Time and again during this first Test England had chances to make an early mark on the Ashes and make Gabba history but time and again they squandered them before being hurried to the brink of an emphatic and demoralising defeat on Sunday.
The opening exchanges of the Ashes had turned into a tale of what might have been for England long before Australia turned what had been a closely-fought, thrilling Test over the first three days into a thrashing. Ultimately, there was the gulf in class that we feared would be the case here in Australia.
Australia flexed their muscles and battered England on Sunday after three days of near parity, firstly rushing them out for 195 and then, chasing just 170, seeing David Warner and debutant Cameron Bancroft adding 114 with absolute ease. They will return on Monday for the last rites of what has turned into a chastening Test for England.
Joe Root trudges off after being dismissed by Josh Hazlewood, England’s captain managing 51 runs before getting out
David Warner struck a half-century to help the hosts to within 56 runs of their 170 target as England collapsed in Brisbane
England were blown away by the brilliance of paceman Mitchell Starc, who earlier claimed three wickets in quick succession
Cameron Bancroft celebrates after Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal began a collapse of England’s tail order at the Gabba
Every time England looked set to put pressure on Australia at their Brisbane fortress they either sold their wickets far too cheaply or simply found the old enemy had the greater strength and character to get themselves out of trouble.
England knew at the start of the fourth day, with two wickets down but their noses just in front, that if they batted all day they would have the chance to finish what has been a quite wonderful Test in the most glorious manner.
Yet old failings resurfaced at the worst possible times and England must quickly address their shortcomings if this series is not to go rapidly downhill and become a repeat of the nightmare that broke them four years ago.
Coach Trevor Bayliss made it perfectly clear before this series that half-centuries would not be good enough to win the Ashes and that England simply had to convert them into big hundreds to compete here.
But, in total contrast to the mammoth display of concentration and skill from Australian captain Steve Smith in making an unbeaten 141, England’s batsmen got start after start yet could not go on to match-defining innings.
Their problem was summed up on Sunday by an England captain in Joe Root who, really, has just as much class and ability as Smith but who is falling short at the moment from joining him in becoming a true great.
Again, Root got to 50 on a fourth morning when so much depended on him but, even though he barely acknowledged the landmark because of the need to kick on, he fell immediately afterwards.
Mark Stoneman was the first wicket of the day to fall for England as he was caught by Steve Smith off Nathan Lyon’s bowling
Smith dived to take the wicket of Stoneman as Australia’s captain caught off Lyon’s bowling during day four of the first Test
Moeen Ali is stumped out by Australia’s wicketkeeper Tim Paine off the spin of bowler Lyon for England’s sixth wicket
It may seem harsh to criticise a captain with such a fabulous record who has conducted himself so well here and who led his team in the field, particularly in the first innings, with imagination and authority.
But, for once, the statistics do not lie. Root has passed 50 on 46 occasions in Test cricket but has ‘only’ 13 centuries while of his last 25 half-centuries he has only gone on to three figures five times.
Compare that with Smith who made his 21st Test century here and almost single-handedly dragged his team into a small but ultimately decisive first-innings lead by dealing with everything England could throw at him.
Root’s dismissal to Josh Hazlewood came after Nathan Lyon, gaining more turn and bounce throughout than England’s Moeen Ali, had struck two early fourth day blows with pearlers to dismiss Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan.
Ali left the field shaking his head after his controversial stumping which went to a review during the afternoon session
There was controversy over the thickness of the painted crease in Ali’s stumping by Paine which saw the England man walk
The Barmy Army were in full voice at the Gabba despite England’s batting order crumbling late on against Australia
Yet even after such a potentially fatal blow as losing their captain England again clawed their back to the brink of the ascendancy before Moeen fell in controversial and utterly unsatisfactory fashion.
Moeen had added 42 with Jonny Bairstow before he attempted another authoritative shot at Lyon and saw Tim Paine whip off the bails. Nobody seemed to think he was in trouble apart from the returning wicketkeeper.
But after countless replays TV umpire Chris Gaffaney decided there was no part of Moeen’s left foot over the line and gave him out even though there had to be doubt. And what happened to giving the batsman the benefit of it?
England’s sense of grievance was not helped by pictures which showed that the crease had been painted much thicker on the the cut strip than off it. If it had remained the same width all the way across Moeen would have survived.
Lyon celebrates after dismissing Dawid Malan for just four runs as he was caught out by Steve Smith during day four
Bairstow scored 42 before he was caught by Pete Handscomb as England’s batting order began to collapse at the Gabba
Starc claimed Stuart Broad’s wicket after just two runs as the bowler was caught out by Pat Cummins during day four
Cue plenty of ‘Wobblyline’ and ‘Shoddyline’ jokes on social media while even Moeen, the most calm and phlegmatic of characters, gently shook his head as he left the field. By his standards it constituted serious dissent.
The writing was not quite on the wall – or the paint on the ground – while Bairstow was still there but the absence of Ben Stokes here leaves England with a tail that looks extremely vulnerable to the express pace of Australia.
Sure enough up popped Mitchell Starc, now known here as The Mop for his ability to wipe out lower order batsmen, to blast his way through England as the last four wickets crashed for 10 before tea.
Bairstow will be criticised for playing an upper cut straight to third man but it was a shot he would not have attempted had he felt any confidence in the batsmen around him once Chris Woakes had become the first of Starc’s three victims in 10 balls.
Starc is congratulated after taking the wicket of Chris Woakes as Australia ripped apart England’s lower batting order
(L-R) Lyon, Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc walk off after bowling England out for 195 during day four of the first Test
Broad appeals unsuccessfully for LBW against David Warner (centre) as Australia’s second innings got off to a strong start
It was a worrying glimpse of what lies ahead for England in the last four Tests unless their talisman is suddenly cleared by police and rushed to Australia by a desperate England. And that is extremely unlikely.
Only twice has a target above 200 ever been successfully chased in Test cricket at the Gabba but 170 just never seemed enough to test Australia on a pitch that has got quicker and easier for batting as the match has gone on.
Australia, with the rain forecast before this Test nowhere to be seen, had all the time in the world to reach their target and there was quickly an air of resignation among the England team when they could not strike early.
England will be concerned at the lack of impact in this Test of Woakes and Jake Ball, who offered scant support to the big two of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, while Moeen looks rusty and hindered by a cut to the spinning finger of his right hand, as revealed by Sportsmail. Nothing was more demoralising for England than the leading part played here by motor-mouth Lyon.
The second Test in Adelaide starting on Saturday, under lights, gives England their best chance of success in this Ashes but so demoralised did they look on Sunday that they will need a huge improvement to turn things around.
Bancroft hits a six for Australia off Ali’s bowling as England failed to claim the early wicket they needed against Australia
Warner bats as Australia made a strong start to their second innings as they began to chase down England’s run total