England are determined to create history in the fifth Test at The Oval and Australia’s senior players have recognised it’s up to them to stop the rot.
Captain Michael Clarke has made it clear to his players that, “this is not a charity tour.”
He says it’s time to step up.
Clarke and coach Darren Lehmann gathered Australia’s unofficial leadership group together for a mid-pitch meeting on Monday in an impassioned call to arms.
The Ashes has been lost and the series decided, but as far as both teams are concerned, there’s more than just pride at stake.
Australia have now gone eight Tests without a win, and the only side they’ve beaten in the past year has been Sri Lanka at home.
As if surrendering the urn to England for a third straight time isn’t enough, rival skipper Alastair Cook has made no secret of the fact his team is driven by a desire to become the first England side to inflict a 4-0 thrashing on a touring Ashes team.
To go down as Australia’s worst ever touring team would be a crushing blow with a return series just over two months away.
England have talked down the prospect of whitewashes and records since the campaign began, but Cook has openly admitted his troops are now after their place in history.
“We’ve obviously found ourselves in a pretty good situation and we’ve got an opportunity to do something which an England side has never done before to Australia,” he said.
“That’s pretty good motivation in itself.
“It’s always nice if you’re part of a side that does create history … we’ve earned the right to do that.”
In a recognition that there’s no such thing as a dead rubber in Ashes cricket, Clarke, Lehmann, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris as well as selector Rod Marsh and team manager Gavin Dovey met to plan a counter attack.
Clarke said the message was simple.
“It was more or less about us standing up as senior players and leading from the front,” he said.
“It was a reminder that we continue on and off the field to lead the way. It is more important when things aren’t going to plan.”
Clarke has been talking to players individually about their performances and the task ahead all week and was to address the team as a whole on the Monday night.
To say that Australia’s batsmen have failed to follow script would be a colossal understatement.
In the latest shuffling of deckchairs, Usman Khawaja is set to be dropped, with Phil Hughes tipped to take his place at No.3. Although to further complicate matters, keeper Matt Wade could be in contention to play as a specialist batsman.
Lehmann said after the Chester-le-Street collapse that careers would be on the line at The Oval, with Australia desperate to find some kind of continuity with their order before the return series starts in November.
The chopping and changing and culture of players looking over their shoulders is counter-productive to settling on successful combinations.
But Clarke says it’s a fact of life.
“Unfortunately that’s what happens when you don’t make as many runs as you like,” he said.
“If you’re not performing you get dropped.
“The selectors are trying to be as consistent as they can but we’re also here to win the game.
“This is not a charity tour.”