Ashes 2013-14: England toil as Australia dominate

England's hopes of retaining the Ashes took another battering as Australia took complete control of the second Test on an utterly one-sided second day.

A brilliant 148 from Michael Clarke and belligerent 118 from Brad Haddin took the game away from England before lower order hitting from Ryan Harris (55 not out) allowed the captain to declare on an intimidating 570-9.

Given 21 overs to survive in the evening session, England lost Alastair Cook, clean-bowled by the runaway Mitchell Johnson for three before Michael Carberry and Joe Root clung on to leave them 35-1 at the close.

After an even first day I thought ok England have regained their focus and appear to have put the disaster that was the first test behind them, but no it seems that they really haven’t.

Credit to Australia they’ve built on the momentum they carried over from the first test and if they can win this test then they’ll have won the series, as there’s no way we’re coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, or even coming back to draw 2-2.

But I predicted that England would win at the start and for now I’m sticking with my prediction, although it looks an unlikely outcome right now I think that if they can squeeze a draw out of this test then maybe that will swing the momentum back in our favour and give us some renewed hope going forward.

Admittedly that scenario is a long-shot that would require England’s top order remembering how to bat and getting at least 350/400 in response to Australia's impressive total, otherwise it’s curtains.