Finished

FOURTH DAY

So, as we knew they must from the first morning, England won - by an innings and 157 runs and keep the Ashes which they have now held, despite 5-0 in Australia in 2006-7 - since September 2005. Tremlett, Swann and the hero of the hour Bresnan captured the remaining wickets before lunch. It must have been a sweet triumph for Bresnan, the subject of a damn-with-faint-praise campaign possibly because he is a touch on the weighty side, more than a touch of Yorkshire (Yorky is his dressing room nom-de-guerre) and particularly because he is not from Surrey, or Hampshire, or some other fashionable Home Counties side.

Wherever England go next - and they can rid themselves of good teams quicker than any other international side - I hope Bresnan is a force for good. I once asked Alec
Bedser when he first knew Fred Trueman was going to be a great. "Straight away," he said. "He could bowl" - and finishing with a broad Yorkshire accent - "e could bowl tha knows." So can Bresnan - either tight and close to the stumps or more fluidly wide out and tempting - and he has a genuinely quick ball. Don't mention that in front of some cricket experts; they'll respond with a damning definition of "medium pace, tha knows."

Strauss deserves that I give him another chance. I hear he has impeccable man management skills. I am fond of Paul Collingwood but it looks as if his day is done and there are young cricketers waiting for a chance. Pray they are as English as Colly and that our Southern African days are finishing.

As you know I come from the Ponting Finishing School, a harsh establishment run by men who care only for Australia's honour. We will know a lot about that School of Hard Knocks within a few days.