Don't disagree. The is a gap between the teams but it's not as great as the previous scores suggested.
Oh god no....the gap is in attitude here not aptitude.
Australia are no better than England....in fact they are, on paper, inferior. The past few years don't lie.
But they've been better this series. They've the advantage of home territory, and momentum right from the start.
And fair play to them their players have given 150% to the cause. Our players have underperformed. This leads to the erroneous presumption that the Aussies are a better cricket team which of course they're not, else the score wouldn't have been 3-0 a few months back.
But...that's not me trying to take anything away from them...the Aussies have played well...very well at times. And fair play especially to Mitch Johnson whose been through his own personal hell over the last couple of years....even if he's one of the unwashed it's still great, on a human level, to see a guy bounce back in the way he has. The attitude of the Barmy Army tells all you need to know in terms of the respect that feller now has <applause>
I think the series might well end 3-2.....doesn't change the destiny of the Ashes...but it's a bit more realistic a result given the balance of the two teams.
I want to add one more thing....and I'm a tad bitter here. I've always considered that the English and Aussies play this game in the right spirit....but of late I've been pretty miffed in the behaviour of the Aussies....and the difference in attitude towards sportsmanship couldn't have been drawn out better last night when Broady took that Aussie batsman out....immediately there were four English players around the guy (Broad included) checking on his wellbeing....I am fairly certain, had the situation been reversed ("how do you fancy a broken arm") that the Aussies would have turned and continued on their way. It's a real shame....cricket is worse for it.
Oz have won the Ashes...and fair play, well played, the result is deserved. That one moment last night made me feel proud. We still play this game in the correct way. Whichever way the 2015 Ashes goes...I hope it's played in a better spirit.