The Ashes are gone, to begin with. Switch off the TV, dial down the radio and flick over the back pages. Fans back home can console themselves by forgetting all about it and staying in bed late. But for England, adrift in Australia, there’s a hard rearguard ahead as they try to escape from the final two Tests with the team intact. Some will be playing for their places, perhaps even their careers. So far they have been beaten in every key moment by a team that have three faster bowlers, a more commanding captain and a sharper spinner. “They’ve outplayed us in all three games,” said Joe Root, and that just about covers it.
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