The Wrap - Ashes Animals

1. Ashes - Final SCG Test. A solid 384 is under par from England on that deck, despite the work of the great Joe Root (160). Two tons in the series and a statement made by a man who now has 41 Test tons - the same as Ricky Ponting. Harry Brook is a great talent - and Jamie Smith, but brain explosions really inhibit these blokes. Youth and they need to learn fast, but could both dominate world cricket. 

The explosive batting work from Travis Head was a joy in the Australian first innings to date (91 no), as he continues to dominate in first innings of games. He is 8/11 tons in Tests in the first innings of a game (two second innings tons so far in this Ashes series). This is an incredible strike rate when first innings runs are typically much harder to achieve. Head has an eye like a dead fish and hits the ball extremely hard. here's hoping for another ton tomorrow.

Head could pip Mitchell Starc as player of the series. 

Starc and Carey have been great (Carey has taken 26 catches/ 1 stumping in this Ashes series to date). Starc has knocked over the left handers of England (Duckett, Stokes) eight times! Michael Neser has proven to be a worthy addition to the team. He has taken 14 wickets at 17 in five innings. Impressive. Then he gets runs in Melbourne and comes out as a worthy night watchman. 

Steve Smith and Pat Cummins need a good look at their negative tactics of putting a ring of fieldsmen on the fence and bowling short to the tailender. Pitch it up and profit.

Is it fair to say Boland bowls better for Australia than he ever does for Victoria? (80 wickets in 19 matches at 18.48. It doesn't get any better than this!).

2. Animal XI. Poor Ben Duckett has played better pre-game soccer in the warm ups than on the cricket field. Poor hands, poor batting (gets bowled far too much). However, that has not deterred the selectors:

• Ben Duck(ett)
• Michael Slater
• Shubman Gill
• Martin Crowe
• Aaron Finch
• Robin Smith
• Jack Russell (wk)
• Graeme Swann
• Nathan Lyon
• Mike Trout
• Rodney Hogg.
• 12th: Brendan Dog (gett)/ Jackson Bird.
• Umpire: Dickie Bird.

3. EPL. West Ham look set for relegation. Sad, but true. Losing to the near winless Wolves is not a good step forward. 

4. Tennis. Alex de Minaur is closing in on World No. 5. A top effort, but no one gets past Sinner and Alcarez. They may as well give them the trophy now.

5. NFL. The finals are now determined. Broncos (AFC) and Seahawks (NFC) take the Conference titles. Getting through to the play off match ups are:

NFC:
1. Seahawks
2. Bears vs. 7. Packers
3. Eagles vs. 6. 49ers
4. Panthers vs. 5. Rams

AFC:
1. Broncos
2. Patriots vs. 7. Chargers
3. Jaguars vs. 6. Bills
4. Steelers vs. 5. Texans