MELBOURNE • Australia's cricket board has promised a review of the Ashes debacle after the dead rubber Test at The Oval and will seek answers to the team's continued flops on foreign pitches.

Eighteen months after blitzing England 5-0, Australia's humiliating loss in Nottingham to surrender the Ashes 3-1 has again exposed them as home-track bullies.

At home, Australia have won four of their last five Test series.

However, they have been thrashed in away series against India, Pakistan and England in the last two years.

"After every series, we will sit down and review, and I think there is an opportunity for a reflection on our style of play," Cricket Australia chief executive officer James Sutherland told reporters in Melbourne.

"It's not easy playing away but it's something we have to get better at. We want to be the best cricket team in the world and, to do that, we have to be better at playing away."

Losing the coveted urn to arch-rivals England is depressing enough in cricket-mad Australia.

But the manner of the team's capitulation, after entering the series as favourites, has prompted criticism from all quarters.

Most of the blame has been heaped upon the batsmen.

They struggled to adapt to English conditions and appeared inept when facing the moving ball.

Selectors, including coach Darren Lehmann, have been roasted for a number of decisions.

These include the omission of long-serving wicket-keeper Brad Haddin for most of the series and failing to pick an all-rounder in the decisive loss at Trent Bridge.

Steven Smith is all but certain to take the captaincy from the retiring Michael Clarke for the team's two-Test tour of Bangladesh in October. Critics have suggested a new coach should also be brought in to help Smith rebuild the team.

Sutherland, however, said Lehmann is safe in his role.

Of Smith's likely promotion, he said: "We have someone in waiting who has had experience as a captain. Steven is ready for this challenge but no one is ready-made to just walk into it."

REUTERS