Against my better judgement and much more in hope than expectation, I trudged over the Pennines to Old Trafford yesterday. As you'd expect, the Aussies were gloating at the end. But be in no doubt, they dearly want to win the series outright. It's 22 years since they last won an Ashes series outright in England so if we can stuff them at the Oval, the moral victory will be well and truly ours. We can send them packing feeling like they've lost.

There's still plenty to play for.