write on this front as I have blurted it all before. He is our best batsman, recently winning the 2013 ICC Cricketer and Test Player of the Year awards.
He has executed his tactics well, rotated his bowlers on song, and he's used his referrals far better than the previous series with the DRS. Up until the match was won, Clarkey was the only player to have experienced a winning Ashes series. Now he is the leader of a winning Ashes campaign and he can be mighty proud of that coming in his 100th Test match.

Steven Smith (186 runs at 37.20, HS 111, 5 catches) had his coming of age with his century in the 3rd Test. He turned his public profile around in England, improving his reputation as a middle order batsman, specialist fielder and part-time spin bowler, as opposed to the variety of tags given to him upon his early Test appearances which did him more damage than good. He was all over the place as to what role he should play but once again, thanks to the selection panel and some brilliant performances from Steven for New South Wales, his position has been clarified.

He put in the performances at State level, which followed an Ashes campaign where we saw his drastic turnaround in his indentity as an Australian cricketer. It is still a very long road ahead for him and time is well on his side to become a solid Australian batsman. Below is what I had to write regarding his century of 111 runs.

It was about Steven Smith's century though which saw him roar in triumph to see his team through to stumps. A man given his Baggy Green too soon with an undefined role, has stepped back and crafted his own game over time. He is now becoming a Test batsman.

Well done youngster, well done!

The innings, from what I have analysed, was a mature one, seeing him leave many deliveries that needn't be played or were simply too tempting to nudge, and then picking the right ones to blaze away with no complacency. He didn't deliver in a dull moment, he did so when we seriously needed it. His pitch map tells a tale too, how many deliveries on a good length were simply dot balls. Patience folks, patience.

This was a massive moment, alive and fuming, demanding Smith to be the master and control it. He needed to secure it and he did so. This is about winning back the Ashes and in the past these small victories in these passages of play have not been present - or have come too late. This is day 1 against an English team low on confidence. This century could prove to be something very significant.

Then there is George Bailey (136 runs at 34.00, HS 53, 6 catches). Put into the team on the basis of limited overs form in India where he lead the side and dominated with the bat. It was a strange selection basis given his first class stats didn't quite stack up but he does have experience, and a good characteristic is he always has a smile on his face, loves his cricket and tries his best.

He took his catches for us, tried to play aggressive cricket - the brand the team is publicly promoting - and even found himself smashing James Anderson around the WACA to level with Brian Lara's most runs scored off an over in Test cricket - 28 runs.

Then finally there's Shane Watson (200 runs at 33.33, x1 100, x1 50, HS 103, 3 wickets) who found himself under fire for once again making starts and not converting or finding ways to gift away his wicket. Fortunately for Watto's confidence he was delivering maiden overs for us (35% of his overs have been maidens with an economy rate of 2.73) and has found ways to build pressure from his end just taking pace of the ball to keep the batsmen in no mans land, while also scrapping 3 wickets.

His batting came out with the desired result. A century with some big powerful shots. Although we were well ahead of England we still needed something else on the back of David Warner's ton, an innings that would crush England's presence on the field. Watto's innings did so and it was a spectacle to behold.

Shane Watson does have a poor conversion rate, he's never lived up to the potential that he definitely possesses and he knows it. Unfortunately, he has endured injury issues since his teenage years which has affected him but, as Brett Lee did so, he has found ways to reinvent himself and come back time and time again. That takes serious mental toughness. He finally has experienced winning as Ashes series and delivered when the team needed him too. Some may say one occasion too few, but I also say better late than never on the cricket field.

Watto is also one of the most respectful players come the supporters. Always taking time to talk to them, greet them, listen to them and play his role off the field with those who show up to back the team. This has always made me wish him all the success possible for our team. He's shown up in the Ashes and that is what has counted most.

After all I have written above, essential the differences between the sides is easily noticed in short:

- we had a bowling unit with more pace,
- we had a strike bowler high on confidence,
- a bowling unit with enough variation (well mentored by Craig McDermott),
- a wicket keeper showcasing elite standards who helped enhance our spin bowlers output
- our top order found centurions (7 versus England's 1 - Ben Stokes)
- we held our catches and had unbelievable intensity in the field versus England
- and of course this aggressive brand of cricket was backed by home support on home turf. 

We still have two Tests to play, followed by a series against South Africa, in South Africa. This means that even though this is a special feeling to have regained the urn and one to embrace, there is a hell of a lot of hard work ahead for the players and the supporters and we shouldn't get too far ahead. This game can change very quickly.

They (the team) need our support to continue through the highs and the lows. They know the battle goes on and that for now the focus is 5-0 and a continual push for consistency as come the series against South Africa, we may have the urn but they have the number one Test ranking, something we dearly want. More about this come the eve of that series, but for now it is just wonderful to see my team united and playing positive cricket.

When one man has a tough day, another man is fighting his hardest to have a beauty of a day. And best of all is that man who has the tough day is getting the support from his team mates and the coach, Darren Lehman. We, as the supporters, need to back them all and let's just hope that concept of unity continues to grow. It's great to have the winning edge again, embrace it and enjoy it.

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The Ashes, 3rd Test, day 4

The Ashes, 3rd Test, day 4, Perth

Australia won the toss and elected to bat. England require 253 runs with 5 wickets in hand, 1 day of play remaining.

AUS 1st innings: 385 all out from 103.3 overs.

Steven Smith 111*, David Warner 60, Brad Haddin 55, Mitchell Johnson 39.
Stuart Broad 3-100, James Anderson 2-60

ENG 1st innings: 251 all out after 88.0 overs

Alastair Cook 72, Michael Carberry 43
Ryan Harris 3-48, Peter Siddle 3-36, Mitchell Johnson 2-62

AUS 2nd innings: 6/369 from 87.0 overs
David Warner 112, Shane Watson 103, Chris Rogers 54, George Bailey 39*
Tim Bresnan 2-53

ENG 2nd innings: 5/251 from 67.0 overs

Ben Stokes 72*, Ian Bell 60, Kevin Pietersen 45
Shane Watson 1-31

Verdict: We require a possible 4 wickets to win back the urn tomorrow on 17 December 2013. If Stuart Broad decides to do a Graeme Smith we will need 5. Our bowlers looked fried this afternoon, so a good rest and the ultimate reality that tomorrow these guys could win us back that urn should be enough for them to bowl like their lives depend on it.

I have waited since 2009 to live this moment after we lost the urn to England. I have supported the boys through some of the lowest lows in Australian crickets modern history and it will be an extra special feeling to see us win tomorrow and be proud to have documented that support right here on this site since 2008.

We lead by 253 runs. Discipline and strong comradery will hopefully see us snuff England.
Play: Shane Watson needed to arrive at the Ashes with the bat in hand. He made a half-century at the Adelaide Oval with extreme patience. At the WACA he went into limited overs mode and it was a pretty brutal display. I commented how the spirit of Adam Gilchrist from 2006/07 was lurking around and took over David Warner yesterday. It would seem it took a hold of Watto today.

This century was his 2nd versus England, his 4th in his Test career. It could have been one of many but Watto has had issues in converting. However, those at the WACA were treated to strong power hitting and a reminder why it is hard to leave Shane Watson out of a starting XI. It is frustrating his raw talent has never been truly delivered in his all-rounder capacity (owed to injury too), but when you see it, it is very special to watch.

His dismissal was very comical after he skied a delivery off Tim Bresnan's bowling. Ian Bell spilled an easy chance just off the track around the region of silly mid-off, walked away livid with himself, only for Bresnan to pick up the ball and throw down the stumps at the non-strikers end. Watto was convinced Bell would catch him out and starting walking off the ground. When Bell dropped it he turned his back oblivious to the fact Watto was now in line for a new form of dismissal in the moment - a run out. A comedy of errors and there was a tender moment between Bell and Bresnan. Reminded me of AB and Big Merv.

George Bailey had some fun of his own.

With the declaration around the corner he brought in some limited overs destruction as he smashed James Anderson for 28 runs. This leveled the record for most runs in an over in Test cricket. The record is held by the legend Brian Charles Lara. George was put in the side based on first class experience (not necessarily his stats which aren't jaw dropping) but also his strong confidence and power hitting in India a while ago. He has brought something to the table and the crowds were entertained one time!

The declaration came and England were set 504 to win.

Ryan Harris has looked a bit flat at times, but given his injury issues he's fighting like a trooper for us and I am so proud of him. His delivery to remove Alastair Cook was simply enough as far as I am concerned. A ball that darted into the left hander off a good length just clipped Cook's off stump and we had a prize scalp. It was Cook's first golden duck facing the first ball of an innings and it was the perfect start.

There was some frustrating resistance from England though, don't get me wrong.

Our bowlers have had to work bloody hard in partnerships to keep fighting. In that heat and getting that sort of undesired resistance from an opposition only now starting to show up would result in fatigue for any bowler. Still, our fielding was absolutely first class gold and it just ensured our intensity was burning throughout.

The new ball will come our way in 13 overs if England hold out. This should bring Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson into the game. Resistance will be futile when that happens one would think, also looking at that WACA surface.

Each wicket that came was worked for and when we had the wicket of Kevin Pietersen I was ecstatic - what a catch at long on by Ryano! When we removed Ian Bell - the big wicket - I roared in a way my vocal abilities have never experienced. It was a bellow from the depths of years of frustration and annoyance at the state of affairs our team has had to endure, amidst some really special highs as well. It was a wicket closer to victory and to see Peter Siddle get it was massive, given he has pretty much been around through many of these struggles.

In all honesty there is not much else I want to write about right now. All I want to visualise right now is us getting those final wickets and having the urn back in our grasp, to see my team celebrate, united. We have outplayed England. It's our time. I don't want a fight from them, I am past that point now. 

That is what I want to write about. Everything over the last four days gets hidden in the mist. Tomorrow is the only day that matters now. When complete we can hopefully look back on everything else.

COME ON BAGGY GREENS, COME ON!

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The Ashes: 2nd Test, day 1

It was awesome to watch the cricket today with my wife, my Baggy Green soliders Sylvester and Stapo, as well as my brilliant mates with Waving The Flag. We had a delayed start at the historical first game at the new ground due to rain but we got a full day of cricket in the end. Not epic cricket by any means but still special for me to finally see Australia playing an Ashes Test match.

More images to come of the ground to add onto our redevelopment progress photos, but it was incredible seeing the walkway over the River Torrens opened up and so many people walking towards to new Southern Stand entrance. It was a great atmosphere, along with the Barmy Army antics too.

To also finally experience a live day of Ashes cricket, since watching my first one on the television in 1994/5 as a youngster was surreal.

The scoreboard reflecting the days play & attendance for day 1. (Photo: Ian Reid)

2nd Test, Adelaide Oval
Australia won the toss and elected to bat (leading the series 1-0)

Australia 1st innings: 5/273 from 91.0 overs
Chris Rogers 72, George Bailey 53, Shane Watson 51, Michael Clarke 48*, Brad Haddin 7*
Stuart Broad 2-63

Verdict: The cricket was topsy turvy and I say England just took the day. If they'd taken their chances on offer it would have been a worrying scorecard, but by the same token we totally gifted them three wickets, those of Watto (51), Warner (29) and Bailey (53). They didn't have to work for them.

We saw three half-centurions, all of whom were set for a big innings on a track they'd adapted too, especially Rogers who was batting beautifully alongside a very relaxed Shane Watson, who used his feet considerably well to the spinners. Frustrating to say the least they didn't march on but it was still good from a series perspective they put runs on the board. Can always be worse.
Before this match Shane Watson and Chris Rogers knew they would be under the spotlight to register a good knock to contribute to the side. Rogers is stable and guaranteed to perform at regular intervals this series, while Watson's issues remain his inability to capitalise on solid starts and really play to his ultimate potential in Test gear. Rogers got close but Watson's dismissal was just gifted to James Anderson and ruined what had been a very relaxed and well composed innings for him.

We still have captain courageous at the crease. Yes, Michael Clarke is unbeaten on 48* and has played with caution and a certain steadiness. He had his life line but luck is needed in this game. His gritty determination is essential right now!

Brad Haddin is with him and is lucky to still be there after Michael Carberry dropped a sitter - and he is one of England's best fielders. So he needs to go on from here. Haddin just playing his natural way I guess, which is either scary or exhilarating.
England's need to ban Matt Prior from DRS input is quite serious now as they lost two referrals. However, with the ICC's new "DRS top-up" law they claimed back one after 80 overs, only to lose one again when they chanced one with Brad Haddin which was clearly too high for an LBW decision. Their loss. Tactically DRS needs to still be played with caution.

5/273 and if we can get to 400 it will be a positive turnaround and no reason why we can't mow on. 450 to 500 is what many would tip as the expected score on this track batting first. Well, we still have 5 wickets in hand and England still have to bat so lets see what day 2 presents.

We have two experienced men at the crease - one who loves the Adelaide Oval. Mitch Johnson is still to come, as well as Harris, Siddle and Lyon who can all hold their own. We're still in this but to be fair England probably slightly ahead having claimed George Bailey's wicket just before stumps.

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An Australian summary - The Ashes 5th Test, day 5, The Oval

Australia: 9/492 dec. from 128.5 overs
Shane Watson 176, Steven Smith 138*
James Anderson 4-95

England: 377 all out from 144.4 overs
Joe Root 68, Kevin Pietersen 50, Matt Prior 47
James Faulkner 4-51, Mitchell Starc 3-92, Ryan Harris 2-64

Australia: 6/111 from 23 overs 
Michael Clarke 28*, Shane Watson 26
Stuart Broad 4-43

England: 5/206 chasing 227 runs for victory 
Kevin Pietersen 62, Jonathan Trott 59
Ryan Harris 2-21, James Faulkner 2-47

I am happy to eat my words written after day four was washed out. I wrote, "even if there is play tomorrow it will be a deflating display of defensive batting and tiresome bowling, with a few possible moments of excitement to play out for a drawn result."

We ended up getting quite a bizarre play of events in the end as England, probably reflecting on their batting on day three, came out with a more attacking attitude and we ended up seeing a game of it all. However, it was still a drawn result but it could have gone either way with England looking like favourites in the end until the umpires called for bad light. Worrying but exciting.

Michael Clarke's declaration was well timed in the sense that this game would have come down to the wire. England had to attack, they had to play out of their shells and we were tested in a limited overs sense prior to the limited series being just around the corner. Good on Clarke for making a match of it in the end, even if it was a nail-biting scenario and he opted for more conservative tactics after Kevin Pietersen's assault. Not sure of the crowds reasons for booing him though. Poor show after the crowd surely got a great days entertainment? Most puzzling indeed. 

Brydon Coverdale of ESPN summarised the tactics of Clarke really well on the final days play. In a way it highlights the slight confusion amidst our cricket ranks at present. Have a read at his article via this link.

This series will go down as one where the scoreline showed complete and utter dominance by a relatively stable English team. However, if you watched as much of the action as possible you will see it all came down to England's experience as a unit to win Test matches and having certain individuals stand up to the challenge having known how to do this from previous scenarios. It pays to stick with a side and show belief in the men who wear your teams caps, doesn't it?

Yesterday I summed it up, "the English team have been together a lot longer now and experienced winning Test matches. They know how to win those small passage of play which - ultimately - brings about the main result in the bigger scheme of things.

As a result the selectors will hopefully realise that the players who showed strong performances or indications of their true skill need to be retained for the home Ashes series - they must not chop and change. The players who didn't step up will need to play out of their socks come the Sheffield Shield. They will need to fight for the right to put their Baggy Green caps back on, while I am certain other players will be as keen to bag lots of wickets or pocket plenty of runs to get their opportunity. "

There will always be the bitterness regarding the Stuart Broad incident, which I prefer to put down to blind umpiring rather than Broad being a cheat. Andrew Symonds didn't walk against India in 2007/08 after a generous edge to MS Dhoni, so I'd be hypocritical to call him (Broad) a cheat even if he uses stall tactics too. Many players don't walk, period. They don't have to if the umpire doesn't raise his finger. It came down to the umpiring and it was a pretty bloody obvious edge too which made it infuriating and humiliating.

It has been a shocking series for the umpires and that decision ultimately changed many things regarding this series. The DRS came under scrutiny and the umpires have now become far more vulnerable to couch-umpire criticism. It could have been very different had their standards been better and had Michael Clarke been more strategic with his reviews, so bad luck has to come into it for The Baggy Greens.

Here's a look at the Tests. We fell 14 runs short in the first Test, just 14 runs after being down and out after a top order collapse - one of many. The second Test we were outplayed and I owe this to the manner in which we lost the first Test. I do believe this affected the teams confidence and self-belief immensely, whereas England just took the momentum home. We also have to wonder what if we'd caught Joe Root when he edged a delivery on just 8 runs and the slip cordon just watched it sail on by? He went on to score 180 runs.

The third Test was ours. I have seen enough cricket to know that any play that goes away due to rain or bad light cannot see potential results brought about my assumption. Anything could have happened had play resumed that day but yes, it looked like we had it in the bag. It was a bitter pill to swallow as I wrote at the conclusion of the Old Trafford Test.

The fourth Test we had it in the bag after Ryan Harris delivered another sensational spell of high performance fast bowling. Yet after a solid foundation set by Chris Rogers and David Warner it imploded and once again that lack of belief we saw after the first Test came out again. It was a humiliating loss which we threw away. It was once again a small passage of play which England just stamped with total dominance and authority.

We also had a first innings lead in four of the Tests but still didn't secure a victory. Further highlighting batting inconsistencies for a balance between good performances and shocking ones.

We could then perform an autopsy looking into the other aspects within each Test which brought about an English victory and further doom and gloom reports over the decline of Australian cricket. I can understand the pessimistic attitudes out there. We tossed many golden moments away, but I think we had many positives to take away from this series and if those can materialise with stability and consistency (along with selection consistencies - same old song) we have a massive chance to win back the urn next series and hang onto it for some time.

Chris Rogers was outstanding in my opinion. He came into this side with immense pressure as he would have been expected to perform from innings one given his county form and the circumstances surrounding his selection. He brought up his maiden Test century this series and even gave us solid platforms to work from, but our fragile middle order made his efforts seem lost at sea.

Ryan Harris was my Player of the Series for us and his delivery to remove Ian Bell at Old Trafford on day three was a beauty! He bowled his heart out and it kind of makes me sad to know that had his body been better equipped for Test cricket he'd be right up there with Dale Steyn. I spare a few thoughts for Ryano. He gave it his best and that isn't easy for a bloke whose endured so many injury setbacks. It must have been hard on his body to bowl as he did and with the success he had.

I wrote this about Ryano after the thumping at Lords:
"...Ryan Harris' body language was both sad and real. He worked bloody hard to grab a five wicket haul upon his return to the team. He made the Lord's bowling honours board and showed how proud he was to be back in the team. It was all in vain though as the batsmen burnt his efforts and you could sense his despair and sheer heartache. He was just going through the motions. That is the true frustration of the series thus far. We haven't secured vital passages of play, England has. Our batsmen haven't backed the decent performances of our bowlers, England has even if luck has been a major player in their fortunes."

Shane Watson finally scored a long awaited century which ended up being his highest Test score (176) and his first since 2010in Mohali, India. Watson is a frustrating cricketer because his ability is world-class but his application from a mental stand point is inconsistent. No one can pinpoint what it is but it was a relief to see him secure a massive score in the number three position. It came too late for us after he'd been disappointing with the bat but at least he did something a number three had not done since Shaun Marsh's century on debut against Sri Lanka in 2011.

Prior to Watson's century and since Ricky Ponting stepped out of the number three role (and ultimately retiring) we have used the following men at number three: Shaun Marsh, Ed Cowan, Rob Quiney, Phillip Hughes, David Warner Usman Khawaja and Michael Clarke. Took long enough. Watson also averages over 40 in the position.

Michael Clarke had to have an average series by his standards at some point. He couldn't continue to be the savior for our team. When he didn't perform with sublime output we saw how we desperately need guys to step up. Rogers did but ultimately it all came too late. Clarke's back will hopefully be ready for the home Ashes series. That is his biggest worry and could effectively end his career sooner than expected.

Steven Smith's century in the final Test was an important one. Like Khawaja he didn't really assert himself as a batsman making the position in the batting order his own and imposing himself as the man for the future to secure a middle order role for Australia. Yet one cannot deny it was a big moment for him to score a maiden Test century in circumstances where our team could have quite easily lost their fight and just handed England the match. He fought hard, batted with confidence and showed another sign he is slowly coming of age. I wrote my thoughts regarding Smith's turn of events on day two of the recently concluded Oval Test.

Nathan Lyon bowled with an attitude I have never sensed. He had a hop in his step and was really turning on the revolutions with his deliveries, foxing a few of England's best batsmen. His battle with Kevin Pietersen was fantastic to watch and, like Smith, this series gave an indication of Lyon coming of age. Perseverance with him will only benefit him as the Warne-days are now long, long gone and there will never be a spinner of that class again, even if Warnie was a leg spinner.

James Faulkner one and only appearance added a good dynamic to this side. His selection may have put some pressure on Shane Watson to perform, despite Watson having stacked experience in all forms of the game. Faulkner grabbed 6 wickets on debut and 45 runs. Nothing spectacular but a fairly good start compared some of the other Baggy Greens handed out like candy to a bunch of kids at party.

Ashton Agar's 98 on debut was awesome. "Awesome" is the perfect word for that display. He helped us stay in the game and showcased his abilities with the blade in hand, something I saw a bit of at The Adelaide Oval between Western Australia and South Australia in March. He was selected though as a spin bowler. Nathan Lyon is still our best and will be for some time. Agar will come around, he is just 19 but will need the correct mentorship and career management. I am not talking about "career management" as Cricket Australia markets it. I just mean I hope the selectors don't stuff up another young spin bowlers career by throwing him in to soon, making him suffer only to then pull him out for good.

Questions will be asked though.

Was this Brad Haddin's final Test for Australia? What if Matt Wade and Tim Paine get off to solid Shield starts? Haddin kept wicket extremely well this Ashes series, a big turn around for him if you think a few summers back. He's endured a tough run as a family fan off the cricket field so it was a big achievement for him to make this trip but is he too inconsistent now? He has yet to taste an Ashes victory as a member of the starting XI.

Is Mitchell Starc going to remain and pitch and match player? He continues to show poor discipline with his bowling and just cannot seem to build sufficient pressure from his end. On one hand I defend him because he is always in and out of the side so how can he build a solid game plan to match his abilities. Yet one has to ask is the reason behind his pitch and match selection due to the possible inability he has at present to build a game plan that compliments the other bowlers such as Harris, Siddle and Pattinson?

Phillip Hughes was a young man unbelievable confidence and he was piling on runs like no other young Australian batsman had done since Ricky Ponting. Then he had poor career management, endless advice and his game went to the crapper. He has been dropped four or five times now. How is a player meant to handle that? Surely he deserves an extended run? A man who has dominated a county stint and stacked up runs in Australia during different seasons surely deserves a run of consistency in the side? This is a batsman who has also dominated some of the best bowling attacks.

David Warner can belt a ball but is also becoming an inconsistent batsman to watch. Is he an opener or is he a middle order batsman? We all know the destructive player he is but until there is another batsman ready to knock down the doors to any possible batting order plans the selectors have for him, where is going to be placed? What is the plan for him?

Ed Cowan did all he needed to earn a Baggy Green cap but he just hasn't delivered the goods. He has been consistently mediocre and he must be the most confused man in the side as he show cased all that needed to be at state level. Why can't he bring it together in the Test arena? The same can be said for Usman Khawaja who has been on the sidelines a while but I have read and heard many cricket journalists and past-players mention a lack of determination and eagerness in his attitude. Only Usman can answer this.

We also need to see consistency come in the selection policies. The signs are there that there's enough ability in this teams batting line-up. Most of the players have a Test century coming against strong Test sides. Some have great experience, others are starting to come of age. If this can all click in one series as we saw against India in 2011/12 will this make players at state level work harder to earn a place in the side, to target a specific spot in the team to earn that Baggy Green cap?

Tough times ahead still. It seems whenever we get so close it all goes a few steps back. I do remain confident though we can win the Ashes back this summer.

Why? Read my opening paragraphs in this article. England won the small passages of play which ultimately brought about their series victory. They had a few players, just a few, step up when needed to in order to secure those passages of play. Those passages led them to victory. It comes down to those small moments, small differences between the sides which end up painting a much bigger picture than a scoreline indicates.

If our players can perform to the best of their abilities with synergy and start to win those small moments to ultimately win Test matches again we will get back the urn this summer. Don't stop supporting The Baggy Greens!

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The Ashes 5th Test, day 2, The Oval

The Ashes 5^th Test, day 2, The Oval

Australia: 9/492 dec. from 128.5 overs
Shane Watson 176, Steven Smith 138*
James Anderson 4-95

England: 0/32 from 17.3 overs

Prior to this series Darren Lehmann stated we needed centurions every Test if we wanted to win. We knew our bowling stocks could get the job done, especially when Ryan Harris came into the mix. Harris' efforts were left in vain as our batsmen failed to collectively find ways to combat the English bowling attack and Lehmann's ambitious pleas for those centurions ended up being too scarce come the English securing both the urn and the series.

We can now see the men who needed those centuries and what the possible impact could have been had they believed in themselves earlier on in the series. This team hasn't played a great deal of cricket together and as they now reach their fifth Test, there may now be a light at the end of the tunnel for the home Ashes series. Connectivity is as important as collectivity to find the winning edge and winning ways in Test cricket.

Ashton Agar nearly reached a century on debut, sadly it wasn't to be and our momentum caved in. Michael Clarke was our first centurion, no surprises. Chris Rogers brought up his maiden century and has shown why he has value for our team and further provokes the question as to why the selectors just didn't look for his experience in earlier years as we gradually brought in younger batsmen. Shane Watson was the third, scoring a career saving ton at the number three role this Test (first century for a number three batsman since Shaun Marsh versus Sri Lanka in 2011) and now we have Steven Smith (138*) who, like Rogers, has secured his maiden Test century which will ensure he is a member of the home Ashes series end of the year.

We now have four centuries listed, whereas England have five - three of these coming from Ian Bell. It further illustrates the manner in which we lost the urn. Our batsmen just didn't bat through crucial passages of play as our bowlers have certainly tied England down and Ian Bell truly has been the stand out batsman and the ultimate difference. Good to see Watson, Clarke, Rogers and Smith all in the top four.

Smith resumed the day on 66* and much of the hype was surrounding Shane Watson's highest Test score and the manner with which he demanded a battle for the all-rounder spot. Smith however made the day his own. The first session was washed out but the covers came off and he played as Watson did - "no fear"!

He found the further 34 runs needed to get his long awaited century (not as long as Watson mind you) and when on 94 runs he did something that reminded me of a young Phillip Hughes.

In his second Test match at Kingsmead versus a strong South African bowling line-up, Hughes plugged Paul Harris away for consecutive sixes to bring up his maiden century. Smith decided to go to his maiden century in a similar sense, by smacking Jonathan Trott down the ground for a maximum. There was relief on Smith's face, not pure joy and excitement, it was relief. This has put him on the map.

Smith has been used for a variety of purposes but I felt for him as his role was never truly realised by the selectors and this couldn't have been easy. At last he knows his purpose, knows that batting is his priority and this match will make him realise why he is there. He's gone from being a player who fished outside of off-stump, became a specialist fielder who could just bat and bowl a bit, to a confident emerging Test batsman. He was put into the mix too early but now he's coming around and looks to have that self-belief.

Hughes had the opposite treatment. He was a man with no fear (as has been the case with these two centurions) and had so much self-belief. His technique was wild, his approach was unique but we had a young man come into the side with a purpose. How times have changed for Hughes with so much meddling in his game and the constant series of being in and out of the team.

I wrote the following about Smith during the third Test which seems to have greater meaning right now:

"Smith has shown incredible application to his game when I think back to 2010/11 when he was plain and simply not ready for Test cricket. I was always frustrated with the selection of Smith as he was put into the Australian team well before he had sufficient first-class exposure.

This was made worse by the former selection panel not giving him a specific task. He was called in as a leg spinner, who was a part-time spinner at best. He was made to bat in a variety of positions but was impatient, fidgety and easy picking outside of off stump in the Test arena. Then he was just a specialist fielder, keeping out better players. It wasn't his fault but he took flack for it. The new selection panel kept him out the side until the time was right. He is now a better cricketer and is asserting himself as a batsman."

The aggression from our lower order to put us into a dominant position appeared fantastic, especially seeing debutant all-rounder James Faulkner put Stuart Broad away for collection of boundaries. 172 runs were added after Peter Siddle's dismissal and these runs came from 34 overs with a run-rate of just over 5 runs an over.

It allowed us a chance to bowl at England with 492 runs on the board. An eagerly awaited scoreline for our bowlers. England managed to see the day through to stumps with ten wickets in hand, so tomorrow will be a big session or two for our bowlers. Nathan Lyon will hopefully come into the equation earlier than expected, especially if Trott and Kevin Pietersen find their way to the wicket. Pietersen versus Lyon has become an exciting battle to witness.

Verdict: Australia take day two and should be content with the scoreboard having seen one session washed out.

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The Ashes 5th Test, day 1, The Oval

The Ashes 5^th Test, day 1, The Oval

Australia: 4/307 from 90.0 overs
Shane Watson 176, Steven Smith 66*
James Anderson 2-52

It was bittersweet seeing Shane Watson reach his first Test century since 2010. It’s been a long wait and I felt the weight that was lifted off his shoulders! Even though it was a great moment to witness him bring up a career saving century, most surely felt it came a bit too late for the team this series - knowing what Watson is capable of doing for the team.

It was a demonstration that a Shane Watson who can mow on from a strong start is able to crush most bowling units. He has always been a crisp hitter against the new ball – no doubts there. He plays with confidence, but the element yesterday was one of “no fear” to coincide with that confidence in stroke play. This is something that has lacked in Watson’s game and the confidence in the stroke play is there, but not in the application from a mental dynamic as a Test cricketer.

Watson is able to change games but his poor conversion rate has never allowed the masses to see that pure potential Shane Warne saw in Watson so many years back. The poor conversion rate has led to some psychological weaknesses, a shuffle all around the batting order and a man who has found himself fortunate to still be in the side after a very poor run. The benefit of being an all-rounder has paid off for Watson to have faith kept in his abilities and this brutal innings of 176 at The Oval, in the manner we recognise with him, is a relief for everyone.

We need to win this Test for pride. It is also important for a number of reasons. This team needs to rally together!

Watson may have felt himself under immense pressure with the inclusion of James Faulkner (Baggy Green #435), which to me seemed more a move for a bloke who “gets things done” as opposed to a genuine tactical decision.

Two all-rounders in a side was the call. Faulkner is an aggressive cricketer, just like Watson, only with age on his side, strong State performances and few injuries to burden him. I believe Faulkner was in this side to put the pressure on Watson to perform, to force him to stand up and showcase his skills. Faulkner was there to remind him he is not the only all-rounder anymore. Someone new is in the system and the best of Shane Watson came out. Congrats Shane!

Healthy competition is what this team needs and the more men we have knocking on the door after biding their time at State level to take the place of a cemented Test cricketer, the greater our stocks will be. Pride will return for the players, it will no longer be fear for a position. A stable side is needed though too.

Steven Smith (66*) was able to step up. He started his Ashes series off strongly but slipped into the same bracket as every other young cricketer. Before this Test, Mark Taylor said that this was a game about the younger men. The older players have stood up – Rogers, Harris, Clarke – and it was now time for the younger players to show why they are there and to actually do something. Smith did something right yesterday.

Smith and Khawaja are two players who have had incredible opportunities this series to show ability beyond the batting skills. They needed to show case their hunger and self-belief to want to hold down a long term spot in this side. Both needed to perform to grab a piece of Ashes history to propel their careers forward.

Khawaja may have lucked out on that now, but Smith’s time with Watson proved vital as he played with confidence and assisted us over the 300 mark – something that has been too rare a sight this series.

Chris Rogers (23) was out for just 23 runs but it was so much more than that. He supported Watson and together they put together a century stand of 107 runs. Both have stated their enjoyment batting together and this was proven. Yes, it was only 23 runs but for those 100 deliveries Rogers was out there and the few less that were spent with Watson may have been the exact man who was needed at the crease to push Watson in the right direction. A stat alone doesn’t always tell a true tale.

Michael Clarke was peppered by Stuart Broad, who bowled a wild spell of short fast paced bowling at Clarke and Watson. Watson took a serious knock to the back side of his head (believe me, it really hurts!) and was down on the ground, but he soldiered on to score a big century. Clarke however looked rattled. He wasn’t picking up the shorter deliveries from Broad and even though he did counter-attack a few times with some good looking pull shots, he was far from comfortable and he was bowled once again this series, oddly enough but a ball that wasn’t short leading to his downfall. The man to get him? JamesAnderson.

The plan for tomorrow would be logical. This pitch will start to seriously favour the spinners. There will also be enough irregularity on the surface to assist to seam movement for the fast bowlers. It may not be easy but all that Clarke will want is from his batmen to come is to mow that score along too as many runs as possible.

Verdict: Australia takes day one. We also won the toss and if we were to play mind games, the only toss we won the series ended up being a drawn result, easily looming to be a win. The games we lost the toss ended up being a lost result. Let’s see!

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