15 Aug 2013

Australian careers on the line

6:12 am on 15 August 2013

The Australian cricket coach Darren Lehmann says his batsmen are playing for their careers in the fifth and final Ashes test next week.

After another dramatic collapse on Durham, Lehmann says the blokes have to learn - if they don't, then they'll find blokes that will.

Set 299 to win, Australia went from 109 for no wicket to 224 all out on Tuesday, giving England a 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Australia have only passed 300 once in eight Ashes innings, with Michael Clarke at Old Trafford and Chrisn Rogers at Durham the only batsmen to reach triple figures.

Lehmann says to play for Australia, you have to perform to a level that's acceptable to everyone in the team, and also to the Australian public and the media, and at the moment they're not doing that.

The fifth and final test begins at the Oval next Wednesday.