1. Ponting the Finger
On a day when Jonathan Trott scored his third Ashes century in five Tests and England took another giant stride towards retaining the urn, there is still just one place to start today. Ricky Ponting's astonishing tirade at Aleem Dar was made all the more remarkable for following an entirely correct decision. At one point it looked like Ponting might use up his second review trying to get the verdict he wanted. It was an undignified performance from Australia's skipper, who increasingly wears the Blairian look a man aware that his legacy will not be quite as he intended. Although he escaped with just a fine, he now faces the prospect of losing a third Ashes series as captain and doing so in disgrace. An ignominious end.

2. Trotting On
Remember England's Problem Number Three Position? Jonathan Trott has proved himself to be the cricketing equivalent of a talented and naturally left-sided footballer: the solution to an English problem long thought unanswerable. His third Ashes century in just five appearances looks like achieving the same result as his first back at The Oval last year and his quiet, unassuming run accumulation seems to be just the ticket for England. His Test average currently sits on the all-time-great side of 60 and of players with over 500 runs against the Aussies, the gurning, pitch-scraping Saffer sits proudly atop the list with 578 runs at 96.33.

3. Fine Margins
Australia were in a tricky position but not an impossible one when a distance of half an inch proved to be enough to surely extinguish their Ashes hopes. When Matt Prior nicked Mitchell Johnson through to Brad Haddin, England had slumped to 294-6. Johnson had three quick wickets and we all know how dangerous Mercurial Mitch can be once he's on a roll. The lead could've been kept to around 220; still hefty but, with so much time left in the game, not insurmountable with some inspired second-innings batting. But, alas, Aleem Dar suspected the bowler had overstepped. TV confirmed as much, Prior had the most fortunate of let-offs and at the close, 150 runs later, had still not been parted from Trott.

4. For Keeps
Prior certainly rode his considerable early luck and gradually flourished to end the day unbeaten on 75. Just as the search for a number-three batsman appeared a never-ending one, so too did the quest for a chap who could catch and score runs. Prior - after a shaky start - has now sorted that one out. With the gauntlets, he is unrecognisable from the leaden-footed, iron-gloved catch-dropping machine who first donned the three lions while today he went past 2000 Test runs at an average of over 41. Acceptable numbers for a specialist batsman; stunning for a constantly improving keeper. He's not perfect: he still scores too high a percentage of his runs when England's position is already one of strength - today's would have to be filed in that category - and doesn't always think like a batsman when the pressure is on. But that's nitpicking. He's a fine cricketer and as a keeper-batsman now rivals any in active service.

5. The Siddler
For two sessions at least, Australia's bowling was far better than the shellshocked rabble that helped Strauss and Cook on their way on the first evening. Lines were consistent, lengths probing and batting hard work once again under leaden skies. At the forefront was Peter Siddle. Having been a passenger since the hat-trick heroics of day one at the Gabba, he exploited the assistance there was in the surface to quickly excise the openers on the resumption and, when given a belated chance with the second new ball, immediately trapped Kevin Pietersen leg-before. Not to be kept out of the game, he then took two catches - one regulation, one hugely impressive - to give Mitchell Johnson twin breakthroughs. We should've known there was something wrong with Johnson's Prior wicket. The absence of Siddle clearly could not be tolerated.

Dave Tickner