Cricket: Australians reflect on harsh lessons

Shane Warne is one of the only Australian players to have performed near their peak for most of the series. Picture / Reuters

LONDON - So long the pacesetters in world cricket, Australia are set to heed lessons delivered by England in the Ashes series.

Australian coach John Buchanan said advances made by England would be examined as part of a thorough post-mortem of where Australia had gone wrong.

His side's results on tour - which included two test losses and no tour wins since the first-test victory, in July - had prompted the review.

"I think one of the interesting things is that England have certainly made some advances since four years ago and I guess we saw a little bit of that two years ago in Australia," he said.

"We've taken some interest in what they've been doing around the team and away from the team, and support to the team through the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board].

"All those things and then looking at ourselves, I think there are a number of things that we're thinking of, but right at the moment it's probably not the best time to actually be trying to analyse that."

The appointment of a specialist bowling coach could be one of the looming discussion points, as England's Troy Cooley - a former Tasmanian player - has been one of the behind-the-scenes stars, considering his efforts in transforming the home side's pace attack into a gang of matchwinners.

An Australian bowling coach might have been able to assist in reducing the tourists' spate of no balls this series, although Buchanan earlier said he was not interested in employing a specialist coach.

As Buchanan and his assistant, Jamie Siddons, have been the only coaches to have travelled with the players, Australia have found themselves under-resourced when it came to training and data analysis, an area England have been meticulous on.

The strongest review is likely to come from Australia's selectors over a number of major disappointments this series.

Bowlers Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz might not play again for their country, wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist was well down on form, and batsman Damien Martyn was a shadow of himself, as his paltry series average of 19.78 reflected.

Opener Matthew Hayden saved his series - and possibly his career - by scoring 138 in the final test.

Legspinner Shane Warne, opener Justin Langer and fast bowler Glenn McGrath, when not injured, were the only players to have performed near their peak for most of the series for Australia.

Buchanan refused to provide his thoughts when asked whether the job of retaining the Ashes had been left to too few.

"I don't think now's the appropriate time to go through the analysis of individuals, support staff, training, and so on," he said.

"All those things are certainly on the agenda and we'll certainly be talking about them."

- AAP