The Team Man

Steve Waugh would have to be happy.

Winners are grinners

With the last right waiting to be read on this Ashes campaign, it has been a return to aggressive and uncompromising cricket that has lead the Australian redemption ... or so it seems.

The truth may be a little more complex.

On the surface of it, Australia's bowlers have been more effective, her batsmen have seized the generous moments when they have been offered and Australia have mentally crushed their more fancied opponents.

Of course, people are always confusing cause and effect and the above are just the effects. The causes are a complex wrap, parcelled up by a man who purports simplicity and smiles for the camera as though he is only vaguely aware of his influence. It's a beguiling act that has fooled everyone ... even his own team.

Two words: Darren Lehmann.

Eight months ago, Australia cricket was at its supposed lowest ebb as a fragmented team which went to India with no experience of that hostile cricket environment, imploded under the pressure of a coaching style which abhorred the ethic of team and sort to subjugate, isolate and obfuscate its players into individual units. Players were suspended not for curfew avoidance, not for behaviour violations or the usual problems that crop up when grown men are have their testosterone cramped into the hot house of sporting squads ... no, they were dumped from the Test team at a time when then side most needed them for not handing in a written task. Excuse me? Even two thirds of a year later it sounds ridiculous ... wait ... more ridiculous.

Darren Lehmann said so at the time ... at the time of being the Qld coach. A plain simple guy responding to a press comment. Nothing strategic at all.

The skipper - the same Michael Clarke who is rampaging over the bones of what used to be England - agreed with Mickey Arthur and called his men irresponsible.

Arthur didn't make it to Trent Bridge. Australia didn't win the series and everyone said nothing had changed but those were the everyone who made their judgements via press reports rather than risking the ire of the boss by keeping matches in their eye lids until 3am during the winter. In England their were signs. Steve Smith turned Indian promise into delivery at Trent Bridge, Old Trafford and The Oval. Ryan Harris bowled brilliantly. Clarke, Watson and Rogers all made hundreds and 0-3 series result could so easily have been 2-3. Far from being hopeless there were signs.

Mitchell Johnson has been superb

The selectors recalled Mitchell Johnson at Lehmann's request, heralding what was to come by bringing him back early from the one day series in India. Chairman of Selectors John Inverarity made it plain at the announcement of the First Test squad, responding to a media question as to whether Johnson's role was to bowl fast and short at the Englishmen with "oh I hope so."

There has been more to it than that. He came back from India and reported straight to Craig McDermott, himself reinstated as Australia's bowling coach. It was McDermott who had changed Peter Siddle into a quality Test bowler with a late outswinger. It was also McDermott who involed Dennis Lillee in the mentoring process with Johnson. After three Tests, its clear the left arm quick gained more than an evil moustache. Johnson's bowling arm is higher, he is getting through the crease faster and his pace is faster than at any time of his career but gone are the wayward fliers down leg side which once justified the singing taunts of the Barmy Army.

More impressive has been the sudden and unexpected levels of maturity. Growling Mitch is gone, replaced by the Mitch of the long stare, the smile and as Joe Root discovered in Brisbane, the wicked wink. This Johnson is unflappable. The English, on and off the field, have been unable the phase him and change his focus.

But whilst matches can be one by individuals - Ian Botham, Headingley 1981 - series rarely are and one of the reasons that Australia is romping their way to a moment soon when the urn will be theirs is the way their bowlers have hunted as a pack. Its been nearly thirty years since an Australian bowling attack have mowed down an opposition with such ruthlessness. Lillee, Thompson, Walker and Mallett were the last, also in an Ashes series and also when England held the Ashes. Just like the relentless West Indian attacks of the 1980's, their is no respite from Johnson's extreme pace and bounce and a yorker the equal of the spear chucker, Jeff Thompson; Harris and Siddle's line and length; and Lyon's bounce and turn at a pace that is faster and more effective than his more highly credentialled opposite number.

Mr McDermott is their puppet master. He may well be an even better coach than his 291 Test wickets indicate he was a handy Test bowler.

Someone has whispered in David Warner's ear. It was words of confidence in him; words to assure him he would be allowed to do his thing. Words along the line of "if the ball is there to hit, then hit the bloody thing!" He didn't go to India, he stayed home and made three hundreds in the Ryobi Cup and one in the Sheffield Shield before the Tests started and has made two more and 83 not out in three Tests. Instead of being scared to play a shot outside off stump, he is blasting them past point. Instead of trying to flick them off his hip, he is smashing them over mid wicket. England have no answer for him. Once suspects it was Lehmann again who is the Warner Whisperer. He was himself and explosive left hander, maligned mid career for recklessness.

Michael Clarke has returned to going back and across rather than committing to the forward press and is

Played together, stayed together

now, officially, the best player in world cricket. He made two crucial hundreds, both captains knocks but it's not his batting which has finally won him the support of those who wavered. It's not even his captaincy, which under Lehmann, has returned to the inventiveness of his first twelve months in the job. Back are the quickly rotated bowlers in short spells, the instinctive field placings and the insistence on positive batting which was reminiscent of Mark Taylor's captaincy. Mickey Arthur stifled all that, almost turning Clarke the Gambler into Clarke the Conservative. Lehmann has released him; encouraged him to go with his gut.

But none of that won the doubters over.

A few minutes in Brisbane and a TV director's mistake was all it took. Michael Clarke, the flash smarty pants with the high handed lifestyle, hated by Katich and doubted y Ponting was forgotten in a flash as he stood toe to toe with serial motor mouth Jimmy Anderson and suggested he might like to face up take the same medicine he had just prescribed to George Bailey at short leg. The finger-pointed emphasis only made it plainer. OUR skipper was not taking any shit. OUR skipper was backing his players. OUR skipper was just as tough as Steve Waugh or Ricky.

Good enough for everyone I reckon and in that moment the Ashes were won.

A champion team will always better a team of champions. I wonder how many times Darren Lehmann has said that in team meetings? It proven true in the last month. England are chock-a-block with champions but they haven't been in the hunt. Apart from the first two sessions in Brisbane, its hard to find any other two hour period when they have bettered Australia.

In the process, there is an air about Clarke's team that indicates they players are the most important people about the side: not the the physio's, certainly not the sports scientists with their rook weavil reports computer generated recommendations and very definitely not Pat Howard. Speak to the players, watch them interviewed and apart from team mates, only one other name comes up.

Darren Lehmann.

There are still issues to resolve. Watson is not a number three, regardless of his centuries there. His place is six, where it always should be for a batting alrounder. Bailey would be no loss. Despite his world record number of runs in an over, when contributions have been needed in first innings, he has been a liability. Young blood is needed for three and as Usman Khawaja has been tried and as yet, not explored his ability and found its true value, Alex Doolan should be given the role. Haddin deserves his position, with both batting and glovework as good or better than anything he has done previously. He has made good, better but is aging. Tim Paine needs to be kept close.

An aspect ignored by when we have had three Tests in three weeks has been the composition of the Australian team. Despite hot weather, despite a heavy workload, the same 11 players have turned out in the first three Tests. No player rotation, no cotton wool, no soft options. Australia have chosen the same eleven in three consecutive Tests since they third, fourth and fifth Tests of the 5-0 drubbing of Andrew Flintoff's side in the Australian summer of 2006-07 ... and that in all Tests since then, not just the Ashes.

When Lehmann took over the side in England, before a Tests was played, he made it clear than the best side would be picked for every Test match and that the players are ultimately the best judge of whether they are up for the contest.

They say one swallow doesn't make a summer. Maybe in England but in Australia, one magpie can certainly be enough to make summer uncomfortable.

One man doesn't make a difference ... like hell.