Retirement talk quickly hitting close to home
NATHAN Lyon was pilloried for saying this Ashes series may end careers but he might prove to be Nostradamus.
England have only one hope – and that’s the patchy rain fall that abandoned play early last night and threatens to impact again on day five.
However, Australia are just six wickets away from lifting the urn, with England 4-132 and still 127 runs from making the home side bat again.
An unplayable delivery from Mitchell Starc that deviated 42cm to cannon into James Vince stumps gave a taste of what’s in store today if the elements allow Australia to get up a full head of steam.
England were last night on their knees at the WACA and the futures of star players Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson were hanging by a thread.
Lyon shredded through Joe Root with his very first ball to also leave the England skipper with plenty to digest on the impact the captaincy is having on his batting.
England cricket appears at a major crossroads and if Australia can execute a second Ashes whitewash in as many tours down under it would be a damning indictment of the ECB system and culture.
Michael Vaughan says it’s time England started planning for the future and what their next Ashes tour might look like in four years time.
Cook has looked a shadow of his former self in his 150th Test match and despite his determination to play on, the wolves are now at the door.
An average of 13 this series and a high score of 37 from his past 10 Test innings is becoming a serious worry for an England side desperate for good starts.
Broad, after going for 0-142, is also under the gun.