Australia aren't a team used to being bruised and battered, and when you're at the bottom, the only way is up. Going into Perth, England led the series 1-0, and Ricky Ponting's men needed to win the remaining three games to claim the series and win the Ashes back from England, since a series draw would leave the urn with the old menu. There was a time when three wins out of three would have been an underachievement for the Australian team. After being outmaneuvered in Brisbane and demolished in in Adelaide, this was not that Australian team.

The Adelaide demolition prompted four changes in the Australian team, with Mitchell Johnson given another chance after Xavier Doherty's less-than-impressive debut. England bid goodbye to Stuart Broad (side strain) and replaced him with Chris Tremlett. It turned out to be a good move, as he, Steven Finn and James Anderson reduced Australia to 69/5. It fell to Michael Hussey (61) & Brad Haddin (53), again, to dig their team out of a hole, which they did - but they didn't do it by themselves. Johnson, under pressure for his failure in Brisbane, responded with a tough 62, aided by Peter Siddle's unbeaten 35, as Australia propped themselves up to 268 all out.

England started well, Andrew Strauss making a composed half-century, and Alistair Cook 32, before Australia struck back. 78 for none became 98 for 5, four of those wickets going to Mitchell Johnson for just 7 runs. Ian Bell resisted the attack with a half-century of his own, by Ryan Harris claimed three wickets (and Johnson one more) to knock England out for 187, giving the home team a precious lead of 81.

It wasn't easy going for Australia the second time around, losing Ricky Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (20) cheaply again. With his team at 64/3, Shane Watson crafted his way to 95, denied a hundred by Chris Tremlett. 177 for 4 could have been tricky, but Michael Hussey saved Australia again. No one would deny him his second century of the series. His 116, along with Steven Smith's 36, took Australia over 300, Graeme Swann conceding 51 from his wicketless 9 overs. England would quickly mop up the rest of the innings, with Tremlett claiming 5 wickets, but Australia had set a target of 390.

This time, there was to be no good start for England. Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus came together to spank England like it was 2006 all over again. Jonathan Trott's 31 was England's highest score of the innings, with no one else passing 20. Harris claimed six wickets in the innings (bringing his match tally to 9) and Johnson accounted for 3 (for a match haul of 9). England crumbled to 123 all out, and Australia won by 267 runs.

Well. After being written out of contention, Australia - and in particular, Mitchell Johnson - roared back, reminding England of their penchant for never, ever giving up. Neutralized in Brisbane and dropped for Adelaide, Johnson took the Man of the Match award for his half-century and nine wickets. Ricky Ponting's form remained a concern, not least because he injured his finger while fielding. Michael Clarke's combined score of 24 was another headache for the selectors. England's bowling was its only positive, holding Australia to two manageable scores - but that their batsmen failed to pass 200 in either innings means that their hold on the Ashes urn has slipped.