Lord’s sparked Aussies’ revival
AUSTRALIA coach Darren Lehmann believes the turning point in their transformation from Ashes laughing stock to conquerors of England came after their drubbing at Lord’s in the summer series.
They lost by 347 runs, only four men scoring above 20 in either innings, as England marched into a 2-0 lead. Yet, just five months on, they have bullied their way to a similarly commanding position.
“I think we started to turn around after Lord’s,” said Lehmann, who took charge on the eve of the summer Ashes, which England won 3-0.
“We’re starting to bat and bowl a lot better. The last five matches, we’ve certainly bowled a lot better, containing England with our plans. We probably should have won one or two Tests there. Once you start to win it makes it easier for guys to understand where they’re going.”
Captain Michael Clarke said the resurgence was “no fluke” and that a 381-run win in the first Test altered the balance of power. He added: “We took a lot of confidence out of Brisbane, but I think we took a lot of confidence out of the back half of England.”