Despite all the odds Australia has managed to lose the 1st Test.
They didn’t technically lose of course, no, it was a draw, but they will feel like they’ve lost, and England, as they sit in their dressing rooms patting themselves on the back, will feel like they’ve won.
Such is Cricket. When you’re on-top for the whole game and then it finishes in a draw, it’s almost more deflating than if you had’ve lost outright by 500 runs. Losing when you should have fun, isn’t fun.
The unfortunate thing for England is this. Although they might feel like they’ve won this game, they haven’t got buckley’s to show for it in the way of individual performances. As a team they might well feel like they’ve one, but as individuals, they were all losers in this game, and are in very poor shape going into the next Test.
England should bring in Steve Harmison for the next game. Apart from Flintoff their bowling is about as intimidating as a decapitated rubber duck. With Flintoff at one end and Harmison at the other, it’ll give the Aussies something to think about.