Australia’s annihilation of the England team and their successful reclamation of the Ashes has been brutal, authoritative and unrelenting.
Ever increasing and vociferous are the waves of support that have been flooding in for Darren Lehmann and his troops, with every England implosion met with derision and merriment by Australian fans left so badly wounded by recent failures.
And yes it is quite right that success in sport is there to be cherished and this current crop of ambassadors of the baggy green deserve every platitude that is currently being thrown their way.
And yes it is quite right too that we focus on the positives and doth our hats in the direction of this Australian team, and acknowledge that the brand of exciting and aggressive cricket that they have played has been just too hot to handle.
But it is also worth taking a step back for a moment and considering whether this Ashes series is as much of an indictment about the state of the current England side, as it is an indicator of just how good this Australian side is.
With Jonathan Trott’s return back to England with a stress-related illness being closely followed by the recent announcement by Graeme Swann of his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Not to mention the constant rumours and uncertainties surrounding Andy Flower’s future, it is clear that this England side arrived with a camp whose focus and desire was clearly not as it should have been.
Added to that the declining fortunes of three of their most senior and influential players in Kevin Pietersen, James Anderson and Matt Prior, and the picture of a fiercely determined England side desperate to inflict defeat on the Australians becomes clouded by an image of a team at a pivotal moment both in terms of their futures and their desires.
So yes, the brilliance of Australia’s cricket and the positivity pulsating through the Australian team is something to be enjoyed.
But scratch below the surface into the mind-set of the England camp, and this was an England cricketing disaster waiting to happen.
The baggy green has once again been instilled with pride and accomplishment.
But let’s re-assess this Australian team’s right to dine at cricket’s top table after their tour of South Africa in February 2014.
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