third test - finally, australia perform to expectations

[ARRV]

begrudgingly i have to say I have been proved wrong on Smith - that was a pretty mighty innings in the first - and we were in real trouble.

I recall Prez's call on Bailey - that he would bring something to the team by his leadership - I think this is correct - obviously well liked in the sheds and the team is gelling well.

And I know this is controversial - but I am loving the sledging - Clarke has certainly rising in my esteem. From about U14 onwards there was always talk out there - fielding in the slips I was normally part of it - nothing too vindictive - just gentle reminders about the lack of cherries on a bat to asking him how many he's made this season - how he's seeing them - playing and missing etc = not quite the slurs of I'll bash you etc - that's rubbish - but talk about the batsman is certainly part of the game.

Interestingly on the ABC radio they are saying the talk is pretty full on and Kerry O'Keefe is saying that it's getting full on and that if he heard that in the U14 team he coaches he would call them in and tell them to stop etc.

Well I played a suburban and district game against him more than a decade ago (semi social cricket but played on good grounds) and he was the greatest sledger on the park - more in the "f*** off" vein rather than gentle questioning so he either has a short memory or it's horses for courses

[Ken Gargett]

i am not completely on board with some of these things.

if we were losing (and pre this innings, rogers, bailey and watson have all made very little contribution), we be calling for them to go. bailey is a short form player. has shown absolutely nothing to suggest he is a genuine test player. what he did today, great fun and timely, but if we have come down to that for test selection, something is wrong. they have been carried so far. if we win this one, i'd love to see some young blokes come in for a go for the future, but won't happen. silk, lynn, mattinson, perhaps burns or finch, though not convinced by him yet.

in a no-pressure situation, bailey and watson were wonderfully entertaining. but it is hardly border-like stuff.

as for the bailey leadership suggestion, i'm in complete disagreement. this is clarke's team. he has stamped his authority over it in a way that must embarrass cook - who has been an awful captain. no one else. clarke and then clarke. bailey has come in as the rookie - less tests than anyone else in the team - and hardly scored a run. he has no authority to "lead" or even contribute to the leadership. which to be fair to him, is not his position, is not required of him, would be inappropriate and as far as i can see, he has made no attempt to do so. clarke has led so well while england have done so by unaccountable committees. it never works.

as for sledging, when i played, there was a fair bit less of it. i never really bothered (yes, i know that some people who know me might be surprised by that). certainly got into a few arguments, some quite fiery, but almost no sledging.

if i was sledged when i batted, and it was not often, i either completely ignored it or told them to grow up and then ignored it. other things to worry about.

when keeping, ditto. too easy to make yourself look a dill. i can only remember doing it once. a young bloke in his first game at grade level, ran out his captain on 49 (an old 'adversary' from school days who didn't mind the occasional sledge and who was not a bad cricketer). the poor kid was mortified. it really only took a few comments about what he'd done and you could see the kid disintegrate. he took a mad swipe and i stumped him and i felt as guilty as hell.

can't ever recall sledging anyone ever again. but an argument, now that is a different thing.

[Dimmers]

australia has obviously relaxed its "no d*#ckheads" policy for some years now, but the formula is working for now....

[Ken Gargett]

terrific description of a bell shot, from the guardian.

"a cover drive over the top so beautiful it should be modelling swimwear".

[Ken Gargett]

they are a 1000 to 1. those cracks, which will be worse, mean that even a great performance is under threat because balls will hit them and be near impossible to play. new ball due in 13 overs. broad may not bat and certainly won't be too much use - how is he going to run a quick single and will england want to risk him damaging it further? prior in poor form - can he survive. stokes has done well but only 2nd test. then bresnan, swann and anderson. johnson may not take the wickets (or he might) but he is in their heads and they'll be very concerned. what chance those guys against mitch in full flight on a pitch with monster cracks?

actually, make it 10,000 to 1. it would be one of sports' greatest efforts, worthy of every cricket fan going down on their knees.

[Guest rob]

actually, make it 10,000 to 1. it would be one of sports' greatest efforts, worthy of every cricket fan going down on their knees.

Well into teh first session on day 5..... And I'm reluctantly warming up to genuflect....

[Ken Gargett]

no one who has played/watched two minutes of cricket ever could possibly have thought england would get out of the overnight position. never a possibility. five down. a pitch with cracks sending balls off 20 degree angles. no recognised batsmen left, just a kid, an allrounder, in his 2nd test. never going to happen. they needed to smash the old world record (from a side playing on a dead track at home with guys like chanderpaul and lara in their side).

be akin to someone beating bolt by running a 6.5 second 100 metres.

[Danston]

Congratulations to you Aussies, mercifully I haven't had chance to watch more than a few hours, I was hoping we would make it to the Boxing Day test with the series still alive as I can go nocturnal for that one! Clarke and Lehman deserve some serious credit for this total Reversal, didn't see this coming even though I felt the Aussies had a good chance in this series

[winelover]

Well done OZ. A v much deserved troucing of us Poms. Enjoy the feeling, not that you need to be told.

Hoping Stoakes is our phoenix to rise fron the ashes of such a dismal tour.

Congrats and hats off etc.

[winelover]

Biggest cracks I remember seeing on any wicket.

What a knock Stoakes, shame about KP AC and so many others time and time again.

[markmurase]

It was a great effort by England to bat so well on that pitch today.

Anyway, we're happy to have the Ashes back in Australia. Well done to the Aussie team.

[AlastairE]

The last 8 tests between the sides is equal at 3 apiece - I think that is a pretty fair assessment. Australia under-performing in England and vice versa. It would be nice to see a hard fought end to the series in the remaining two tests

[Vortigan]

Much credit and congratulations to Australia.It's been a thorough and devastating dismantling of an abject England side.We've been outplayed in every aspect.Australia have displayed more energy,more passion and deserve all the plaudits that will now come their way.I've read a couple of things over here that have expressed surprise at how hard The Aussies have come at England during the series but seriously,how can that have taken anyone on the blind side?!

There were plenty of warning signs for this I'm afraid over the course of the English summer and in my opinion one aspect of the demise has been a complacency and a little too much sitting back and admiring our own work in the last few Ashes series.I think there's been an air of subconsciously believing that we had Australia in our pocket and we just haven't seen them coming!

The scene for this series was set very early on in Brisbane with Mitchell Johnson (arguably top of the list of players we've been most complacent about) reannouncing himself as one of the world's best,good old-fashioned nasty,snarling and genuinely rapid bowlers and we just haven't come to terms with him at all.

I think we'll do well to come out of this series now with anything other than a 5-0 total destruction.Then there's a hell of a lot of work to do if we're going to wrest the urn back when The Aussies return here in 18 months time!