The Reverse Sweep

Where do demoralised Australia go from here?

 
In the end Australia left Adelaide with barely a whimper and long before the arrival of the thunderstorm that must have being praying on English minds overnight. 
 
In truth the only storm that counts is the one that is now engulfing Ricky Ponting and the Australian selectors as they try to find an XI that can compete with England and somehow win two and draw one of the three remaining tests in the series. Otherwise, Ponting is in danger of having his legacy as the best Australian batsman since Bradman besmirched. Instead, he will forever be known as the captain that lost three Ashes series.
 
As an honest Ponting admitted, Australia were “out-batted, out-bowled and out-fielded” by a rampant England team. And as he and the selectors pick through the wreckage, the temptation will be to make wholesale changes to the side that takes the field at the WACA next week.
 
There will be at least one change, with Simon Katich’s achilles problem ruling him out of the rest of the series and given his years will perhaps curtail his test career for good. Phil Hughes is likely to return at the top of the order. Elsewhere, Marcus North’s position at number six will come under scrutiny and then there are the bowlers. Of the four who played in Adelaide, only Ryan Harris comes out with any credit with the other three all in danger of losing their place.
 
Aside form Andrew Strauss’ injudicious leave, Doug Bollinger looked was simply dreadful - he wasn't quick enough, leaked too many runs and his body language was terrible. He certainly lacked the fizz that his name would otherwise imply. As such Mitchell Johnson’s exile may only last for one match.
 
Peter Siddle has experienced the highs and lows of test cricket in just a week - six wickets and a birthday hat-trick on day one of the series and 54 wicketless overs since. Whilst he continued to run in and give it everything, Siddle looked like what he is – a bowler returning from a long-time injury. It is likely to come down to a borderline decision between him and Ben Hilfenhaus – who was inexplicably left out at Adelaide.
 
Both may play if the selectors opt for four seamers – as Xavier Doherty’s brief sojourn in test cricket will surely be put out of its misery. The gamble simply hasn’t worked – hardly surprising given his first-class record. However, having dispensed with Nathan Hauritz before the series, are the Australian selectors prepared to look a bit foolish by going back to him cap in hand now? Or do they turn instead to the rookie Steve Smith, who could take North’s place and provide support to a four-seam attack? If so, Mark Cameron of New South Wales is a good outside bet to join Harris, Johnson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus in the squad.
 
If Hauritz gets the nod and Australia retain the four bowler policy with Shane Watson as back-up seamer, North could survive for his home test. Cameron White - a possible alternative to Clarke as next captain, Usman Khawaja and Callum Ferguson are all contenders for North's spot if the selectors press the eject button.
 
For what it’s worth our squad would be as follows, with the XI highlighted in bold: Watson, Hughes, Clarke, Hussey, Ponting, White, Haddin, Johnson, Hauritz, Harris, Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Smith. We've been calling for Ponting to drop down the order for a while. It will allow him to compartmentalise the captaincy and give him a better chance of getting back to his imperious best with the bat.

Where next?

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

1st Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

2nd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

The Boundary View: Cook serves up a dish of deja vu for hapless Australia - Adelaide, Day Two

 
Cook serves up another helping of humble pie

Until now there was only one choice as to who was the most famous Cook to land on Australian shores - and here's a clue it wasn't Gordon Ramsey. But Alastair Cook seems to be on a one man mission to change this. He picked up where he left on in Brisbane as he continued to plunder runs from a feeble Australian bowling attack. His 15th Test century never looked in doubt and the technical faults that plagued him in the English summer seemed to have vanished into thin air. We apologised to James Anderson yesterdayfor doubting that he could succeed in Australia and we owe one to Cook too for having the temerity to question his place in the side. But for once (or is it twice?) we are happy to be proved emphatically wrong. And on Cook we weren't the only ones - were we Michael Atherton?

Deja vu for Ponting

Ricky Ponting must have thought he was caught in a nightmarish time warp during Cook and Jonathan Trott's 2nd wicket partnership of 173 - which extended their unbroken stint at the crease from The Gabba to 502 runs and nearly 10 hours before the latter was eventually out. Some of the names in his bowling attack were different, but the results were the same for Ponting as catches were dropped, the bowling was ineffectual, his left-armer quick (Bollinger this time) was expensive and had poor body language - and Cook, Trott and then KP continued on their merry way. The lowpoint must have been when a decision to give Cook caught behind off Siddle was overturned by the third umpire. As Atherton remarked, that must have been enormously dispiriting for the hapless Aussies. With England effectively 834/3 since the start of their 2nd innings in Brisbane, Jeff Thomson's assertion that the current Australian attack is the worst for 30 years is looking truer by the day.

King Trott V

Trott continued to lord it over his favourite opponents - he averages over 100 against Australia - and made a lightning start to his innings today with a flurry of flicked and driven boundaries through the off-side.  Trott has developed a regal presence at the crease and now has the 5th highest average ever for those with more than 1000 test runs - see list of best Test averages here. And there were those that doubted he should bat at three.

Strauss's brain fade

What is it with Andrew Strauss and the third ball of the day? After his misjudgement in the 1st innings at Brisbane, he repeated the trick with a cherry on top to Doug Bollinger's third delivery this morning. Choosing to leave a ball that hits the top of the stumps was a massive error for a man who otherwise hasn't put a foot wrong since he landed on Australian soil. But at least it enabled him to put his feet up in the pavilion and enjoy a feast of batting.

Come back Nathan all is forgiven

It takes a lot to make Nathan Hauritz look good, but Xavier Doherty has managed to achieve that. The pitches at Brisbane and now Adelaide may have been good, but one gets the impression that the only way hewill take wickets is if the batsmen give it away. As Shane Warne has observed the Australian selectors are now in a bit of a pickle. Having made the decision to replace Hauritz before the series, should they now go back to him? Or should they opt for the rookie Steves - Smith or O'Keefe? Whatever they do, their selection policy has been irrefutably flawed and has smacked of panic - as evidenced by dispensing with Johnson and Hilfenhaus after Brisbane. Shades of England in the 1990's? 

Player of the day

For the third time in the series it is the relentless run machine Alastair Cook. The way he is going Wally Hammond's record for an Englishman of 905 runs in an Ashes series (see Adelaide Hero - Wally Hammond) is looking within reach. He is almost halfway there  with 438 runs after only three innings - and he can make further inroads tomorrow.

Zero of the day

After only three balls it looked like Strauss had this one sown up, but as the day unfolded the out of depth Xavier Doherty claimed an unassailable grip on this dubious honour. A spinner is supposed to give you control on a good pitch when the mercury is rising and going at over four runs an over is almost a dereliction of duty. The hapless Australian Selectors share the award for their ridiculous gamble on a bowler with a first-class average of 50.

What happens next?

We predicted before the match that Kevin Pietersen looked set for a big score and having waited for what must seem a week to bat his first test hundred in 17 long months looks within reach. He certainly looked back to his fluent best today. Cook could reach another milestone if he can replicate Hammond's back to back hundreds at Sydney (251) and Melbourne (200) in the aforementioned 1928/29 series. Another day of pain awaits Australia barring rain.

Where next?

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

Day 1 at Adelaide disected: Australia capsizes to Jimmy  and Dear Jimmy...

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Ashes 100-1: 1 - Ten tips for the Ashes

 
It's been a real labour of love, but today sees the last post of our 100 day Ashes countdown collaboration with our good friends at World Cricket Watch. 100 posts in 100 days - it's been tough at times but on the whole its been enjoyable.

So with less than one day to go until Messrs Strauss and Ponting toss the coin and proceedings get underway at The Gabba, here are our ten tips for the series:

1. Despite England bowling out Australia for 80 at The Gabba to win the 1st Test, the Channel 9 commentary team are scathing in their criticism of Andrew Strauss' supposed negative captaincy

2. In an effort to cure his dodgy back, Michael Clarke gets back together with Lara Bingle. 

3. After scoring his first hundred for 20 months at Adelaide, KP decides that facial hair brings him good luck and by the time of the Sydney Test, he has a beard that would make Hashim Amla and Mohammad Yousuf proud.

4. Mitchell Johnson's first ball of the series goes straight to third slip and back in the Sky studio in London,  a certain Steve Harmison cannot contain his glee. Meanwhile, Mitchell's Mum - never one to shy away from publicity - does a centrefold spread in Playboy Australia.

5. Leading runscorer in the series? Ian Bell. Leading wicket-taker? Ben Hilfenhaus. Most grumpyplayer? Ricky Ponting. Most boring press conference? Michael Clarke every time.

6. At the Christmas Party proceeding the Melbourne Test, the karaoke choices if the players prove pretty telling. Shane Watson opts for 'Mr Vain', Stuart Broad 'You're So Vain', Ricky Ponting 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now', Jonathan Trott and Michael Clarke duet on 'Being Boring'before Kevin Pietersen rounds off proceedings with 'I Am The One and Only'.

7. Michael Hussey and/or Marcus North will be dropped before the end of the series for Usman Khawaja and/or Callum Ferguson.

8. The Australian selectors announce a collaboration with Simon Cowell called Spin Factor so that the public can pick the long-term successor to Shane Warne. After Doherty plays at The Gabba, Smith gets a turn at Adelaide, O'Keefe at Perth and Hauritz at Melbourne before the public pick the wildcard Bryce McGain in a special New Year's Day programme on Channel 9. McGain plays at Sydney and takes eight wickets.

9. Starved of action on the field, Tim Bresnan's weight balloons to 20 stone by the end of the series. Desperate to lose the pounds before the one dayers, he employs Jesse Ryder's fitness instructor. 

10. And the most important tip of all? We go for England to retain the Ashes in an extremely tight series either by virtue of drawing the series 2-2 or by sneaking a 2-1 or 3-2 win.

Let the action begin.

Where next?

Read all the articles of our Ashes 100 day countdown

10 reasons why Australia / England will win the Ashes

Ashes Squad Player Profiles: Australia and England

All-time Australian Ashes XI: The Openers, Number 3, 4 and 5, All-rounder, Wicketkeeper, Fast bowlers, Spin Kings

All-time England Ashes XI: The Openers, Number 3, 4 and 5, All-rounder, Wicketkeeper, Fast bowlers, Spin King

Ashes 100-1: 21 - Australia Ashes Squad Profiles

 
Yesterday we profiled the sixteen hungry men tasked with retaining the Ashes for England on Australian soil. Today, we look at their hosts who will be aiming to win their sixth successive home Ashes series:

Ricky Ponting – A fading force with the bat and a captain on the verge of becoming the first Australian skipper to lose three Ashes series. The next two months are likely to embellish or potentially curtail a fine career.

Michael Clarke – Was arguably the best batsman on either side in the 2009 series, but has looked out of sorts since his much publicised split with Lara Bingle. His press conferences are an unbeatable cure for insomniacs.

Shane Watson– Has proved an unlikely success as an opener - and as such is after Ponting, Australia’s key batsman - but is a walking LBW early on. Innocuous medium pace is more dangerous than it looks – just ask Pakistan’s batsmen.

Simon Katich – As difficult to dislodge as the most plucky of barnacles - until he reaches 80 or 90 that is. Not the prettiest to watch at the crease, which even the man himself acknowledged recently when he said that "I think more people get enjoyment out of watching me bowl than bat".

Michael Hussey – Only averages 34 in his last 28 tests and may be lucky to survive the series especially as Kamran Akmal will not be behind the stumps.

Marcus North – Just when you thought he was out for the count, North sprung back off the canvas (and not for the first time either) with a career saving hundred at Bangalore. That revival does not hide the fact though that North is another unlikely to last the series if Australia make a poor start.

Callum Ferguson – Has a “big chance” of making his test bow at Brisbane according to Tim Nielsen. But a first-class average in the mid-thirties will not have England quaking in their size nines.

Usman Khawaja – Immensely talented New South Wales batsman with a first-class average of 54 who could become the first Muslim to play cricket for Australia.

Phil Hughes – Tagged as the “new Bradman” when he exploded onto the test scene against South Africa in 2009 before being rapidly dispensed with. A first-class average of 60 suggests Hughes is better than his brief appearance in the 2009 series suggested.

Cameron White – Test career has been harmed by the fact that White is a blond Victorian who bowls a bit of leg-spin. An Australian middle-order with White at five would look a much tougher proposition for Strauss and co.

Brad Haddin – An exceptionally good number seven – albeit with a propensity for being over-reckless at times. Not so good with the gloves and his place must be under pressure from the impressive Paine.

Tim Paine – Impressed with bat and gloves in India and is clearly the long-term bet to cement a place in the test side. Will probably be Haddin’s understudy this time, however.

Nathan Hauritz – The nation that brought us Warne, O’Reilly and Grimmett now gives us the impotent Hauritz. In a contest between two evenly matched sides, the disparity between him and Swann could prove crucial in the final reckoning.

Steve Smith – If Australia choose to be adventurous, the young leggie could bat at seven ahead of four pacemen. But they won’t and Smith will start the series on the sidelines. A promising batsman, but significant work would appear to be needed on his bowling.

Xavier Doherty – A first-class average of 50 with the ball suggests his mention in dispatches is perhaps a ploy to wind up that habitual victim of slow-left armers – Kevin Pietersen. If he plays in the series, despite his impressive ODI bow yesterday, we will eat our collection of Wisdens.

Mitchell Johnson – His waywardness may make Harmison look metronomic in comparison, but he has an uncanny ability to take wickets with bad balls and is a different proposition on home pitches. England will underestimate Mummy’s Boy at their peril.

Ben Hilfenhaus – The best bowler on show on either side in the 2009 series is to some extent unproven on Australian wickets at the highest level having only played one of his 13 tests at home. That said, is a good bet to be the leading wicket taker in the series.

Doug Bollinger – The children’s TV lookalike (see Doug Bollinger's moonlighting again) is not as brave as Australian quicks of previous vintageif his absence from the final stages of the Mohali Test is anything to go by. Will test Strauss’ perceived weakness against left-arm new ball bowlers.

Peter Siddle – The man with the white lipstick is a solid if unspectacular performer and his recent injury problems mean he is likely to start the series on the sidelines.

Ryan Harris – A rag to riches tale has seen the late-blooming Harris emerge as an international bowler in the last 12 months. Another with recent injury worries.

Peter George – Innocuous on debut at Bangalore, but his height and natural bounce will be clearly more suited to home wickets should injuries give him an opportunity.

Tim Nielsen (Coach): The man who drew the short straw when taking over from Buchanan. His task of returning his charges to former glories looks a tougher one each day.

Where next?

Check out our full Ashes 100-1 countdown

England fly down under with hopes high

What can England learn from Australia's Indian woes?

 

Ashes 100-1: 51 - Is Australia's spin cupboard bare?

If Australia are to win the Mohali test then it is unlikely that their spinner Nathan Hauritz will play a decisive role (although we could yet fall victim to writing this post in advance). Indeed, one could argue that it was part-timer Marcus North's removal of Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian first innings that first gave the Aussies a chance of scoring a famous win on Indian soil.

This isn't even close to an exceptional Australian side, but they are hyper-competitive, never know when they are beaten and will be extremely tough for England to beat on Australian soil come November 25th. But one thing England won't be losing sleep over is the quality (or otherwise) of the Australian spin attack. And that is quite rare for England teams embarking on a tour down under - especially in recent times.

Australia has given cricket some of its greatest spinners, especially those of the leg-spin variety and they have left a telling mark on the history of the Ashes. The ten leading Australian spinners (in terms of wickets taken) in Ashes encounters is presented in the table below:

Leading Australian Ashes spinners
Player	Mat	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5	10
SK Warne	36	195	8/71	12/246	23.25	2.52	55.10	11	4
H Trumble	31	141	8/65	12/89	20.88	2.23	55.90	9	3
CV Grimmett	22	106	6/37	11/82	32.44	2.25	86.40	11	2
WJ O'Reilly	19	102	7/54	11/129	25.36	1.97	77.00	8	3
AA Mailey	18	86	9/121	13/236	34.12	3.38	60.40	6	2
R Benaud	27	83	6/70	9/173	31.81	2.17	87.70	4	0
AA Mallett	14	47	5/114	6/97	28.63	2.28	75.10	1	0
GE Palmer	11	46	7/65	10/126	19.43	2.20	52.90	4	1
IWG Johnson	22	42	7/42	8/134	37.85	2.07	109.30	1	0
SCG MacGill	6	39	7/50	12/107	24.71	2.72	54.50	3	1
NM Hauritz	3	10	3/63	6/158	32.10	3.10	62.00	0	0

In Shane Warne, Clarrie Grimmett and Bill 'Tiger' O'Reilly, Australia have produced three of the best ten spinners of all-time and Richie Benaud and Hugh Trumble weren't far behind either. Grimmett and O'Reilly even played in the same era meaning that Australia had two deadly leg-spinners operating at the same time - Daryl Cullinan must break out in a sweat when he thinks of having to face two bowlers as good at Warne at the same time.

Incredibly, Stuart MacGill had a better strike rate than all five of the great bowlers named above. However, he was doomed to spend a life in the shadow of Warne and had his test career severely curtailed as a result. Unlike with Grimmett and O'Reilly, Warne and MacGill rarely operated in tandem. 

What Ricky Ponting would give to have a ten years younger MacGill available now. Instead, he will have a choice between the limited and unpenetrative Hauritz or the promising but extremely raw Steve Smith (plus the odd over from North (if he keeps his place), Michael Clarke and Simon Katich). Not exactly an embarrassment of riches is it Punter?

Whichever one out of Smith and Hauritz gets the nod, they will probably be asked to keep it tight at one end as Ponting rotates his seamers at the other. What a difference from when Border, Taylor, Waugh and Ponting himself had the attacking Warne to call upon.

England have several good players of spin and if Pietersen, Collingwood and Bell can each find some semblance of form they could really cash in against Hauritz or Smith. England on the other hand have the best spinner currently operating in world cricket in Graeme Swann, which suggests that Adelaide and Sydney may not be prepared in their usual manner. If it does come down to a battle of spin to decide the Ashes, there will be only one winner.

Where next?

Seven reasons why the Poms love Shane Warne

Stuart MacGill - Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda

View the full Ashes 100-1 Countdown 

Pakistan vs Australia - Australia marks out of ten & Ashes rating

It is probably not jumping the gun to suggest that the period of Australian cricket supremacy has come to an end. At times it seemed that the era would last as long as the Roman Empire itself, and continuing on that theme the fall of the Green and Gold's could be just as dramatic if the brief tour of England is anything to go by.

For the first time since 1977, an Australian touring side leaves English shores empty handed having lost the Nat West Series to England 3-2, been beaten 2-0 in the Twenty 20 series against Pakistan, and now with defeat at Headingley, only drawn the test series, also with Pakistan, 1-1.

As we outlined last week, the problems facing the declining Australians are stark with only a short two test series in India to go before the first Ashes test in Brisbane at the end of November. Groundhog day batting collapses, impotent new ball bowlers and question marks over a number of players due to injury and form are just some of the problems facing Ricky Ponting and Tim Neilsen.

So, how did the players who faced Pakistan rate on the Reverse Sweep marks out of ten scale? And what are their chances of retaining their place for the Ashes?

Shane Watson - 7 (64 runs, Average 16.00, HS 31. 11 Wickets, Average 10.63, B/B 6/33): Just as Twatto's beginners luck as a test opener seemed to desert him, the Pakistani batsman contrived to hand him two successive five fors. The honours boards at Lord's and Headingley will be hanging their heads in shame. Ashes selection rating - A certainty 

Simon Katich - 7 (187 runs, Average 46.75, HS 83): Is there a worse batsman to watch in test cricket today? Probably not, but what Katich's batting lacks in style he certainly makes up for in effectiveness. England will hope his two failures at Headingley are the start of a trend. Ashes selection rating: A certainty

Ricky Ponting - 5 (98 runs, Average 24.50, HS 61): It is sad to see one of the all-time greats struggling so badly; unless you are an England fan that is. For a time, it looked like Ponting was going to resurrect Australia in the second innings at Headingley with his ultra-competitiveness and typical battling nature. But then he got out to a horrendous shot on the third morning. Could we be nearing the end of Ponting's wonderful test career? Ashes selection rating: A certainty, but should he drop down the order?

Michael Clarke - 6 (139 runs, Average 34.75, HS 77): Like the rest of his colleagues, he looked like a beginner in the first innings at Headingley. But in the rest of the series, Clarke looked what he now is - Australia's premier batsman. May end up as captain of his country within a year unless Australia cure their current malaise. Ashes selection rating: A certainty, but should be move up to three?

Michael Hussey - 5 (69 runs, Average 23.00, HS 56*): In the first innings at Lord's it looked like Mr Cricket was going to continue to be the scourge of Pakistan. But 13 runs in three innings after suggests that Hussey has several chinks in his armour that England should be able to exploit over the winter. Ashes selection rating: Probably safe, but given his age for how long?

Marcus North - 4 (36 runs, Average 9.00, HS 20. BB 6/55): His surprising haul of six for 55 at Lord's should not detract from the fact that North's days as a test cricketer must surely be numbered. There are a number of options the Australian selectors could pursue, but none of them should include North in their Ashes XI. Ashes selection rating: Surely, North is a goner?

Tim Paine - 7 (104 runs, Average 26.00, HS 47): Looked very impressive (and far more assured than Brad Haddin) behind the stumps and looked pretty handy with the bat as well. Amidst the carnage of the first innings at Headingley, Paine stood out like a beacon from the rest, and in the second innings he was doing wonderfully well before being suckered by Kaneira into chasing a wide one. A promising start to his test career. Ashes selection rating: Will only play if Haddin's broken body doesn't mend

Steve Smith - 7 (3 wickets, Average 27.33, BB 3/51. 100 runs, Average 25.00, HS 77): Is clearly not the new Shane Warne despite the hyperbole, but considering his age looks a very promising leg-spinner/batsman. His 77 in the second innings at Headingley was quite brilliant - even more so given it was only Smith's second test - and nearly took Australia to the promised land. Ashes selection rating: May well play, either instead of Hauritz or even as a second spin option/number six in place of North

Mitchell Johnson - 2 (3 wickets, Average 72.33, BB 1/31): The ICC Cricketer of the Year clearly doesn't like playing in England and was to be frank, awful. No wickets and no control with only three victims for 217 and an economy rate of over 4.00 runs per over. And like Stuart Broad, any thoughts of Johnson developing as an all-rounder must surely now be forgotten. If Peter Siddle regains form and fitness, maybe Johnson should be the one to drop out? Ashes selection rating: A certainty for the Gabba, but will he last for the whole series?

Ben Hilfenhaus - 7 (8 wickets, Average 23.75, BB 3/39): Despite lacking some match fitness, Hilfenhaus was the pick of the Australian attack (although that doesn't say much). Didn't look quite as sharp as he did in the Ashes last summer but will be relishing the opportunity to cross swords with Strauss and Cook again at the Gabba. And if his batting continues to improve at the same rate, he could be opening in 18 months time! Ashes selection rating: If fit, a certainty

Doug Bollinger - 5 (5 wickets, Average 36.40, BB 3/51): Lacked penetration with the new Duke ball and will be looking to improve with the Kookaburra back in his hand. Always up for the fight though and bowled well on the last morning at Headingley. Alan Davidson is right to say that Bolly is a better bowler than Johnson. Ashes selection rating: Should be the second seamer on the list after Hilfenhaus

Pakistan tear up the script to dismay Hollywood

The cameras have been running for three days. The setting may be different but there had been an uncanny resemblance to the original as the scenes were shot.

Ricky Ponting won the toss, Australia then duly collapsed like an ageing rock star after a three day drink and drug fuelled bender. Pakistan took a first innings lead without ever looking assured in the middle. Then Australia had fought back and set Pakistan a tricky target of 180.

Sure some things were different - Michael Hussey left his Superman cape at home this time and Kamran Akmal actually caught the bloody ball in the Australian second innings; even threatening for times to look like a competent test wicketkeeper. Rookie Steve Smith threatened to take the Oscar after an incredibly compelling cameo performance and Salman Butt refused to slip into the ultra-defensive mode of Mohammad Yousuf.

Yes, the Hollywood remake of the Pakistani tragedy movie "Sydney" was looking like it would provide an authentically similar ending. The PCB were even sharpening their knives for the captain, Akmal brothers and the pantomime villain figure of Shoaib Malik. 

But then Pakistan decided to improvise and throw away the script. Sure, Butt provided the requisite tame dismissal, but Imran Farhat and another rookie Azhar Ali then forgot the roles they were supposed to be playing. Instead of being nervous, they looked assured. Instead of giving their wickets away, they steadily knocked off the runs.

The Australian bowlers forgot their lines too especially the notoriously absent-minded Mitchell Johnson. It seemed the absence of the hitherto bit-part player Nathan Hauritz also meant the remake was unravelling. Shane Watson too messed things up by dropping a simple chance to reprieve Farhat and then proceeded to wear his customary frown for the rest of the day as he returned to his usual role of the innocuous medium-pacer.

With the ending now looking very different, Hollywood bosses are said to be furious and their representative - let's call him John (apparently he is on first name terms with Shane Warne and Mark Waugh) - reportedly spent most of last night locked in the Pakistan caravan imploring the team to return to the agreed script.

But will Butt and co comply or are we in for a very different ending to "Sydney"? If so, maybe the Director could save face and call it a sequel. 

Questions for Ponting and Australia to answer before the Ashes

As Australia prepare to take on Pakistan at Headingley in the second test today, Ricky Ponting will be conscious that there are just over four months until the start of the first Ashes test at the Gabba. Given that Ponting has already stated that he expects to be relieved of the captaincy should he preside over a third Ashes series reverse, he can be forgiven for having one eye on the challenge that lies ahead.

So how do Australia look ahead of the big event? On the surface, eight wins out of nine tests since that defeat at The Oval suggests that Ponting's men have responded with typical Australian tenacity to the disappointment of relinquishing their ownership of the little urn. When you factor in Australia's excellent record at home and the fact that England have not won a series Down Under since 1987, Australia should certainly be considered favourites.

But when you take a closer look, there are a number of potential areas of weakness in Australia's XI, which England will have the opportunity to exploit should Ponting and coach Tim Nielsen fail to provide a cure before the action starts.

The questions that Australia need to answer include:

How can they cure their bad habit of batting collapses? - As our post earlier in the week highlighted, Australia has developed an English like habit for the batting collapse. It has only been the inability of the opposition to take advantage that has prevented Australia suffering more test defeats over the last year. England, as they did last summer, are equipped to make Australia pay should this brittleness continue.

Does Ponting need to move down the order? - Australia's best batsman since Bradman appears to be in terminal decline and has developed a real weakness against the short ball. Even a young upstart like Kemar Roach had Ponting in trouble, so Stuart Broad and Steve Finn in particular will look to exploit the Australian skipper's shortcomings. Is it now time for Ponting to drop down to five and promote captain-in-waiting and now the team's premier batsman Michael Clarke to first drop? It will be a brave move by all concerned, but perhaps it is the right move.

What should Australia do about Marcus North? - North is like a cockroach in the sense that just when you think he is dead, he'll spring back to life by either scoring a hundred or even more inexplicably taking six wickets. But the feeling prevails that whilst North is an excellent first-class cricketer, he maybe falls a little short at test level especially when Australia arguably has far more talented cricketers to bat at six (Cameron White, anyone?). England will be happy if North is still in the XI come November.

Smith or Hauritz, or both? - A lot of rubbish has been written in the last week comparing Steve Smith to Shane Warne. He is no Warne, but Smith is a potentially talented all-round cricketer who could arguably bat at six (or seven below Haddin). If he plays instead of Hauritz, Australia would have an extremely long tail with Mitchell Johnson at nine (and the new Bradman, Ben Hilfenhaus at ten). Neither Smith (yet) or Hauritz is a matchwinner, so talk of playing both of them is surely a mistake that would play into England's hands.

How do Australia get more bite with the new ball? - 14 of Australia's wickets at Lord's last week were taken by Shane Watson, Smith and North, which suggests that the pace trio of Hilfenhaus, Johnson and Doug Bollinger lacked a bit of bite. This was especially so for Bollinger with the new ball. The left-armer is undoubtedly a good bowler and he has made an excellent start to his test career, but is he better as first change? And if so, can Johnson be trusted with the new ball?

What is the best seam bowling line-up? - An incredible run of injuries has meant that Australia has had to chop and change its seam bowlers since the end of the Ashes last summer. Stuart Clark and Brett Lee have now gone. Hilfenhaus has had injury problems and Peter Siddle will struggle to be at peak fitness in time for Brisbane. Ponting was worried enough to publicly express recently his desire that Shaun Tait reconsider his decision to only play one day and Twenty 20 cricket. It would seem that the captain and Nielsen are not sure who will join Johnson in their Ashes attack. This uncertainty could prove to be an advantage for England.

And with only Headingley and two tests in India to go until Brisbane, Ponting and Nielsen must be getting increasingly nervous. Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss still have issues of their own to address such as who will bat at three and the poor form of James Anderson, but they will be quietly confident as things stand. It is all set up to be a very close series. 127 days to go and counting.  

Nat West Series - Australia marks out of ten

Unlike England who played the same XI throughout the five games, Australia chopped and changed their line-up playing 15 men in the series for reasons of form and injury.

At first it looked like Australia were going to be humbled but with the introduction of the express Shaun Tait and some typically gritty performances, they managed to claw their way back to leave with a 3-2 defeat and arguably the momentum in their favour.

A 5-0 defeat may have left some scars that wouldn't have healed by the Ashes but a narrow series defeat with several key players missing and facing a buoyant England side, will give Ricky Ponting and his side some positives for November. However, the bragging rights are definitely with England for the time being.

So, how did the Aussies rate during the series?

Shane Watson - 7 (205 runs, avg 41.00, SR 85.06, 2 50s, HS 61. 2 wickets, avg 32.00 Econ 5.81 BB 2/55 Started the series as the only Australian in form but kept getting out when set much to his obvious disappointment. Bowling was pretty poor and the days of him being tagged as an all-rounder must now be gone.

Tim Paine - 6 (148 runs, avg 29.60, SR 63.79, 1 50, HS 54) A shadow of the batsman who shone in last autumn's series against the same opposition. Didn't score enough runs and those he did score were at too pedestrian a rate. Brad Haddin, your place is safe.

Ricky Ponting - 6 (144 runs, avg 28.80, SR 80.00, 1 50, HS 92) Unquestionably, the Australian captain is a player in irreversible decline as shown by his struggles in this series. But this was a batsman with the powers of Gandalf and this and his love of a fight, saw him set the foundations for his team's win at The Oval with an un-Ponting like 92.

Michael Clarke - 8 (220 runs, avg 110.00, SR 83.33, 2 50s, HS 99*) His 87 not out in the first match was not made at the pace his side required to set a winning target, but it is hard to criticise someone who had these stats for a one day series. His partnership with Ponting at The Oval was a matchwinning one however, even if it didn't give him the hundred he deserved.

Cameron White - 6 (145 runs, avg 36.25, SR 77.54, 1 50, HS 86*) A steady if unspectacular series for the normally big hitting White. It can't be often that his strike rate for a one day series is slower than Clarke's and his 86 not out at Cardiff proved to be too circumspect.

Mike Hussey - 6 (143 runs, avg 28.60, SR 97.27, 1 50, HS 79) Another Australian batsman who started the series in poor form and finished it close to his best. His 79 in the final match was a typical Hussey masterpiece and showed exactly why he is rated one of the best one day batsman in the world.

Shaun Marsh - 6 (59 runs, avg 59.00, SR 118.00, 1 50, HS 59) Just played the final match at Lord's and showed just what Australia had been missing. Could have played himself back into the team as Watson's opening partner.

James Hopes - 5 (2 wickets, avg 101, Econ 5.58, BB 1/30. 61 runs, avg 20.33, SR 103.38, HS 34) Reminds of one of the many bits and pieces cricketers England used to populate their one day side with in the nineties. Hopes' stats for the series bore this out too. His time must be nigh in this line-up.

Steve Smith - 7 (7 wickets, avg 26.00, Econ 5.05, BB 2/34. 94 runs, avg 31.33, SR 98.94, HS 41)Hugely impressive performance from the youngster especially as England would have targeted his leg spin as a weakness. Clearly he is no Warne, but he looks like he could have a long international career ahead of him all the same.

Nathan Hauritz - 5 (1 wicket, avg 100.00, Econ 5.55, BB 1/56) Played the first two matches before getting injured and must now fear that Smith will take his place in the test and one day sides. England would have been disappointed to see him go.

Doug Bollinger - 8 (9 wickets, avg 19.77, Econ 3.95, BB 3/20) Looks a very good bowler who wears his heart on his sleeve. Good performances throughout the series with wickets and a decent economy rate. Probably nailed on for a spot at The Gabba in November - form and fitness permitting.

Ryan Harris - 8 (10 wickets, avg 17.10, Econ 4.79, BB 5/32) Another impressive Australian bowler who bowls around 90mph, and despite playing four matches was the leading wicket taker for Ricky Ponting's men. Bowled beautifully at The Oval.

Shaun Tait - 9 (8 wickets, avg 12.37, Econ 3.88, BB 4/48) What would have happened if Tait had played the whole series? Must be the fastest bowler in the world at the moment and he combines taking wickets without leaking too many runs. Could be in line for a return to test cricket too - but is he fit enough?

Josh Hazelwood - 5 (1 wicket, avg 41.00, Econ 5.85, BB 1/41) The 19 year old made his debut at the Rose Bowl and seemed to do well enough, but was then never seen again. Did he get lost en route to Cardiff?

Clint McKay - 3 (1 match, 0/60) Also only played one match and didn't look much of a player on that showing. Strauss certainly punished his no-balls.