Australia's two showpiece Test cricket matches start in the next fortnight, but if you want a cricket contest, count down to the winter.

The Ashes cannot come soon enough.

Australia's 491-run win over Pakistan in the first Test at the WACA Ground cast a gloomy outlook for fans wanting some sort of meaningful contest this series, and Melbourne's Boxing Day Test and Sydney's New Year's Test are likely to provide similar results.

From a position of real danger early on day one, Australia lifted when it had to and its endless depth came to the fore when the last five wickets put on over 300 runs after Pakistan harboured thoughts of skittling the home side for 150.

With the ball it was even more frightening.

Michael Kasprowicz, with 5-30 in the first innings, and Glenn McGrath, with an astonishing 8-24 in the second, exposed the fragility of Pakistan's batting line-up and the only reason the match went into a fourth day was because skipper Ricky Ponting decided against enforcing the follow-on.

Australia is alone at the top of the cricket mountain and its attacking, attractive all-round game makes it a treat for viewers.

But where does the competition come from?

India provided fantastic contests in the past three series against Australia, but the world champions have gobbled up the rest easily - Sri Lanka both home and away, New Zealand and surely within a fortnight Pakistan.

Only England, which won 10 of its 11 previous matches before going into the current first Test in South Africa, looms as an opponent of stature for the all-conquering Australians.

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