Australia was brilliant against England but defining moment will come when it tours South Africa

THE Poms have been conquered but the true measure of Australia’s progress won’t be known until March’s tour of South Africa, writes Robert Craddock.

Australian players celebrate after regaining the Ashes. Picture: AAP

THE sound of Jimmy Anderson’s helmet cracking as if hit by a hammer will echo all the way to South Africa where Australia’s defining moment of an outstanding summer awaits them.

Just before Australia won the Ashes in Perth the game stopped for five minutes after a shocked Anderson regained his composure from a brutal bouncer from Pat Cummins which hit helmet like hailstone landing on a roof.

For all of Australia’s dominance in this series, the true measure of their worth as an emerging cricket team will be how they measure up in the four-Test series in South Africa in March.

James Anderson is nailed by a Pat Cummins bouncer.

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If Australia wins that series we can officially brand them one of the world’s best teams and not simply home town bruisers.

The single most successful game plan against England has been to bounce the tail and Australia will surely try and rough up South Africa in the same way.

The Proteas are watching Australia’s progress closely in this series.

The victorious Ashes campaign has confirmed a lot of the things suspected about this constantly remodelled Australian team.

That their fast bowling group truly are special. That Nathan Lyon is that rare breed of off-spinner who can win a match and not simply sandpaper away as most off-spinners do.

That Steve Smith is a cut above the rest. It’s remarkable what one brilliant player is capable of.

Australian players show concern for Anderson.

For all the deficiencies in England team, if Smith had failed England would probably be leading 2-1 with two to go.

There were also some surprise success stories with Trevor Hohns’ in-form selection panel recalled the Marsh brothers and they shone with centuries and Tim Paine who has done splendidly as keeper (how did he not get a game for Tasmania?).

No side has everyone in form.

Cameron Bancroft is hanging in there and looks a worthy investment.

Usman Khawaja still looks slightly constricted at Test level but he is worth the wait.

The great strength of the attack is you are never sure who is going to be the best bowler on any given day so even is the spread of talent.

But the measure of true progress is to shine where you are least expected to … overseas.

Australia has won just one of their last five series away from home. South Africa will be a rugged test.

Lose that series and its back to the tradition rating of storm troopers at home and just run of the mill off shore plodders.

England had no answer to the brilliance of Steve Smith.

Australia has been barely better equipped to maintaining their remarkable record of not losing a series in South Africa since the apartheid era.

Swing, seam, pace and spin. They’re covered. The heel injury to Mitchell Starc is significant because while the current attack is in place Australia would be happy to take on any team in any conditions.

But if Starc was absent things suddenly become more complicated and instantly challenging.

England lost this series the day Ben Stokes punched a man and put a hole in his own career at Bristol in September.

The morning after the incident, when it became likely Stokes would not make the Ashes tour, the vibe around the cricket world was “no Stokes, no England.’’

It really was that simple.

For the England attack to take just 31 wickets in three Tests is harrowing evidence of a lack of penetration.

Jimmy Anderson’s 12 wickets at 25 represent solid fare for a bowler whose key weapon — swing — is not suited to the conditions.

Craig Overton, with six wickets at 37, has toiled serviceably but the rest of the averages are far too offensive to be printed in a family newspaper, particular at Christmas time.