Overview

As Prime Minister, Paul Keating was asked by the Leader of the Opposition why he wouldn't call an early election. His malevolent response: "because mate [I] want to do you slowly."

It's unlikely the England brains trust studied the nuances of Canberra in preparation for this Ashes series but Keating's bon mot could be the template for England's physical and mental torture of Australia at the MCG.

First, Jonathan Trott prolonged Australia's execution through five sessions of studious run making. He accumulated 168 of a total 513, giving England an Ashes record lead of 415. Then, Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann suffocated the life out of Australia's top-order, reducing the beleaguered hosts to 6/169 at the close at a run rate closer to two per-over than three.

Trott's innings was as calculated as a Keating barb. He strode to the crease with England needing one more strong partnership to take the game away from Australia and departed with his side all-but forcing wholesale changes of its opposition.

England's number three couldn't do everything on his own however but the support he received on day two was less durable on day three.

Matt Prior, understandably looking to push the score on, fell fifteen runs short of what would have been a fortunate century. After yesterday's reprieves, England's wicketkeeper ran out of luck early, looping a leading edge to Ricky Ponting at mid-on.

Prior's dismissal was the first of three in the day for Peter Siddle, which, combined with his three yesterday was enough for the Dandenong Cricket Club paceman to affix his name to his home ground honours board.

Siddle's haul included the scalps of Tim Bresnan (4) who was caught at the wicket and James Anderson (1) - the tailender comprehensively bowled.

While Siddle (6/75) was giving Victorians something to cheer, Ben Hilfenhaus (2/83) doubled his wicket-taking tally for the series from the other end. The luckless Tasmanian first coaxed Graeme Swann into top edging a pull through to Haddin for 22 before castling the giant Chris Tremlett for four.

Around the two wicket-takers the news was less positive. In his fourth over of the day Ryan Harris (0/91) pulled up in his approach with a stress fracture of his left ankle. The unfortunate Queenslander will now be a doubt for the rest of the summer. Mitchell Johnson (2/134) may have wished some force had also kept him out of this encounter as well. After his heroics in Perth, Johnson has returned to the scattergun, swingless slinger of the early series.

Aside from the apparently freakish showing in Perth, Australia has simply not bowled well enough as a unit. With a crop of promising young pacemen hitting their straps in Shield cricket, I would expect the bowling stocks to be rejuvenated significantly before Australia hosts India next summer.

Australia raced to 53 at the beginning of its, whatever its called when you chase a 400 plus first-innings deficit, before Phil Hughes (23) was farcically run-out.

Shane Watson pushed Graeme Swann straight to Jonathan Trott in the covers and set off for a quick single. Hughes, unconvinced of the call set off slowly and was caught a foot short of his ground as Prior broke the wicket. With eight sessions to bat and over 400 runs to chase to lose a promising opening partnership in such a manner is symptomatic of the clouded judgement that has confounded the Australians all series.

Predictably, one brought many and Australia crumbled to 6/169 at the close with the ignominy of another harrowing day to prepare for. Like an inmate on death row Australia has survived a stay of execution but the inevitable will surely come tomorrow and to many it will be a relief.

Ricky Ponting batted as scratchily and lacklustre as he has throughout his career. He arrived to 68,733 cheers but left to the Barmy Army serenade that he will be sacked in the morning. It took him an hour to make ten, with more balls hitting his pads than his bat.

His nervousness rubbed off on the hitherto fluent Watson and his runs dried up as the tension mounted. Watson eked his way past 50 - again - but made only four more before he gave away the second wicket of Australia's innings. Offering no shot to a good length Bresnan off-cutter Watson was hit outside the line of off-stump on the knee-roll. He called for his sure-fire LBW decision to be reviewed and TV replays showing the decision to be marginal. However, by not playing a shot the batsman lost the benefit of any doubt and was rightly sent on his way.

Ponting went shortly after, possibly for the last time as captain at the MCG, bowled by a Bresnan delivery that reverse-swung late and kept low. 20 off 73 deliveries tells its own tale of the innings of one of the most fluent attacking batsmen of modern times.

Mike Hussey failed to add to his imposing series total to complete a miserable return to the ground at which he secured his Ashes participation while playing for WA. Looking to break Bresnan's shackles, Hussey drove at a good length delivery without getting to the pitch and drove uppishly to Ian Bell at short cover.

The writing was now on the wall and Michael Clarke and Steve Smith survived a series of half-chances before Clarke (13) became Swann's first victim. A missed stumping early in his stay interrupted Clarke's approach to the off-spinner and it was this indecision of footwork that caused Australia's vice captain to poke an edge to Andrew Strauss at second slip.

Smith counter-punched for a 38 that suggested he has a future at this level but when he hoicked an ugly swipe at James Anderson onto his stumps three overs before the scheduled close of play it was hard to see how he can retain a place in the top six of a Test cricket side.

Brad Haddin (11) and Mitchell Johnson (6) made sure England could not request the extra eight overs available to sides bordering on victory but their remaining roles in this Test are only to entertain the fourth day crowd.

The view from Australia

Desperate. Despondent. Downcast. The post mortem will happen elsewhere; suffice to say here that the humiliation at the hands of its most bitter enemy may finally result in the changes to personnel and strategy that are at least two years overdue.

The view from England

The big plus for England today was the performance of Tim Bresnan and his ability to fit seamlessly into the side is further vindication of the planning and decision making of England's leadership.

England had a settled line-up leading into this series, something that gave the unit great confidence. At the same time, England's selectors made clear who their favoured back-up performers would be and structured the tour to guarantee all members of its auxiliary attack ample opportunity to find form.

The size of England's touring party has been criticised by some in the Australian media but after the performances of Tremlett and Bresnan in the last two Tests it is hard to argue the tourist's preparation has been anything other than perfect.

Hero

Jonathan Trott. England's number three has an insatiable appetite for runs. In his 17 Tests his average has hovered consistently around the 60 mark. He has five fifties and five hundreds, three of which - including today's - big ones.

He never looks rushed, he never looks fatigued - he just gets on with his own idiosyncratic game, building partnerships, treating every ball on its merits and applying himself to the task at hand.

In an era where cricket is dominated by T20 and aggressive strokeplayers, Trott has amassed 1600 Test runs without hitting a single six.

Villain

Shane Watson.

The run-out of Philip Hughes was as poor a wicket as could be imagined for an opening pair batting to save a Test and is the second time Watson has run out his opening partner this series.

Watson could have redeemed himself by going on to make the big hundred his side needed but again his decision making under pressure failed him. By opting to leave a good-length delivery seaming into his pads he added to his career record a fifteenth score in the 50s, further isolating his two hundreds.

I'm not sure anyone else noticed but...

On securing his fifth wicket, Victorian Peter Siddle blew a kiss to his mum Allison in the stands.

What's next?

England will close out the game and retain the Ashes sometime late Wednesday morning or early afternoon. After which, there could be chaos.

The bloodletting that is necessary at some point in the coming months could begin as soon as Wednesday afternoon.

Day 3

Australia - 98 & 6/169 - Haddin 11*, Johnson 6*

England - 513