Credit Goes To whole Australian Team Michael Clarke

Australia's downcast captain Michael Clarke trusts his team have regained respect and credibility as candidates for the Ashes urn over the course of an amazing, winding match at Trent Bridge, even if it decided with the searing pain of a fifth successive Test defeat for the visitors.

Clarke and the break of the team were clearly upset by a loss that arrived in painful situations 12 minutes after lunch on the final day. Having additional 65 with the last man James Pattinson to take the tourists to within 15 runs of victory, Brad Haddin was given out on a choice referral after the highest of edges behind from the bowling of the Man of the Match, James Anderson.

But Clarke maintained his men had proved they were going to give England an dreadful fright, defying the expectations of many before the series initiated, and also going some way towards redeeming themselves after the embarrassments of the India tour earlier this year.

I think we have probably proved to a few people that we are here to compete," Clarke said. "I said it on day one and I am not surprised at how close we got. I'm dissatisfied that we couldn't get over the line and I said last night that I static thought we could win the Test match.

So we as a team are disappointed we haven't won this first Test but I hope we have got a bit of respect by the way we have played. That's what's main. Our team is going to give our all every single time we take the field. We're here to win this series.

We know it is going to be strong and we have just experienced that over five days but for the people that have written us off or did write us off before a ball was bowled, I think we might have changed a few of their minds.

The wicket of Haddin brought back recalls of the similarly epic Edgbaston Test of 2005, which resulted in a two-run win for England after Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz put on 59 for the last wicket.

Back then, Clarke was a advanced young batsman in a team of greats. Now he must find a way of guaranteeing the trauma of the Nottingham defeat does not envelop a team far less experienced or confident than the side of eight years ago ahead of a second Test at Lord's that is a mere four days away.

"I can't remember '05. Well, I can but I just don't want to," Clarke said. "I was a lot younger then so it's tough to compare. It probably does hurt you more when you are captain because I predict you are a little bit older and I care so much about the guys that I am enclosed by.

He also had words of approval for the young debutant Ashton Agar, whose 98 at No. 11 in the first innings brought the Test active. "He has played really well," Clarke said. "He is an amazing talent, no uncertainty about it. He is a great kid with a very smart mind - he is older than his age will tell you. He is enjoying being around the team and I think you are going to see a lot extra of him."

The final act of the match, with its delayed resolve and reliance on technology, was symbolic of how the DRS had cast a considerable shadow over the competition. But it also showed how England used the system more effectively than their complements.

Alastair Cook still had two transfers up his sleeve when he definite to review the Haddin decision, while on day three Clarke had scorched his own before the umpire Aleem Dar failed to spot a clear advantage from Stuart Broad to slip. Clarke recognized he had to show better decision in the future.

"The benefit you have now, especially as a batsman, is that if you think you did not hit the ball, you have the casual to refer it. Sometimes you find out you did hit it, like in my case, other times you find out you were right. That is how the games is and you learn to live with it."

How Clarke and Australia acquire to live with their loss at Trent Bridge will be known at Lord's on Thursday morning.