The virtue of defence?

In his autobiography, Nasser Hussain makes an interesting point about the change in batsmen’s mindset over the course of his career. His observation is that when he started out, batsmen were encouraged to defend as their default setting, only looking to attack when the ball was there for it. By the end of his career, however, batsmen were looking to attack first and only defend if they absolutely had to.

This is great for the spectator. In spite of what Jonathan Agnew et al would have you believe, over rates have been pretty poor for the last thirty-five years or so, but the increase in scoring rates has rejuvenated cricket as a spectacle. In 1986, Wisden’s correspondent marvelled at the fact that ‘England’s overall run rate of 60.67 runs per 100 balls received (3.64 runs per over) was the fastest ever by either side in England – Australia tests’, but such rates are now standard. What he would have made of the 2005 Edgbaston test, where 1,176 runs were scored without any innings lasting long enough for the second new ball to be available, is anyone’s guess.

While it has been good for the spectator, however, it hasn’t always been good for the batting side, perversely. Modern batting sides, so used to attack, struggle disproportionately when conditions are in the bowlers' favour. In 2009 at Lord’s, five Australian batsmen were out hooking and pulling on a lively wicket in less than perfect light. At the Oval, in amongst the devastation of Stuart Broad’s spell, Brad Haddin, with his team six down and folding like a pack of cards, was out trying to drive a swinging yorker. The most spectacular collapse of the series, England’s on the first mornng at Headingley, certainly wasn’t helped by what might politely be described as some over-ambitious batting.

In a series which is likely to be decided by which side makes best use of the occasions when the ball is on top, England’s recent record is worth looking at. That morning at Headingley aside, they have a number of players, most notably Jonathan Trott and Paul Collingwood, who are not afraid to grit things out of they have to. The fact that they have lost only three of their last twenty-three tests, in spite of having being outplayed in rather more of them, hints at the kind of mental strength and willingness to adapt to the conditions that should stand them in good stead in this series. Whether or not Australia, fresh from three defeats in their last four tests, share this strength remains to be seen.