so, 1-1.........

well, i can think of better news to wake up to on a Sunday morning than your side, who crushed their opponents a few days ago, lasted less than an hour. on paper alone, England's win by an innings sounds more impressive than Australia's 273 run win at the WACA, but we all know the truth - England were humbled here in a way that we have seen frequently.

one hopes not, but this Test has looked like we are back to business as usual - a devastating Australian bowling attack up against a competent England batting line up that just fails to stand up to the challenge.


up front, though, we must celebrate Australia's dazzling display. the comparatively weak Australian performances in the first two Tests left a lot of us followers of the game scratching our heads. the only time we had seen an Australia so lacking in ideas before has been on those instances when they had been stripped of players for "rebel" tours, rival tournaments and things like that. it is genuinely good for the game that the current crop of Australian players have, as the saying goes, "come right".

i am particularly delighted that, for the moment at least, the good name and reputation of Ricky Ponting will not be further tarnished.





oddly, Australia might very well go into the fourth Test without Ricky, depending on the extent of the finger injury sustained whilst helping a very elaborate catch. hope he's fit and ready to play!

as for England, well, i believe it would be fair to suggest that any lingering arrogance around their second Test win has been knocked out of them. time to knuckle down and give the performances of their careers if they wish to carve a slice of history.





winning the Ashes in Australia is supposed to be difficult, overlooking the border of impossible. so it shall be, but i still suspect our chaps can do the business.


be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!