Michael Clarke's men extract glittering prize from an annus horribilis HOW good is this? Ricky Ponting asked Michael Clarke in the aftermath of Australia's last Ashes series victory, nearly seven years ago. This is the way we're going to finish every series against England, right? That whitewash then felt as comprehensive as the win Australia secured yesterday at 1.44pm, with England similarly blanked on the scoreboard. But between times, a superiority once regarded as inevitable had been rendered decidedly evitable by eight English Test victories to two.