Today, after 5 Tests, one Twenty20 and two One-Day Internationals, England finally won their first cricket match against Australia since Matthew Hoggard and Ashley Giles guided England to victory at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge 18 months ago.  In the 9 matches since then (including one in the ICC Champions Trophy) England have constantly been ruthlessly and efficiently dispatched by every Australian team that they have faced.  So, what was the difference between today’s strong performance, and the shambles that have preceded it?

1. We attacked the Australian bowlers from the off.  Admittedly, this was a bowling attack lacking Brett Lee, but it still had Glenn McGrath, Stuart Clark and a player in Shawn Tait who has impressed in the domestic Australian League this season.  At no point before today have we attempted to make use of the power-plays.  Today, however, Mal Loye and Ed Joyce both settled into an early rhythm, and got England off to a good start, putting on 58 for the first wicket, only the second time this series the openers have shared a 50 partnership.

2. We had a batsman playing right through the innings.  So many of our previous ODI efforts have relied on Freddy Flintoff coming in and smashing us to victory.  However, this only seems to have worked when Freddy didn’t have the responsibility of the captaincy, and too often he has been left batting with the tail  Today though, Ed Joyce played right through the innings, meaning that the stroke players, such as Jamie Dalrymple could bat knowing that he had an equally adept batsman at the other end.

3. A rejuvenated Andrew Strauss.  Strauss has had a strange tour, seeming to be in good form for the Test’s, just being unlucky with some odd umpiring decisions, yet in the one-day series he has looked as out of touch as he has been since making his England debut.  Today, batting down the order at number 5 he batted crisply and looked in good shape.

4. Batsmen weren’t afraid to go for the jugular.  Jamie Dalrymple’s 30 came off just 18 balls, and Andrew Strauss hit 26 off 25.  Too often previously our batsman have been happy to hit a four of the first ball of the over, and block for the remaining 5 balls, a tactic which meant we were nearly always below the required run-rate.

5. We set our stall out from the opening ball.  Just how Steve Harmison’s first ball in Brisbane set the tone for the rest of the Test, and indeed the rest of the series, Liam Plunkett’s unplayable inswinging yorker to bowl one of Australia’s main dangermen Adam Gilchrist set the tone for England’s bowling today. And as if that wasn’t enough, Saj Mahmood’s first wicket of the series to dismiss Brad Hodge came just 7 balls later, leaving Australia at 4-2.  This was a big moment for England, as the lowest total Australia had been for two wickets in this series was 30, when they were chasing just 155.

6. It was Australia who were lost in the field today.  Watching Andrew Symonds let the ball trickle between his legs to roll for four was a rare sight, as was a direct hit by Ian Bell to take Australia’s final wicket and clinch victory

7. A conspiracy theory? At no point here am I trying to suggest that Australia deliberately threw the game, but an Australia England final would bring in more TV viewers and keep the sponsors happier than if New Zealand reached the final.  Don’t forget how Ricky Ponting declined to make England follow on in Brisbane, possibly in order to prolong the Test, and increasing TV revenue.  That said, I don’t really think it’s in the nature of any Australian not to give 110% in anything, a point alluded to by Matthew Hayden a couple of days ago following comments by Lou Vincent.