[1]Sydney: Although rain prevented the third Ashes Test from being completed, there was little doubt in the minds of former players as to which side emerged the stronger and took a psychological edge after the match.
After coming a cropper with the bat in the first two Tests, the Aussie batting line-up came up with an impressive performance with captain Michael Clarke leading the way with a belligerent 187 that set up the match squarely in favour of the tourists. Despite Kevin Pietersen's rollicking ton, England still ended up trailing the huge Aussie total by a margin of 159 runs.
Heading into the fifth day, the match was tantalisingly poised with Australia ahead by 332 runs and declaration just around the corner. With Clarke declaring the innings at the start of day's play, Australia looked set to win the match and keep its faint hopes of regaining the Ashes urn alive. With the Australian fast bowlers striking early and sending three English top-order batsmen back to the pavillion within 17 overs, Australia was on course to post a big win before the heavens opened and all its plans went askew.
Speaking in the aftermath of this resounding comeback by Australia, Allan Border heaped praise on the young Australian side while cranking up the pressure on the England side ahead of the fourth Test saying that Alastair Cook's side looked vulnerable and worried.
After Australia's humiliating 347-run defeat at Lord's, Border, known as "Captain Grumpy", had slammed the Australian top-order, the top three in particular, calling them "Embarassing". Unhappy with Shane Watson's performance in the second Test, he had asked the all-rounder to sort himself out. But, Australia's clinical display in the third Test seems to have restored his confidence and he had nothing words of praise for the young side.
"What a difference two weeks can make. In the space of 14 days, my perception and gut-feel about this Australian side has changed," said Border, who captained the side 93 times as it rebuilt in the mid-1980s, laying the foundations for a long period of dominance.
"England has retained the Ashes and well done to them, but the performance of this largely inexperienced Australian team has filled me with confidence."
Border, who played 156 Tests scoring 11,174 runs, said it looked like Australia had "drawn their own line in the sand" at Old Trafford, in much the same way Australia did during the 1986-87 series.
Border's Australians lost that series 2-1 but won the World Cup in 1987 before starting 16 years of Ashes domination in 1989.
"They showed real fight and England are worried," he said in a comment piece on the Cricket Australia website.
"The Poms were playing catch-up cricket from day one, going slow with over rates and doing everything they could to negate our chances of winning. At the end of the day rain saved England - it's as simple as that.
"The way this side is going over the next few months, look out. Australia has the momentum.
"Old Trafford proved England is vulnerable," he added. "Australia has broken the spell (Jimmy) Anderson and (Graeme) Swann had (cast) over them, playing Cook's two go-to men with more assurance.
"The confidence in the group has grown and the boys can sense they're back in the contest. England has some good cricketers, but what this kind of performance does is put doubts in their minds.
"Cook, (Jonathan) Trott and (Kevin) Pietersen don't look as insurmountable as they once did. I reckon we've turned a corner."
The fourth Ashes Test starts in Chester-le-Street, the headquarters of northeast county Durham, on Friday.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/allan-borderap0jpg-474