Welcome back to Cairnlea for the final set of Tests. The weather is improved with a high of 17 today, rising to 27 degrees on Saturday and a peak wind of only 19km/h. Little rain is likely, so the lawns might pick up some pace by day 3.
Today we have three doubles in the final between defending Champions, Austalia and England. I'm going to guess at a 12-9 victory for the English. There has been a change in team order for the English, with James being dropped to number 5 and Jamie promoted to number 1. The doubles pairs remain unchanged.
In the wooden spoon match, Felix has Covid and won't be allowed to rejoin until he produces two negative Tests. Aaron is feeling under the weather, but is testing negative. So, today we have two doubles with the third cancelled. NZ have changed their pairings due to the loss of Felix and Aaron will partner Jenny with Greg sitting out the doubles until Felix returns. The singles order is unchanged with Felix at number 4.
I may get to do some video commentary today and if so Greg Bryant will ensure that this text commentary continues.

So, how do the two finalists match up? Robbie Fletcher is the world number 1 and whilst he's made the odd error, has looked really strong. He's joined at the top of the orderby his brother Mal who has played really well in patches and more recently has looked a bit more shaky. They'll play against Jamie Burch and Harry Fisher. Jamie has been the pick of the players so far. His breaks aren't particularly tiday, but his hoop running and 3 yarders have been completely reliable. Harry had two good wins against Matt and Zack before losing both to Paddy and Jenny. Overall, the top two singles marginally favour Australia

In the middle singles, Edward and Dwyane represent a weakness for Australia. Dwayne has improved as the event has progressed, but despite winning his last singles, Edward looks error-prone. They will be playing against Mark Avery and Samir Patel. Mark has been pure class and has only lost an error-free singles against Aaron. Samir has been more up and down, but has produced key performances under pressure and understands the game. England has a strong advantage in the middle

In the bottom singles, Forster and Dumergue have hoards of experience. Forster has played reasonably well so far, but Dumergue has had more ups and downs. His 7 hour singles game on day 5 against Soo must send alarm bells ringing. They will play James Death and Christian Carter. Christian started badly, but put out an error free match on the final day of the crucial second Test v NZ, which should help his confidence. James has had a shocker, but I think the additional chances he'll get playing at the bottom willbe enough to get some wins for him. Therefore, I have England as having the advantage at the bottom.

In the doubles, there are 5 volatile pairings and Avery and Burch, so once again, I think England have a slight advantage here. I could see Australia taking a 2-1 lead today, but England will expect the scoreline to be reversed.

Today's doubles are
Lawn 2 Edward + Mal v Harry + James
Lawn 3 Christian + Samir v Robbie + Dwayne
Lawn 4 Dumergue + Forster v Jamie + Mark

No commentary slots available this morning, so I should be free for the next 3+ hours. The players are practising and I anticipate better play with the easier playing conditions. However, we should remember that we've got fresh hoops, so they will be at their most difficult today.

In the wooden spoon match, we've got two interesting doubles
Lawn 1 Edmund & Paddy v Matt & Zack
Lawn 6 Aaron & Jenny v Ben & Stephen

I've played in two Mac's in Australia before in 1993 an 2006, both at Rich River (plus Shepparton in 06). During those Mac's we had bus loads od spectators make the 3 hour journey from Melbourne to watch. This year, despite being much more accessible, the decline of AC can be seen by less than a dozen spectators on any day. I remember 200 people packed around lawn 1 at United in 2000 watching the deciding game. Will we ever return to those days?

Forster & Dumergue look set to start. Let's hope for a fantastic final in what has been an excellent event

Forster 9y N of C4. Mark S of C2. Ian shoots at partner from C3....there's a contrast in pace of play between these pairs.......misses to C4. Jamie hits partner and takes off to oppo

Matt lays a short supershot (level with h5). Paddy shoots at it from the end of A-baulk, misses badly on the left and finishes 2y E of C2. Zack shoots from B-Baulk.....hits

James says "let's go win". Mal to 10y N of C4, James to S of C2. Edward his partner from A-baulk, just stays on lawn going to C2 and makes DL

Forster 9y N of C4. Mark S of C2. Ian shoots at partner from C3....there's a contrast in pace of play between these pairs.......misses to C4. Jamie hits partner and takes off to oppo

Matt lays a short supershot (level with h5). Paddy shoots at it from the end of A-baulk, misses badly on the left and finishes 2y E of C2. Zack shoots from B-Baulk.....hits

James says "let's go win". Mal to 10y N of C4, James to S of C2. Edward his partner from A-baulk, just stays on lawn going to C2 and makes DL

Chrtstian 10y N of 4. Dwayne S of C2. Samir shoots at partner from A-Baulk....misses. Robbie shoots from A-baulk......hits

Zack makes h1, misapproaches h2 and retires to C4. Edmund hits 6 yarder

Jamie makes h1, but is hampered after the hoop.....calls a ref......turns down hampered shot and shoots at partner near C2.....hits.

Harry shoots from B-baulk.....misses. Edward has a break

Aaron 9y N of C4. Morgan Duffer. Jenny shoots at partner from C3, misses to C4. Ben misses Duffer. Jenny misses partner to C3. Morgan misses partner. Aaron shoots at oppo......hits - possibly the wrong ball.

Jamie fails h2. Ian takes 10 yarder at ball on h2...........middles it.

Robbie makes h1 with work to do.

Edmund makes a leave.

Aaron over-approaches h1 and retires to partner

Ian rolls a ball to h1 going to partner near C4 and calls a ref to see if he is still on the lawn, .....yes, he's got a rush to h1

Robbie has a break

Got start for the Aussies, but it's early days

Good start, that should read. Morgan misses a 20 yarder at partner. Jenny plays.

Edmund has made a leave where he is 5-6 yards from partner. Matt plays to an unusual spot 11y W of C3 (Zack is 2y W of the middle of the E boundary)

Ian fails h1 giving Mark a break

Paddy plays......hits. Sends a ball to h1 and rushes the other 6y N of h1 - he won't approach from there - makes a leave.

It's cold in the clubhouse with the doors open for anti-Covid measures. Not sure my hands will survive.

Edward reaches 4-b with an NSL - that will be a relief for the Aussies. The ball at h4 is slightly open and may offer a target from A-Baulk.

Mark, Robbie and Jenny all have breaks.

Matt corners in C4.

Harry and James inspect the shot from A-baulk.......wander to C3 because Edward's last shot sent partner off the lawn when I thought Mal was asking for him to leave a rush. So, there's definitely a potential defensive double target from B-baulk if they lift the ball at h4, which is what Harry does

Harry shoots from a couple of yards W of C3.......hits the back ball rushes it to near C4 - this will be tricky to get going from, you can't trust this E boundary.

Edmund rolls up to h1 from C4 and gets a runnable hoop, but it gains little and Paddy will be getting him to return to partner near C4

Harry rushes to the end of A-baulk, rolls up to h1.....decent shot...2ft 10 degrees....runs it with a forward rush. Makes h2 and h3 and plays a really bad roll after h3 and goes off the laen 4y N of C4, Mal hits 4 yarder.

Robbie reaches 4-b. Turns down a risky attempt at a spread and makes an OSL - disappointing.leave after a 4 ball break. Christian lifts the Easterly ball and takes the short lift.......hits

Mat shoots from h1 to oppos........misses. Edmund plays, rushes to h1 from near C3, gets a 2 ft 30 degree hoop and runs it off the N boundary. Shoots at partner at h3......misses

Mark reaches 4-b with a spread

Jenny reaches 4-b with a spread

The Americans miss oppos and Paddy takes a 6 yarder......hits....good chance for a break, but not trivial.

Ian lifts the ball at h2 and shoots at partner from B-Baulk.....hits and immediately takes off the lawn next to oppo - that was just a 16y take-off.

Ben lifts the ball at h2 and takes the long lift.......hits

Mal plays some poor strokes and rolls to h1 from 13y N........short.....and he's left partner 4y N of h1......retires to C2 - a let-off for the Harry and James

Ben has a break

Christian is close to having his break under control

Harry takes a 16 yarder at partner......hits

Paddy has a break

Jamie has made h2, but is hampered.....hits and has a break

Ben fails a jump at h2 leaving Jenny a 6 yarder or Aaron a 9 yarder. Aaron takes his 9 yarder.......hits

Christian fails h3. Dwayne is in

Jamie peels 4-b after h3.

Harry has made h4 and h5 but is still picking up his break

Aaron approaches h1 from 8y E off partner...good shot.....he's got a stanndard triple ahead of him

Dwayne doesn't get in front of h1 and retires to partner near C3 with oppos at h1+h2. Christian corners the ball at h1 to C4. Dwayne misses his 2-3 yard rush on Robbie to 15y N of C1.

Jamie fails to peels penult after h6 and it bounces 3y W.

Paddy looks to pop Zack through h2 before h6 - jawses. Completes pop with rush peel before 1-b

Aaron jawses 4-b peel after h3

Paddy puts Matt's ball in h2 after 1-b

Samir shoots from h2 at Christian in C4.....misses. Dwayne shoots at oppos.......hits

Harry rolls partner into front of 3-b before 3-b and may need to bombard it away

Harry ends up trying to jump over partner and fails 3-b. Edward has a 5 yarder. Mal has a 9 yard lift

Paddy leaves Zack 5y NE of h4 and lays up 12y S of C2 leaving Edmund a rush to 7y E of C2

Dwayne has a break

Aaron goes back after h4 and does the rush-peel at 4-b

Jamie peels penult before 4-b. Needs a straight rover peel

Edward hits the 5 yarder and will make a leave.

Matt lifts the ball in h2 and takes the long lift from C1........misses badly to 8y S of C2 - that's not a dreadful place to miss to on this occasion

Jamie finishes his triple - he's made them look much easier than other players.

Dwayne is well progressed on a triple and has just rush-peeled penult before 2-b with good pioneers at 2-b and 3-b

Harry and James consider their options. James is inches off the S boundary 4y E of C1. Harry corners in C4. Mal plays a precision pick-up instead of the stoppo approach - that's a surprise. Makes h1 with plenty of work still to do.

Edmund runs h3 off the S boundary and takes a 10 yarder at partner at h4.....misses. I expect Zack to shoot at Matt near the W boundary from h3.......Zack shoots......misses

Aaron sets up for a delayed double

Game 2 Mark 8y N of C4. Forster S of C2. Jamie shoots at partner from A-baulk......hits,

Edmund finds a 30 yarder at oppo from C3 - must be a target.....hits

Jamie makes a DL. Ian shoots from C3......hits

Edmund has a break

Mal still picking up a break.....now has a break

Aaron fails penult peel before 4-b

Dwayne fails to peel rover and finishes rover + peg with him tight in C2 and oppos at the peg and C4

Samir takes what must be a double from the peg to C2..........misses

Mal jawses the 4-b peel before h6

Ian misses his rush to h1. Mark shoots to join partner....misses

Aaron aborts his irish peel at penult......Kiwis in clubhouse ecstatic.

Forster goes to C3.

Aaron reaches peg + penult and is making a spread

Robbie makes rover, bt has no rush to partner near C4

Mark misapproaches h1 and plays 7y W of partner at h2. Ian takes free shot through to N boundary.......misses

Mal sets up for delayed double. Rush-peels penult to rover before 4-b

Edmund reaches peg with no peels and makes a reverse horizontal spread.

Robbie makes a leave near C3 for peg + peg

Morgan lifts the ball at the peg and takes the lift from A-Baulk - he may have a target......shoots......hits

Zack lifts the ball at the peg and shoots from C1.....middles it to the N boundary, so will need a good take-off to get a rush now. Fails h3.

Mal doesn't get peelee perfectly in front of rover from fairly close.....he's got a 1ft 40 degree peel........still lining it up.....plays it into the jawses and in my opinion is too close to easily clear it........don't like the choice......plays a standing up jump and gets nowhere near clearing it. Peels partner but doesn't run hoop

Morgan has a break

Jamie has a break

Harry (3-b) has a 1footer and James (h1) has a 4 yarder. Should be easy for Harry to make 3-b and cross-wire at h1

Dwayne has a 4yard peg out.......hits to take the first +23

Edmund takes a 17 yarder..........hits

Harry plays and roquets Mal out of the jaws of rover. He's chosen a defensive and imprecise method to make 3-b and get the h1 crosswire. Fails 3-b off the peg ball

Edmund makes a leave

Jamie reaches 4-b with a spread

Morgan leaves Aaron's peg ball in h2 after 1-b

Jamie's spread is very near to C4. Forster lifts ball at h2 and takes short lift......misses.

Morgan reaches 4-b with a reverse NSL with ball in h2. Aaron lifts ball in h2 and takes long lift from C1.......misses

Zack corners to 1ft N of C1. Paddy has a rush from C2 to a ball on the S boundary 8y W of C4. Paddy doesn't get a good rush to 4-b and rolls to 4-b from 20 yards. Gets runnable hoop.....3ft 45 degrees......returns to partner

Edward makes a leave. James shoots from 27 yards......hits.

Game 2 Robbie 9y N of C4. Samir S of C2. Dwayne misses partner from A-baulk. Christian shoots from A-baulk.......misses

Matt plays to C2.

James makes h1 and has a 4-ball break if he rushes to h2 from 10 yards

Edmund plays and makes a leave for Paddy level with h6 on the E boundary with a rush to 4-b

Ben plays some good shots and has made h2 with a potential standard tp ahead of him

James has a break.

Robbie is hampered after h1.....hits

Mark has a break, bt has not peeled 4-b after h3 - it might e rush-peelable though

To be more accurate, James has a standard quadruple ahead of him

Matt moves from C2 to C4

Ben fails 4-b peel after h3, but it looks like it is rush-peelable. Has 5 yard return roquet after h4.....hits

Paddy rushes poorly to 4-b and just makes another leave tight in C3

James does not go for 3-b peel after h4. Makes h5 and discusses options for leaves - peg ball in h4 looks ok to me!!

Robbie has a break.

Mark has made 1-b and the peelee still lurk near the jaws of 4-b

Zack shoots from C1 to C4.....middles it

Ben doesn't manage to rush-peel or peel partner before h6

Ben's partner ball is sent to 2-b

James's break is getting a bit scrappy.

Zack gets a C3 cannon, so should go round

Poor cannon from Zack leaves a 4y approach.....it's ok, bt he runs h3 by 15 yards and has to hit his h4 pioneer. Fails h4 off Edmund. Edmund hits and will make another leave.

James has the peg ball in NSL position rather than in h4 after 3-b. Still time to improve it. Has a longer than ideal 4-b....copes. Reaches the peg. Recap peg + 3-b v rover + peg. Makes an NSL

Ben is hampered after 1-b.....hits the sweep.

Mark has reached peg with 1 peel and a defensive OSL (ball on E boundary)

Robbie reaches 4-b with an MSL with some of the ball at h4 sticking out.

Forster needs to lift the E boundary and hit the short lift......Ian takes the short lift instead.......misses

Samir looking at target from A-baulk. Christian lifts ball and h4 and takes long lift......misses

James tries to tidy up the ball at h4 after rover......nope, he's rushing it to the peg and pegging it out Pegs out and remarkably chooses to go in C2, 10y away from Mal's ball.

Matt shoots at oppo....misses - that should be game 1 (3 hours +23)

Mal takes his 10 yarder......hits

Mal takes off to Harry's ball and rolls to rover....gets 4 y position......clangs

Dwayne picks up a break

Harry has a 10 yarder, but may be able to join partner in C2 and leave Mal hampered at rover

Jamie finishes +26 to put the first point on the board.

Paddy is hampered after penult.....hits

Harry joins James near C2 (Mal can't run rover)

Ben reaches peg. It looks like it was a reverse spread and Jenny has lifted the ball at the peg and missed the long lift from C1.

Mal shoots from rover to C2.........misses. Tough finish from 3-b for Harry

James plays and makes a leave near C4

Good comeback from 2 breaks down on lawn 6 as Morgan finishes +4

Paddy wins the first +23

Dwayne fails 4 leaving options for Samir and Christian. Samir opts to play but doesn't get a rush to 1 and over approaches. They're now discussing their leave.

James chose to play and had a leave in C4. Mal went to the end of a-baulk. Harry has run 3b and is setting a leave in C3.

Mal goes just outside C2

Dwayne is shooting...

Misses. Samir is in play again.

Harry sticks in 4b leaving Mal an 18 yarder. He misses leaving Harry with another opportunity to finish.

Harry runs his hoop from the jaws and misses a 2 yarder at black! He ended up at rover leaving Mal a trivial finish. +4 to Mal and Ed.

Samir is hampered and misses a 15 yarder at partner. This leaves Robbie's black ball still in the jaws of 4b and Dwayne near hoop 2.

All other games are having lunch.

Robbie runs his hoop and hits a 12 yarder.

Robbie has made the remaining 2 hoops and is having a ds.

Samir take a shot from where the balls lie and misses. Dwayne now has a good opportunity to win the match.

Dwayne seems to have over approached 3b out of nowhere and retires to C2. Looks like they're now taking lunch.

A ring-in picking up commentary while Chris does a stint in the livestream commentary box.....

Players have returned from lunch. On lawn 1, Australia lead 1-0. In game 2, Death is for the peg, Fisher for penault. Wilson is in play approaching hoop 3, partner for hoop 1

On lawn 3, Australia lead 1-0. Samir has just gone round, giving contact and pegged out Robbie peg + 1 v 3-b + box

On lawn 6, it's break all and the Yanks have got the innings and are game up

Matt is on a break for 2-b and has no peels done on lawn 1 against 1+1

Christian has the innings and is laying up near C3 with Dwayne near C1 - not ideal when you are h1 and thye are 3-b

Edward has reached 4-b. He leaves Harry 5y NE of h4, James mid-W boundary and lays up tight in C2. It's an ok leave, but could have had greater distance.

Matt rush-peels 4-b before 3-b - that was really dangerous - the ball was well out of 4-b and had it jawsed, he had no shot.

Aaron corners.

Matt irish peels penult to just S of the peg

Dwayne shoots....misses

Harry lifts the ball near h4 and takes the short lift from B-baulk........hits

Matt rushes peelee 4ft in front of rover

Morgan fails h1 off Jenny, who is for 4-b

Christian lays up near C1.

Matt plays a stop shot peel which goes through by 2 yards and he runs rover by 2 feet and finishes +26tp to equalise.

Harry is approaching h4 from 10y W of C4.....gets a 5ft 30 degree hoop.......retires to partner

Dwayne goes to C4. Christian makes h1 and lays up near C2

Mal takes a 22 yarder......hits

Morgan takes a 24 yarder.....misses

Mal gets a cannon on the end of A-baulk - handy. Should have a standard tp from here.

Mal plays the canno poorly and has a 5y approach to h1 with a ball near h6......good approach....runs it by 13 yards and hits the ball near h6 to near C3

Aaron hasn't got going and has made a leave

Ben corners to C3

Mal now has a delayed tp ahead of him.

Christian is laying up wired behind h2

Dwayne moves to C1. Christian has now made h4 and has a longish rush to h5.

Christian rushes well to h5 and makes it with a rush to h6

Mal peels 4-b before h6

Christian makes h6 and rushes to 1-b.....chance to lay up at 1-b for a wired rush-peel for the peg ball.......calls Samir on

Morgan moves to C4

Game 3 Matt standard supershot. Paddy S of C2. Zack misses Paddy. Edmund shoots at double.....hits

Christian opts to make 1-b and splits off the lawn with a wide join S of C2.

Dwayne shoots at Christian in C2 from B-baulk missing on the left

Aaron has made a hoop and is looking at making a leave, but may be giving a wiring lift away - they lie on the ground,

Mal has reached the peg. He leaves Harry's h4 ball 5y NE of h4, James in the middle of W boundary and lays up in C2 (same leave as last time) Recap peg + penult v 4 + 4-b

Edmund hasn't done very well and now needs to approach h2 from C2 sending oppo to h4..........good shot and he now has a 5 yarder for a break.....hits

More cornering on lawn 6

Christian lays up near C1

Harry lifts to B-baulk and takes the short lift.......misses

Aaron makes aother leave.

Christian croquets Dwayne into h4 from near C2 - that's not good

Wilson rushes 6y short of 4-b.....approaches, runs an angled 4-b to much applause.

Morgan takes a very long shot.....misses

Christian plays to mid-E boundary. Dwayne take shis wiring lift and shoots at Samir near h2 - 9 yarder.....misses

Wilson finishes +14 to make it Aus 1, Eng 1

Samir picks off 4 yarder at Dwayne and will make a leave

Aaron is approaching h2 with control and a standard tp ahead of him

Samir lays up near C2 with Dwayne at 3-b Recap peg + 3-b v box + 3-b

Edmund reaches 4-b with a spread.

Aaron can't hit peelee after h3 and leaves it there and rolls down to h4 to continue his break

Dwayne shoots......hits

Dwayne's rush to 3-b hits rover and bounces SW

Dwayne is just short on his approach and takes position

Aaron sets up a delayed tp. Ends up rushing partner to h6

The peg ball might just see partner on Edmund's leave.....Zack lifts the ball at h2 and takes the long lift......misses

Samir plays to C1. Dwayne runs 3-b by 10 yards and plays mid-W boundary. Christian moves from C2 to C4

Aaron is hampered after h6 and has a 6 yarder on his escape ball at 4-b.......hits and will be sending partner to 2-b

Paddy makes h1.

Dwayne shoots at Samir in C1......misses. The best leave from here involves Dwayne near C2, Samir on the wire of 3-b and Christian between 3-b and the S boundary open on Dwayne

Samir sends Dwayne towards C2 and lays in near C4.

Paddy fails h2. Matt shoots from h3 to h2........hits

Matt made a leave I think and Edmund hit. Edmund makes a leave and Zack corners - that's really defensive - Paddy has a rush to h2 from 5 yards away and a ball at h4. Paddy fails to get a rush out of h2

Dwayne takes a 35 yarder.....misses. Christian is making a mess of the subsequent trun and now has partner N of 3-b, oppo N of h3 and has a shot left to play. He's looking at the S boundary 8y away from partner which will leave cuddling options

Aaron reaches peg with no peels and makes a spread

Christian goes to C4 which is a much better place.

Morgan lifts the ball at the peg and takes the short lift.....hits. Makes h1 with break. Will they peg Aaron out?

Paddy rolls off h3 from h2 to 1ft straight, hits 5y return roquet and now has chance of break again....needs 5y backward take-off at h4......5ft hoop.......runs it and is away.

Dwayne plays mid-E boundary and Christian hits 9yarder at partner and lays up at least partially wired near C2

Paddy just tickles his h5 pioneer and then misapproaches....tries a flip.....good shot

Morgan gets a standard triple out

Dwayne goes to C1.

Morgan hasn't done any tps this event......so far. Looks like the 4-b is in the front of the jaws after h3.

Christian tries to lay up wired near 3-b

I'll be leaving to do video commentary at 4pm

Paddy has a 1y 30 degree 2-b.......shakes his head.......clangs

Dwayne moves to C2. Christian makes 3-b

Zack takes the 4-ball break Paddy has given away.

Morgan rush-peels 4-b by inches after h4 - should just be able to get to his h5 pioneer

Christian rolls back towards C4, wired????

Morgan fails h5 off Jenny with two balls at 4-b - can Jenny see anything??

Jenny calls a ref.....hits. That should be game all

Dwayne takes his 38 yarder.....misses