Is this series really going to go the way of delusional thinking to help people sleep at night? England should be 3-0 up? gtfo!
In the first test, it was mighty stupid of England to declare that first innings, but Australia were up to the task of winning it. It's easy to say England would have scored an extra 50 runs and won, but it's equally as easy to say Cummins would have just scored a century at the end to win. England's dumb **** curators prepared a flat pitch that was always going to be easy for tail enders to bat on and a 4th innings chase to succeed. It is just as likely that, had England batted on in the first innings, they could have been all out for a meagre amount of runs more. Joe Root having scored a hundred is no guarantee for not getting out next ball, and it is certainly no given that the guy at the other end doesn't **** up.
In the second test, it took one of Stokes' amazing innings to keep you guys in the game. Stokes is ****ing awesome, but that kind of **** is actually not the norm. England were very fortunate. Bairstow was likely about to get out anyways and his getting stumped actually helped stir the beast that is stokes. England were very very lucky in that game.
In the third test, you guys won it. Well done. But it was not comprehensive at all.
Finally, you had the fourth test. On the back of an amazing onslaught at the start, England racked up a huge score. But, bear in mind, Australia ****ed up their first innings on what was largely an unthreatening track. I feel jibbed, as an Australian that the weather stopped Marsh and Green settling in and scoring hundreds, followed by quickfire 50's from Cummins and Stark that would have given England a very tricky chase. Stokes would have featured again, but the amount of times he succeeds is actually less than he fails.
For all of the could have, would haves, any England fan who can not acknowledge that Australia has had ALL the worst of conditions until the 4th test - and even had the worst of conditions in it, are living in the land of delusion.
The truth of the matter is...Well done England on avoiding the universally expected 4-0. Great effort! Pat yourselves on the back. But don't pretend you are winners of anything. You can't even win the Ashes in your own backyard with Australia misfiring like never before.