When Monty Panesar dived at the batting end to bring about England cricket team's equivalent of 'The Great Escape', many cricket fans would have had a common question in mind : "Is this Australian team actually Australian?" By the first instance of the word "Australian", I mean players wearing the baggy green and coming out to play with a truckload of tradition behind them. By the second instance, I refer to the people with a killer-instinct which would send shivers down the toughest of spines. For example, the Australian cricket team from 1999-2007. Mind you, many players of the current 'somewhat cold' Aussie team had played crucial roles of maintaining the near-invincible aura of their teams. Ricky Ponting, the current captain, was a key member of the ICC World Cup'99 winning team. People like Brett Lee and Simon Katich came soon after, to be joined by Micheal Clarke and Mike Hussey. Brad Haddin was always in the shadows due to a certain bloke called Adam Gilchrist. Same for Nathan Hauritz because of Shane Warne. 

Surely, a team led by Steve Waugh would've gobbled up the nervous Monty within 5-10 minutes. Even a Ponting-led team with McGrath and Shane Warne would've done the same. But the present team, has everything but the killer instinct. And with the others, Ponting seems to be losing it too. I mean, why on earth would you take off your best bet for a wicket (read Ben Hilfenhaus) and replace him with a bowler who is totally out of form (read Mitchell Johnson)? This period, which has been lasting since India beat them at Perth in Jan 2008 and will continue till we don't know when, will probably go down as a transition period for Australian cricket.

For now, this Ashes looks to be heading towards the English.