Ponting’s past it. Johnson’s too inconsistent. Hughes has no technique. Hilfenhaus can’t swing the ball anymore. We have no spinner.
It seems us Australian cricket fans are polished performers when it comes to finding reasons why our team lost the 2010/11 Ashes series.
But before everyone turns on our own team – a skill English cricket media and fans seem to have perfected in past years – we need to take a deep breath and praise the Poms.
As hard as it is to admit, England won the Ashes, rather than Australia lost the Ashes.
England conquered. They were too good.
Yes the majority of Australian players did perform well below par and to some extent they deserve the criticism they have received since losing the series in Melbourne.
But surely the biggest story to eventuate from this Ashes series is England’s remarkable achievements. This team has reached feats we haven’t seen here in Australia since Mike Gatting led his English team to an Ashes victory in 1986/87.
This England team’s success story began well before the first Test in Brisbane.
Its preparation was faultless. The players and staff arrived in Australia well over a month before the first Test in Brisbane. It gave them ample time to settle down and adapt to the diverse Australian conditions.
The Poms then found form on the field. They played three-first class games and in the process proved to the Australian public they are not just another pathetic England touring side waiting to be spanked.
Andrew Strauss’ two centuries, Alastair Cook’s unbeaten 111, Ian Bell’s 192 and Graeme Swann’s two lots of four-wicket hauls were just a number of encouraging signs during the tour matches that emphasised the team was here to prove many people wrong.
When the players hit the Gabba turf, the mental strength of its batsmen really shone through and in turn set the tone for the rest of the series.
After Peter Siddle ripped through the Poms with a six-wicket haul on a green Gabba wicket in the first innings and Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin put on a 347-run partnership in reply, the pressure was right on England’s batsmen.
But Cook, Strauss and the ever impressive Jonathon Trott thought otherwise. They changed the mood of the series.
The three of them batted with wisdom as they squeezed every ounce of motivation and will out of the Australian bowlers. They scored 517 runs between them to force a draw from what seemed like a hopeless situation.
Most importantly, it gave the team confidence going into the next test in Adelaide. There Cook and Kevin Pietersen literally batted Australia out of the Test.
In the end out of the Ashes too.
In fact England’s batting line-up looked – at times – impossible to break. They played with maturity, astuteness and confidence – something past England batting line-ups haven’t brought with them to Australia.
But England’s bowlers were just as notable as its batsmen.
James Anderson had a torrid tour of Australia back in 2006/07. The right-armed paceman played in three out of the five Test matches and claimed just five wickets at a terrible average of 82.
However it was a different story this time round. Anderson was a threat from the outset, swinging the new ball with great effect and constantly finding the outside edge of Australia’s finest batsmen. He has taken 17 wickets for the series so far and the scary fact is there’s still one Test remaining to make his numbers seem even more attractive.
It also helps when you come to Australia with an attacking spinner. Ashley Giles, Richard Dawson and Peter Such are just a few of the spin bowlers who have come to Australia and failed in their quest to conquer the unfavourable conditions.
Now Graeme Swann has set a new standard for touring spinners. The off-spin bowler literally bowled England to victory in Adelaide with an outstanding spell of 5-91 in the final innings of the match. He’s bowled the most amount of overs for the series at a fantastic economy rate of 2.76. No one should ever doubt Swann’s ability to win a match from any situation.
But fielding is often the most underrated and overlooked skill in the game. For so many years the Australians set the standard for fielding. Whether it was catching, hitting the stumps or saving certain boundaries, every team looked up to the Aussies.
Not anymore.
Not only has Australia’s fielding declined, but England’s have improved dramatically. Never has a touring team been more impressive in the field. England’s fielding throughout the whole series was of the highest standard. Every player wanted the ball to come their way and stay in the game. When a team hungers for the ball like that, you’re bound to do well.
Yes there are massive question marks hanging over the head of the Australian cricket team. But the English deserve so much more credit than what they have been receiving.
They out-batted, out-bowled, out-fielded and out-thought the Aussies and it’s something a lot of us Australian cricket supporters can’t seem to get our head around.
England was better. Admit it.
Jason Cave
Guest
England's preparation to win the Ashes was 2 years in the making, almost from the time the 5th Test of the 2009 Ashes series was played and won. In many ways, England wanted to make up for the disaster that was the 2006-07 Ashes series, where England was thrashed 5-0. And it has paid off big time.
Stephen Smith
Guest
Plugger -lighten up? Not racist or insulting? How would you know? Are you on the other end of it? Not until you are can you make a comment. I agree that some English people use "convict" - I hate that term too, its insulting and deliberately so, whatever people say. The big difference is that you would never see it used throughout an editorial in a UK newspaper or media site (The Sun is an exception, and everyone in the UK knows the Sun is an awful, crass paper), yet here, the "p" word is used extensively, even in so-called "quality" papers, and any attempt to get rid of it is dismised angrily as political correctness or over-sensitivity. Believe me, when you've seen the words "pommy" and "bastard" (and others) used in conjunction with each other for years you quckly lose the ability to see the humour in it, and with good reason. It's simply not funny. There is an underlying nastiness about its use that many Australians are simply unwilling to admit. Hopefully it will gradually grow out of use in the same way "wog" has, but people need to take the lead. Imagine referring to the Italian football or rugby team as "wogs" in the mainstream media these days? You'd never get away with it. (Expecting a furious volley of abuse to follow, using exactly the same racist insults that need to be removed from popular usage.)
ChrisT
Guest
That's possibly the funniest thing I've read on here yet. A South African chucking the pompous tag around. Priceless.
ChrisT
Guest
Betty. Regarding your comments around foreign coaches and players. You must go around with your eyes tightly closed and your predujices nicely packed not to see what goes on in Australian sport.
Brendon
Guest
It was interesting to note that England said that they didnt prepare properly for the WACA match and they didn't take into account how good Johnson can be when he swings the ball. When Michael Phelps prepares for an Olympics its years in the making. When Australia won in India in 2004 it was 3 years in the making, from the day they lost the 2001 series. In 2006/07 you can almost sense the Aussie building up to the series as soon as the 5th test in 2005 was drawn. If you don't study for a test do you expect to get an A+ or 100%? No. But this simple concept is beyond Cricket Australia. It will be interesting to see how England perform in the upcoming limited overs matches and the world cup. They've spent so much time preparing and focusing on the Ashes it seems like they've forgotten about the World Cup. Remember in 2006/07 England was thrashed 5-0 in the test but won the tri-angular series beating Australia in 2 games in the finals. In 2009 Australia thrashed England 6-1 after England had won the Ashes.
James
Guest
Praise from the Aussies no thanks we will just keep the Ashes and say nothing, as for the word Pom get a grip it's not racist or insulting in fact I think it is a term of affection, as for the Springboks only Trott really is and he should not be playing for us end of. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Nambucco Deliria
Guest
Aren't Australians getting bored of this? All of the 'South African born' players held British passports long before they even considered Cricket to be their long-term careers, Trott is the only player without direct Antecedents but is of English decent. He wasn't even a Kolpak player - he has always been considered English for County Championship purposes. And then of course, if we were being petty, we could turn to the Australian Rugby Union side, full of similar cases. Ten members of the Autumn tour squad have 'dubious' nationality, including three New Zealand born players (plus a fourth qualified to play for them in James O'Connor, who incidentally is also qualified to play for South Africa). Sides from all nations in many different sports picj players not born within their frontiers as a matter of course - it's what goes on in the real world.So can we stop going on about this now? If you're still looking for an extra-curricular reason for England's victory I expect the next topic for consideration will be the fact that England are doubtless 'cashed-up' which seems to be the next default setting for Australians looking to find excuses for their teams' shortcomings. '
M.O.C.
Roar Guru
Don't let it worry you Chris, just remember who the convicts were - they were English - not Aussies.
Wellow
Guest
I've always disliked the "pom" term. It's lazy at best, racist at worst. Any term that reduces individuals is a tad dull. As for the cricket. I think these two teams are pretty well matched, in all honesty. But England were better trained and motivated. But it's been a thrilling series and not over yet. An important Test series, too. I'd rather a day of genuine Test cricket than a year of T20.
Lolly
Guest
I've read quite a few convicts praising the poms. What's your problem?
Chris K
Guest
but it's okay to refer to aussies as convicts i guess, even though less than half of us have convict heritage
dunc
Guest
The Aussies were DEMOLISHED by two Substantial Innings Losses....thats obliteration..
Fred doh!
Guest
yeah. lighten up Freddie. Five in one team is a bit much though, plus two of the coaching staff and probably others we don't know about Pommie is a term of endearment, always has been - truth is, we're probably among the best friends you guys have got. We 'luv you's, so don't let it upset ya.
Roger Rational
Guest
But surely the addition of every South African cricketer increases the "choker" quotient by 10%?
plugger
Guest
England batted better, bowled better and fielded better. Apart from that, I couldn't split the difference (boom boom).
plugger
Guest
"Prisoners of Mother England" isn't it? Lighten up Freddie.
Stephen Smith
Guest
You could start by not calling us poms - its an awful word, nearly always used in a derogatory (and often in a racist) manner, and its factually incorrect anyway. poms (using Aussies own definition of the word) are descendants of anglo-Australians, not visiting Englishmen. As for the "foreigners" jibe (always the last vestige of Australian pride), what about some of your "Aussie" heroes such as Grigorieva, Tszyu, Gregan, Wessels etc etc. Not many dinky-dis in there. Also, in case it escaped your notice, the Wallabies and Socceroos both have "foreign" coaches. Apart from that, a good piece, rare praise indeed from the vanquished.
Stellenbosched
Guest
If you take away the immense contribution made by South African born players (plus a Zimbabwean coach) I believe the England side would collapse back to its usual wimp-like self. By the way, can anyone tell me the history behind the word 'Pom'? I figure it could stand for pompous, but would appreciate any input.
Betty B
Guest
plugger's right bjwaterworth, but assuming no pom reads the Roar, they do desreve a lot of credit. Their preparation and coaching are to be admired. That they keep finding great bowling coaches among our midst is an indictment on CA. I don't think we should in anyway copy them and employ foreigners, or try to lure foreign players, but we must recognise their whole approach and attitude as far superior to what we have put up.
plugger
Guest
Do you seriously believe we're going to praise the poms here? Sacrilege!