"Disappointment can be found in all corners of this Ashes series. England's victory came too late. Australia may have secured the urn again but Glenn McGrath's usual prediction didn't hold. It's been a serious letdown for the neutral, never mind that a 3-2 scoreline is still in the offing. This was meant to be the one where England had a shot, where the Sydney finale would actually have something on the line beyond World Test Championship points."
"Part of that lies in the absence of the slow stuff, a lack of high-quality spin ruining the show. For all the thrill of the quicks, a world-class, thoroughly watchable spinner has held up each chapter of Ashes cricket this century. There was Shane Warne's alpha-greatness until he tipped his hat to the SCG in 2007. Graeme Swann was introduced two years later and while his record against Australia, 62 wickets at a touch under 40, is hardly exceptional,"
The series produced less cricket than expected, with only 13 days of play out of 20 and several leading fast bowlers missing substantial time. The contest lacked the slow-bowling element that has historically given Ashes contests depth and drama. World-class spinners have previously shaped series outcomes, with Shane Warne and Graeme Swann providing defining moments. Nathan Lyon was the only specialist spinner to bowl significant overs, delivering key wickets in Adelaide before suffering a hamstring injury on the final day. The result left the contest diminished as a spectacle despite Australia securing the urn.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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