When Australia are good, they are very, very good. But when England are bad they are horrid. So it was, on a day that followed one of England's more grotesque performances in recent years - which in turn followed one of the best they can muster - Australia turned on the style just when it really mattered. England now stand on the brink of another crushing defeat, despite a day in which they did comparatively little wrong. Such is the disparity of the two sides - simply to be outclassed is no disgrace. Until a ragged final session, when England's loincloth of respectability firstly snagged on Adam Gilchrist and Andy Bichel, before unravelling at the hands of Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Bichel again, England and Australia had contested the first even day of the series. This was not totally unexpected - England had already shown their weebl-like qualities on the second day at Brisbane, while Australia, for their part, were unlikely to play with the same complacency that had lost them eight wickets for 128 on that occasion.

In Ricky Ponting, second only to Matthew Hayden on current form, and Damien Martyn, a man who is a couple of big innings short of security at No. 4, Australia had the perfect blend of confidence and watchfulness with which to bat England into oblivion. But despite a barren morning session, England bowled with skill and discipline with the old ball, and with fire and swing with the new. They duly picked up their rewards in the afternoon when Craig White, of all people, chipped in with three more wickets. At 423 for 6, England were improbably close to parity. The illusion did not last.

Fair play to White. He was not an original pick for the Ashes tour, back in the days when England's selectors were able to discern between whim and winners. But despite his obvious shortcomings as an allrounder, he galloped in, found the perfect line and a handy amount of reverse-swing, and bowled at a lively pace. On this evidence, he is still worth his place as a bowler alone, and it is time to let him compete as such and remove that ludicrous label that has not helped his cause at any stage of his career. When picked as a bowler and batting at No. 8, White has averaged a hefty 43.28, more than 20 runs per innings better than his returns from the allrounder slots.

Ponting was magnificent in an uncannily understated innings, but once again England sensed a sniff of weakness in Australia's middle order. Darren Lehmann did not survive for long, but it was the continued travails of Steve Waugh that provided the play within the play in the afternoon session. At first, Hussain indulged in some masterful psychology, handing Ponting singles to get his frail old skipper into the firing line. But how quickly the tables were turned. Once again, Waugh flipped a short ball off his ribs, but Hussain of all people spilled the chance at leg gully.

In an instant - England's only culpable blemish of the day - the moment was lost. Waugh, on 1 at the time, was quickly onto the attack, the leg gully was dispensed with, and Richard Dawson twirled into action in a defensive reflex. Only a fine catch at point prevented Waugh from capitalising on a moment's weakness. He is the man who has embodied this Australian side for a decade - even if the flesh is now weakening, the spirit has been imbued by ten other hungry cricketers.

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