UK media mocks 'haunted' Aussies

Australia's First Test capitulation has been met with glee by the English media, who have predicted a long, sleepless series for Michael Clarke and his "haunted" team.

The press has rounded on underfire allrounder Shane Watson and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, while England star Stuart Broad twisted the knife on Clarke following his dismissal of the Aussie skipper.

Writing for the Daily Mail, Broad relished his continued dominance of Clarke.

"On a personal note, it was nice to get Australia captain Michael Clarke out again," Broad wrote.

"I’ve got him out a few times down the years and, although this wasn’t the pitch you’d want to bowl short on, it was nice to see him a little bit on the back foot when he was driving at me.”

The Daily Mirror's Andrew Dunn focused on Australia's woeful record over the past three Ashes series in England, which he suggested "haunted" the team.

"Make no mistake, this was an Australian team haunted by a decade’s worth of Ashes failure on English - or, in this case, British - soil, anchored by a fear of losing," Dunn wrote.

"The overall Australian psyche seems damaged by the damning fact of what is now just two wins on England’s territory in their last 16 Tests."

The Guardian's Ali Martin suggested the series could prove a pointer for Clarke when he becomes a father.

"The eve of the first day saw Clarke announce - via social media, naturally - the happy news that he and his wife, Kyly, are expecting their first child, and the early signs are that this tour could provide the perfect preparation for the inevitable sleepless nights and messy situations that await,” Martin wrote.

The BBC's Simon Hughes was particularly savage on Australia's aging team and their meek surrender to lose by 169 runs at Cardiff.

"Australia did look old," Hughes said. "There are seagulls out here at Cardiff and they look like vultures about to feed on the carcass of Australian cricket."

Watson's twin failures and Haddin's struggle with both the bat and gloves prompted a widespread view that both players should be dumped.

Gideon Haigh from The Times reveled in Watson's two lbw dismissals.

"The inimitable Shane Watson showed the panache of a natural entertainer by sensing what the people wanted and giving it to them: an innings long enough for anticipation to build but short enough to do England no harm, culminating in a clumsy front foot plunge, a disbelieving review and a heavy-booted exit," Haigh wrote.

Teddy Cutler from The Times called on the Australians to replace Watson and Haddin.

"Watson will surely cede his place to (Mitchell) Marsh, while Haddin, who had a dreadful game with bat and gloves, could, and perhaps should, make way for Peter Nevill, the New South Wales wicketkeeper-batsman," Cutler wrote.