Few could have imagined that such a gulf in class between the sides would be exposed at the conclusion of the 2010-11 Ashes, or that Australian cricket would be in its deepest crisis.
Never has Australia lost three Tests in a series by an innings, a result that will be confirmed today when England takes the last three wickets in the fifth Test. Not since Bangladesh in 2007, against Sri Lanka, has any Test-playing nation had such a thumping in one series.
In a brutally frank assessment of the slide - Australia's last Ashes series at home was won 5-0 four years ago - opener Shane Watson conceded the careers of many players are on notice.
''It's not great to actually be a part of something that has been as disappointing as it has, over the last little while in Test cricket to be honest,'' Watson said last night. ''It would be nice to be in the golden era as a player, unfortunately we're just not playing well enough to be a part of that.
''Losing so far by two innings is not good at all. It means we've been convincingly outplayed in the two Test matches so far, and it's not looking great for tomorrow.''
Asked what state Australian cricket is in, Watson replied: ''Nowhere near the heights it was four years ago. With our performances we've showed over the last little while, we've got to turn it around.
''There's no doubt it does come down to the players alone to be able to turn that around. No doubt there will be an inquest into what's happened and we do have to turn it around.
Australia's top-order batsmen, yesterday set 364 simply to make England bat again, were dismissed to an array of poor shots and brilliant bowling. It has been a repetitive tale this summer, exposes Australia in every department and will result in Andrew Strauss receiving the replica Ashes trophy some time today.
''It will hurt in a big way, but the English have totally outplayed us,'' Watson said.
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