Australia made it 4-0, shortly before lunch. So far, much as expected –but that's not the half of it. This was a pulsating morning that reminded everyone that there really were two sides in this series. England piled in, Andy Caddick and Steve Harmison hit the deck and rattled the Aussies. Oh for another 60 or 70 runs ...

England will be ruing that middle-order wobble in the first innings, and the first-over miscalculation that allowed Matthew Hayden to escape and make 102 in the first innings. And they will be seething about having Steve Waugh caught behind today and not given, then caught off a no-ball. The one criticism on the feisty fifth morning was that there were too many extras – Harmison bowled seven no-balls and Caddick two. And with 13 wanted Harmison let one go down the leg side which flew for four byes, reducing the pressure and taking the deficit into single figures.

While we're on the if onlys, if only Dave Orchard had heard that nick off Harmison and sent Steve Waugh on his way, it would have been 66 for 4. It was 17 vital runs later that Waugh finally went.

That short sharp shock of an innings may well have settled Waugh's future plans. A defiant first-innings 77 fogged the issue, but here he saw what's in store: tall blokes bouncing it at his armpits until he nudges to slip or short leg. Four days ago you'd have got good odds on Waugh going to the West Indies. Now a Sydney sayonara is much more likely.

Talking of tearful farewells, it's time to round up the retirees. Alec Stewart is unlikely to play another Test after Sydney, if he's fit to play there at all. Caddick too. Mark Butcher and John Crawley have had ordinary series. Nasser Hussain might see out the World Cup, but might not be too keen on hanging around after that. It could be a very different England side that walks out at Lord's to face Zimbabwe next May. That's the time for Ian Botham's Test tyros to cut their teeth.

Steven Lynch is editor of Wisden.com.

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