Ashes 2017/18 - Adelaide Day 5 - Australia Go 2-0 Up, Another English False Dawn

With just the second delivery of the day, England would have been filled with the all too familiar feeling of impending defeat. Chris Woakes got the faintest of edges that on review was upheld as, despite no evidence on Hot-Spot, the tiniest spike on Snicko proved Aleem Dar right. In Hazlewood's second over, Joe Root was also removed without adding to his overnight 67, and even the most optimistic of English fans knew the death knell had tolled.

A new ball just 20 overs away, perhaps it was a surprise that Hazlewood was asked to bowl straight away, rather than give Cummins and Lyon first attempt and wait for a fresh Hazlewood and Starc to take the new ball. Smith's decision reaped immediate reward, further enhanced by Moeen Ali swiping across the line to Lyon and departing lbw for just 2.

Jonny Bairstow and Craig Overton were to be England's final hope but Overton fell to the first delivery from the new ball, pinned lbw by Mitchell Starc. Stuart Broad was never going to hang around long, and expecting James Anderson to face up to and score freely against this attack would be like expecting Piers Morgan to have a balanced opinion. The margin of victory was 120 runs, suddenly Smith's decision to not enforce the follow-on is forgotten but Root's decision to bowl first is a tale that will be heard for decades next to Hussain at the Gabba, or Ponting at Edgbaston. At least Ponting can have the satisfaction of getting within 3 runs of winning the game and ultimately one of the greatest Test matches of all time.

Effectively, the series is over. Mathematically, it is still possible for England to win the series, although not even coming away with an Ashes-retaining draw is likely. Infuriatingly, had England shown the same fight first time with the ball as they did second time around then they would have been strong favourites for the game and possibly then the series, such is the confidence and momentum they would have had. Momentum and confidence is almost exclusively in the Australian camp and once again a mediocre Australian side could whitewash this equally mediocre England side.

The series needed an England victory in Adelaide to still be considered a contest. It now needs England to win in Perth and Melbourne to provide an "all-or-nothing" finalé in Sydney. England haven't won at the WACA for 39 years and you cannot see that changing in the final Ashes test to be played at the venue, in fact I'd go so far as to say Australia will win there inside 3 days. My prediction before the series was that England would win 2-1. Firstly, I cannot now see how any game will end as a draw without 2 days rain. Secondly, Australia have now won two games, and finally where is an England victory going to come from? Adelaide was the best chance to get on a roll. Melbourne is possible, but the pace of Perth will favour the home side as it did in Brisbane, and Sydney traditionally is good for spin. Nathan Lyon is proving far superior to Moeen Ali.

Australia will win the Ashes, that is now all over bar the shouting. 5-0? Maybe so. From this point in, you can't see better than a 4-1 loss for England. Back to the drawing board once again, it'll take meticulous planning to even dream of a win over here in four years time.