Little anger and few screaming headlines greeted the news from Trent Bridge that Australia had succumbed to Alastair Cook’s England after just 39 minutes of play on day three of the fourth Ashes Test.
That had all come 48 hours earlier, after the tourists’ insipid first session, which made inevitable their hosts’ 3-1 series win with a game to spare.
Instead, understandably, the focus of front and back pages across Australia was largely centred on Michael Clarke’s post-match announcement that he will retire from Test cricket at the end of this series.
#Ashes and @MClarke23 dominate Sunday's front pages in Australia #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/0E3aUFBpSW
— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 8, 2015
Still, a resigned Peter Lalor at The Australian made comment on the brief period of play on Saturday, pronouncing the loss of Nathan Lyon’s wicket before lunch on the third day “the final low” in a “damp-squib Ashes campaign”.
“There was no twist,” wrote Fairfax’s Greg Baum. “England had been very good at Edgbaston and even better at Trent Bridge.”
The Sydney Morning Herald, aping the Sporting Times’ famous 1882 mock obituary, declared Australian cricket dead (though it will need to rise again, messiah-like, for the fifth test on 20 August).
#Ashes2015: England ruthlessly finish off Australia to emphatically regain urn. http://t.co/2VyIKkSNgD | @SMHsport pic.twitter.com/0RCkLRFmEh
— smh.com.au (@smh) August 8, 2015
Beaten comprehensively, the reaction on Twitter from current and former Australian players was magnanimous.
Well done England on the ashes return. Bad luck Aussie boys but we will still have a crack 5th test! Congrats @MClarke23 on your career.
— Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) August 8, 2015
Congratulations to Alastair Cook & the England team on the Ashes victory. Played fearless & entertaining cricket, was nice to watch !!
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) August 8, 2015
Also congrats to @TheCricketECB and the England team on winning the ashes and apologies to all our fans . We tried but not good enough .
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) August 8, 2015
We've been beaten by a better team - Michael Clarke #Ashes
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) August 8, 2015
Whatever ire was left after Friday was directed at Australian coach Darren Lehmann, who was on the receiving end of criticism over a tweet fishing for tickets to see Stoke City play Liverpool in the opening round of the Premier League season.
Would like to go to Stoke v Liverpool with a couple of people anyone help? @stokecity or @LFC can you please retweet .
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) August 8, 2015
In came the replies:
@darren_lehmann I've also got some Trent Bridge Day 5 tickets to get off my hands if anyone wants :-)
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) August 8, 2015
@darren_lehmann @stokecity @LFC maybe better off analyzing Ben Stokes not Stoke City
— matt laing (@matt_laing) August 8, 2015
@darren_lehmann @stokecity @LFC you should be reviewing how you lost the #Ashes2015 to one of the worst English side in history!
— Dave Kinsella (@dkinsella76) August 8, 2015
@darren_lehmann during the time your meant to be playing, spend the time working out how to not embarrass the country
— Dean Austin (@deanjaustin) August 8, 2015
