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.
Peter Thomson
Roar Guru
Great minds, David ... or should I at least say It looks like I was writing a Lehmann/McKenzie-themed blog for my website about the same time as you were posting your piece. Not suggesting it mirrored your views exactly but, given that both were faced with overhauling team culture, after taking over from foreign coaches, I, too, saw interesting parallels.
Kebab
Guest
The similarities between the two sides, coaches and pre talk spin is uncanny. Both sides are on the improve and will be firing next year I just wish there was not so much BS and admit we are not that good at the moment.
Chivas
Guest
What I would like to know is will it make any difference. The series has been lost and eventually a couple of batsmen get some runs. In the rugby all the big talk is bluster if you don't have any likely replacements. I worry most about the Wallabies accuracy. It's a team effort and these guys just don't appear to be in synch at all. No-one is compensating for one another.
Hookin' YT
Guest
Man the lifeboats. Watched Clarke's dismissals? As soon we start pinning our hopes on Watson, get a lifejacket on.
Hookin' YT
Guest
+1 Australians can grasp straws anywhere.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Australia has won 2 tosses and batted first and each time got a big first innings declaration. In response in both cases England have gone ultra-defensive, including resorting to time-wasting tactics and all sorts of things. Saved by the rain in the first match and have already lost time to rain in this one. I think Australia's batting lineup, while still a bit creaky, is starting to come together. We pretty much have 5 of the 6 places locked down for the return series, with Rogers, Warner, Watson, Clarke and Smith just leaving one place available when the Sheffield Shield auditions start. There is a lot of potential runs in that batting lineup, and I'd back Warner and Smith to get more and more consistent with each match they play. All is far from lost for Australia.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Well yes and no. It's a game of millimetres. Watto survived a very close lbw early, Smith an airy waft outside off stump from his first ball. The careers on the line was pretty shortsighted I think.
graham
Guest
This is the trough of our slump and our worst is a heckler of a lot better than England's worst. So it stands to reason our peak will be higher too
graham
Guest
Australia has won more sessions than England in this series and came close in India too. The difference is when they lose a session they lose big. Thats just a mental thing that comes from being inexperienced. Ive seen enough talent to think most of these players will come good given enough time but there could be some pain in the meantime
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Pretty simplistic explanation David - as far as the cricket goes anyway. As others have said, there was some pretty ordinary bowling going on, and the pitch looks like a batting paradise. Let's see whether the team can actually pull off a win before getting too excited about anything. Australia has looked good on a few occasions before in this series - their big problem has been with an inability to play well for an entire Test match. Fingers crossed.
Sydney Kiwi
Guest
And Khawaja, Hughes and Cowan have had their careers decided for them.
Andrew
Guest
When you have no socks, you can't pull them up. Both Aussie teams are very ordinary. No matter who is the coach.
blairrorani
Guest
My wife played elite level sport and reached number one / gold medal status. She told me that despite what happens on the pro circuit, when u come to a workd champs or a comm games the playing field almost evens up. Its a new environment and not just a repeat of the regular competition except you have your nations uniform on. Reds, Brumbies, Folau all played well at SR level. Yes the WBs need to play better. The new guys especially just need to get used to playing well in the test arena. That is a lot if it. They all know how to tackle, kick and pass and even score tries. Mentally they need to do it under more pressure than normal.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Well done to the improved batting effort, but I think England taking the foot off the accelerator as seen in Selections and bowling changes had a lot to do with it coupled with the Route 66 nature of the pitch. But , this being said all dues to the Aussie batsmen for taking advantage of it