Australia Cricket / Frank Gregan / 31 August 2009 /

Frank Gregan discusses where the blame lay as regards Australia's Ashes defeat and praises the integrity and conduct of skipper Ricky Ponting in it all.

The Aussies didn't seem to be too pleased by the good old English weather yesterday when they had the English at a very embarrassing 4 for 2 and the heavens decided to intervene and send down England's match saver. They looked quite upset about it all, it's surprising how a format that they have always treated with contempt and refer to as a "hit and a giggle" can suddenly become important after they have lost the Ashes. It sends the message that although it will be a very tame form of revenge, revenge is what they are seeking and they will be going all out in every one of the upcoming one-day contests.

One man who wasn't there to complain about the Manchester rain was Ricky Ponting. He has elected to miss the first few contests, opting instead to pop back down under for a spot of R&R.

R &R is rest and recreation although there were many that expected Ponting's little spell to consist of Revenge and Recrimination from a very disgruntled Australian cricketing public.

It hasn't happened. Ponting hasn't exactly been showered with roses and given the freedom of the city of Sydney on his return home but the Tasmanian hasn't been subjected to the brutal assault by the Aussie media or fans that may have been expected. Cricket Australia have given him their unequivocal support and it looks as if for once in sport, a rare event is going to happen - common sense is going to prevail.

There were a number of reasons why the Aussies lost the Ashes but Ricky Ponting wasn't one of them. He'll have regrets and given his time again he would probably like to stand in the middle of the wicket on the final day and say to Michael Hussey, "tell yer what Huss, let's not try and nick any quick singles!"

So just who was responsible for Australia losing the Ashes? It is an Australian tradition that former players are not R in R, reticent in retirement. The Gallagher brothers have a better relationship than Cricket Australia has with some of its former greats! Shane Warne, Rodney Hogg and Ian Chappell have all pointed the finger at the selectors and their reluctance to change a winning side and include their spinner, Nathan Hauritz, for that series-defining final test. Whilst it's accepted that Hauritz would have given the Aussies another bowling option, it's highly unlikely that his inclusion would have changed the result of the test.

Cricket Australia chief executive, James Sutherland summed it up accurately when he said:

"Whether that had any bearing on the result of the game, who will know? We've lost the game by 200 runs, it's a pretty significant defeat, and having a spinner in the side wouldn't have helped us in the first innings where we were bowled out for 160 and effectively lost the game."

There were two massive sessions in the series which cost Australia the Ashes. The first was at Cardiff when the unlikely hero with the bat was Monty Panesar who kept the Australians at bay ensuring that Ponting's men did not get off to a flying start and had to settle for the draw, having looked certain to win when they captured the prize wicket of Paul Collingwood. Monty faced 35 balls and English hearts were very much in mouths before every delivery, but he hung on in there.

The second was the tremendous spell of bowling that Stuart Broad conjured up and was largely responsible for the Australian first innings collapse during the fifth test. It's right and proper that Ponting has kept his job, he conducted himself superbly throughout the tour and those two Ashes deciding spells were out of his control. The Ashes defeat was not self inflicted, it came about because of some extraordinary pieces of cricket mixed with more than a fair portion of luck.

The fortune seems to be continuing to go England's way after yesterday's rain intervention. Sometimes it's just meant to be and there is every chance that England will take full advantage by winning tomorrow's Twenty20 and notching another unlikely mini-series victory. They are a very tempting [2.42] to win but if technique and ability, rather than luck are the indicators used to make a selection then the recommendation has to be to back the Aussies at [1.7].

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