Sport Today

    Australia also lost the last Test to RSA just before this Ashes
series, after winning the first two to take that series. And, of course,
Australia lost the last Test of the previous Ashes series in England
('93). 5 times in the last 4 years. Their performances in these last
Tests is what leaves Australia behind, say, the West Indies side under
Lloyd, which regularly put up 4-1 or 5-0 series wins.
    It's also interesting that both England and the West Indies have
beaten Australia within 3 days the last Test they played.

.... and South Africa. The press here in Aus are calling it "Dead
*** Syndrome".

Luke

    More or less correct. On one occasion it was the last Test, and on
one the last but one Test of the series, both after WI had won the
first 3 Tests of a 5 Test series. However, the WI also managed to win
the last Test of "dead" series often enough. Australia, I think, is
unquestionably the best side in Test cricket today. However, it
has revealed a few chinks in its armour (and not just because of its
last Test performances), and the level of domination it has achieved
doesn't quite rival that of the WI in the '80s.