Let's be frank about this... if England win this Ashes series it will be a dark moment in Australia's cricket history.
Let's be frank about this... if England win this Ashes series it will be a dark moment in Australia's cricket history.
The further this series has stretched the less respect we have had for this modest England team.
If this series has confirmed anything, it is how cricketers can gain an inflated reputation on the back of performances against rubbish teams.
Ravi Bopara, a superstar when he was playing the West Indies, has been exposed as being technically flawed.
Ian Bell, who has eked out a beautiful living just being Mr Average in England's middle order, has again showed he lacks the class to match it with the best.
His lack of passion and personality grates on English fans and rivals. Paul Collingwood is a solid scrapper but he's no champion.
Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook are useful openers but please don't mention them in the same breath as John Edrich or Geoff Boycott or Michael Vaughan.
England have such little depth they considered recalling Mark Ramprakash who is 39 and averaged just 27 in his 51 Tests.
I'll repeat that average in case you thought it was a misprint ... 27.
England lack world class players.
And yet they are one win away from snatching back the Ashes.
Robert Craddock is Australia's premier cricket writer who has covered the sport for more than 20 years. He has covered more than 150 Test matches and the past five cricket World Cups.
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