Jim Maxwell, ABC Cricket Ashes Edition (2005), Editorial: “… but team England needs to sustain any advantage, knowing that it needs more than a couple of good sessions to upset the World Champions.” Correct.

Peter Roebuck, ABC Cricket Ashes Edition (2005), p8: “Also, they’re no longer carrying passengers…” Wrong. What is Ashley Giles?

England were in a fabulous position by tea on Day one. By stumps they were shattered. By tea on Day two Australia was in command and had almost done enough to have the match secured. But it was the hour after tea on day one where I believe that Michael Vaughan allowed the match, and possibly the series to slip away, virtually uncontested.

It seemed fair enough to allow Giles a couple of overs before tea to see what happened. But there was nothing doing. To allow him to bowl seven overs of unthreatening, erratic, aimless rubbish in the hour after tea is unfathomable. Many of the commentators were surprisingly understanding, using terms like patience, drying up the runs and perseverance to describe Vaughan’s approach. Giles was achieving nothing accept to give Australia easy runs and playing Martyn (66) and especially Michael Clarke into form. And England did not have time to be patient – in the complexion of the game, Australia’s lead was already imposing. England needed to bring on the main man and blast someone out.

It is rather ironic that the only ball Giles bowled that beat the bat was to be his final delivery. Australia went from 150 to 250 at a run a ball. Clarke’s 91 came from 106 balls and he was dismissed only after Giles was removed, England started bowling to a plan, frustrated Clarke and he played a rash shot. During the hour after tea, not only was Giles ineffective but so was every bowler used. No only that, but the fielding was atrocious. No less than four boundaries were conceded from misfields. I strongly believe that the team morale was effected by the scene being played out before them. The run out of Langer by Pietersen aside, the English fielding was poor all day. The obvious lowlight was Pietersen dropping a simple offering from Clarke when on 22, immediately before tea.

As it was, England rebounded strongly, taking four quick wickets, including the danger man, Gilchrist (10), for less than 20 runs. However, it needed to be an hour earlier. The Australian lead is over 310 and you would have to think that is already plenty.