Just in case there are any England fans still cowering behind the sofa after Matthew Hayden's onslaught, here's some good news (Australians might call it clutching at straws, but we'll let that pass). In 1954-55 Len Hutton, the England captain, won the toss at the Gabba, put the Aussies in, and sat back and watched them run up 601 for 8. Arthur Morris made 153 and Neil Harvey 162, and England's highly rated attack was battered around Brisbane, none more so than Frank Tyson (1 for 160). England lost a key player injured - Denis Compton with a broken hand - early on the first morning, and the Wisden Almanack report lamented that "if the England fielding had approached any decent standard Hutton might well have achieved his objective".

England were shot out for 190 and 257 to lose by an innings ... but they still managed to win the series. Tyson, gingered up by being hit on the head by Ray Lindwall, shortened his run and turned into the Typhoon of legend. He took ten wickets in the second Test at Sydney (England won by 38 runs) and 7 for 27 at Melbourne (England by 128). Victory at Adelaide gave England the series, and made heroes out of Tyson and Hutton.

Wonder what the odds are on a repeat?

Steven Lynch is editor of Wisden.com and something of an optimist.

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