Series level

Headingley. Fourth Ashes Test - third day.

Preview

Yes, third day and the game has no more than a couple of hours to run!

So you don't need to guess what is going to happen; no mystery, no prophesy skills involved.

Lets instead have a look at a remarkable document produced by Justin Langer which tries to fill in the details the Australians may have overlooked in their research into what makes England tick.

OK, so he thinks Ravi Bopara will be upset if he is ignored, James Anderson is easily put off and Matt Prior has issues with his own ego. I just hope our Jason did not have to sit up all night before coming to these devastating conclusions.

What might have been interesting were his conclusions about Kevin Pietersen. Did he forget KP? Not a word about England's greatest batsman. Why? Were his conclusions so robust that the Sunday Telegraph - you can read the detail in their sports section - dare not risk a libel action? Were they so dull that the ST chose to ignore them?

I hope it prompts ECB to action. But, please, not another inquiry, working party or sub-committee. Michael Vaughan's commentary is printed alongside the Langer analysis. Read that first and then ring him up for a further verdict on a subject that needs investigation but not from someone long retired, at arm's length from the county dressing rooms and determined only to produce opinions that will satisfy the conservatives who run the game here.

How about a group of former players: Vaughan, Alec Stewart, Andy Caddick and Mike Atherton, for instance.

It won't happen. Langer says English players like their own comfort zone. They learnt their attitude from men who are now in charge and those gentlemen will not set up an inquiry which means they have to think, or stir themselves to action or - heaven forfend - make changes.

One day soon they may wake to find the game has been stolen from them - but it will be too late for an inquiry then.

To lunch

I am not sure what Langer made of this session, but I could not stop laughing.

James Anderson went third ball of the day and Prior for 22 - both to Ben Hilfenhaus - but afterwards the game was filled with circus acts. Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann hit 49 in three overs, Stuart Clark was smashed for 32 in two overs, two tumbling catches were dropped in the outfield - and went for four - and Broad was not out until he had hit 61 off 48 balls.

Tail-end mayhem, causing the Aussies to huddle in little worried groups.

All in a hopeless cause; at lunch England were 245-8, 98 behind and therefore still needing around 200 to have half a chance of winning. Still two days and two sessions to go when Steve Harmison blocked out the final over and Swann reached his fifty with a six. In two hours 163 runs had been scored; well worth a cheer or two from the full house.

We Englishmen love the Dunkirk story and there is no doubt that this session has lifted the spirits of a badly beaten side. It made the journey to the Oval for the decider so much more within our comfort zone.

If only we had had the Andrew Flintoff spirit to add to the Dunkirk spirit.

To victory

Australia needed only another 23 minutes to win by an innings and 80 runs although they were lucky that umpire Billy Bowden was persuaded that Swann hit the ball to Brad Haddin.

The best technology available - as well as his own disgusted expression - suggested Swann missed the ball. The evidence that Graham Onions was out was convincing; his stumps were awry, the bails on the floor.

Don't blame Bowden, even though he also allowed a five-ball and a seven ball over in the morning. He certainly did not umpire as badly as England batted first time and their middle order performed in both innings.

Calls for the recall of Mark Ramprakash, Robert Key and Geoff Boycott will fall on death ears. The selectors are wedded to the concept of few changes and while it is still possible to win at the Oval and regain the Ashes they will leave the team more or less intact.

The spectators cannot grumble. Those who came yesterday had their moneysworth and those who bought tickets for the fourth day will get a refund.

Neither have the Aussies any reason to complain. Their luck turned and although they bowled poorly today they at least knew where they ought to pitch the ball. In contrast the England attack seemed to think short deliveries were the answer. Even the enw boy Marcus North, find of the series as well as man of the match, knew better.

Yorkshire old-timers Fred Trueman, Richard Hutton, Chris Old, Bill Bowes and the little-remembered Tony Nicholson would have cried to see the England bowling.

If England can take something from this match it must be the signs of panic that gripped Australia on the final morning; but of course they still had two days and two sessions to win the match.

Level at 1-1 they are unlikely to let go easily.