Australia’s rampant rabbit isn’t losing the Ashes

(Picture: IB Times)

For all the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the Trent Bridge debacle, the Ashes wasn’t really the catalyst, crux or anything in between.

It’s the regeneration.  Since the retirement of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and co, there’s been a rebuild.  The 2013-2014 Ashes was combed over by England’s dreadful performances.  Many of these have already been talked about, dissected and torn apart.

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CWC 2015: Australia v England – Aussies set to fire at home

Steve Smith in the ODI Tri-Series (photo: Getty Images)

(Read here for the same post on Infinity Cricket)

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP: AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND

(Prediction: Australia. Both teams have talent, but Australia is putting it together with consistent performances)

AUSTRALIA

A home ground advantage in sport usually equates to visiting opponents being clinically beaten.

The way the Australians have prepared for the World Cup is ideal.  Back atop the ODI rankings, and a very convincing tri-series against England and India means their opponents need to watch out.

You cannot switch out new for old; cricket is no different

Steven Smith celebrates a century against India (photo: Getty Images)

After his first test in charge of the Australian test cricket team, Steven Smith showed poise, humour, tenacity, grit, and positivity.

Michael Clarke watched on from his home in Sydney, live tweeting his thoughts about the game.  The crowd and audience were glued to the action in earnest and suspense; more so after India were able to post a competitive total with the bat.

Cricket: Big Bash League: Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder Preview

Sydney Thunder v Sydney Sixers banner (Australia Free TV)

Now titled the “Sydney Smash”, Saturday’s game between the two rivals gets an extra boost, with both Steve Smith (Sydney Sixers) and David Warner (Sydney Thunder) released from Australian duties.

Cricket: Five things we learnt from the Ashes

Ian Bell hits one away at The Oval (photo: ESPN Cricinfo)

What we saw across the months of July and August was highly thrilling cricket, yet laced with controversy.

The Ashes provided the ground, TV and radio audiences with some super displays of batting and bowling, along with some very dubious decisions and skill errors.

Cricket: India v Australia: Test Series Analysis and Review

Michael Clarke & MS Dhoni pose w/ the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
(from examiner.com)

Australia was thrown a curveball from the moment they stepped on to the sub-continent in February.  In the end that curveball proved to be the side’s ultimate downfall.

Batting and bowling failures alike culminated in a shocking (and at times horrifying) 4-0 series loss to India.

There are plenty of words to describe each test, each player, and each moment, but none more so than disappointing.  Even travelling with a team that had largely not played in Indians conditions before, Australia was rolled, crushed and decimated over the past month in a way no-one expected.