After everything has been said and done, it's doubtful that the toss had that much of an impact on the final result of the first Ashes Test of the summer.

England would have batted first and made their 300-350. Australia would have responded with 500. England would have followed with 250-300 and Australia would have finished the game with a successful run chase.

Every which way you look at it, in every department Australia are far superior. They hold all the aces and if that wasn't enough, seemingly have all the luck.

If cricket was boxing, England would not be allowed anywhere near the same ring as Australia. It would be considered insanity to allow them to come to blows, given the damage that could arise.

And only time will tell what impact, the 384-run annihilation will have on English cricket.

The two sides are apples and oranges. A super side against an average one at best. Were hopes held too high to even expect them to be competitive?

Steve Waugh's Australian XI is no ordinary one. A world record 16 wins in a row is not to be taken lightly. It has taken super-human efforts to defeat them.

Of the six defeats to have occurred in Waugh's tenure:

Two came courtesy of amazing innings from Brian Lara. One came against Sri Lanka in the infamous game where Waugh and Jason Gillespie collided. South Africa inflicted one earlier in the year when they managed to successfuly chase 340. The final two were the incredible wins by India.

England have no match winners. No Harbhajan Singh or Jacques Kallis. They need someone who makes your heart rate quicken as they stride to the crease or as they are about to bowl. Someone who brings an air of expectation to the wicket and the notion, that something is about to happen.

Unfortunately, there is a sense of inevitability to the English side. When they are batting, the pitch looks a minefield and it seems that every ball will bring a wicket with it. When they are bowling, the strip resembles a featherbed as their benign bowling can do nothing to prevent the haemorrhaging of runs.

Nasser Hussain is caught betwixt trying to take wickets and save runs. Taking wickets is the best form of keeping the runs to a minimum but as the bowlers are unable to do that, Hussain finds himself in a situation where 11 fielders simply aren't enough.

What are England to do short of waving the white flag?

They must realise and appreciate that if they can put pressure on Australia, the Australians may appear more fallible than they would otherwise indicate.

That means, batting positively and aggressively. Punishing the Australian bowlers when they bowl bad balls. Running hard between the wickets which in turn places pressure on the fielders.The English bowlers must make the Australians play at more deliveries. And of paramount importance, the English fielders must grasp their catches and be sharper in the field.

Not rocket science, just the basics. But what choice do England have other than to return to them?

© 2002 David Wiseman

This report does not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Cricket Board.