SYDNEY // Australia's domination of England in the one-day series is providing some small consolation for their defeat in the Ashes Test series but shows the wrong team won the Ashes, the former spin bowler Shane Warne has remarked. The Australians have rebounded spectacularly from their 2-1 Ashes defeat by winning the first five of their seven one-day matches against the English. "It's great to see them (Australia) playing well," Warne said.
"They (England) have a pretty poor side and Australia are starting to hit their straps, they were hurting after the Ashes, it's good to see them bounce back and play well." Warne said the one-day results added weight to his argument that the Australians were the better side in the Ashes and should not have lost the series. "You don't mind being beaten in any sport if a side outplays you on the day or over a series, then so be it," he said.
"I suppose the hardest thing for all us Australians was to watch them play and lose to England, who I didn't think was a better side. "You look at all the numbers, the runs and wickets, we dominated all that sort of stuff, but through a few different things here and there, it probably cost us." Warne was part of the Australian side that thumped England 5-0 at home in 2006-07, helping regain the Ashes and avenge a 2-1 loss away in 2005.
Warne was among a handful of senior players who retired during or after that series, triggering the present rebuilding of the national side, but predicted the Australians would again regain the Ashes when the series returns to Australia in 2010-11. "I don't think England were a better side than us, no way, but you have to say 'well played' to England because they won," he said. "I'm looking forward to them coming out here in 18 months."
* Reuters