The conclusion of the Ashes with a two-all result should leave the Australian team, administrators and supporters with a sour taste not dissimilar to that following the 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015 series.
While the urn was retained (in a tied series, for the first time in 47 years!) the overall performance was poor.
Frankly, the starting and stopping point for criticisms lie with the chairman of selectors, the coach and captain.
Changes throughout the series normally reflect a lack of coherence in selection policy. Overall, it is remarkable that of the four centurions in the Test preceding the Ashes, none played in the finale (Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns, Travis Head and Kurtis Patterson vs Sri Lanka in Canberra in February).
Peter Siddle averaged 40-plus with the ball, which is not inconsistent with recent performances.
Mitch Marsh proved that, as a batsman, he is easily contained and eventually will succumb. He has technical deficiencies including an inability to place the ball effectively to keep the scoreboard ticking over and lazy aerial shot-making.
Categorising players is unflattering:
Only Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat Cummings and Josh Hazlewood exceeded expectations.
Mitch Starc, Matthew Wade, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh and Siddle met expectations – although Lyon and Wade were flattered by isolated performances.
Those who failed to meet expectations were David Warner, Khawaja, Head, Time Paine, Marcus Harris and Cam Bancroft.
What’s more, Marsh’s bowling figures cannot overcome the fact that his batting record is still the worst top-six batsman selected for Australia with that number of Tests since silent movies, and isolated performances by players not in their preferred mode normally lead to defeats.
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
The problem with batting has been around for four or five years and we do not seem to have any solutions. The fact we have batsmen who cannot defend their stumps (note the high level of LBW and bowls in the series) is remarkable.
So what are the future plans?
We will err if we repeat the post-2015 approach, which was to select players who have not performed previously so they could gorge themselves on average opposition, particularly at home.
Adam Voges built up a fat average smacking the West Indies and New Zealanders around but had failed in England and against South Africa. Even Burns’ runs have come mostly against weak opposition.
The time is now to introduce and persevere with the talented batsmen the Shield is producing.
That means Head comes back (he may well be the future captain). Patterson is a no-brainer, as is Will Pucovski.
Khawaja should return to the top of the order, while Jhye Richardson must be part of the fast bowling group.
We desperately need another spinner – Ashton Agar should come east to play somewhere more sympathetic to tweakers and find out if he has a legitimate future.
There can be no gloating from an Ashes performance so heavily reliant on three or four players.
Absent a frank statement from the selection panel and Justin Langer on the need to improve in batting, the cricket community is entitled to feel short-changed.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
You think Wade is a better player than Patterson will be? Or even now? How do you justify Bancroft being a Better player than Burns? He would have to average 67 over his next 10 innings to even catch Burns’ stats.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
We
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
@ DaveJ, Shades of Dubya?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ad-O, yes, yes and yes.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
If I was dancing with ya sister I'd be over the Moon.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Maybe the counting was excellent!!!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Separate issues. We drew the series because of poor batting, by most (spiced by SS, Labs and 2xCs by Wade), good bowling and listless captaincy. We keep the Ashes according to the rules of the ICC (& more boundaries :laughing: ). It's a technical victory but it aint no hatstand. ------ Our placid pitches will help, in the Summer, and hinder overseas unless it's SA.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
No matter what happens the Poles always suffer.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
There appears to be a closing of ranks behind Paine and I understand that. But I stand by my criticisms of the difficulties Paine has faced ----- TBAC, I've admired Paine from the start of his career. He has been an excellent wicky. I don't care for a wicky's ability to make runs. Obviously if they can well and good. Gilly, Boucher and Sangakarra come to mind ----- He has come in at Australia's lowest ever point. Cheating is anathema to most Aussies. He's a cool head, no doubt, and speaks well without rancour. ----- As I said the captaincy has compromised his prime responsibility; that of 'keeper. His 'keeping has compromised his ability to be Captain. He has not marshalled the field or the bowlers well. This is the most important responsibility of a captain. Bigger than making runs, bigger than fronting cameras. Captains TAKE wickets, bowlers are his tools. Of course a drifting, biting Warne leggy or an in-swinging fast bowler's yorker is the mechanics and is the prime attribute of the bowler; their skill. But the Captain knows what's needed and WHEN. Field setting and bowling priority and order is the key attribute a captain must have. ----- Ask yourself this: "Would Benaud, Chappelli, Border, Taylor or Waugh allowed Stokes the time for his 135?" (No is the answer- no discussion needed.) I actually believe, Stoke's 135, was the most glaring example of poor captaincy. ---- I also wonder how long Lyon had been bowling injured?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Specsavers, ha ha ha AFL Uumpires sponsored by OPSM NRL Refs sponsored by SpecSavers Corporate Collusion? (They're blind if they can't see that)
JayG
Roar Rookie
I'm pretty disappointed with Paine's captaincy too. He panicked at Headingley and we lost a match and a series which we should have won. Too many chances were let go. The only reason this series went close was the efforts of Smith, Cummins and Hazlewood. Smith in particular was spectacular.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Agree. One big problem was the review. Some terrible decisions of whether to review or not. Paine didn't help by meandering up the wicket to discuss with the bowler. By the time they met there were barely seconds left to make a decision.
TheCunningLinguistic
Roar Rookie
“They got the Brexit vote right.” Umm… Okay. ????
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
You've completely side stepped the arrogance thing and that was my main point. Obviously a throw away line you're not prepared to defend. Whatever.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
Australia were poor to even be in that fumble position. England would have won the test at Lords if not for the rain. Then won the series. So swings and roundabouts. Without Smith Australia’s batting would have been dismal pretty much. So I think you escaped thanks to him. There is nothing more to be said really. Australia were poor England were poor. So 2-2.
peter chrisp
Guest
dB have to agree if i can use a term IT i guess wasn't as bad as what i think. In the end i was hoping a couple of our batsmen could have stood "taller" & made it a lot easier. As you say "IT" could have been a lot worse. With the summer of cricket just around the corner with New Zealand & Pakistan are they in Australia? Or their home ground?
Simoc
Guest
The comments are so similar to those clueless about cricket. Quite obviously Broad was bowling exceptionally well and was pitching it further up and getting great seam movement off the pitch. You need a good deal of luck to survive in those conditions and Labushagne had it, Warner didn't. Naturally it erodes your confidence as the series progresses and when the movement wasn't there in the last test the players got themselves out. But the best Australian players were in the team in England. Patterson is a good shield bat as is Burns but they aren't as good as the players selected and never will be. Hopefully Renshaw regains form and probably Harris and Bancroft are both good enough in Australia. But we can look forward to Archer and Wood playing in Ashes in Australia after next year.
James Butcher
Roar Rookie
Gotta be in it to win it.
Bruce
Guest
Yep totally agree. Labs was batting within the first few overs against bowlers with their tails up. His runs were worth even more because of the pressure and game situation. Would be nice to see him come in at 1/85 in the 25th over against an older ball and the second string bowlers.
matth
Roar Guru
Even after the Stokes miracle, the narrative was how could Australia possibly come back from that...and we won the next test to retain the Ashes. I was ecstatic at that point.