Obviously they still have a chance but being realistic i think we all know now that Australia will win the series.The only question is by what score.

Combined batting stats for the series so far.

Player M I NO Runs HS 100 50 Ave

Ponting 2 4 1 447 196 2 1 149.00
Hussey 2 3 1 238 91 0 3 119.00
Collingwood 2 4 1 329 206 1 1 109.67
Clarke 2 3 1 201 124 1 1 100.50
Pietersen 2 4 0 268 158 1 1 67.00
Langer 2 4 1 193 *100 1 1 64.33
Bell 2 4 0 136 60 0 2 34.00
Gilchrist 2 2 0 64 64 0 1 32.00
Warne 2 2 0 60 43 0 0 30.00
Giles 2 4 1 74 *27 0 0 24.67
Cook 2 4 0 90 43 0 0 22.50
Hayden 2 4 0 88 37 0 0 22.00
Clark 2 2 0 39 39 0 0 19.50
Flintoff 2 4 1 56 *38 0 0 18.67
Strauss 2 4 0 71 34 0 0 17.75
Jones 2 4 0 63 33 0 0 15.75
Martyn 2 3 0 45 29 0 0 15.00
McGrath 2 2 1 9 *8 0 0 9.00
Harmison 2 3 0 21 13 0 0 7.00
Anderson 2 3 2 7 *4 0 0 7.00
Hoggard 2 3 0 12 8 0 0 4.00
Lee 2 2 2 50 *43 0 0

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Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi

Why? Have you been overlooked for the job?

lol no i just thought since you had all the ideas and stuff

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Can't help thinking it's tilting at windmills to think we can win 2 out of 3. Sure the Aussies have some chinks in the armour but England seem incapable of exploiting them. I guess in this scenario it is time to adopt the 'what would the opposition like least' approach and this would surely mean making changes to give them something else to think about. For what it's worth I like the Robert Key idea, for me instead of Strauss, Cook needs the experience. Read for Jones & Panesar for Giles, they haven't delivered what Fletcher promised. Mahmood for Andersen, Jimmy's struggling for form. As for Harmison, thank you and goodnight, you've had your chance, Plunkett will concede far less.

After all that you just know it will be same again, Fletcher's too pig headed to admit he got it wrong.

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Taxi for Harmison.

Let's have a look at the reasons why England won the last Ashes:

1. Hussey didn't play in place of Katich. He is playing now.

2. Flintoff was a monster with both the bat & the ball. Hje is not likely to experience that kind of form ever again.

3. Simon Jones & reverse swing. Absent.

4. Gilchrist's bad form. He was decent in the 2nd innings at Adelaide. If he gets going, God help England!!

The idea of England retaining the Ashes is laughable.

Anything is possible in cricket. Can England win two matches and draw one? They will have to play exceptionally well to do that, but its possible.

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My computer can beat me at chess.....but its no match for me at kick boxing.

I agree.

Never underestimate Freddie. Remember that he is not fully fit and lacks match practice. He also has the extra burden of captain now. I still back him to win 1 test for England.

I never rated Simon Jones. One good performance and the whole of England thinks that he is the best bowler in the world. Pakistan have been reverse swinging the ball for years. Simon Jones would not have had any impact in Australia.

I would not count on Gilchrist. He just happened to score some runs on a flat lifeless pitch. England have his number and I doubt whether he will score again in this series unless Australia prepare another lifeless pitch. I mean even Lee and Warne scored some runs, so I would not say that Gilchist is on form yet

I dont think its laughable. I actually think that Perth is the one place where England can actually win the match. I just wonder after the last test if England can lift themselves up and win the next match. If England do, the pressure will be right back on Australia.

Add to list:
1. McGrath getting injured.
2. Gillespie bowling like someone who had never got a Test wicket in his life.

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"Checkout the big brain on Brett" Pulp Fiction