Australia v England - 5th Test, Day 4

It was always likely that Australia would eventually simply run out of fight and on the 24th of 25 days of Test cricket against a superior foe, they simply collapsed.

In the morning, Matt Prior batted so briskly that Andrew Strauss had no option but to accept the runs on offer and make sure England would only bat once in this Test. Aided by Tim Bresnan and then Graeme Swann, Prior made 118 in only 130 balls, successfully attacking all of the Australians. England batted at three and a half an over for the innings but took 33 from Mitchell Johnson's last two overs, making true the sung claims by the Barmy Army every time he came on to bowl. By the end, three consecutive hundred partnerships gave England its highest total on Australian soil with Johnson taking 4 wickets at an exorbitant cost and only Shane Watson able to hold his head up and Beer making a respectable debut. The rest were toothless pussycats who didn't even provide England with a decent net session.

Beginning 264 in arrears, Watson sparkled for nearly an hour with the overly cautious Phil Hughes and had reached 38 off only 40 deliveries including seven wonderful fours, mostly driven through the off side. So well did he bat that both opening bowlers were banished inside nine overs, leaving Bresnan and Swann to arrest the development. It was Hughes who cracked first, making a late, bad call which left his opening partner stranded with him at the striker's end and a promising innings was struck down. It was the second time Hughes had removed his batting partner in just three Test. Khawaja came and Hughes left in a familiar fashion seven overs later after scoring slowed to a run an over. He edged Bresnan to Prior in a replay of many of his Test dismissals.

Micahel Clarke, like Watson before him, played some fine shots in making 41, with Usman Khawaja as a slower but solid deputy. After adding 65, Khawaja and Clarke both went to catches behind off Anderson, reintroduced after his earlier mauling from Watson. Brad Haddin and Mike Huseey started another rear guard action to try and save Australia but when Bresnan had Hussey slashing a wider delivery to Pietersen in the gully, three wickets fell for 10 as Tremlett goaded Haddin into an ugly hook shot that an U/12 would hang his head over, making it twice Haddin has played ill judged shots in the Test. Tremlett was on the hattrick when he clean bowled Johnson first ball, much to the merriment of the Barmy Army.

An extra half hour was added to allow England to mop up the tail but Steve Smith and Peter Siddle resisted, playing strokes all the while. Australia, still 151 behind, will have last rites administered in the morning by England who will go to a deserved clear series victory of 3-1.

Of almost greater concern than our inept display in Sydney, has been the pathetic support from Australian crowds. Each day the Barmy Army and the thousands of other English fans have out sung, shouted or barracked their Australian counterparts. Yesterday and today, they even outnumbered them. It is a pathetic reflection on Australian sporting fans that they won't turn out to watch their side beaten and encourage their performances, even if they have been poor by comparison to the English. As much as I enjoyed the singing and revelry that the BA provided and even found their jibes at our players good humoured, I was ashamed that my country men have deserted their cricket team in such droves that being the home team was no advantage.

It was a rum turnout all round