SYDNEY, Jan 4: While rising COVID-19 cases and rain will present logistical challenges to this week's fourth Ashes Test, another limp performance from England would be a threat to the already damaged credibility of the iconic series.
Without a single century or five-wicket haul to their collective name in three heavy losses in the series to date, the tourists have only pride to play for when they take to Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for day one on Wednesday.
Day three on Friday will mark exactly 11 years since England last won a Test match Down Under, a famous January morning when Andrew Strauss's side mopped up the remaining three Australian wickets to secure an innings and 83-run victory.
A crowd of 19,000 England fans celebrated wildly at the SCG as the wickets tumbled to seal an emphatic 3-1 series triumph built on disciplined bowling and big batting.
Since that morning, England have managed to eke out just a single draw in 13 Tests over three tours and the last two Ashes Tests in Sydney have resulted in humiliating defeats.
Australia have enjoyed dominance for lengthy periods before, and England will feel they can still be competitive on home soil, but the lustre of the Ashes so apparent in 2011 has dulled considerably over the last month.
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