The Ashes: England steal Australia's confidence

Ben Stokes was plumb lbw. The England all-rounder, battling to counter Mitchell Starc’s pace, was late on a delivery which struck him on the knee roll in front of middle stump.

Hawk Eye showed it crashing into middle and leg. That mattered little because the Australians had not reviewed the not-out decision of umpire Marais Erasmus.

Their initial appeal had been so muted you would have thought the ball was missing the stumps by a mile or that Stokes blatantly had edged it.

Had the Australians appealed robustly or challenged the decision, England would have been 5-177 with a lead of 299.

Given the propensity of this England side for batting collapses, particularly lower order ones, Australia might have managed to inject some life back into the Test.

Instead, a dismissal stared them in the face and they paid it no mind. It reflected the manner in which England had dented the confidence of the Australians with their persistent bowling and fluent batting.

When Stokes’ pad was rapped it was as though Australia were not expecting a wicket.

When England bowled yesterday morning, it seemed every second ball their fielders were ‘oohing and aahing’ or putting hands to their heads in indication they felt a wicket nearly had been earned.

They seemed to believe breakthroughs were imminent and were willing their bowlers to make them… now.

This excitable demeanour in the field contrasted starkly with that of the Australians. The tourists bowled far better than in the first dig and showed no lack of endeavour. Absent, though, was a modicum of exuberance or optimism.

It always seemed that if England were to regain the Ashes they would need to make a sprinting start to the series. Australia were in far better form, had the superior team man-for-man and needed only a series draw to keep the Urn.

But, for all that, they continued to be a side which was considerably less potent on slow, foreign pitches and which had a poor history with the Dukes ball.

England needed, as quickly as possible, to make Australia feel like their bumbling 2013 selves not their rampant 2013-14 incarnation.

In that moment, when Stokes was out but was allowed to stay at the crease, it appeared England had achieved this task.

Had that delivery unfolded at Perth or Melbourne 18 months ago, amid another demolition job by the home side, every Australian on the field may well have been leaping in raucous appeal.

Back then, every time the ball left the hand of an Australian bowler the fielders appeared to be anticipating a celebration. This is the epitome of momentum, an intangible but invaluable force to have on your side in any sport.

Pretty much from the moment that Brad Haddin’s shoddy glovework handed Joe Root a reprieve on day one, England have owned the momentum. Almost every pivotal moment has seemed to swing their way, as so often seems the case when one side is dictating the direction of a match.

At this point, it seems unlikely Australia can avoid going to Lord’s anything but 1-0 down.

They can, however, go some way to robbing England of the momentum they have grabbed so gleefully. Ending this match on a positive note, regardless of the result, is crucial for Australia.

Should they allow England to romp to a rousing victory, the home side will be difficult to reel back in.