Losing Ashes on Australian soil feels ‘horrendous’: Watson

MELBOURNE - Opener Shane Watson has said that the enormity of losing the Ashes on Australian soil for the first time in 24 years has not been lost on him and his teammates.

Admitting the prospect of winning the urn was gone, he said: “Its horrendous, to be totally honest. Going into this Ashes series we knew how important it would be to win them because Australia hasn’t lost them here in 24 years.”

“We knew if we didn’t win it was going to be disappointing for us personally to be involved in that type of history, and disappointing for the fans as well,” The Daily Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

Pressed on how the series loss would affect the public’s confidence in the side, Watson admitted a backlash was likely.

“The Australian fans have come out and supported us and we haven’t given them anything to support,” he said.

“We really do have to go out there in Sydney and try to keep some of our supporters and fans on-side. The way we’ve played, we might have turned a few people off. We’re going to have to restore that,” Watson said.

Even if Australia wins the fifth and final Test in Sydney next week, England will retain the urn after beating Ricky Pontings side in England last year.

It’s the first time since the memorable summer of 1985-86 that England has won the Ashes on Australian soil. (ANI)