Australia Lets Down Loyal Fans

Australian fans poured into the MCG at the start of today praying for a miracle. They started well enough by dismissing England for 513. And when Phil Hughes and Shane Watson came out fighting after lunch you could sense the Aussies hopes of a recovery were improving. However, this Australian side is an unfamiliar one to the great sides of the past two decades. Previous Australian sides would have fought tooth and nail to save this game. Can you imagine Steve Waugh casually throwing his wicket away in a game like this? No, me neither. Unfortunately for Australia, they do not have a Steve Waugh and they only made their task more difficult when Shane Watson called Phil Hughes through for a suicidal single. It was an implosion of epic proportions.

If any Australians still harboured optimism of a positive outcome to this match, they would have been seriously, if not terminally dented by this cataclysmic cock-up. Only a team in such strife as Australia could shoot themselves in the foot this badly. If Australia had managed to put on a massive opening partnership it would have sent confidence all the way through the batting order and would have given Australia a real chance at saving the game. Instead, they will have felt deflated and this is a recipe for disaster in the face of such a large task.

Possibly the worst aspect of the run-out was that Ricky Ponting was once again at the crease early on. The way he is struggling at the moment he needs all the help he can get. It was the openers job to make sure the ball was soft and movement-less by the time their captain was needed at the crease. When Ponting entered, the ball was not soft and it was most definitely not movement-less. The England bowlers, seemingly able to move the ball in any conditions, had found reverse-swing as early as the 18th over. This spelt doom for Ponting as he has played the moving ball terribly all series, as have all the other Australian batsmen. Sure enough, Ponting failed again (he did put up a valiant fight mind you, but ultimately never looked comfortable). Ponting's dismissal spelt the beginning of the end for Australia. The Ashes were within grasp for England, it was just a matter of gripping tight.

At the end of the days play, England have all but one of their fingers clasped tightly around the little urn. Australia didn't even put up a fight. In good batting conditions, Australia's attempted resistance was a pitiful display for the Australian fans who turned out in their droves to support their team.

68,000 fans turned up at the MCG today. This is a massive number considering the hopeless position Australia were in, especially when you consider Australia's penchant for not supporting a losing team. The fans were vocal and provided all the support Australia needed to inspire a fightback.

Despite Australia's current on-field woes, the Australian fans are surprisingly upbeat. They do not begrudge England's success. They accept that the current Australian side is just not good enough. They have even enjoyed the English pastime of making fun of their own side, as many fans made jabs at Ricky Ponting's form and poor Steve Smith's position in the team (most believe he will become a good player, but the consensus is that he isn't ready as either a bowler or a batter just yet).

When pressed on the subject of Ricky Ponting's captaincy, there was a clear feeling amongst the fans. 'He's gotta go', is how one fan summed it up nicely. Who can argue? His form has tailed off dramatically and his captaincy has been criticised consistently since he first lost the Ashes in 2005. How can the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes three times possibly be retained as captain? Well, there is only one possible way Ponting will stay on as captain beyond the SCG Test. Lack of other options.

The man in waiting, Michael Clarke is in a run of form almost as bad as Ponting. He also seems to lack a tough side to his game, that unquantifiable quality that was made famous by the likes of Steve Waugh. All the Australians I have spoken to are not keen on the idea of Clarke taking over the captaincy. So I ask, who else then? This question invariably prompts a thoughtful phase after which no alternative is offered.

England need just 4 wickets to regain the Ashes tomorrow (probably three after it emerged that Ryan Harris has fractured his ankle). No doubt the Barmy Army will be out in full force to watch England get their hands back on the urn. The same cannot be said for the Aussies. Despite turning out in force today, the absolute hopelessness of their situation and the downright pathetic nature in which they got there will almost certainly keep all but the most loyal of fans away.

England will regain the Ashes tomorrow and it will probably feel like a home game when they do. Could you possibly blame the Australian fans for staying away? No, I think they have suffered enough this series without having to watch what should be an embarrassing day for Australian cricket.

Even though the Australian fans have reacted in a surprisingly positive manner to their new found position in the world game, make no mistake, they will be desperate to return to the ways of old. Just how they can possibly get back there is the question on every Australian's lips.