Whitewash

By the early hours of tomorrow morning, I expect the Ashes test series to be complete. An embarrassing 5-0 scoreline, the first in 86 years, should spark severe ramifications for English players and management alike. Undoubtably, heads will roll and some players such as Trescothick, wicketkeeper Jones and Giles may never wear an international shirt again.

Playing the biggest series in world cricket should not have been approached with an amateur sunday league football team attitude and for all Duncan Fletcher's excuses, the time has come to admit the mistakes made by the management and touring board.

The captaincy although over-worked Freddie Flintoff gave everything he had, taking a chance on several unfit and undercooked players, poor preparation, bizarre indecisive team selections, that first ball, leaked tactical plans, what else could have gone wrong for a team who did not look focused and ready for the ultimate challenge of their lives? At least, the fanatical never-stop-singing Barmy Army have been a sole credit.

Unlike in 2005, this has not been a competitive top-notch sporting contest. England have played reasonably well in short, sharp bursts but when the crucial moments have surfaced, England have typically wilted back into their bad old ways of the 1990's and cracked under any pressure. The disgraceful defensive batting in the second innings at Adelaide springs to mind as the turning point of the series when an easily achieveable draw would have kept the Aussie's wondering whether they would regain the urn.

Contrast the wild celebrations by the Australians in what Shane Warne described as the "best test match he had ever played in" and Flintoff's shattered face after Kevin Pietersen's pathetic four over-throws off his bowling which signalled England had been broken - There was no way back.

Albeit, Australia have been magnificant in playing some fantastic cricket. Anyone could have foreseen that they would come out with all guns blazing, raging with anger from their bitter disappointment at losing the Ashes at the Oval. Victorious captain Ricky Ponting has led his troops in bullish, ruthless style, backed up by his old guard of Langer, Warne and McGrath. Hussey and Clark have been revelations for the home side, whereas we have only seen glimpses of the abilities of Cook and Monty.

Where do England go from here? Well, a one day series followed by the World Cup in the West Indies which will hardly boost the nation's pride judging by England's lame performances in the shortened version of the game in the last year.