In other news it appears Hobart has been awarded the 5th test.

Horrible morning session losing 8 for 74 from the time the first wicket fell. And Australia go on to chase down the 20 runs required for victory and win by 9 wickets.

 

Will .England be able to bounce back in Adelaide later next week?

Hobart will host an Ashes match for the first time after the Bellerive Oval was named as the new venue for the fifth Test between Australia and England.

 

Perth was due to host the series finale, but the match has been moved because of Covid restrictions in Western Australia.

 

The Hobart contest will be the second day-nighter of the series, joining the second Test in Adelaide.

 

The fifth Test in Tasmania begins on Friday, 14 January.

Bowler Josh Hazlewood and opener David Warner are injury concerns for Australia after their nine-wicket win over England in the first Ashes Test.

 

Hazlewood has a mild rib issue but, having been absent for much of day three, did bowl as England collapsed from 223-2 to 297 all out on day four.

 

Warner, who also has a rib injury, did not field on the third day and did not bat when his side chased 20 to win.

 

Captain Pat Cummins said he expects Warner to be fit for the second Test.

Warner would be the bigger out I think at this stage for Australia.

I’ve been to Hobart for a BBL game, Hobart v Perth. Aside from being a little tricky to get to it’s a very nice ground.

Rotten luck for Pat Cummins being forced out due to Covid protocol, though he won't be the last.

2 for 180, if they can get to stumps 2 or at worst 3 down for 220-250 that's probably a good day. Hard to say I guess.

The squad for the Women's Ashes have been announced: -

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59657071

4 changes to the England side which is:

 

Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root ©, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leach, James Anderson.

 

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/2426821

Cummins returns for Australia and Boland makes his debut. Richardson and Neser the outs.

 

 

England surrendered the Ashes on the morning of the third day of the third Test as Australia crushed them by an innings and 14 runs to take an unassailable 3-0 series lead.

 

Resuming on 31-4, England were meekly dismissed for just 68 inside 81 minutes, with debutant Scott Boland taking an astonishing 6-7.

 

Their final four wickets fell in the space of 16 balls as England offered the weakest of resistance in front of a jubilant home crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

I was confident of a win heading into today, but I expected to be made to work a little harder for it. Didn’t see that 81min capitulation coming.

 

Hopefully the fourth test in Sydney is a closer contest.

Indeed! Certainly not a pleasant sight for English cricket fans - seems as though the team were just massively underprepared for what they were facing.

@1476121029202305034

 

The ECB have blood on their hands.