COACH Duncan Fletcher has pledged to conduct a full analysis of England's performance in their record-breaking opening Test defeat by Australia at the Gabba and to determine "whether we had the right combination there or was it the way we played."

Their 384-runs loss, England's heaviest ever by runs in this country, has led to further criticism from both sides of the world and increased scepticism about whether this touring party are capable of being able to compete during the Ashes series.

The Australian newspaper claimed England's hopes of regaining the Ashes was "a task which appears physically and mentally beyond this beleaguered bunch," while the Courier-Mail described the victory as "one of the greatest routs in Ashes history."

It leaves the tourists with some soul-searching to do before they face up to Australia again for the first of back-to-back Tests at the Adelaide Oval, which starts on November 21.