<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A well-drilled Australia are on the cusp of retaining the Ashes after just six days of cricket -- not bad for a team lambasted by England great Stuart Broad before the series began as its weakest since 2010.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The hosts take a 2-0 lead into the third Test at Adelaide on December 17 needing only a draw to keep the famous urn and pile more humiliation on Ben Stokes's tourists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Australia have put themselves on the brink despite missing injured pace spearheads Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, with the performances of stand-ins Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett a reflection of their depth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The great and the healthiest thing for Australian cricket right now is that they've got almost a second XI or an Australia 'A' side that could come in and play some outstanding cricket too," said former Australia Test quick Brett Lee.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"The guys who have had their opportunity, the Doggetts and the Nesers, have stood up. They've taken their opportunity and taken it with both hands, which is brilliant."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The strength of the country's talent pool was driven home by Australia 'A' crushing England's second-tier side by an innings and 127 runs at Allan Border Field while Stokes's men were being thrashed down the road in the second Test at the Gabba.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Young prospects Fergus O'Neill, Cooper Connolly and Campbell Kellaway stood out, while discarded Test batsman Nathan McSweeney fired a double-century reminder to selectors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It is a far cry from the pre-Ashes war-of-words where England were hyped as having their best chance in a generation to win a series in Australia, with seamer Broad's comments coming back to haunt him.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It's probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won and it's the best English team since 2010," said Broad, who retired in 2023 and is now working as a pundit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It's actually not an opinion, it's fact."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the time, he pointed to questions over the make-up of Australia's batting line-up and a perceived lack of bowling depth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Both have been blown out of the water.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
- On the go -<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n Australia went into the first Test in Perth dogged by uncertainty, with the uncapped Jake Weatherald as Usman Khawaja's sixth opening partner since David Warner retired nearly two years ago.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In a quirk of fate, Khawaja was unable to bat in the first innings because of back spasms with Marnus Labuschagne replacing him.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But it was when he pulled out again in the second innings and Travis Head stepped up that the tide turned on England with his stunning 69-ball match-winning century.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "Ever since Travis Head stuck his hand up to open when Khawaja got hurt in Perth, Australia have looked like a different team," said Australian legend Glenn McGrath.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Labuschagne said Head and Weatherald's confidence trickled down to the lower order in Brisbane, where himself, Steve Smith and Alex Carey all blasted quick-fire half centuries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n It leaves selectors with a dilemma for the third Test: recall now-fit 85-Test veteran Khawaja or persist with Weatherald and Head, whose home ground is Adelaide.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Smith, who stood in for Cummins as skipper in the first two Tests, attributed Australia's success so far to being able to adapt "in real time".<\/p>\r\n\r\n "We play 'live'. We adapt on the go, instead of getting back in the sheds and going, 'We should have done this'," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "Sometimes it's just playing the long game. I think we've just adapted so well the last couple of years, and played in real time, I suppose."<\/p>\r\n\r\n For former Australia captain Greg Chappell, Australia's success has been as much about England's failures.<\/p>\r\n\r\n While their aggressive "Bazball" approach might be suited to flat English pitches and small grounds, it has been brutally exposed by the bigger boundaries and demanding conditions in Australia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "The failure that has ensued across the first two Tests is a whole-of-system one, a catastrophic breakdown of both the game plan and its execution," he wrote in a column.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "While the players have been the immediate culprits, the off-field leaders -– (coach) Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes -– are equally responsible for not recognising the different challenges presented by Test cricket in Australia."<\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n",
"image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AUS-ashes.jpg",
"alt_img": " Australia Depth Shows Up England's Ashes 'Failures'",
"alt_title": " Australia Depth Shows Up England's Ashes 'Failures'",
"image1": null,
"video": null,
"seo_title": " Australia Depth Shows Up England's Ashes 'Failures' On Cricketnmore",
"seo_desc": "A well-drilled Australia are on the cusp of retaining the Ashes after just six days of cricket -- not bad, Australia Depth Shows Up England's Ashes 'Failures'.",
"seo_keywords": "Australia Cricket Team, England Cricket Team, Ashes 2025-26",
"tag": null,
"tagging": "Australia Cricket Team,England Cricket Team,Ashes 2025-26,",
"status": "1",
"img_rpt": "0",
"google": "1",
"standout": "0",
"edapps": "0",
"pulse": "0",
"no_index": "0",
"feed": "0",
"fixture": null,
"slug": "australia-depth-shows-up-englands-ashes-failures",
"user_id": "0",
"read_count": "1",
"ians_date": null,
"ians_time": null,
"server_time": null,
"trash": "0",
"view_count": "474",
"page_break": "0",
"instant_articles": "1",
"auto_link": "1",
"created": "2025-12-12 09:25:29",
"updated": "2025-12-12 09:25:29",
"img_from": "Image Source: AFP",
"img_source": null,
"schedule_publish": null,
"news_keywords": "Australia Cricket Team, England Cricket Team, Ashes 2025-26",
"livescore_text": null,
"livescore_link": null,
"btn_text": null,
"resend_feed": "0",
"google_feed": "0",
"read_more": "1",
"posted_by": "13",
"jio_date": "2025-12-12 09:25:29",
"scheduled": "0",
"news_now": "1",
"breaking_news": "1",
"google_date": null,
"featured": "0",
"pred_match_id": "Select",
"article_content_type": null,
"england_cricket": "0",
"link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/australia-depth-shows-up-englands-ashes-failures-183785"
}Also Read: <\/b> Live Cricket Score<\/a><\/h5>