Test 1 Day 5

I don't know what to add. As I was saying to Deeply Depressed in Brunswick in the comments, at least a batting collapse by its very nature brings things to an end, a bowling slump on the other hand just goes on and on and on and on. It was like a spell had been cast over the Gabba, like being in a nightmare where you run and run and don't cover any ground, like the ball was a one cursed and doomed never to go to hand.

Over the last day or two Kerry O'Keefe has kept trying to split the honours between the teams and divide the "momentum" of this match, but when you reach a point when it seems kinder to everyone involved to look away and the Barmy Army are so loud even Jim Maxwell is goaded into an "oh shut up"...

I'd forgotten about Cardiff and in retrospect I look fondly on that match's in-built drama, running down the order and staving off a loss down to the last ball. At least it went somewhere and had something at stake.

Yeah, no, it's a loss.