The Ashes Go Home, But No One Is to Blame According to Cricket Australia

Australia has only ever produced one batsman who was better than Ricky Ponting. While there are a few who could claim to be his equal, only Bradman was better. Even today, almost 14 years after his Test debut, Ponting would still be first picked on merit. But he can’t lead, and that will remain as an indelible blot on what is otherwise a stellar career.

Ricky Ponting has the dubious honour of being the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes for a second time. Plenty have failed to regain them, but only Ponting has held the Ashes and then had to give them away twice.

Were the losses all Ponting’s fault? Of course not, but did he have a key role to play and, as captain, the buck stops with him. In a series where Australia led in every department except the one that counts, it is difficult to see where things went wrong.

Australia only had two bad innings, one at Lord's and one at The Oval, and each time it cost them the game and, in turn, the series. To blame the series loss on the batsmen, however, would be very unfair.

Put in simple terms, the Australians bowled rubbish. Nowhere was that more evident than in the first test at Cardiff when Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar held the Aussie attack at bay for 11.3 overs—long enough to force a draw and bring out Ponting’s whinging complaints about time wasting.

While Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus toiled manfully, Ponting continued to throw the ball to Mitchell Johnson and their good work was undone by with some of the most wayward bowling seen in Ashes cricket since Steve Harmison’s first ball in Brisbane in 2006.

Whether it was the argument with his mummy or dreaming of shapely girlfriend Jessica Bratich that was affecting him is unclear, but Johnson had no control over either line or length throughout the series. He gave away runs, he released pressure on batsmen and he took a spot that could have been filled by a better bowler.

He had one good innings in five Tests, against a demoralised batting lineup in the second innings at Headingley. Despite that, his spot in the side was never questioned. Compare that with Phil Hughes who had one bad game and was gone. Sure, Shane Watson proved to be a good choice, but it’s interesting to see how certain players are protected at the expense of others.

Selection is always going to be a contentious issue and it is very easy to sit back and criticise with the benefit of hindsight. The captain plays a very big part in selection when on tour but when the side isn’t travelling well, perhaps selection should be left to those who aren’t playing and part of the playing clique.

The decision not to take a front line spinner into the Oval Test, despite it looking like a dust bowl from day one, was baffling to say the least. Yes, you don’t change a winning side unless you have to, but it’s pretty clear that they bollocksed up here.  

While Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland can try to defend the indefensible, selector Jamie Cox had the decency to admit in a radio interview that the selectors got it wrong. Sutherland is right that it wouldn’t have stopped the Aussies being bowled out for 160, but they might have been able to get the Poms out a bit cheaper. Graeme Swann took eight wickets—that tells you something.

And so Australia will come home without the Ashes—again—and nothing will change—again—and Australia will slide down the rankings. Meanwhile CA and Ricky will sleep well at night, comfortable that all is well with the flat world that they live on.

Congratulations England, but look out for another 5-0 whitewash in 2010.