Marnus Labuschagne spoke for many in the Australian dressing room when he raised the unflattering descriptions made of the team before this Ashes series, in particular Stuart Broad’s claim that it was the weakest since 2010-11.
And Australia’s captain Pat Cummins admitted considerable satisfaction at confounding so many Ashes predictions to bundle Bazball out of the series in what he called “straight sets”, with a hat-trick of Test match victories in 11 days.
Australia celebrate after winning the third Test and retaining the Ashes.Credit: Getty Images
Labuschagne, who has contributed solidly with the bat but most spectacularly in the field, raised the elephant in the room in a pitch-side interview after Australia had wrapped up victory in Adelaide to seal possession of the urn.
“We have to say it, being called the worst Australian team in 15 years, it’s nice to be sitting where we are now 3-0 up,” Labuschagne told ABC Radio. “The job’s not done yet, we want to make sure it’s 5-0.”
England saved their best performance for the 11th day of the series, but ultimately fell short by 83 runs in pursuit of a world record run chase of 435.
After starting the day on 6-207, still requiring 228 runs for victory, England’s lower order showed the kind of fight they have been searching for all series, with No.7 Jamie Smith (60), No.8 Will Jacks (47) and No.9 Brydon Carse (39 not out) dragging the visitors into a position from where they could have pulled off what would have been arguably the greatest win in Test history.
Mitchell Starc celebrates after taking the wicket of Will Jacks.Credit: Getty Images
No side has chased more than 418 to win a Test.
However, Smith rode his luck once too often and skied a Mitchell Starc delivery to Cummins, bringing a 91-run stand to an end. Scott Boland took the final wicket of Josh Tongue, caught by Labuschagne in the slips.
“Bazball is officially dead,” former Australian opener Simon Katich said on SEN.
Asked whether the result was indeed the end for Bazball, Cummins pointed out that Ben Stokes’ team had twisted itself in knots trying to find a way to compete here. By contrast, a supposedly ageing and weakening Australian side had forged on through numerous injury issues to stay consistent in their approach and prevail overall.
Marnus Labuschagne wheels away after taking the final catch of the Test.Credit: Getty Images
“Winning 3-0 is hugely satisfying for many reasons,” Cummins said. “But particularly, I think a lot of the chat before the series is how evenly poised it’s going to be. And you know, to win it in straight sets, it doesn’t get much better than that.
“They seem to have changed their style quite a bit game to game. I think that can happen in overseas conditions. You’re always trying to fight for a method that works. Day two, I thought was surprising. It was 40 odd degrees, it was hot, it was a very flat wicket. And they shut up shop there for half the day, which I was pretty happy with.
“So who knows. I’m sure they’ll talk about it and come at us with different plans for Melbourne and Sydney. I’m glad that we’ve been able to stick to our guns and play the way that we play best, and it’s worked.”
Cummins suggested that the team’s ability to handle adverse events, from his own back injury to the loss of Steve Smith with vestibular problems on the first morning of the Adelaide Test, had been a superpower this summer.
Beau Webster, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and Josh Inglis celebrate in the dressing rooms.Credit: Getty Images
“I think that’s one of the things I’m most proud about this group,” Cummins said. “Whatever cricket team I’ve ever been in, there’s always been something that goes wrong at any time, and it’s how you deal with that. And this group’s just amazing. Just cracking on and what’s, what’s the job that needs to get done, we’ll just go and do it.
“So there’s been huge disruption with some of the players, I missed a couple of games, but the way that Steve can just jump in and it’s seamless. Other players who are on the fringe can jump in and be match winners straight away. I think it’s a huge credit to Andrew McDonald, the coaching staff and medical staff, that we feel like we’ve got a big squad that we can draw on.”
Another sign of the team’s maturity had come in how, despite a stout England rearguard and the loss of Nathan Lyon to a hamstring strain, there was no panic or attempts to overplay the situation.
Back in 2023 in England, Cummins had resorted to outlandish bouncer plans a little too early, but here he backed his bowlers to create more conventional chances. Thanks to otherworldly catching by Labuschagne, it led to an 82-run victory margin.
Tough times: England captain Ben Stokes shakes hands with Pat Cummins.Credit: Getty Images
“It went through my head, I had to remind myself that we won that Lord’s Test [in 2023], even though Nathan wasn’t there,” Cummins said. “I think I said before this Test, felt like we were managing our bowlers well to have you know myself come online and Nathan fresh going to the back end of the series, and I was thinking that same point.
“I was like a couple of bowlers might come offline here if things don’t work out. But fortunately, it did. I think it was a very calm group out there. We’ve been in those situations before, and you can’t overplay it. You can’t force it.
“In the past, we might have tried to create wickets out of nothing, but we felt like we had enough runs. And just being methodical. Go at two or three an over. And those wickets will present themselves. So yeah, I think there’s some learnings that played out today.”
Unlike Labuschagne, Cummins was a little less strident about the final series margin.
“I’ll take 3-0,” he said. “I’ll take 3-2, the goal is to win the Ashes. You’re not going to a Test match not wanting to win, so we’re going to Melbourne and absolutely desperate to win that one, and Sydney, and if you get 5-0, it’s it’s amazing. But, yeah, can’t say that’s been spoken about at all. It’s always just been about how we can navigate our way through three wins.”
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