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What started in spectacular fashion, with the Australian cricket team ruthlessly outplayed, ended with a sense that 2011 was a year of transition - memorable more for bad behaviour off the pitch than outstanding sporting achievement on it.

Even those sportsmen and women who did excel - like Mo Farah and Dai Greene on the athletics track, Rebecca Adlington in the pool and Rory McIlroy on the golf course - will feel they should surpass their success in 2012.

Despite early confidence, few would have anticipated - their first win down under for 24 years.

The 3-1 scoreline hinted at the gulf in class between the teams, and don't forget each of England's wins were by an innings.

Andrew Strauss's leadership and Alastair Cook's 36 hours and 11 minutes at the crease were the stand outs.

But while English cricket soared, English rugby union flopped.

Martin Johnson's team began with a first Six Nations win in eight years, but ended with .

Mike Tindall was the most high profile casualty, fined £15,000 after footage emerged of him on a boozy night out at a bar holding a dwarf-throwing contest, .

Welsh rugby, on the other hand, has plenty to be optimistic about after equalling their best ever World Cup performance.

They were beaten 9-8 in the semi-finals by France but were left asking what might have been after .

The decision was widely criticised, but Warburton enhanced his own reputation by admitting he couldn't complain about the call.

In football, it was all about Manchester.

While United were becoming the most successful English club by to edge past Liverpool, City won their first silverware in 35 years in the FA Cup.

But both of those achievements were overshadowed by the behaviour of Carlos Tevez.

ahead of being sent on as a sub in the Champions League.

He was later accused by Graeme Souness of being the perfect example of "all that is wrong with the game".

, but the behaviour of Lewis Hamilton was also a story.

The 2008 Champion was involved in , as well as race officials and summed up his season saying: "I've been to the stewards so many times this year I should get air miles."

Can Hamilton get back to being talked about for his driving or will he again be overshadowed by Jenson Button?

That's just one of several big sporting questions to ponder in 2012.

Others include: Will David Haye make a comeback?

His reputation took a battering after a , a fight less entertaining than all the hype and trash talking.

Can Andy Murray finally win a Grand Slam title? suggests the only thing stopping him is between his ears.

And can Britain's world champion athletes add Olympic gold to their collections?

As for the fans, most will just be hoping performances in the sporting arena overshadow any controversy away from it.