The Australian media has claimed that England deserved not winning the last Ashes Test at The Oval because they themselves had done their best to kill the match with a cynical mixture of slow over rates and snail-paced batting.
According to news.com.au, England captain Alastair Cook was correct to suggest Australia should be 'credited a little bit' for turning a lifeless Test into a match befitting the occasion.
The report said, however, that had England achieved the target of 217 runs in 44 overs, no doubt some would have criticized Clarke's declaration as overly generous.
England still had to be praised for their clinical 3-0 win, the report added.