Oh dear. We hoped, even if we really didn’t expect, but England’s men in white didn’t do their duty on Day 2, with the exception of Archer and Stokes, who are both still there as we enter the third day of this Third Test at the Adelaide Oval.

England took too long to mop up the last two Aussie wickets and bizarrely Stokes didn’t open with Josh “The Mop” Tongue as they endeavoured to do so, preferring the wayward Carse instead to accompany the in-form Archer. Tongue did come on eventually but it was Archer who bagged a well-deserved 5-for albeit not before the Aussies had added a valuable 45 runs, with Starc scoring for fun, to make a final total of 371.

So it was amid huge anticipation that England began their 1st Innings to fulfil their collective duty but the hopes of a nation were to fade all too soon as Starc opened up with venom and accuracy to soften up the English batsmen, ably assisted by Captain Cummins who marked his return with 3-54 from 14. I had warned here yesterday that Lyon also had to be respected even on a flat track, advice not heeded, and his return to the fray after just 10 overs was rewarded with 2 wickers from his first 6 balls that ripped the heart out of England’s hopes and made him the Aussies’ second highest wicket-taker of all time.

The Aussie bowlers were in fine form making a mockery of the flat track but equally one by one England’s batsmen once again failed to stick around for the fight. Brook did try and live by his pre-match promise of showing a bit more discipline and duly scored 45 but still in the rapid time of 63 balls when our objective had to be batting for two days or near enough to put pressure on the home side. Ok, so Smith was wrongly given out as Snicko and/or its operator screwed up once again to leave England 159-6 but the damage had been done by then and despite an unbeaten 45 from Stokes and defiant 30 from Archer England ended the day on the brink of defeat at 213-8.

Yes of course we’re going to wish for miracles again and hope that England can at least add a few more runs, dismiss the Aussies very cheaply then knock off the required runs for a famous victory that would keep their Ashes hopes alive at 2-1 with two to play. The reality though is they have wasted their best opportunity and highly likely to come a sorry second to an Australian side that have shown the enviable combination of ability and spirit under fire which England have sadly lacked, again.

We’ll keep believing, as ever, but whatever the outcome there’s no doubt that a few changes are needed.

Come on England, please………..