Marsh brothers set up an Australian win

It is often said a player can define a day of test cricket. First, it was Khawaja on day 2 and day 3 and now it was all the Marsh brothers who piled on the runs quickly to give Australia a winning chance to take the series 4-0.

Taking 20 balls to get off the mark, Mitchell Marsh continued to show his form with a blistering 141 ball 101 to leave the tourists begging for a declaration to ease the pain. But it was not only the Mitchell show, but it was also his brother Shaun Marsh who too resumed on 98 from day 3 and compiled a glorious 151 to set up an Australian declaration prior to tea.

There is no doubt that this test match will not only be remembered for the finale of the 2017/18 Ashes series and the regaining of the urn but also the incredible images of both the Marsh brothers batting through and being out in the middle together as they reached their milestones.

It has been very dissapointing to see that England has again gone into another day of cricket without looking to take a wicket. They all but seemed to be waiting for a declaration to happen and seemed as if there was no intent to take a wicket. I think that if England is going to lose this match, at least they should try and finish with some sense that they were fighting the whole way through and were looking to make something happen rather than letting Australia dictate the game.

With a mammoth first innings total of 7D/649 and take all the momentum into the 3rd innings. It is fair to say that things just went from bad to worse for the tourists as the Australian bowlers ripped the England top order to leave them reeling at 4/93 and 210 runs behind the game. Mitchell Starc claiming 1/17 to remove Mark Stoneman for a duck and Nathan Lyon bagging 2/31 including an excellent delivery to Alistair Cook to leave them at one stage 2/15. I think this innings was the best I had seen Mitchell Starc bowl this series. I simply do not see the game going towards an English victory and see that Australia have a very strong case to wrap the series 4-0.

Let's hope for a good day of test cricket tomorrow and see if England can grind this game out. Moreover, let's hope for an excellent finale to what has been a great Ashes series.