Australia will need to defy history – both recent and ancient – if they are to reverse the trend of this Ashes campaign and realise their long-stated ambition to win a series against England on their rivals’ home turf after a 22-year wait.
Following another day of rollicking English batting dominance, the home team are favourites to tie the five-match series 2-2 courtesy of a breezy 110-run partnership between Joe Root (91) and Jonny Bairstow (78) that carried them to 9-389 at stumps on day three, holding a lead of 377.
Australia can point to the four wickets they picked up in the day’s final hour, mainly thanks to another lionhearted burst from Mitchell Starc (4-94) as evidence of a belated fightback.
But in reality, those batters fell to extravagant shots as England looked to land a knockout blow ahead of their final push…