The Ashes: Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood star with England on course to set-up decider

It might be easy to draw a line between Bairstow’s stunning catch off Mitchell Marsh on the first evening and this innings, but the trend of a career suggests the theory has substance, each event, for better or worse, influenced by the last. This was the Bairstow that launched the revolution in a summer-long snowball twelve months ago, dispatching those logic-defying punch-pulls for six, bat-face turning down as ball, somehow, flies up. Australia must be losing count of the time spent in this series with nine on the fence standing helpless guard. The longest of Bairstow’s four maximums rendered not only the sentries, but all bar the back row of spectators obsolete, as well.

On the occasions when the No11, Anderson, was exposed, Bairstow’s pickpocketing would’ve made Fagin proud, the non-striker setting off and threatening to beat the odd slower ball to the other end, Carey’s underarm shies nothing like as accurate as at Lord’s.

As after lunch on day two, Australia’s pokerface slipped, the effect of their torment clear as captain Pat Cummins again cast a weary figure, hurling loose deliveries beyond Carey’s reach. This was only the second time ever that the great frontline trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins had all offered triple-figure run concessions in an innings and, on this occasion, all three went beyond 125. Hazlewood, at least, had the consolation of his tenth five-wicket haul.

Anderson was in heady territory, a partnership of 66 the grandest he had been involved in in Test cricket for nine years, and Cummins, frazzled, went as far as to post a deep square fielder after a single crunching pull for four. But with Bairstow on 99, the tailender’s desperation told, Anderson attempting to work an awkward single and hit in front by Cameron Green.

After two such chastening days, a lesser side than Australia might have cried enough, but with rain offering weekend salvation and the Urn as incentive, even the merriest of those in the skeletal Party Stand must’ve expected the the tourists would batten down. By Wood again, though, they were blown away.

Usman Khawaja found even the threat of the quick too much, spooked into poking with uncertainty at a relatively pedestrian 85mph nut, before Smith and then Travis Head were bounced out of the affair. Chris Woakes, who like Wood has had a phenomenal impact in a game-and-a-half, took the other wicket to fall, David Warner caught between nothing and nowhere as he chopped onto the stumps. England, focused and fine-tuned, now look a team on the march.