The Ashes 1st Test Final session

Australia need just three wickets with England 169-7 at tea on day 5. Assuming that they complete the win, the advantage that they have been gifted by England will probably be enough to win the series.

More than just a 1-0 lead, they will now have a huge psychological advantage, which they have not had to work especially hard for. England’s performance has been, in the main, pathetic.  They have been ill-disciplined in batting, even in their 1st innings 435 (see Pietersen’s dismissal), turgid with the ball, and have shown little initiative.  They have even managed to make Nathan Hauritz look like Jim Laker.

Should they some how manage to survive, it will be mostly thanks to Paul Collingwood who has shown what could have been accomplished in the 2nd innings with a bit more application.

So now they have 34 overs and a new ball to survive, with just Graeme Swann, Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar to partner Collingwood.  Seems unlikely.