THE ASHES: Live coverage from the Gabba here
Australia is on the brink of a first Test annihilation of England at the Gabba, with century-maker David Warner saying the visitors have ”scared eyes” and describing Jonathan Trott’s efforts to thwart Mitchell Johnson as ”pretty weak”.
Smelling blood in the Queensland twilight on Saturday, Australian fast bowlers Ryan Harris and Johnson left a rattled England on its knees.
Set a winning target of 561 – nearly 150 runs more than the existing world record for a fourth-innings chase – the visitors’ quixotic hopes of getting there or even hanging on, with the assistance of some extended inclement weather, were dealt a significant blow in a thrilling final hour of day three.
Australia’s position had been improved immeasurably by a 25th career hundred from captain Michael Clarke and a first Ashes ton for David Warner, who combined to all but bat Alastair Cook’s weary side into oblivion.
In the fading light there was more drama to come, with England crashing to 2-10 in their second innings and threatening to roll over before lunch on Sunday. Opener Michael Carberry (0) was unlucky, blocking a ball from Harris only to have it career between his legs into the stumps, but Jonathan Trott (9) was unnerved and undisciplined, trying to wriggle out of his funk against Johnson by clubbing the left-armer but inevitably holing out in the deep.
Cook (11 not out) was then nearly run out, and would have been had George Bailey not knocked a bail off before the ball arrived in his hands, but he and Kevin Pietersen (3 not out) managed to survive until stumps. They resume on Sunday, at 2-24, still trailing by 537 and with Australia just another decent day’s play away from locking up a 1-0 lead
‘England are on the back foot. It does look like they’ve got scared eyes at the moment,” said Warner, who top-scored with 124. ”The way that Trotty got out today was pretty poor and pretty weak. Obviously there is a weakness there and we’re probably on top of it at the moment.”
Given the margin, it is little wonder the English press are dubbing the venue the ”Gabbatoir”. Australia has not been beaten here for 25 years and even in the worst year for the national team since that era began it has again proven a happy hunting ground.
If Clarke’s team can apply the finishing touches – and it has two more days to do so – it will be only its second win over England since 2009 and its first victory over a major nation – England, India or South Africa – in nearly two years.
Having not won a match in England in the winter, and been beaten easily in the last Ashes here, the scope of the anticipated result is a psychological boon.
”It would be massive,” Warner said. ”We were just saying before that if the Tests were back to back it would be quite tough on the English bowlers to try and back up. The boys are on a high but we’ve got to come out and get the job done tomorrow.”
Australia’s hold over Trott, who was prolific three summers ago in Australia, was evident again, with Johnson taking him on with the short ball with success late on Saturday. Trott repeatedly hooked Johnson but before long came unstuck, landing one down the throat of Nathan Lyon at deep square-leg.
”I think he’s got to get new sledges as well because it’s not working for him at the moment,” Warner said of Trott. ”He’s probably worked hard in the nets but trying to face 150 km/h short balls from Mitch Johnson … the way to go is probably not to back away.”
England fast bowler James Anderson defended Trott. ”He’s obviously having a tough, I would say trot, at the minute,” Anderson said. ”We know that he’s got a lot of character and skill and I think he’ll come out the other end.”
Anderson said England was refusing to concede defeat. ”We’ve got an opportunity now to try and show some character and fight,” he said. ”We’ve just got to keep scrapping as hard as we can. If we do lose this game we’re going to go down fighting. We’ll keep battling until the very end.”
