There could be nothing worse for Australians who are watching this Ashes, facing up to a three-nil series defeat knowing that, for a large part, they have beaten themselves.
Especially with them matching, and indeed holding sway over the English for the large periods of the play, only to be undone by frequent examples of batting madness. In essence, it has reduced the series to be based around these moments with collapses of 114/9, 128/10, 101/6, 65/5 and 115/10 looming large in the team’s three losses.
This bitter truth is indeed hard to dissect for the Aussies, but amongst the gloom of defeat, there have been glimmers of hope for the future. Key in finding credence in any embrace of hope has been the effect Darren Lehmann has had on the group.
With him putting an end to the backbiting and biter divides in the Australian team that symbolised their Indian tour. This has not only led to a much more refined performance on the field, but also the renaissance of individuals in the group.
Names such as David Warner and Shane Watson have benefited from this, and as a result, it sets up the team for better times ahead with the precocious talents of these two in harness.
Watson has all series long showed us the effectiveness of his bowling, and in the last Test reminded us all of the destructive potential of his batting. Critics will instantly point to the lack of penetration in Watson’s bowling as seen in only two wickets so far in the series.
But that mindset seems to be oblivious to the chances that he creates for his bowling mates through his miserly dexterity. As seen in the outrageous fact that of the 80 overs he has bowled, 38 have been maidens.
As the series moves to Australia, Watson could become more ogreish for the English batsmen as the conditions would suit reverse swing, for which he is a noted master of.
It would be remiss to not mention how astoundingly good the bowling unit has been; which has highlighted not only the calibre and skill of the group spearheaded by the top shelf talents and relentless desires of Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle, but also the planning behind the bowling successes.
One cannot laud bowling coach Allister De Winter enough as well as noticing Lehmann’s hand in the success as well. Testimony to their astuteness is how comprehensively they have neutralised three of England’s batting King Pins as seen in their series figures:
Alastair Cook 5 Tests, 243 runs, average 27
Jonathan Trott, 5 Tests, 234 runs, average 26
Matt Prior, 5 Tests, 86 runs, average 14.33
In short, they have suffocated and starved Cook and Trott through victimising their dourness, while lending Prior enough rope to hang himself through his attacking gluttony.
Round two in Australia will be so compelling that these proud English warriors will hit back hard leaving the only question being whether the Aussie bowling unit can maintain similar standards?
The cricketing Gods will have a huge bearing over this, with them keeping Australia’s key bowlers in Watson and Harris fit. And though, the craven frailties of the batting have been the reason behind this series loss there has been signs of improvement.
The union of Warner and Chris Rogers at the top of the order has borne instant fruit, and though it is unwise to be sold on first impression, the promise of the pairing already inspires faith.
At three, Watson instantly showed his pedigree in his blistering 176 from the other day, and though there are many reasons to discredit the innings, there are also equally as many to attach hope to it; most notably, the fact that, only the truly skilled could play that innings.
Last, but certainly not least is the cricket definition of the “little Aussie battler” in Steven Smith. A player that has always had doubt attached to his name has started to raise the finger to his many doubters.
In a stirring series that has underlined his fighting qualities as well as highlighting his underrated skills as a batsman as well as being probably the best young leader in the group. The last piece to the batting puzzle is in the hands of selectors, however.
It saw many be up in arms over why the likes of Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja have not been retained under the auspices of promising youth; with them expected to struggle in the short term, but come good in the long term.
A theory that has merit, but reading between the lines, the dropping of both seems to indicate that yes, youth needs to be persisted with, but the right youth. All in all, bemoan this series loss, but expect the Aussies to strike back with a vengeance with the English come visiting.
ChrisUK
Guest
I do agree they ought to play some four day matches. I'd have thought they have a pretty easy way of doing that, as warm up matches for tourists playing Test series against England. I suppose they have a bit of a difficulty in that most of their players are playing county cricket in England, and equally they have a lot of T20 World Cup qualifiers and the World Cup itself to come. But I take your point. That victory over England in the last World Cup is quite simply the best thing that could have happened. It really was. It got so many people interested in the game. So while I do take your point, I think they're on the right track overall. The one thing I would like to see is for England to waive the restrictions on requalifying for Ireland for players who have played for England in the meantime. If Ireland get Test status by 2020 as they hope, they will need these players and England should support that. To be fair Cricket Ireland have nothing but praise for how the ECB have assisted them.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
That comp is slated for 2016, and it will be brilliant and give credence to Test claims from Ireland. Before that, all they do in indulging in meaningless ODI's is get cheapies. Unless they play tough cricket against motivated foes, they will never progress. They should set up as many 4 day matches against A Teams as possible and forego ODI's
ChrisUK
Guest
As I understand it, they're in the process of setting up a first class competition aren't they? And they used to play in the English one day county structure but withdrew specifically to go down the route of doing that with a view to eventually getting Test status. I would so love the day when the TV comes on saying "and now the 1st Test between Ireland and England from Dublin". Tremlett should go, depending on fitness. If not, Boyd Rankin will. Here's an irony, he played for Ireland but is from Northern Ireland and could have played for England anyway.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Nah, I am in silent protest over Irish Cricket for they always talk the talk, but never walk the walk...The gain nothing by playing 'fluff' ODI matches like this. And instead should get their first class comp set up or alternatively have an Irish Team in English County Cricket. Then, as the lankans did in the late 60's arrange many unofficial Tests As for the Ashes, I think there is a 20% improvement in England, and even if they tap into that, they will flog Australia I think Tremlett, who was obviously held out of the last Test will destroy in Australia too
ChrisUK
Guest
By the way Tim, are you intending to watch the Ireland - England ODI?
ChrisUK
Guest
I sincerely hope you're right!
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
I have no allegiance to either Team, but I cannot see any hope for the Aussies
ChrisUK
Guest
OK, I'll try and be honest - I try not to be too open about it because I hate making predictions and being a hostage to fortune. No, I can't see them batting so poorly again, and I think they will love Australian pitches as they did last time. In fact I think Root with his technique will love it too, he can play off the back foot more. But it doesn't mean Australia can't play really well. So England are favourites, yes. But Australia can win.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Though you can respect that, I think there is a definite past tense attached to it. And in the case of England, they are proven there, so have no fears. Plus go there, knowing that if they graded their batting in this series, they would have marked it 5/10. Which is actually a fillip because the mark was facilitated around the likes of Cook/Trott & Prior being failures Can you see them failing again?
ChrisUK
Guest
I wouldn't be quite so pessimistic. Australia is a very hard place to win, as evidenced by how rarely it happens, even if the team isn't great. South African only just won there, a result that to a neutral had the appearance of daylight robbery based on the whole series.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
I think the reality of conditions and whatever Australia creates in the next series, is the fact that on any type of deck England would hold sway
ChrisUK
Guest
Sport has a habit of making hypocrites of us all. I can remember Nasser Hussain talking about the winning tour of Sri Lanka a decade ago, and how they prepared full on bunsens to assist Murali, and Hussain saying how that was a terrible mistake; Sri Lanka had a bowler who could turn it on glass, and all that they did was bring England's far inferior spinners into the game by giving them such favourable conditions.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Yes , Australia has a history of pointing the fingering and jumping up and down about other Nations doing things that they did. The irony in the return AShes , is the fact that however the Aussies treat the pitches, it might advantage England more It makes me revert back to india, with Dhonki calling for a type of pitches, only to lead it to favour England more
ChrisUK
Guest
It takes time. One of the hardest things to do is to remain patient while the players find their feet. Whether a fan, player, captain or selector. It needs someone very very strong (Duncan Fletcher was excellent at this) to say tough luck, these are our best players and we're sticking with them mostly.
ChrisUK
Guest
I would fully expect them to - it's called home advantage after all! The irritation caused by the allegations of pitch doctoring were because Australia have done exactly the same, not because it's wrong. When Warne was playing it's amazing how many pitches suddenly became spin friendly, amazing how they suddenly became unfriendly to spin last time when Swann was playing! And fair enough too, no complaints about that. It should be hard for the visiting side to adjust.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
My thinking, and I am just part of the peanut gallery is that Australia in the series will be extremely cynical in pitch preparation with their batting weakness in mind. So, like last year, you can expect the GABBA to be a road, and the WACA to be similar to the Adelaide Oval with a tad more pace and bounce. Because they know, if they roll out traditional pitches, their batting will likely get destroyed
ChrisUK
Guest
It's got quicker again the last few years hasn't it? Certainly England struggled there last time, if you consider that apart from the first innings at Brisbane, England could barely have been more dominant, yet in that match they got thumped.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Those glorious days of the WACA ended after Ambrose rearranged Geoff Lawsons jaw
ChrisUK
Guest
Particularly fast and bouncy would be a disadvantage for England. As you saw at the WACA last time. They're just not used to it.
Tim
Guest
When you have a weaker batting team, any pitch that favours the bowling team is an equaliser. Sure, that doesn't guarantee victory as England have a very good attack, but it neutralises their relative strength which is batting. I wouldn't be shaking in my boots about Cook's 700 - he had a great series and is a very good player, but his record from 4 Ashes series (20 tests) is now: Series 1 (away) ave 27.6 Series 2 (home) ave 24.7 Series 3 (away) ave 127.7 Series 4 (home) ave 27.7 So he has averaged less than 30 in 3 out of 4 ashes series so far. In the most recent series Cook was out LBW 4 times - same number as Watson! He was also caught behind 4 times, and once at first slip. I think that shows the team have learned their lesson and are bowling much more disciplined against him. I think CA and the team were arrogant in 2010/11 - we lost the 2005 series away 2-1 and then won the 2006/7 series at home 5-0. When we lost 2-1 away again in 2009, CA and the team arrogantly presumed we would win the return leg. Maybe CA was greedily seeking to maximise gate revenue from a sell-out series, but I had never seen the Gabba play like a road as it did in the first test when Cook got his 235*. Not taking anything away from Cook's sterling effort that series, but surely we have learned our lesson this time around. Expect him to improve next series - his career average is 47 - but don't tremble at the fear of a repeat of 2010/11....