Ok so my Ashes series can be easily summed up in 2 words:
deep shit.
After a first up win at Brisbane, the Aussies have been flogged at Adelaide and Perth, and are currently staring down the barrel at the Boxing Day test in Melbourne, sitting at 7/163 chasing a target of 313 for victory.
The Big Show was recalled for his home test, after continued failures by Khawaja at number 3. Maxwell comes in at 5 and Swampy moves to first drop. This plan however has backfired as Marsh has offered nothing against the newer ball, and Maxwell will come under further fire after being lazily run out in the second innings.
For a while there, nobody but David Warner had reached double figures in the Aussie second innings, apart from sundries, until Mitch Marsh managed to hang around and put on 50 with Warner for the 5th wicket, until he was caught at bat pad.
Mitchell Marsh blazing through mid-off for four
Warner looked like he may have been the saviour for the home team, going passed 50 and on the path for glory, until he played on to his stumps during a firey spell from Anderson and Woakes in tandem.
Warner cruised to 50, but was gone shortly after
Keeper Tim Paine seemed to be looking ok, but an outside edge to a vacant third slip saw Dawid Malan dive to his right from second slip to take a screamer, leaving Australia reeling at 7/150.
Malan diving away to grab a blinder
After picking up 5 wickets in the first innings, Patrick Cummins is continuing this good form with the bat, racing to 21 at lunch and seemingly doing it easy. For Australia to limp home to an unlikely victory, both he and Starc must put together a patient partnership, to level the series at 2-2 going to Sydney for a hopeful decider.
Starc and Cummins head off for lunch. They hold the key for an unlikely Australian victory
Scorecard at lunch on day 3
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After the first test I bumped up the batting difficulty to HARDEST, and boy is it a challenge. I don't think I have scored a century on hardest difficulty, and am averaging around 200 for an innings total, which makes this task in the fourth test seem almost impossible.
We will see, stay tuned.