Australians URN the Ashes for the first time since 2007

In this column last Sunday, we published the mock obituary that was run in the 'SYDNEY MORNING HERALD' ahead of The Third Test at the Western Australian Cricket Ground which read - In Affectionate Remembrance of England cricket which died at the WACA on 17th December 2013 with a picture of a gravestone on its back page saying England dead and buried. And the 'SYDNEY MORNING HERALD', was proved dead right when Australia buried England on the turf at the WACA Ground, early on the fifth day.

An England supporter held a placard that was full of humour.

With the Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide not going the full distance, but ending on the fourth day, the placard read: All I want for Christmas is a five-day Test. It sure would have humiliated the England players and their supporters, especially their vociferous BARMY ARMY.

Since 2006 England just steamrolled Australian cricket winning the Ashes series three times in-a-row. They were cock a hoop when they arrived for this back to back ashes series that was to be played for the first time and Captain Cook promising to make it four-in-a-row.

But what they were not aware of was that the Australians under coach Darren Lehmann were silently and diligently working to get their cricket to the levels of their glorious past.

When Mickey Arthur was sacked

Lehman the former Australian left-hander took over when Mikey Arthur was sacked after the tour of India. It was a tour best forgotten where India trounced them 4-0 in a Test series. He lost the first series as coach in England. But has now made amends.

They were hindered a bit when it was known that all four fast bowlers - Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Jackson Bird and James Pattinson were all unavailable due to injury. This opened the door for left arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson to stage a comeback which can be best described as MAGNIFICIENT. He grabbed the opportunity and with the terrific backing and fire power from Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle tore the hearts out of the Englishmen.

Johnson was simply unplayable. With his terrific pace, swing and bounce he terrified the England batsmen, who were seen running scared of him for fear of being hit and seriously injured.

None of the England batsmen faced him with any sort of confidence. Not even the experienced Kevin Petersen from whom much was expected.

Petersen's inability to fire with the bat has probably written finis' to his career.

Credit should go to Michael Clarke

Credit should go to skipper Michael 'pup' Clarke for the wonderful, efficient and clever manner in which he marshaled his troops in their march for victory. He was the only one in the Australian squad to have previously played in an Australian Ashes winning team.

Another who contributed lavishly with the bat in Australia's success was the temperamental left hand dasher David Warner. His opening blast laid the foundation for other Aussie batsmen to consolidate.

His career too was on the block after he punched England batsman Joe Root in a pub in England during the previous series. He was disciplined and dropped which made him determined to come back and maul England with a vengeance.

When the final England wicket fell which signaled the regaining of the Ashes, many Australian players were seen with tears of joy in their eyes as they did the jig of joy and embraced each other in celebration.

The usually vociferous 'BARMY ARMY', maintained a deathly silence unable to believe the destruction of their team after previously winning the Ashes with consummate eased three times in a row.

George 'Beetle' Bailey the mauler

George Bailey playing in only his Third Test match joined the illustrious company of famous West Indian batsman and Captain Brian Lara when he bashed England pace bowler James Anderson for 28 runs in an over at the WACA on Monday.

Lara holder of many bating records, took South Africa's spin bowler Robin Petersen apart blasting 28 runs in one over nearly 10 years ago. So for Bailey to clobber a world-class pacer in Anderson in a Test where Australia regained the mythical Ashes was a special effort.

Captain of Australia's one-day squad, Bailey was always thought of being a one-day player with the ideal temperament and dash for the 'cowboy' game. Writing in these columns some time back I urged the Australian selectors to give Bailey a go in Test cricket.

The selectors dared and gave Bailey the baggy green cap, and although he failed in the Two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide, with this 'Jessopian' hitting and the record he has justified the selectors faith in him. He has cemented his place in the Australian Test squad.

With Test cricket tending to be a bore and with spectators deserting the longer version of the game, came the innovation of one-day 50 over and Twenty20 cricket which saw spectators flocking to take in the instant action.

Bg hitting entertainers

It is big hitting entertainers such as George Bailey who can be attractions, as he showed by caining Anderson, hitting him for fours and sixes that can get turnstiles creaking and bring back the spectators.

With Australia looking for runs to close the innings and set England a big ask, early on the fourth day. 'Beetle' Bailey showed the superman in him by the bashing Anderson their number one bowler.

Never before has Anderson been treated with such disdain. Anderson as held in high esteem. When the back to back Ashes series began in Australia, with England looking for a record four-in-a-row Ashes triumph which would have been a record series triumph, Anderson was expected to play a leading role as wicket taker.

Anderson has not been bowling as well as he does like in helpful home conditions in England. The Aussie batsmen have faced him with purpose watching his swing bowling very carefully and negotiating him, with ease.

With only Stuart Broad causing concern to the Australian batsmen, and with Anderson not firing and with of spinner Graeme Swann not among the wickets like he did in England, the attack looked innocuous.

Shillingford banned from bowling

West Indian off-spinners Shane Shillingford and Marlon Samuels were reported for their actions during the Second Test against India in Mumbai last month. Shillingford has been banned from bowling at international matches after tests found his action illegal. ICC the governing body in a statement said: An independent biomechanical analysis showed that Shillingford's elbow extended beyond the permitted 15 degrees on his standard off-break delivery and his doosra.

The statement further said: He is suspended from bowling in international cricket until such time that he submitted to a fresh analysis, which concludes that he has remedied his bowling.

His team mate Samuels was subjected to similar tests, which showed his standard off-break was legal but his quicker delivery was not, meaning he can only bowl his slower ball in international matches. When their actions were reported the ICC ordered them to undergo independent testing which was conducted in Australia. This is the second time that the two bowlers have had their actions reported. They had been banned.

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