'Aussie Express' rolls on

Former Australian captain Allan Border gives BBC Sport Online his reflections on the Lord's Test match.

Australia are bounding towards outright victory in the 2001 Ashes series, leaving the home side to contemplate a demoralising defeat in the second Test at Lord's.

The Australians wrapped up the Test before lunch on the fourth day in a fashion which was indicative of the confidence with which they are playing.

England are left to face an uphill battle to reclaim the urn and I believe only a total reversal in form will see this achieved.

Australia's second Test domination was similar to their innings and 118-run win at Edgbaston a fortnight ago, allowing them to set their sights towards a record seventh successive Ashes series triumph.

Form isn't the only thing against England, the records show that in 124 years of Ashes contests, England have never been able to fight back after losing the first two Tests to win a series.

A mood of despair on the England balcony

The Aussies are going from strength to strength and spirits are high in the camp at the moment.

Every member of the squad is contributing and you just need to look back at the last two matches to see that.

England's innings at Lord's ended in fitting fashion with Mark Waugh taking his 158th catch to remove last man Darren Gough and give 'Dizzy' Gillespie five wickets in an innings.

I can't say enough about Dizzy's bowling at the moment.

He has proved himself to be one of Australia's finest quicks and his accuracy and enthusiasm is unmatched.

It was the third time in this series that an Aussie bowler had taken five wickets in an innings following Shane Warne at Edgbaston and Glenn 'Pigeon' McGrath only two days earlier.

McGrath is the workhorse of the Aussie attack

The Australian pace attack complements each other so well. McGrath is always among the wickets, he is a workhorse for Australia and has been so for many years.

The home side's collapse was spectacular even by their standards, losing the last six wickets for 39 runs in the face of a pace onslaught from Gillespie (5-53) and McGrath (3-60).

The stats really showed how this game panned out.

Mark Butcher top scored for the English with 83 during the second innings while Atherton lead from the front with a quickfire 37 in the first session.

Butcher and Atherton's totals combined were only 12 runs ahead of Mark Waugh's impressive 108 during the Aussies first innings onslaught.

Matthew Hayden hit the winning runs

But the wizardry with the willow was not restricted to Waugh.

Adam Gilchrist stuck his hand up and knocked up a solid 90 before being caught by Stewart off a Darren Gough delivery.

What more can be said about this Australian squad?

Steve Waugh and his men know how it feels to lose a Test series and the painful failure in India earlier this year it fresh in their minds.

But with two victories under their belts the Australian's can sniff a series victory.

The 'Aussie Express' rolls on and it's next stop Trent Bridge.