Ricky Ponting did an interview before the Ashes series for the BBC. It covered the usual subjects such as player form, predictions, what the Ashes means etc and near the end of the conversation, Ponting was asked what he thought about the England team’s over the top celebrations following their 2005 series victory.

Ponting didn’t rise to the obvious bait, but merely suggested that those who win can do what they want because they had earned the right to.

To conclude, he said that ‘Winners have parties and losers have meetings.’

Well it doesn’t take a genius to work out which of these Ponting will spend the near future at.

The aftermath of an excellent series, for the Australian captain at least, will
involve criticism and interrogation from those who now consider his position untenable. Two Ashes defeats isn’t something he will be particularly proud of, but his removal from the captaincy will be a harsh price to pay.

Looking from the outside, is there anyone better equipped than the current
incumbent? Ponting’s captaincy didn’t cost his side the Ashes, his gaffe in
ignoring Nathan Hauritz for the Oval finale aside.

You can only work with what you’ve got and what Ponting had ultimately wasn’t good enough.

Losing to the English will be a bitter pill to swallow, but it isn’t all doom
and gloom for Australia.

Their biggest pluses from the series must be Marcus North and Ben Hilfenhaus.

Michael Clarke can also be included, but his potential as a world class batsman was already apparent, if not quite fully realised, before Cardiff.

North and Hilfenhaus, however, had shown promise in South Africa, but they both showed that there was far more to their games than that.

Add in Ponting himself, Simon Katich, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson and there is the basis of a very good side.

The only ones who were found wanting were Phil Hughes and, until his final chance, Mike Hussey.

The Australian selectors could easily go down the route of wholesale change, but that would achieve less than imagined, as any England selector of the 1980s could tell you.

As for England, their challenge is to avoid falling into the same trap as they
did four years ago.

Far from spurring them on to greater heights, the 2005 Ashes was the peak for a side that struggled afterwards and only reached the same heights last week.

In Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower they have two experienced men at the helm who should be able to oversee a feet on the ground approach.

This is a side who lost in the West Indies just six months ago and are only
ranked at fifth in the world with the tough assignment of South Africa away
coming up in November.

On the playing front their obvious loss will be Andrew Flintoff, but at least
this time they know he is gone. Thankfully, there will be no more hope placed on an expected return to fitness or form, just a gap in the side to be filled.

Stuart Broad is the next in line and it is to be hoped that he will be left to
develop at his own pace rather then being expected to emulate someone he blatantly isn’t.

Bowling wise, England are in pretty good shape. A decent collection of seamers and spinners – Adil Rashid has plenty of support and could easily overtake Monty Panesar – and a wicket-keeper who has improved out of sight.

Their main worry will be the batting. England may have beaten Australia, but Strauss aside, which one of their middle order would have commanded a place in the opposition’s line-up?

If they can get this sorted, then the gains of the past few weeks won’t go to
waste. Rest on their laurels, however, and they could be in for a rude
surprise.

Wherever your allegiances lie, the Ashes was a fantastic series which showed the five-day game in all its glory. In fact, the various series that both England and Australia have competed in over the past year have shown, for all the talk of Twenty20, Test cricket is where the future of the game has to lie.

I doubt it is of any consolation to Ponting and his charges, but they played
their part in an engrossing series.

It’s just a shame – for them anyway – that they will have to attend the
obligatory meetings rather than the celebratory parties.

I know which one I’d rather be at.

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