Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Ian Chappell, the outspoken former Australian captain, had commented on more than one occasion before the series started that England's batting line-up would at some point collapse and cost them a defeat.
This came to fruition in spectacular circumstances last weekend at Headingly.
Friday morning was bright and sunny and on first glance appeared a perfect day to win the toss and bat first. However, the drama had begun before that had happened when Matt Prior injured himself playing football on the outfield as part of the warm up. Whether he could play was in the balance and the toss was delayed whilst England tried to sort out the mess they had found themselves in again, as this has happened before.
Despite all the justifications by the England team it is hard to imagine any other athlete running around playing football before their big event was about to start and surely it will stop now.
Eventually, when Prior was passed fit, Strauss won the toss and as expected decided to bat. The delay though had pushed all his expected interviews with the media back so he was rushing by the time he managed to get to the crease.
He was lucky not to be given out LBW first ball but he did not survive long anyway as North took a fine catch off the bowling of Siddle to dismiss him.
The next two hours for England supporters were excruciating as one after another the England batsmen got themselves in a mess. By lunch they were 72-6 and their grip on the Ashes was in deep trouble.
It did not take long for Australia to finish the tail and after just 33.5 overs England were all out for 102 - Chappell must have allowed himself a wry smile of satisfaction.
The ball had swung and the conditions were still very suitable for bowling and there must have still been some optimism in the dressing room because if they could bowl really well they could at least reduce some of the damage.
However, it appeared the England seemers had not bothered to watch the Australians bowl as delivery after delivery was bowled too short and were flogged away for one boundary after another.
Saturday promised a fresh start but nothing had changed and again the ball was whistling to all parts of the ground. By the end of the Australian innings 56 boundaries and 5 sixes had been conceded and the tourists were out for 445 a lead of 343.
With still over three days to play the situation was hopeless but at least Cook and Strauss made a solid start and took England to 58 without loss and some pride was being restored.
It did not last long and in another rush of wickets England were 78 for 5 by the close.
It was dismal, there is no other way of describing it, and the way they capitulated will definitively be carried over to the Oval next week for the last test.
There is one thing in England's favour and that is that it came so late in the series which means they can still win at the Oval and regain the Ashes. The Australian bowling attack has taken its time to finally perform, but now they have, it is difficult, although not impossible, to see a way back for England.
The main problem is that the batsmen do not score enough runs, one solitary century by the captain against seven by the Australians. This constantly puts the bowlers under pressure and they cannot keep responding especially as talisman Flintoff was not playing at Headingly.
Without him and Pietersen in the side the England team looks distinctively average and it is still uncertain whether Flintoff will be available for the last match.
England should follow the tourists lead in that the Australians have had two problems on this tour - with the opening partnership and the consistency in bowling - and they have acted decisively on both counts wringing in Watson for Hughes and Clark for Hauritz. Both moves have worked out very well for them and changed the course of the series.
They cannot blood a new batsman in such a crucial test and talk of Key or Ramprakash appears far fetched but it is difficult to see what options they have. A certain former captain may well be rueing his decision to retire half way through the season as he might of fancied one last swan song against the Aussies.
Strauss must now be wondering whether his comments about Australia not having the aura they once did were wise given the situation in the series. It smacked of over confidence and may well come cack to haunt him by the end of the summer.
What is certain though is that Cook, Bopara, Bell and Collingwood do not look like a batting line up to win such a crucial match.
The selectors have got themselves in to a bit of a mess during this series but at least whilst there is hope there is still a chance of winning The Ashes ... but this is the only saving grace from last weekend.
