Australia coach Darren Lehmann believes the tourists passed “a real test of character...with flying colours” in the drawn third Investec Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford.
Following a 347-run drubbing at Lord’s to go 2-0 down, Michael Clarke’s side made England sweat in Manchester before rain forced a stalemate yesterday.
The hosts therefore retained the urn with two games still to play, but Lehmann saw a first-innings lead of 159 and reducing England to 37 for three at stumps as certain progress.
“After Lord’s it was a real test of character,” he said. “They passed with flying colours, I think you would all agree with that. We dominated the game. We have to repeat that at Durham.”
In addition to Lehmann and Clarke, Australia leg-spin legend Shane Warne spoke to the touring squad yesterday when play was eventually called off close to 5pm.
Lehmann added: “All we have to do is learn and our blokes are learning. We've seen that over the last five days and now again they've got to learn to repeat that in a back-to-back Test match.
“So that's important for our group we know that. We just had a good chat - we obviously had a few people come in and say a few words which is great.
“We're learning from some really good people; Warney was in there and Michael had some great words to say to the players and just about learning the game and keep that level head.
“Yes we can't obviously get the Ashes now. What we need to make sure we're best prepared for Durham to play the brand of cricket we did here, win the game and then move to The Oval and then move back home.
“We can't look too far ahead, that Ashes is a long way away, the home series. All we can concentrate on is these next two Test matches.”
Among Australia’s immediate concerns in the fitness of fast bowler Ryan Harris, who took four economical wickets at Manchester but has traditionally struggled to play Tests in quick succession.
“I think he's a reasonable chance now he hasn't bowled (much) today,” Lehmann said, speaking yesterday. “If he'd bowled today I wouldn't think he would be a chance at all so again we'll just have to see how he pulls up tomorrow the travel day and see how he goes at training.”