The Ashes 2023: 'England miss their opportunity to pounce on Australia'

Against the best team in the world, opportunities to dominate do not come around too often.

But when they do, it is absolutely vital that you pounce, put your foot on the gas and don't stop accelerating.

But on day three of the Ashes Test against Australia, the overriding feeling for England is of an opportunity missed.

The hosts had done much of the hard work to get to within 10 runs of the tourists' first-innings total of 473, thanks largely to Tammy Beaumont becoming the first England woman to make a double century.

But world champions and Ashes holders Australia gratefully capitalised on some loose bowling to extend their lead to 92 with 10 wickets remaining at stumps.

England are up against quality opposition. Australia have world beaters from number one to 11 and a remarkable history of winning - with England having beaten them just twice across all formats in the past five years.

But at 448-6 - just 25 runs behind and with Beaumont unbeaten on 200 - the hosts had a huge chance to secure a lead, even if it was a slender one, and take a psychological advantage into the final two days.

Instead, their last four wickets fell for just 15 runs as Australia's bowlers were the ones to hit the accelerator instead.

And that is where the difference lies so far - Australia's added 158 runs for their last four wickets, with number eight Annabel Sutherland scoring a sublime century.

Nobody is expecting England's number eight, Sophie Ecclestone, to score a hundred - although that would be incredibly fun.

And England's middle-order were a delight to watch, with Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt playing crucial knocks to support Beaumont's relentless accumulation.

But with Beaumont set at one end, England's tail was unable to wag, or stick around and provide support for the history-maker, and that could yet prove to be vital.

• Australia take control despite Beaumont's 208

• 'Badger' Beaumont revels in 'special' double century

• TMS podcast: Australia on top despite Beaumont's breaking record

England bowlers fall flat as Australia take crunch moment

Despite the lower-order collapse, the match was pretty much even as the tourists walked out to bat. England had an opportunity to make inroads and seize the initiative.

With the new ball at their disposal, and a tired Australia having had to chase the ball off Beaumont's bat all day, it was one of the crunch moments that are often spoken about in Test matches.

For so long Australia's ability to edge the key moments under pressure has given them their outstanding record of success.

But in this instance, it wasn't a case of edging it, or just creeping out on top.

Instead, they thrashed the ball all around Nottingham as England's wayward seamers struggled for consistency, while spinners Ecclestone and Heather Knight were asked to stem the tide at the end of the day.

To hand over 80 runs in just 19 overs was a gift, and another chance missed by the hosts to stamp their authority on the game.

"England completely wasted that new ball," said former England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent on BBC Test Match Special.

"The opportunity was there, and England sprayed the new ball. It wasn't just one bowler, it was all three of them. It absolutely let Australia back into the game."

The pitch map of England's seamers in Australia's second innings shows they struggled to bowl a consistent line and length

Losing would leave England with a mountain to climb

Australia now have the platform to dictate how the rest of this Test unfolds.

In the 2022 Ashes Test, Australia captain Meg Lanning dangled England a carrot and they accepted, eventually batting out the final two overs for a draw after what could have been one of the all-time great run chases.

It will be interesting to see whether current captain Alyssa Healy opts for the same approach in the name of entertainment, or whether the tourists simply aim to bat England out of the game on day four.

Both captains have spoken of their desire for a result in this Test, and with it running for five days Australia have time on their side - but when does four points become too much to lose?

Such is the nuance of the multi-format series.

England have committed to the aggressive approach head coach Jon Lewis has been promising since he took over in November, and a potential fifth-day run chase would give his side the chance to showcase it.

But could the match reach the stage where England admit four points is too much of a sacrifice?

Australia's dominance suggests they can come back from 4-0 down, with 12 points on offer in the six white-ball matches remaining, but for England it would leave them with a mountain to climb.

Australia's white-ball record is supreme: they have won 56 out of 65 T20s since 2018, and 41 from 42 one-day internationals in the same period.

It is rare that they gift windows of opportunity.

England had two, but pounced on neither.

They still have the chance to do something special, but it will put their attacking mindset to its ultimate test.

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