Who's the man? Bresnan celebrates the wicket of Shane Watson
Session one: England 513 (lead by 415).
Resuming on 444 for five, England add 15 runs before Matt Prior chips Peter Siddle to Ricky Ponting at mid-on. The wicketkeeper made 85, his highest Ashes score and his departure brings Tim Bresnan to the crease. But it doesn’t take long for things to turn against Australia once more as Ryan Harris pulls up abruptly during his run-up with an injury to his left ankle (which later turns out to be a stress fracture). He leaves is forced to leave and the hosts are a bowler down. They can rely on Siddle, though, who completes his five-for with the wicket of Bresnan as the big Yorkshireman (who made four) edges behind to Brad Haddin. Jonathan Trott is an immovable object and he goes on to pass 150 off, inevitably, a Mitchell Johnson delivery. Graeme Swann hits a breezy 22 before he provides Ben Hilfenhaus with a rare wicket, top-edging to Haddin. But Hilfenhaus picks up another as he clean bowls Chris Tremlett. It’s left to Siddle to wrap-up the innings, bowling Jimmy Anderson for his sixth wicket to bring an early lunch. Trott is left unbeaten on 168 – his third highest Test score and an outstanding effort.
Verdict: Australia.
Session two: Australia 95/1. (trail by 320)
Australia have one option – be aggressive and try and somehow score 500 to at least make England bat again. There are a possible eight sessions left in the game but the equation for Andrew Strauss’ men is simple – bowl Australia out for under 415 and they retain the Ashes. Even if they bowl them out for more than that, surely any target will be academic. This is it for England. Australia’s openers get off to a flier in perfect batting conditions, putting on 53 before a mindless run out of Phil Hughes to Jonathan Trott after a crazy single is called by Shane Watson. Cue Ricky Ponting to a crescendo of Barmy Army boos. Some superb bowling, with early reverse swing, has Watson and Ponting struggling to score but the former reaches his 50 as the pair reach tea safely.
Verdict: Drawn.
Session three: Australia 169/6 (trail by 246).
England make the perfect start as Watson is again caught on the hop in the 50s, this time letting a straight one from Bresnan thud into his pads. Despite the batsman’s challenge, it’s the umpires call and he’s on his way for 54. Ponting survives an appeal for a stumping, then Prior fails to gather when Michael Clarke is out of his crease. But the Aussie captain is clean bowled for 20 by the excellent Bresnan and England scenting blood. Mike Hussey is next in but Mr Cricket is gone for a duck when he drives Bresnan to Ian Bell at short cover. Clarke and Steve Smith hold firm but the scoring rate is almost non-existent as England’s bowlers turn the screw. That pressure sees Clarke depart when he pushes Swann to Andrew Strauss at second slip as they are reduced to 134 for five. That turns to 158 for six when Smith is bowled by Anderson and victory is close, although England can’t get the extra wicket to claim the extra half hour to finish the job tonight.
Verdict: England.
Test in a tweet: ‘England show patience, skill and spirit. Ashes coming home, even if we do have to wait until tomorrow for confirmation.’
Facebook friend:Tim Bresnan.
Many people, myself included, doubted the big lad and he has delivered in this Test after being called up in place of the tiring Steve Finn. After picking up two wickets in Australia’s first innings, the Yorkshireman broke the back of their second innings with a spell of three for 13 which saw him account for Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey. The wicket of Ponting – clean bowling the Aussie captain – must have been the highlight of his stop-start Test career. This match may just be the making of the man they call Bres.
Unfriend: Shane Watson.
Watto is our public enemy No.1 today. Okay he scored a half-century but he also ran out team-mate Phil Hughes when both were going nicely to get England going as they went in pursuit of the wickets needed to secure the Ashes. And once he passed his half-century he again perished – the tenth time in 13 Ashes innings he has been dismissed for scores between 34 and 62.
Stat of the day:Jonathan Trott’s Test average is now 64, second only to Don Bradman for batsmen who have played more than 20 Test innings. His average against Australia now is also an astonishing 100.83.
T-Shirt of the day: I love Melbourne (then handwritten below) But Essex is better.
Cheer of the day: Roar that went on to greet the announcement of Mitchell Johnson’s name when he came on for his first spell of the day.
Barmy Army chant of the day (to tune of Yellow Submarine): ‘Your next queen is Camilla Parker Bowles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Camilla Parker Bowles’ repeat ad nauseum. It's closely followed by: ‘You’re just a warm-up for India’.
Optimist of the day: The girl selling earpiece radios outside the MCG with the sales line: ‘Twenty dollars to listen to a miracle!’
Download of the day: Living on a prayer by Bon Jovi.