It was always going to be a one-sided series and so it has proved. However, but for the good old-fashioned Manchester weather, Australia may well have been going into the Fourth Test only one down and buoyed by a renewed confidence that the gulf between them and the old enemy wasn't so vast after all.
Of course, it did rain. England have an unassailable lead and therefore, as holders of the urn, they get to keep it for at least another six months or so. I'm reading lots of criticisms of Michael Clarke's captaincy, that he should have declared earlier knowing the weather forecast for Sunday. Uh? Maybe he should have let England bat first on a belter? Maybe he should have retired out on 100 so England could have more time at the crease? No, he did what any skipper would have done. Indeed, had the clouds decided to veer off course, a target of 300-odd in a day would suddenly have looked over-generous.
The only captain to have emerged from the game with reputation somewhat sullied is Alastair Cook. I've never seen such a disgraceful display of persistent time-wasting by a team. To bowl your spinner and yet deliver a mere twelve overs an hour is an insult to those who paid huge sums to watch a cricket match. There were more field changes than in an IPL final, more checks for stray grass seeds on Jimmy Anderson's boot than in a whole series of Gardener's World. Even the Windies in their super-quick, 40-pace run-up heyday were no meaner than England on Saturday afternoon. Yes, Cook did what he had to do to maximise his side's chances of saving the match. The rain did it for him and his delaying tactics left a sour taste in my mouth.
On Sunday, three early wickets and Joe Root looking lost in the land of the red rose gave a hint of what might have been, and Australia need to build on that. For the first time in the series, their batsmen scored runs and bowlers took wickets and gave little away. Clarke led from the front, just as his predecessor Ricky Ponting did so often, earning the grudging respect of even the Barmiest of England's army of fans. David Warner was unfazed by the boo-boys and showed that with his own bad behaviour off the pitch, he's just one of them, really. He needs to do better with the bat, though, as does Shane Watson. Such a gifted all-rounder, he seems to be struggling under the weight of expectation heaped on him in all forms of international cricket. Chris Rogers and Steve Smith also made decent scores and it must be encouraging to see Peter Siddle, Mitch Starc and Ryan Harris all causing the experienced English attack a lot of problems. If Nathan Lyon becomes even half as potent as a Warne, or even a Swann, the Aussies could be pressing for a long awaited victory.
Nevertheless, KP is back in the runs, Cook and Trott are due a big score and Jimmy Anderson won't have another nightmare like at Old Trafford. I don't know what the weather as in store for us in the North East next weekend but my forecast is for England to do what Steve Waugh's team would do a few decades ago after been given a fright: come out fighting and beat the hell out of the opposition. I just hope they do it in more style in the next game.
