Ashes Diary / James Masters / 08 December 2010 /

The injury to Stuart Broad is a blow to England and one which will force a re-shuffle in a very settled team. But such is the confidence and togetherness in this side that they should go on and win the 3rd Test anyway, says James Masters.

Ricky Ponting might well have been forgiven for thinking the monsoon-like rain which has hit Adelaide over the past 24 hours was more than just a sign of Australia's Ashes Armageddon.

As the rain continued to fall, causing flooding throughout the city and neighbouring suburbs, Ponting was holed up on a sinking, rudderless ship which seems destined to vanish out of sight.

Fickle at best, scaremongers at worst, the Australian press have at least been given a reason to spew out the usual vitriol following their side's insipid performance.

The cocksure Australian attitude has evaporated, the strut and smile which used to be taken for granted on the cricket pitch has turned into a foul-looking grimace and their divine right to victory has been extinguished.
Australia are now the underdogs and that's not something this nation is used to when it comes to facing the 'Poms' in their own backyard.

The past five days have shown that England are a team at the very top of their game - something which has not come as much of a surprise given their extensive preparation out here.

There is a steely and determined spirit about this England team which has not been present within previous sides - a fact brought home by Kevin Pietersen at his post-match press conference.

Only a couple of weeks ago in a Hobart pub, Matt Prior and I sat down to discuss the upcoming series and the challenge which faced the side.

What struck me about Prior was his supreme belief that England were ready to end their 24-year drought Down Under and how this team was different to any other.

Speak to any of the players and you will get the same impression. Under the guidance of Andy Flower, this team has steadily improved over the past 18 months and is slowly becoming a force to be reckoned with.
When a team keeps winning, just as England have in recent months, they begin to develop a belief that they are able to fight back from any position of danger, as they did in Brisbane.

What was so impressive in Adelaide was their ruthless streak - a kind of throwback to the days when Australia would swoop on their prey in merciless fashion with the likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath leading the charge.

The roles have been reversed. England have the superstars, the Kevin Pietersens and Graeme Swanns, while Australia are struggling to even pick a team for the third Test on December 16 in Perth.

Expect spinner Nathan Hauritz to replace the ineffective Xavier Doherty at the WACA, while Phil Hughes is expected to come in for the injured Simon Katich at the top of the order.
But whoever Australia bring in, they will not worry an England side so high on confidence that they could have probably played the next Test match within seconds of wiping out the Australian side at the Oval.

Instead, England will play a three-day game against Victoria here in Melbourne which begins on Friday and will see Chris Tremlett, Ajmal Shazhad and Tim Bresnan fight it out for a place in the Test team.

With Stuart Broad having been forced to return home from injury, the trio will hope to put forward their case for inclusion in Perth.Tremlett appears the most natural selection given his height and similarity to Broad, while Shazhad has plenty of admirers within the travelling press corps.

Whoever, England go with, they will start as favourites in Perth with Australia in disarray following the Adelaide debacle. Back England to whack the Aussies at the WACA at [2.68] and send the travelling Barmy Army wild with delight - a result which would end that 24-year wait for glory.

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