Prior to the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, coach Darren Lehmann warned that these five days will define future careers.
The warning worked.
Shane Watson (176) and Steve Smith (138*) both responded with career-high digs, bolstered by cameos from Peter Siddle (23 off 27), Brad Haddin (30 off 57), debutant James Faulkner (23 off 21), and Ryan Harris’ 33 off 27.
That enabled Michael Clarke to declare at 9-492, the second highest total of the series, after the Australians 7-527 at Old Trafford.
England’s top total is 375, one of five in the 300s.
Australia has none.
Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie has adopted a similar approach via a different route by warning his troops to perform or perish against the All Blacks at windy Wellington tomorrow night.
On report will be Jesse Mogg, Matt Toomua, and Israel Folau, who went MIA last week.
The edict follows the 47-29 drubbing by the men-in-black last Saturday at ANZ Stadium.
They scored six tries to two, four of them off the 17 turnovers the Wallabies lost to just eight by the All Blacks.
Discipline and defence could be added to McKenzie’s perform or perish warning, discipline especially with the selection of Tom Taylor as All Black 10 to replace the injured Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, and Beauden Barrett.
Taylor is the sharpest shooter going around, with a 90 per cent success rate, and from far out,
The discipline warning is timely. South African referee Jaco Peyper isn’t backward in coming forward with a string of penalties.
But McKenzie’s worries go a lot deeper than perform, perish, discipline, and defence.
It’s the drought.
Not one Wallaby on duty tomorrow night has ever won a Test in New Zealand.
Adam Ashley Cooper is the most capped with 81, having debuted in 2005.
The last time the Wallabies won in New Zealand was 23-15 in August 2001 at Carisbrook.
The last time in Wellington 24-23 in August 2000.
So it will need a Darren Lehmann warning to come good and then some for Ewen McKenzie to get the Wallabies up in Wellington which means another year without the Bledisloe Cup.
But hope springs eternal; records are only made to be broken.
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