The Ashes: Kings of swing

The Ashes: Kings of swing, sport

Ryan Harris celebrates after taking the wicket of Ian Bell

Troy Cooley needs to take a lot of credit for the improved performance of the Aussie bowlers in this Test, if it wasnt for him Mitchell Johnson (3-44) would still be in a rut and we would have ultimately seen a different result at the Waca.

The former England bowling coach, the key to the tourists Ashes victory in 2005, worked wonders with Johnson and Ryan Harris (6-47) as it was their pace and swing that bamboozled a batting line-up that had decimated the Aussie bowling attack in the two previous Tests.

I have been working hard with Troy Cooley and Stuart Karppinen, our fitness trainer, and they have done an exceptional job with me, a rejuvenated Johnson told Sky Sports 1. I have been working on getting my momentum forward and hopefully getting the ball to swing, and it did.

But the day belonged to the 31-year-old Harris who claimed his best international bowling figures by taking four wickets on the final day with a disciplined and clinical performance with the ball. Little more could have been asked from a team with their tails in the air, and with the form book now firmly back in their grasp, England cannot afford to panic with the series tantilisingly poised.

Harris and Johnson took a total of 18 England wickets between them, a figure that Andrew Strausss men will be wary of come Melbourne. The only positive that England can take away from the west coast is the bowling prowess of Surrey bowler Chris Tremlett, who took match figures of 8-150.

Word is spreading of a potential capacity crowd for the fourth Test at the MCG, now there would be a spectacle for any team. It could all come down to sheer determination from the team most inspired, and after the latest performa! nce, And y Flower will need to remove any doubt in his teams mind if they are to turn a crushing defeat into a series clincher in Victoria next week.

Picture: Getty Images


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