ASHES BRUNCH: ENGLAND'S BATSMEN FAIL TO DIG IN BUT BOWLERS FIND THEIR RANGE

The Cricketer looks back at all the day three action on and off the field

Australia are in the driving seat with a lead of 268, but the evening session has given England a glimmer of hope that they can do something special at Adelaide.

The Cricketer looks back at all the action on and off the field.

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Drive crazy

Day three required England’s batsmen to unearth some Australian soil and dig in. Instead, by tea, the tourists found themselves five down with James Vince, Joe Root and Alastair Cook all guilty of ill-judged shots.

Vince searched for one that was not in the vicinity of needing to be played, Root showed intent - driving hard at Cummins - but didn’t execute his skill, and Cook gave Steve Smith some gentle catching practice of the bowling off Nathan Lyon.

Those mistakes will need to be learned from in the second innings.

_{Cook falls to Nathan Lyon}

Low expectations

“The problem with England… you’re saying you're impressed with a player who's scored 19.” - Michael Vaughan

Vaughan sums up the lack of confidence in England’s batsmen producing the goods.

Boycott readies himself

A struggle indeed but we’re not sure Geoffrey needs to be getting a net in just yet…

.@GeoffreyBoycott with a bat in his hand again, but not the shot we would expect 😮

You've been watching @KP24 too much! 😉

📺 BT Sport 1 HD for a batting masterclass in the dinner break (7.30am)#ItsTheAshes pic.twitter.com/nSbT0dPh3D

— The Ashes on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 4, 2017

Deserved-a-wicket deliveries

Under lights Jimmy Anderson appeared to have his mojo back, finishing with two for 16 from 11 overs, but there were two beautiful nuts in there that did not result in wickets.

Usman Khawaja was on the receiving end of an inswinging pearler that went right through him and whistled narrowly over his off peg.

The second, a full-length delivery round the wicket to Steve Smith which turned the Australian captain turned into a new-born deer on ice, limbs entwined, bat nowhere. Smith reviewed and it was pitching outside leg by the narrowest of margins.

England’s quicks find their areas... finally

All the world could see England didn’t get it right on day one. Finally, under the darkening Adelaide sky, the seamers started to cause problems with Anderson and Chris Woakes sharing four wickets.

Woakes strikes again!

Steve Smith is LBW and Australia are 50-4 👊

It's all happening on BT Sport 1 HD.#Ashes pic.twitter.com/GcpQD5iBb0

— The Ashes on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 4, 2017

Overton thrives in Adelaide pressure cooker

23 years old, on Test debut, the small matter of the Ashes on the line. 

Craig Overton appears to be able to handle pressure convincingly. Following his prize wicket of Smith in Australia’s first innings, the Somerset man top-scored (41*) for England in reply.

Whatever the outcome of this Test, Overton has done himself proud.

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