Ashes: We thought we would be competitive, but Australia outplayed us, says McCullum

Adelaide, Dec 21 England head coach Brendon McCullum accepted that the team’s preparation for the Ashes series was not right and is prepared for the following scrutiny ahead after the visitors were handed an 82-run defeat at Adelaide Oval. After defeats in Perth and Brisbane, this was a third straight loss for the visitors as Australia took an unassailable 3-0 lead and retained the Ashes title.

Acknowledging that their opponents had “outplayed them in all aspects,” McCullum didn’t shy away from recognising that his team's entire performance was the most "precise," "formidable," and "consistent" he had witnessed from an Australian side in many years.

"We're obviously disappointed," McCullum said. "We came here with high hopes, high ambitions and lofty goals, and we've been outplayed across three Test matches. You've got to cop a sweep when you don't quite achieve what you're hoping to.

“I do feel like the last day-and-a-half, two days, we've probably played our best cricket, and that's because we've just played.

"We knew coming down here that Australia is a very strong team in their own conditions," he later added. "We thought we would be competitive, and that we would be able to seize some pressure moments, and we haven't been able to do it. With the ball, we've not quite been relentless enough with our accuracy and challenging on the surface in the areas we need to. With the bat we haven't scored enough runs, we haven't quite found the tempo we need to operate at either. And in the field we have let opportunities go."

On the final day, England's lower order showed some resistance, which McCullum was full of praise for, particularly from wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and all-rounder Brydon Carse. Their efforts raised hopes of a miracle, but a disciplined bowling attack kept the hosts in control, and they continued to hold the urn.

Smith (60), Will Jacks (47), and Brydon Carse (38 not out) offered hope to Ben Stokes' team after England reached 207-6 on Sunday. Nonetheless, Mitchell Starc (3-62) brought Australia close to victory before Scott Boland dismissed Josh Tongue, ending the tourists' innings at 352 in pursuit of a record 435 to win.

"I do feel like the last day-and-a-half, two days, we've probably played our best cricket, and that's because we've just played," he said. "I feel like, for the previous nine days, we were so caught up and so driven to achieve something, and succeed, that we almost got in our own way, and we stymied our talent and our skill and our ability.

"It's only been the last two days that we've let go and just played, and actually competed, and probably had our best two days of the tour.

"So there's a lesson in that, and not just for the players. There's a lesson for the coach, and the coaching staff as well. How do you free guys up when the pressure is at its highest, rather than having to wait to these last two days?"

Despite nine scores of thirty or more over the course of their two innings, England's performance in Adelaide remained seriously flawed, with none of their batters reaching a century. McCullum was pleased, though, that a team that had been outplayed in every pivotal moment of the game thus far had at last displayed hints of the character that should have been crucial to their performances throughout the tournament.

"I know that that'll be something that's questioned," McCullum said. "When you've lost 3-0, you've got to put your hand up and say, 'maybe I didn't get that preparation right'.

"Ultimately you are responsible for how you get your side ready and how you prepare them. I had conviction, we had conviction in our methods in terms of preparation, not just leading into the first Test but also in between Tests. I look back now and think, did we need more leading into the first and did we need less leading into the second? They are the changes over time you look back on and say would I do it differently?

"Retrospectively, we lost 3-0 so you would probably say there was room for change there. Again, you put your hand up as a coach and say you might not have got that right. At the same time I felt it would give us our best chance because it has previously. Sitting here 3-0, it didn't work."

In light of the fact that England hasn't won a Test in Australia since their victorious tour of 2010–11, eighteen matches ago, McCullum maintains that there is still plenty of pride to play for as England look to recover ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

"We do have a great opportunity in the next two Tests," he said. "That's the message to the boys, right? We need to find something out of this tour. We need to salvage some pride and play for all the people that have come down to Australia and supported this team, and play for all the people back home in England, supporting this team as well. If we can do that, then we walk away with a bit of pride.

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