IF England’s innings defeat to Australia in the final Ashes Test proved anything it’s that a competitive edge is everything in sport.

Not that the Oval match wasn’t a bona fide contest, but the fact that there was nothing riding on it made all the difference from the hosts’ perspective.

Subconsciously, England seemed to relax.

It didn’t really matter that they were facing the Aussies or that there was a forthcoming series in the UAE against Pakistan to prepare for, as far as this match was concerned it was already job done.

Poor though our batting was – which is certainly a topic for another day - there was a definite case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show about this.

The pundits knew it, too. The media tore a strip off Alastair Cook’s side following the 405-run defeat at Lord’s.

With the coveted urn safely secure, they weren’t so damning this time around.

They were happy to celebrate, focus on everything England had done well over the summer and not worry too much about the final Test result.

Had the Ashes still been in the balance, I suspect that wouldn’t have been the case.

The problem is when a result doesn’t matter either way in the grand scheme of things, it is difficult for players to, for want of a better phrase, “get in the zone”.

It’s not necessarily a lack of motivation, just a psychological barrier that is difficult to overcome in such situations.

The feeling of knowing that their actions could make the difference between success and failure has been diminished.

Football teams already eliminated before the final group match of a major international competition face the same scenario.

Everyone may have wanted England to win 4-1 but, in reality, few will mind that the series finished up 3-2.

England won the Ashes. End of.