It's 4-0 to Australia after an innings and 99 runs victory inside 3 days. A total three day crowd of 244,351 but 47,000 fourth day tickets will have to be refunded.

Those are the bare bones of an emphatic victory in front of huge crowds at the MCG for an Australian team that is playing some of the best cricket I have ever seen.

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Hoggard is yorked by Lee to make it 4-0.

They are relentless with both bat and ball and their body language in the field is that of a team on a mission that is nearly accomplished. Four years ago England were in a similar position - 4-0 down - but came back to win the final match at Sydney. This might be difficult to repeat this time.

The series has attracted record television audiences in Australia with a highest ever figure watching on Boxing Day. Aussie Rules football may be bigger out here but these last two Ashes Series have had a huge impact on the popularity of Cricket both here and in England.

The big news is the so called 'security breach', whereby a copy of the England bowling plans for each Australian batsman were found on the floor of the Members' Pavilion. They were immediately leaked to the media but at least Matthew Hoggard saw the funny side when he said "We are getting Miss Marple and Inspector Morse on the case."

There has been much speculation as to what the Australian Team's equivalent would be but my guess is it would simply say "put Shane warne on as soon as possible". His match tally of 7 wickets and 40* won him the man of the match and he left the arena to an extraordinary reception from his home ground fans. He is quoted as saying "I don't think any Australian side I've played with has played so good." He goes to Sydney needing one more wicket to reach 1000 in all international cricket. Only Murali is ahead of him with 1100 wickets.

There has also been some speculation as to how they will remember Warne at the MCG - perhaps the naming of a stand or a statue of some kind. One letter in the paper suggested that it would be more appropriate to name the pie stall after him. Could the writer be an ex-pat Pom?

He and Glenn McGrath are having their own competition to see who scores the most ducks in test matches. McGrath's duck put him on 35, one ahead of Warne, so much to play for at Sydney. Only Courtney Walsh is ahead of them with 43 ducks.

The rookie tourists were suffering a bit from the defeat until the Kent CCC Member told them that it took us 13 test matches before we saw England win abroad. That was in Sri Lanka when our own Graeme Hick took part in a winning three match series. Our overall record abroad is 25 matches, 3 wins, 9 draws and 13 defeats.

So we have two days to take in the sun which has at last come out in Melbourne before flying to Sydney for the New Year celebrations followed by the curtain call of Messrs Warne & McGrath. The Kent CCC Member and the Novice will be joined by the Rochdale Raver (see previous blogs) on New Year's Day when they will be climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge. This assumes they pass the breathalyser test which each climber has to take so we have suggested that an alcohol ban on New Year's Eve will be the order of the day!