"For starters, Andrew Strauss needs to persuade his team they are not a basket case who have blown their big chance after their pounding defeat here," Former England all-rounder Derek Pringle said.

"Lots of yoga and whale noises to induce calm ahead of arguably the most important moment in many of the players’ careers," he said.

"England will need to work harder than ever. And they need Flintoff back for a last hurrah," former England player Mike Selvey said.

"Yet it is hard to see how they can come back from a caning like this, for so high is Australian morale now, with every justification, and so low that of England, that the gap is probably unbridgeable," Selvey added.

"Except this time, England were not beaten by the genius of stellar names. They succumbed because Australia showed command of basics such as line and length, read the conditions and fielded like panthers," Richard Hobson said.

"Patience has been the major difference between the sides as much as skill. The tourists have played authentic, high-powered Test cricket," Stephen Brenkley said.

"Remember, it’s still one-all in the series. Fortunes have swung so wildly already this summer – there’s no reason they can’t swing back again," former England captain Mike Atherton said.