Cricket's changing face

Australia ended 2005 drubbing South Africa by 10 wickets at the MCG. Since their Ashes loss it has certainly been normal service resumed for the Aussies. However, as Greg Baum says, those two defeats against England (Australia's only Test losses in 2005) shaped their year and their future.

This year finished as did last for Australia, and the four before it, with a resounding win at the MCG. Then, it was the end of a year in which it had at last won in India and Sri Lanka, making it the champion of all teams and places. It was impossible to think then that it would lose the Ashes. Perhaps that was the problem.