The morning after England’s sucker-punch of an opening Ashes defeat in Perth, Brydon Carse was sitting at a riverside cafe with his teammates Zak Crawley and Harry Brook.

Carse put his hand in his pocket, and accidentally dislodged what eyewitnesses described as thousands of dollars in cash that flew into the air.

Jake Weatherald and Brydon Carse exchange words during the fifth and final Ashes Test of the summer.Credit: Getty Images

Patrons of the cafe, including English cricket journalists enjoying a quiet coffee, were left scrambling to grab the cash and return it to Carse. Crawley looked mortified.

The incident, whether innocent or otherwise, acts as an emblem for an Ashes tour that was loose, careless and at times downright baffling.

Bear in mind that Carse, just a year prior, had served a three-month ban for betting on cricket matches, which leads us into England’s curious choice of where to stay in Perth.

England opted to stay at Crown Towers, an opulent casino complex that is home to one of the best hotels in Australia. It was within a short walk of the new stadium, but living in a casino for weeks, with a total of two competitive days of cricket after the first Test ended so quickly, put temptation everywhere.

The players, often well-oiled, frequented the casino’s tables in full sight of England fans and other punters, some of whom were there because it was one of the only places in Perth open after hours and showed Premier League soccer.

Crown Towers in Perth.Credit: George Apostolidis

It was on the white-ball trip to New Zealand that preceded the Ashes that insiders believe unhealthy patterns of boozy behaviour – highlighted by captain Harry Brook’s run-in with a bouncer the night before a game – were set in motion.

Some of the most experienced members of the England backroom team started to feel uneasy about the planning, or lack of it, for the Ashes. Yes, the mid-season break to Noosa was booked, but why were England only securing a bowling coach, David Saker (who was far from first choice), five weeks before the first Test, and why did they not have a fielding coach at all?

The coaching ticket was a farce; Tim Southee did one Test and was mooted to come back for Sydney, but never did. Marcus Trescothick and Jeetan Patel are not known for challenging McCullum, made naive comments in the media, and by the end of the tour their arms were almost falling off having thrown so much in the nets. In Adelaide, Saker, Trescothick and Patel were put up for media across the first three days, a tell-tale sign that things are going badly. When it was announced that Patel would speak, the Australian press cheered ironically. They may not have had a fielding coach, but their mind guru Gilbert Enoka did appear intermittently.

David Saker and Brendon McCullum.Credit: Getty Images

In truth, England’s Ashes dream was unravelling before Ben Stokes even landed on Australian soil and joined the tour.

England’s captain arrived in Perth in early November. The England Lions were there and some of the fast bowlers. Many of England’s batsmen were enjoying their latest idyllic golf-and-beer holiday in New Zealand. But at least one senior player was sent to Perth earlier than planned because he turned up on tour overweight. He was not alone in being considered........

© The Sydney Morning Herald