The Ashes: Australia close in

There is little point reviewing the play today, or in discussing the prospects for tomorrow.  Suffice it to say that England wilted again, and that it should all be done and dusted in about an hour or so in the morning.

Potentially, this could be England’s second-biggest innings defeat in Test history as they still need another 40 runs or so to improve on their effort against West Indies at Lord’s in 1973.

This (impending) defeat will rank as highly as, if not higher than, any of England’s regular ’90s maulings.  They have been truly embarrassing, like senile old men who have soiled themselves, shuffling about aimlessly, muttering incomprehensibly.

Australia have played well, and Johnson this evening was superb (another cause for trepidation ahead of the Oval).  But they needn’t have, so easy has it been.

The one English bright point was the bowling of Stuart Broad, who recorded Test best figures of 6/91.  The recall of Harmison has been shown up as a poor decision – he should be sent back to Durham again, this time for good.

If Flintoff can be patched up, and can find it within himself to go out in a blaze of glory, England will feel they have a chance at the Oval.  But with the psychological mauling they have taken here, and with Mitchell Johnson back to his best, it is looking unlikely.