Stuart Broad has stood by his claim that this was Australia’s “worst Ashes side in 15 years” even as the home team has taken a 3-0 lead in the series and retained the Ashes urn.
“Do I regret saying that? No,” Broad said on his ‘For The Love of Cricket’ podcast. “I did say Australia would have to play very badly and England would have to play very well. Australia haven’t played very badly and England haven’t played very well.
“From England’s point of view, what would they have liked coming into this series? A lot of things have gone England’s way. But England haven’t been good enough ultimately. Australia have been relentless in what they’ve done.”
The former England pacer thinks Australia’s Ashes-winning 2013-14 team under Michael Clarke was far better than the current lot. He stood by his view that this side does not match the standards of earlier Australian sides.
“Do I think the 2013-14 (Australian team) man-for-man was a better side? Yes, probably still. I don’t think individually they are better than any other team since 2010-11, but they’ve been relentless in the pressure they’ve managed to put on England.”
England captain Ben Stokes, too, admitted that Australia handled the key moments better, conceding that managing pressure was the main reason they raced to a 3–0 lead in the series.
“It obviously sucks,” Stokes said. “Knowing now that we can’t achieve what we set out to do here is obviously very disappointing… It’s quite simple to me that Australia have been able to execute batting, bowling and fielding a lot more than us on a much more consistent basis.
“They’ve been able to execute everything a lot better than us. We’ve had moments where we’ve been very good, but Australia have been a lot better over a much longer period of time so far,” the skipper said.
Broad also dismissed suggestions that England’s position was unprecedented. “England losing 3–0 by the third Test is not something new,” he said. “I don’t disagree with my comment. England have been at 20 per cent of their ability.”
Stokes, however, remains optimistic for the remaining two Tests.
“We’ve got two more games. We’ve got so much to play for. We’re not going to roll over and let this series drift. We’re going to leave absolutely everything out there. We’ve got people travelling over to watch, we’ve got pride, and we’re going to give absolutely everything,” Stokes said.
Coach Brendon McCullum has called on the team to “salvage something out of the next two Test matches”.
The next Test begins in Melbourne on December 26 and the final match is in Sydney from January 4.