What a difference a week makes. Eight days ago, the England cricket team had celebrated two victories. Not only had they defeated Australia in The Ashes opener at Cardiff, they had also won back the affection of many disillusioned supporters.

Yet, after yesterday's embarrassing collapse at Lord's, the overriding emotion is one of being back to square one.

Presented with a pitch and conditions that should have been a batsman's dream, England's second innings lasted just 37 overs as they were bowled out for a dismal 103.

It all means that the Aussies, who won by 405-run margin, have levelled up the five-Test series at one victory apiece as the teams prepare to head to Edgbaston a week on Wednesday.

The third Ashes Test is often looked back upon as the crucial encounter and with the overall draw in favour of holders Australia, it's imperative that England avoid defeat in Birmingham. But, to ensure that happens, do they stick or twist?

Are changes needed?

First things first - batting at the top of the order is perhaps the most difficult thing to do in Test cricket. The batsmen have had no time to get their eye in, the bowling attack is fresh and the new ball is exactly that - new.

Yet, it is still not as tough as England have made it look for some time now. In 2015 alone, from their 14 innings, England have lost three wickets before they have reached 100 runs on all but three occasions. In fact, in seven of those innings, 50 runs have been beyond them.

England have actually averaged just 27 for their first three wickets during that period, which equates to 81-3 every time that they bat. It's the lowest of the major Test-playing nations, with India on top on 80 runs.

Of course they are currently up against the best bowling attack in the world, particularly against left-handed batsmen, which England's top three are. But, this is an Ashes series and this is Australia - the expectation is that the bowlers are going to be quick, hostile and fierce.

If England are to stand any chance of regaining the famous little urn, they must find a way of negating that threat and change seems to be the only way. Although, that does not necessarily mean that wholesale alterations are required.

Keeping faith with Lyth

In truth, England have been searching for someone to open the batting alongside Alastair Cook ever since the dependable Andrew Strauss called time on his career in 2012. Many have tried, but none have prospered.

The man currently in the shirt is Yorkshire's Adam Lyth, who so far in this Ashes series has scored six, 37, 0 and seven.

It appears that he has a problem locating his off-stump, highlighted by the fact that the majority of his dismissals have come to balls shaping away from the bat. Given that he has grown up at Headingley - where the ball is known to nip around - it's a strange weakness for the 27-year-old to possess.

If he needs any advice, there is nobody better placed to provide that than the man that stands down the other end from him. On more than one occasion throughout his career, Cook has had similar issues. The skipper could also help his partner by facing the first ball.

There are those that believe Lyth is not up to Test standard, but that then begs the question - who do you replace him with? Alex Hales is the fashionable choice, but he has struggled for runs since starring in the recent one-day series against New Zealand.

It's also interesting to note that Nick Compton, Michael Carberry and Sam Robson - all recently discarded by England after stints as openers - have scored more runs than Hales in the County Championship, albeit having featured in more matches than the Nottinghamshire man.

The inclusion of Hales could perhaps be viewed as England fighting fire with fire - Cook and Hales vs. Chris Rogers and David Warner. But, just two Tests ago Lyth scored a century and that should not be overlooked. He is deserving of at least one more chance to prove his credentials, particularly with the lack of alternative options in mind.

Who bats at three?

If Gary Ballance stood any further back, he would be next to the Australian wicketkeeper. While that may be a slight exaggeration, there can be no argument against the fact that the 25-year-old has a huge problem.

Ballance, for whatever reason, is reluctant to move out of his crease. Consequently, he has been susceptible to the full ball against New Zealand and Australia. All it takes is for him to mistime a delivery and he's heading back to the pavilion - highlighted by the fact that he has been bowled six times in his last 12 innings.

It's a technique problem, which is something that can only be corrected by getting back in the nets and scoring runs for Yorkshire. There is no shame in Ballance going away to improve, before returning to the Test team at a later date. Ballance will not be the first player to have done so and he will not be the last.

But, who comes in? There is an unwritten rule in cricket that your best player bats at three so that they can shape the team's innings. Sir Viv Richards and Ricky Ponting - to name two - both took on that responsibility. In fact, England need only to look across to the other dressing room to see how Steve Smith has flourished since his switch from number five to three.

The logical choice would be to throw Joe Root into the lion's den. He may have faltered at Lord's, but the 24-year-old, who is surely an England captain in waiting, has been in phenomenal form over the last 18 months.

Is the middle of an Ashes series the right time to make such a switch, though? With the opening wicket vulnerable, Root could find himself exposed early on to the new ball and the short stuff. It would also disrupt his exciting partnership with Ben Stokes, which has been getting bums off seats in recent Tests.

He may look like a walking wicket right now, but Ian Bell could be the man to come in at three. Since scoring 143 against the West Indies in April, Bell has had a torrid time. In 12 innings, the Warwickshire man has averaged just 11.

Yet, if he is ever going to rediscover his form, surely it will be at Edgbaston - his home ground. It's not a question of ability with Bell, more confidence. Handing him such a big responsibility could help to lift the veteran of 112 Tests out of the doldrums.

The impact on the middle order

While England were being bowled out for 103, some 240 miles away in Scarborough the clamour for Jonny Bairstow's recall to the Test side was growing. He scored his fifth century of the season for Yorkshire before being dismissed for 139 - 36 more runs than the entire England team managed.

If someone is going to come into the team, they must be in form. There can be no doubting the nick that Bairstow finds himself in and so it would be a major surprise if his name is not on the squad list when the selectors meet tomorrow.

There will be those that argue in the County Championship that Bairstow is not facing bowlers anywhere near the quality of what Australia will throw his way, but it is worth remembering that he has previously faced the Aussies home and away, so there will be no surprises for the 25-year-old.

With Bell at three and Root moving up to four, it would be left for Bairstow and Stokes to jostle for fifth and sixth spot.

If Bairstow were to be included in the XI, it would seem high unlikely that there would be room for Adil Rashid. There are those that believe that the spinner should come into the side, which is understandable given the fact that the ball is known to turn at Edgbaston. However, it would mean dropping Moeen Ali, who performed particularly well in Cardiff, so it will probably be back to Yorkshire for Rashid.

Sports Mole's England team for third Test: Cook, Lyth, Bell, Root, Stokes, Bairstow, Buttler, Ali, Broad, Wood, Anderson