The first Test loss had little to do with Australia be- ing under-prepared, it was more like being ripe for the picking. The controversy surrounding Mark Taylor and poor selec- tions combined to siphon the spirit from the Australian tank.
For a while it appeared England had been the ones suck- ing on the hose, as they won the Texaco Trophy and the first Test by overwhelming Australia with a combination of aggression and flair. However, from the moment Taylor scored a century at Edgbaston to put an end to all the conjecture, Aus- tralia were refuelled and on the road to rehabilitation.
While Taylor's hundred ensured he retained his place for the series, his future as Australian captain is far from assured. His form, despite an improvement at Trent Bridge and the Oval, is still patchy and there are too many good batsmen on the verge to keep selecting a struggling player.
It all depends on Taylor's priority - does he want to go out on his terms or is he prepared to risk the embarrassment of being dropped? In recent times the selectors have treated Taylor the batsman generously, but he may be unwise to push his luck, especially with a tough series looming against South Africa. Depending on his preference, a dignified retirement may be his best option.
The emergence of Matthew Elliott as a top-class opening bat has added to Taylor's dilemma. The ideal opening combina- tion is a left and a right-hander, and Elliott's place is now se- cure.
On this tour Elliott and Jason Gillespie were Aus- tralia's two big improvers and combined with the resurgence of Ricky Ponting and the continued good form of Greg Blewett, there is the nucleus of a good side when the present hard men re- tire.
Not that there are any signs that Ian Healy or Steve Waugh are on the wane. Waugh was at his mind- controlling best at Old Trafford, where his two centuries shone like a miner's lamp, but few of his workmates were in the same tunnel.
Healy's glove work was impeccable and his leg-side stumping at Old Trafford was the highlight of a series containing plenty of excellent deeds. Typical of a great player and top- class team man, Healy's timing is precise and that stumping ignit- ed a flurry of wickets which put Australia on top in the pivotal Test.
From that moment they forged ahead of England but Healy, not content to rest on his laurels, then produced an in- nings in that game and another at Trent Bridge designed to dis- hearten the toughest of opponents.
Shane Warne showed that he will be very much a part of Australia's future and may even lead the 'next genera- tion'. He, along with the pinpoint accuracy and penetration of Glenn McGrath, provided the potent attacking forces.
They staged the important breakthroughs for Australia - McGrath having the better of his duel with Mike Atherton and, similarly, Warne with Nasser Hussain.
For a bowler who is often described as ``not as good as he used to be'', Warne had a particularly good series. There is no doubt he still has a strong grip on English batsmen, and in wrestling parlance it's a sleeper hold - they did not molest him much.
Nevertheless, Australia's spin bowling shortcomings will be exposed when Warne retires as the back up is virtually non-existent. There should not be any such worry with the pace department, as Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz have both learnt a lot on the tour of England.
The Tests Australia won they did so by a wide margin, but the first three days at Trent Bridge, and the Oval match, were extremely competitive and typical of the Ashes tradi- tion. Australia were the better side and the margin is most evident in fielding and athleticism.
England's best is a big improvement from when Mike Atherton took over the captaincy. The problem is that their worst is seen too often and it is not a pretty sight. I found it an entertaining series, helped by the fact that the gap between the two teams is narrowing.