Australia have only themselves to blame after going from "flat track bullies to hapless hookers" in less than a week during their Ashes battle with England, Australian media said on Saturday.

"In less than a week Australia's batsmen have gone from flat track bullies to hapless hookers as they handed England a huge advantage in the second Test," The Australian's Malcolm Conn said. "They have been the masters of their own demise with some dumb batting against a persistent but hardly devastating England attack."

Despite seeing four batsmen score centuries for the first time in an Ashes innings before declaring on 674 for six in Cardiff last week, Australia have experienced a reversal of fortune in the second Test at Lords.u00a0

Sydney Morning Herald columnist Peter Roebuck said the second Test match has been a tale of the rise and fall of crucial players. "On their previous overseas tour (opener) Phillip Hughes and (fast bowler) Mitchell Johnson were pillars of the team," Roebuck said.

"Now these same fellows are causing headaches in the camp. Unless they can recapture their best games the Australians will be hard pressed to retain the Ashes."