Michael Clarke is fortunate that the Australian side he leads has shed so much experience in the past month – and is set to lose more when Chris Rogers retires at the end of this Ashes series.
The Australian selectors are unlikely to jettison Clarke in the wake of the retirement of Ryan Harris, the dropping of former vice captains Brad Haddin and Shane Watson, and the impending departure of veteran Rogers.
They surely will be concerned that losing a fifth player with vast experience in Clarke would run the risk of leaving the side too raw.
Australia have been keenly avoiding generational change for 18 months now. The decisions to move on Watson and Haddin should have been made at least a year ago to allow for the staged rejuvenation of the side.
Instead, the change is happening so suddenly that they now cannot afford to drop Clarke, despite his form the past 18 months suggesting he may well be finished as a Test batsman.
They have a perfect replacement for him as skipper in Steve Smith. Who would take his batting position is less clear, assuming that Shaun Marsh will come into the side for the next Test at the expense of Adam Voges.
Clarke is having a nightmare series which only got uglier on Friday, as he dropped an edge from the bat of Ian Bell. The catch, if taken, would have set nerves jangling in the England changing room.
His typically astute and proactive captaincy has also been poor at times this series, in particular some curious misuse of his bowlers.
The golden touches he once possessed tactically and with the blade made him the most valuable member of the Australian side as recently as two years ago. Heading into the last Ashes it seemed the entire hopes of the side rested on his faulty back.
Now he’s become one of the least effective members of the side, even considering his leadership.
At 2-1 down in this series, Australia desperately need more from their skipper – from their entire middle order in fact – if they are to avoiding giving back the urn.
England finally produced a typical UK pitch in this third Test after blunting their bowlers with dry decks in the opening two matches. Their pacemen relished the chance to operate in familiar conditions and scythed through Australia’s batting.
The loss to injury of spearhead James Anderson for the fourth Test will hurt England. Anderson has a phenomenal record at Trent Bridge and would have been a daunting opponent for Australia’s flighty top six.
But his absence shouldn’t make Australia favourites to level the series. After witnessing how Australia floundered on a seaming surface here, England surely will demand a Trent Bridge pitch with a similar amount of spice.
In such conditions Australia are always vulnerable. Making their task even more difficult is the astounding rhythm and newfound accuracy displayed by beanpole pacemen Steven Finn.
Long possessed of the ability to take wickets, Finn’s weakness was that he offered up too many boundary balls in between those pearlers.
In this Test he confirmed what county cricket observers had been reporting – that he had significantly improved his control. Along with fellow giant Stuart Broad, he shapes as a lofty obstacle if Australia are to avoid defeat in this series.
This Ashes was never going to be a walkover for Australia, as much as the team’s diverging form lines leading up to series suggested it may be.
Australia have, however, proven once already this month that they can rebound ferociously from a humiliating loss. The difference is that this time they won’t have their rebounding efforts facilitated by a benign Lord’s deck which favoured them more than the home side.
To hold on to the Ashes, the tourists will have to prove that they can thrive in truly foreign conditions.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
I often think that experience is overrated. Should not be a reason for not dropping an old fogie for an in form youngster, they are the future of the team after all.
Spruiker
Roar Rookie
Aussies should kick arse this test
Andy
Guest
And gets wickets.
Andy
Guest
I just realised what would be absolutely hilarious, if England win the next but for the 5th we bring back Watson who then scores a ton.
Don Freo
Guest
It was...that is so spooky. It is also the only plausible explanation for an England win.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Yep - took the words out of my mouth.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Well, Tubby gets on my nerves like nothing else - 'As I was saying a moment ago ...' And then his tone of eternal surprise and bemusement ... "That's - actually, that's Shaun Marsh on the field! So someone must have gone off ... yes, I'm just trying to see who's off the field ... I think it must Adam Voges, who's gone off the field, because as I said a moment ago, Shaun Marsh is now on, as a sub fielder on for Voges - oh no, there's Voges ... so I wonder who's off?" But Heals is good, and as long as Warnie isn't talking about sausage rolls or last night's party he's pretty insightful about tactics and all that. They're actually able to point out things that I didn't already notice for myself, two overs ago.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
The problem is if Hazlewood goes off the boil, like he did this game, or if he were to get injured, we'd have no front-line bowler capable of bowling long, consistent spells and building pressure. Mitch Marsh looks like getting there as a fifth bowler who can take on that job, like Watto used to, but he can't do it reliably just yet. All of our bowlers are capable of getting wickets - we don't have any - except perhaps Lyon - who are capable of steady control for a whole innings.
Targa
Guest
Lol - I was about to provide a link showing he (Boult) is ranked no2 but now Anderson has pushed him back to no3 after the latest Ashes test!
Andy
Guest
It is a rough patch that has lasted a year or so. He is pretty useless at the moment but its not in our best interest for him to step down because he is still better than any replacement.
JimmyB
Guest
England have retained Lyth for the Trent Bridge test and called in Plunkett and Footitt to cover for Anderson.
JimmyB
Guest
Cardiff has nothing on Edgbaston for noise, but it was louder than Lord's, mind you tbf that's not saying much.
Andrew
Guest
Please replace Clarke as captain with smith by end of this series
JimmyB
Guest
You keep saying that Boult is the second best seamer in the world. That's just your opinion right? Last time I checked Sanga plays for Sri Lanka not India.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Cardiff sounded dead any session I watched. Birmingham was rowdier but they were mostly obsessed with Johnson it seemed to me.
Talha Ahmad
Roar Rookie
I strongly disagree, Micheal actually is a proven world class player , and his record in England has not been that bad, its just a rough patch. Take Virat Kohli's example for instance, he was going through a very rough patch last year in England , now had India dropped him wouldn't that have shattered his confidence and even if he was called back for some reasons would he have scored those four hundreds against Australia in Australia or that Hundred against Pakistan in the world cup? The answer is no, because you need to give your best players that extra bit cushion. Clarke can come back very strongly I must say.
Targa
Guest
Southee got a 7-fer last time he was in India and Boult is the 2nd best seamer in the world behind Steyn (Sangakkara is his bunny!)
richardislip
Guest
Not sure why there is such a fuss about Clarke. He has been out of touch for a long time. The greatest piece of captaincy he could show now, would be to step down, in the best interests of Australian cricket. It is no longer about hanging " tough "....it is about putting the ego in the back pocket. It is a must win game, and there is no room to give Clarke yet another chance.
colinp
Guest
jamie overton bowls about 91-93 mph, quicker than wood in first test, but also keeps it up because he's a unit, but can be a bit all over the place
Armchair Expert
Guest
Yes Jo, it appears Lehmann was playing politics with that photo and it was also interesting how Rogers refused to comment, rather than deny, when asked about the speculation of Australia's disrupted dressing room.