Australia bemoans 'humbling' Test defeat

Australia's thrashing in the second Ashes Test by England sealed the nation's worst losing streak in 30 years and was greeted with resignation by Australian media today.
Ashes-holders England humiliated their arch-rivals by 347 runs at 'the home of cricket' Lord's yesterday, with over a day left, to take a 2-0 lead and strengthen their grip on the urn.
Broadsheet newspaper The Australian called it: "A shabby and public humbling at Lord's."
In an opinion piece, the newspaper's cricket writer Gideon Haigh said Usman Khawaja's 54 was the only saving grace by the team's underperforming batsmen, with the top order again failing to deliver sufficient runs.

"Otherwise, events were another stark repudiation of the prevailing Cricket Australia wisdom that fortunes can be revived simply by appointing as coach a wily old stager who tells everyone to go express themselves," he said.
"Mickey Arthur has complained that his dismissal as coach damaged his reputation. This Test has arguably enhanced it."

Arthur was controversially sacked before the series began in favour of Darren Lehmann, with explosive claims of divisions within the Australian team leaked to the media ahead of the second Test.
He is now suing Cricket Australia for Aus$4 million, claiming his reputation has been badly damaged.

Australia was bowled out for 128 in the first innings and 235 in the second with the defeat meaning that following a 4-0 rout in India earlier this year they have lost six Tests in a row for the first time since 1984.