England's Boxing Day win described as a 'hollow victory' with Brendon McCullum, Rob Key still under scrutiny

Former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have suggested there will be some regret for the side after finally clinching victory in this Ashes series.

The visitors' performances have notably improved as the series has worn on apart from the dominant first day in Perth.

England's win in the two-day Boxing Day Test brings the consistent question around the side's preparation and whether a golden opportunity has been wasted against what was judged a vulnerable Australian side before the series.

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Jake Weatherald has struggled for runs since debuting while Marnus Labuschagne's long wait for another Test century continues. Cameron Green is also under the pump after a series of ugly dismissals.

"With the batting they do look vulnerable, don't they?," Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.

"With Weatherald at the top, Labuschagne who's struggling with angles and (Josh) Tongue and then you've got Cameron Green who really frustrates me because I do think there's an exceptional cricketer in there with his batting, bowling and fielding but he gets out in some really soft ways; run out in the first innings and a half charge, half not charge fend off to slip today."

Hussain added it does give some credence to Stuart Broad's pre-series statement that this Australian side is the worst since 2010.

"It sort of shows what Stuart Broad was trying to say before a ball went down. I wouldn't go as far as what Stuart said but they were there for the taking, especially with the bat," he said.

Atherton added the victory feels "hollow" because of what could have been.

"It's almost like they're ready to go now ... so that feels ridiculous," he said.

"That is the frustration, it's a huge frustration."

After going behind 3-0, the suggestion has been the scrutiny on coach Brendan McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key will simmer if two wins can be picked up at the end of the series.

However, Hussain sees it completely differently.

"That frustrates me even more. Imagine if you prepared properly,started well, after lunch on day two in Perth got down and got the basics right and went 1-0 up, we could be going to Sydney at 2-2," he said.

"If anything it shows they didn't focus in before a ball was bowled this series and now they're ready to go and Australia looks vulnerable."