Fletcher's 'incredible' challenge

12 April 2012

England face an "incredible" challenge to try to stay in the Ashes after Adam Gilchrist's "magnificent" batting in the third Test at Perth.

That stark assessment came from England coach Duncan Fletcher as he digested a close-of-play day-three card which shows his team's attempt to make a highly unlikely 557 to win has so far stumbled to 19 for one.

"It is very difficult. It is a real challenge, an incredible one, that we have to undertake tomorrow (Sunday)," admitted Fletcher, who nonetheless does not appear to have completely given up hope that his tourists can somehow improve by almost 200 runs on England's all-time highest last-innings run chase.

Andrew Flintoff's team had no answer on Saturday as Gilchrist (102no) - one of three Aussies to reach three figures - did so from only 57 balls in a total of 527 for five declared.

"Sometimes you are there to make history," Fletcher pointed out on Sky Sports.

"The first four batters have to bat well, and we will see how it goes from there."

Fletcher sympathised with the England attack, after watching Gilchrist run amok.

"I thought the bowlers bowled very well in those first two sessions - but then you get a guy like Gilchrist coming in and taking it away from you. He batted magnificently," he said.

The coach looked back on a lost opportunity as England failed to cash in on having bowled Australia out relatively cheaply in the first innings.

"We'd done well to bowl them out for 244 - it isn't often you get Australia out for that kind of score," he said. "But then we lost an opportunity to get well past them."

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