Shouting from the Hop

It's probably not as bad as some are making out, but England lost the Ashes today, when they lost the Third test in Perth to go three down with two games to play.

The resistance from day four lasted until not long before lunch - then, once Flintoff was out (bowled Warne - his 700th test wicket), the innings collapsed; only 14 runs were added for the last five wickets, as England fell 206 runs short.

Pieterson held up one end brilliantly - he is a very good player - and finished 60 not out. He is one of the bright spots on the tour, and potentially a great player. He is certainly respected by the Aussies.

For Flintoff, the series goes on but he looks pretty deflated most days. The corporate media speak that he has to come out with doesn't suit him; he'd be better telling it like it is!

The players can now relax for a few days prior to Xmas in Melbourne, where family are expected to join the team (they usually do). The thousands of cricket fans flying out later this week will be gutted, but as I've said before, if you follow England abroad, you should expect a tough time.

This is a funny game cricket. Just when you think that England are down and out, they bounce back and fight their way to a reasonable position, only to waste it at the end once more.

Chasing a world record 556 to win, with only nine wickets remaining, they batted very well to reach tea losing just one more wicket (Bell for 87). Cook went on to get his hundred (left), and he and Pieterson started to get settled for a real effort on the last day. But with under three overs to go before stumps, Cook edged to Gilchrist and Hoggard was bowled two balls later. Flintoff and Pieterson survived that late flurry, but any chance of an unlikely win, at 265-5, has now all but disappeared.

It may be possible for England to get 293 on the last day of a test, but it's not likely with just five wickets remaining.

With this game go the Ashes, so it will be doubly disappointing if a great team effort is not rewarded in any way.

The only hope is with hundreds from two of Pieterson, Flintoff, and Jones; all are capable batsmen on their day, but only KP is in any sort of form. Freddie and Jones haven't scored many on this tour, and a ton from either would be a surprise.

I'll turn on the radio tomorrow morning with trepidation, but realistically, with the pitch starting to turn sharply for Warne and Symonds, sadly I cannot see any way that England can get a win or a draw.

Mind you, when I got up this morning I expected the game to be finished, and it was far from that! Hopefully KP will be smashing the ball around and he will have someone to stay with him. If that is the situation at tea tomorrow, I may well be late for work!

Blown away. Adam Gilchrist smashed England's bowlers (all of them) to all parts once he had passed his fifty, and recorded the second fastest test century ever at the WACA earlier today, and took any grip England may have had on the Ashes back down under. It was an awesome performance - 57 balls for his ton was just one ball short of the record held by Sir Vivian Richards, who set the record in 1986. Gilly did have a chance to break it, but Hoggard bowled wide when he needed 5 runs from three balls and the chance slipped away from the wicket-keeper batsmen. His innings overshadowed those of Hussey and Clarke who also scored hundreds to put Australia well in charge on the third day of this third test match.

The Anglo euphoria of day one was well in the past by then - England's own first innings a mere memory after being bowled out for 215, 29 runs short of the Aussie first innings total.

Monty Panesar continued to show why he should have been playing all series, taking another three second innings wickets. His bowling has been a breath of fresh air, and he has troubled all the batsmen, even though he has been hit for some big sixes (and three by Gilchrist today). Eight wickets in the match is a huge improvement on anything Ashley Giles has produced, and the news that Giles has had to fly home for personal reasons really isn't too much of a loss for England, however sad it may be for Gilo and his family.

Apart from that, some decent bowling went unrewarded, and the Aussie pressure machine just goes on and on.

Chances came, and went - Jones making a great effort to catch Hussey (left), although he would have been better off leaving the chance to Pieterson who could possibly have pouched it more comfortably.

The Aussie first innings lead of 29 went up and up, and way past anything any team has ever got in the last innings of a test match.

Once Gilchrist reached three figures, the inevitable declaration came, and that left England with 26 minutes to bat. It was to prove to much for Strauss, who padded up to Lee's fourth ball, and was given out unluckily for the second time in the match by unpire Koertzen. Bell and Cook survived till the close, but not without the odd close call.

There really doesn't seem any way back for England in this match, or now the series. I guess it depends on whether England can survive the fourth day - South Africa batted 135 overs in the fourth innings at Perth last year to gain a draw - but the likelihood is they cannot. It would take a superhuman effort from Cook Bell, Pieterson, Collingwood, and Flintoff, to get anywhere near to winning this game, which would re-write the record books if they did.

I suspect that the game may well be finished by the time I wake up in the morning! And with the loss, will be Aussie celebration that the Ashes are back down under after a brief sojourn in English hands.

Four years ago the series was over after the Perth test, and I suspect it is now just a matter of time before this series is also concluded; The Ashes may be lost, but two matches are still to be played - can England find the winning formula? Do they have the heart? I'm not sure.

I go the result wrong in Adelaide on the penultimate day, when I thought that a draw was almost sure; I now think this game is as good as over, but only one team can prove me wrong.

Well that’s a bit better from an England perspective! Bowling the Aussies out on day one, and then setting about the task of knocking the runs off and taking a substantial first innings lead.

The damage was done by a resurgent Steve Harmison - who trapped colossus Ricky Ponting LBW for 2, then caught and bowled Michael Clarke, and finally wrapped up the tail – and, of course, Monty Panesar, who took five wickets on his Ashes debut. He is also the first England spinner to take five wickets at the WACA. Monty ripped the heart out of the batting line up, snaffling Langer, Symonds, Gilchrist, Warne, and Lee. Why oh why did the selectors not have enough faith to play him at Brisbane or Adelaide???

Finally, the message dropped for the management and they picked players who can win games, rather than those who are their best mates. In came Panesar for Giles, and Mahmoud for Anderson. It was a bold move, and one that should be applauded even if it may prove to be too little too late.

As predicted, the side that won the toss batted – Ponting being successful yet again. After a solid and unspectacular start, Hoggard had Hayden caught behind, then Harmison soon beat Ponting for pace and trapped him in front. Panesar came on and with his seventh ball, he bowled Langer. Monty celebrates like no other and it was a while before he could do so again. By then, Harmison had cut short a mini-revival with a good catch off his own bowling to get rid of Clarke.

The English spinner then spun his web and, after getting hit for a couple of big sixes, had Symonds caught behind by Jones, Gilchrist excellently caught at a running short leg by Bell, and then disposed of Warne (who had slogged a few) and Lee.

Harmy bowled short at the tail, got them worried, and then got them out. He finished with 4-48; Panesar with 5-92.

England needed a solid reply, but Cook fell to McGrath for 15, and Bell (nought) in the next over to Lee. At 37 for two, things looked bit rocky, but Collingwood survived a Warne drop at slip, and Strauss held firm at the other end.

Tomorrow will be the defining day of this match, and possibly the series.

If England bat all day, and well, they could take the game out of the reach of the Aussies. This would set up Monty to bowl late in the game and hopefully force a win. If England fail to force home the advantage, they may not get too or past the Aussie score, and then would have to beat the third innings score in order to win the match – probably too much for this team to do when the pressure is on.

Hopefully, by the time the cricket comes on the early morning radio tomorrow, England (say, Pieterson and Flintoff?) will still be batting, and a large total will be looming.

One of my favourite actors died today - Peter Boyle. He wasn't a star, but he was great to watch in many movies in the 70's. I suppose most people will know him from his role in Taxi Driver, as he acted opposite Robert de Niro, in a fantastic film. He also starred in US sitcoms in recent years. Bald, but with a great sense of humour, he took many supporting actor roles, and did them as well as he or anyone else could. Shame he is no longer with us.

It's now or never for Steve Harmison (left) and England if they are to hang on to the Ashes they so brilliantly won eighteen months ago in England. Going into the third test in Perth, they are two down, with three to play. Lose this one, and the Ashes are gone. Win, and the dream will flicker on to Christmas and Melbourne.

Harmy will be one of skipper Flintoff's prime weapons, if he survives the chop from the selectors. He really hasn't fired in this series, as he didn't four years ago, and he has struggled since "that" first ball in Brisbane.

But Perth should be his most beneficial pitch. Apparently the strip has slowed down a bit, and gives less bounce, but is this Australian gamesmanship? All I remember is England getting beaten in three days (and a bit on some occasions) every time I've been to watch.

Four years ago, it was also the losing Ashes match for the tourists - stuffed by an innings. It was the last test for Alex Tudor too; his second tour down under ending in a bloody mess, as Brett Lee tore a bouncer through his visor and onto his eyebrow. It was the scream that I always remember - never have I heard such like on a cricket pitch before or since. He looked more like a boxer after a fight over the next couple of days back at the Sheraton; eye glued together with sticking plaster plus concussion and all.

Lee's next ball, to last man Harmison (Silverwood was also injured and didn't bother batting), was also a bouncer, and that didn't endear him to anyone. Nasser Hussein backed him after he got a huge amount of stick, but it just wasn't "cricket". It took Lee five balls to get one straight on the stumps, and Harmy duly missed it, was bowled, and waved goodbye to the Urn again.

So will this years test be any different? England just have to play Monty Panesar. Whether he plays instead of Anderson (my choice) or Giles, he is a dangerous bowler. Of course, Australia will probably win the toss on a benign flat track and Monty will take 1-156 or something, but, and it is a big but, if they can bat as well as they did in the first innings at Adelaide, post a big score, then Monty could really be an attacking option with men round the bat on the last couple of days.

I cannot see Engalnd making too many other changes - unless Panesar plays for Giles, then Mahmoud may come in for Anderson. The batting has been OK on occasion, with the openers un-droppable (due to lack of options), and Bell, Pieterson, and Collingwood have all done well. Freddie is due, as is Jones the Glove, where the bounce may be to his liking. Some say Read may take the gloves, but I cannot see that as it would be an admission of failure by the selectors who brought back Jones for the first test.

For Australia, Glenn McGrath (left) and Clarke (S) will trundle all day long, and Lee will bowl as fast as he can. Warney will come on at one end and hope it turns and bounces. With Martyn now retired (rather than be dropped if truth be known), a chink in the Aussie armour may be Voges. I expect him to bat six with Hussey and Clarke (M) moving up the order.

I alway predict defeat for England at the WACA, having seen no other result; whether Flintoff wins the toss and bats, or Ponting bats, I doubt if England can score enough to make much of a game of it. I think the urn has returned sadly.

It's last chance saloon for Freddie's team; the support will be huge once more, and the trumpeter may even be allowed to play. All we can hope is that it isn't the Last Post for England he is sounding when this game comes to a conclusion.

That really looked like tears in Andrew Flintoff's eyes, as England crashed to defeat in the second test in Adelaide earlier today.

What looked like as definite draw, became an amazing win for Australia.

Knowing they couldn't lose, they slowly applied pressure to England's batsmen, and one by one they fell, leaving the Aussies 36 overs to get 168 to go two up in the series.

Only first innings hero Paul Collingwood survived any length of time, batting over three hours for his 22 not out.

England battled once they had to bowl again, and took four wickets, but it wasn't enough, as they got caught between stopping the runs, and trying to take wickets. Frankly, the bowling wasn't good enough to do either!

This is a huge blow to England's chances in the series (not that I thought they had any); to go two down after two tests, especially after scoring 551 in the first innings (the highest ever first innings of a match that was declared which has turned out to be a losing total!) is a crushing strike.

Individually, Collingwood, Pietersen, and Hoggard can all say they perfomred magnificently. But the rest were little above average, and why oh why did Monty Panesar not play. At least with him England may have had some last day threat. He is at least as good a fielder as Anderson and at least as good a batter too. Bearing in mind England didn't require all their batsmen first time round, the decision not to play him was without doubt very poor.

So to Perth. Not as fast as it used to be they say, but it will bounce. Panesar must play; Mahmoud must be in with a chance too. Anderson and Harmison need to buck their ideas up if they are to stay in the team.

A 5-0 trouncing is now on the cards - hopefully England can prevent this, but possibly not until they are three down and the Ashes are back down under where they have been for many of recent years.

It was never going to be easy for England to bowl out Australia on this Adelaide flat-track, especially without Panesar, and so it proved.

Michael Clark made a hundred, and received solid support from Gilchrist and Warne, as Australia fell just 38 runs short of England's first innings total.

Matthew Hoggard was the star with the ball for the tourists, taking 7 wickets for 109 runs (check that against Brett Lee's first innings figures...!). It just goes to show that line and length can play a part when pace does not (Stuart Clark's figures confirm).

England were left with nineteen overs to face before the close, and now had little chance of winning the match (barring a miracle), but they could still lose it! They therefore had to, and did, bat well at the start of their second innings finishing at 59-1; Cook out in a repeat of his first innings dismissal.

The last day scenario is of a tense morning session, as Australia have little to lose by applying great pressure. England should survive, but we have said that before and seen the collapse out of nothing before our eyes. It will be interesting to see how far in front Flintoff wants to be before declaring - he will fancy getting a few more overs out of Harmison before heading to the WACA, but needs to ensure that they are far enough in front to ensure that even if his bowlers got hit for ten an over they just cannot lose.

This test has been called the true start to the Ashes series, implying that Brisbane did not count. Sadly, it did, and Australia will head to Perth one up with three to play.

Perth is one of my favourite Aussie cities, but where I have seen England falter most - losing on every occasion I have witnessed them take on Australia in a test. Hopefully, this side have packed their bags and their guts, and will be willing to fight it out on a faster pitch than Adelaide.

England toiled all day, but only had Matthew Hoggard's four wickets to celebrate as Australia finished day three of the Adelaide test at 312-5.

Hoggard started the day by having Hayden caught behind (left), and closed by bowling Hussey (for 91); in between, he had Martyn and Ponting caught. Sadly for England, Ponting (below) had already got way past his second hundred of the series, before being dismissed for 142. It could have been oh so different if Giles had hung on to a high catch at deep square leg when Punter had only scored 35.

The game is therefore finely balanced, with any result possible.

Should England dismiss the remaining five batters quickly, they will set up a last day effort in which to level the series at one test each.

If Australia bat well, they could yet pass England's first innings total and get themslves in a position to pressurise England on the final day, and force a win.

The likelihood is probably somewhere in-between, with Australia being all out after lunchtime tomorrow, and England doing what they can to score quickly. If they can get far enough in front (at least 350) with, say, 75 overs left on the final day, they will attempt to get the ten wickets they need, but this pitch hasn't helped the bowlers much so far, so I still predict a draw as the likeliest result.

It was a real pleasure to get up this Saturday morning and find England still batting near the close of day two of the second Ashes test. England then declared on 551-6 and tore into the Aussie openers, removing Langer for just 4. The Aussies finished on 28-1 in the nine overs that they faced.

Day one had seen Engalnd win the toss, and post 266-3, courtesy of a battling 60 from Ian Bell, plus not out scores of 98 and 60 from Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pieterson. Today saw Colly move past 100 in an Ashes test for the first time, and for him to bat another two sesions before wafting tiredly when he had got to 206 (his highest first class score). He is only the third Englishman to hit a double ton in Australia after RE Foster and Wally Hammond (who did it twice).

KP also batted brilliantly - really taking the fight to Warne and McGrath - he eventually ran himself out for 158, which equalled his highest first class score (for the third time...).

It was then left to Flintoff and Giles to whack a few boundaries before the declaration came. Flintoff, by then suitably warmed up, took the new ball and had Langer (80 and hundred in the last test, and two hundred here four years ago...) caught by an ebuliant Pieterson at third slip (left) in the fourth over. Hayden and Ponting survived till the close.

In a day of numbers -

Shane Warne had his worst ever test bowling figures - 1-167!
Glenn McGrath took 0-107!
Brett Lee had 1-137!
Only Stuart Clark had respectable figures (3-75).
The partnership of 310 between Collingwood and Pieterson was the highest in an Ashes series for the fourth wicket, beating Thorpe and Hussein (Edgbaston 1997).

The third day will be a long one in the field for England. They need to bowl and field positively (as they did late today) and attack at every opportunity. Interestingly Harmison did not open the bowling in this match, but he will be required to fulfil plenty of bowling duties tomorrow, as will Anderson, and especially Giles. The King of Spain (sic) will not get as much turn as Warne did, but that may be just enough on this pitch, provided he bowls in the right areas. With plenty of runs on the board, England can attack, and I bet they now wish they had Panesar and Giles playing.

One of the ddiffferences between this test and the one at Brisbane is that the crowd can congregate on the hill here - there is no seating plan in this part of the ground. This means that the Barmy Army can get together, and as at the test here in 1994/5 (the so-called start of the "official" Barmy Army), this can effect matters on the pitch. Certainly KP was urging the crowd on, and it does give a huge boost to the players to be supported like this.

I can see plenty of runs being scored by Australia on this pitch, but the question is will they get in and do well enough to get up to or past England's total, and possibly look for a win, or will the momentum turn England's way, urged on by the pressure and the crowd, resulting in some sort of batting collapse? I can see at least one of the batters getting a ton, but if the bowlers do well, a score of 400 may be all Australia can ask for. This would leave England the chance to put thegame beyond the Aussies on Monday, and then bowl for a win, and an equaliser in the series on the final day. If the pitch deterioates, then that could be a dream come true for Andrew Flintoff.