There are days when all those years of gazing at ruinous collapses through your fingers or muttering ‘Oh for god’s sake’ over and over again all seem worth it. The last three days at Melbourne have been some of those days, as England have produced a clinical exhibition of high class cricket that has been too much for a shell shocked Australian side.
Australia started the day pretty well, but were in such a horrible position by then that it was largely academic. Siddle bowled magnificently for his six wickets and England, once Matt Prior had got himself into a tangle and lobbed the ball to mid-on, it was only a breezy knock from Graeme Swann, along with the continued excellence of Jonathan Trott, that saw England past five hundred.
Trott continued as he does, relentlessly and with no outward sign of emotion except for when he reached his various landmarks. A friend treated me like a madman when I suggested to him before the series that I would rather have Trott batting at three than Ponting, but his superb performances in the series have rather vindicated that point of view. After seventeen tests he now averages sixty-four but, more importantly, he makes his hundreds count. He has made five test hundreds but has only been dismissed for under one hundred and fifty once, in his first test. Once he gets past a hundred his average is a staggering two hundred and seventy four; against Australia that rises to a scarcely believable four hundred and twenty two. In five tests against Australia he averages over a hundred: this is Bradman-esque batting.
He wasn’t finished either. Australia, for once, made a decent start but were undone by a hesitant bit of running and a swoop and throw from Trott that left Hughes, who had ridden his luck a little, short of his ground. England now scented blood, but the final nails in Australia’s coffin came from a slightly unlikely source as Tim Bresnan, bowling at a decent pace, removed Watson, Ponting and Hussey in quick succession to leave them reeling. Hussey has had a wonderful series, but the rescue job was beyond him as Bell pouched an uppish drive at cover.
With England bowling beautifully it was surely now simply a matter of time. Tremlett had deeply unflattering figures that didn’t come close to reflecting the quality of his performance and Swann and Bresnan were parsimonious to a degree that has almost been forgotten in test cricket. The pressure eventually told on Michael Clarke, who edged to a well placed second slip, and Steve Smith who, having batted reasonably well, dragged Jimmy Anderson on.
With Ryan Harris pretty much certain not to bat following his very unfortunate injury, England need just three wickets to wrap up the win and retain the Ashes. They can reasonably expect to be celebrating by lunchtime tomorrow.
Wednesday 29 December 2010
Monday 27 December 2010
Ducking Ricky's Toys - Day Two at Melbourne
Australia’s target this morning would have been to take quick wickets and try, somehow, to force their way back in the game. Michael Clarke, interviewed on the first evening, was bullish about their chances of fighting their way back: he must be feeling rather less so on a day where just about everything that could go wrong did.
They did achieve their first objective, however. In the midst of what can only be described as a debacle Peter Siddle, on his home turf, has bowled superbly, and he knocked over Cook and Strauss early on, Strauss superbly caught by Hussey. From there on, however, the wheels came flying off.
Jonathan Trott has only been playing test cricket for fifteen months, but today he calmly went about compiling his fifth test century. A hallmark of a Trott hundred is that one is left with very few strong memories of it, but he times the ball beautifully and never looked anything other than totally in control. He initially had Pietersen for company, who reined in his more frenetic tendencies but played some glorious shots before being palpably leg before to the persevering Siddle, and then lost Collingwood and Bell cheaply, both hooking Johnson to the ubiquitous Siddle in a manner that doubtless brought back all sorts of memories for Andrew Hilditch.
We shall come to Matt Prior’s knock in a moment, but for all of England’s dominance there is one incident that will overshadow today’s play. On forty-nine the Australians were convinced that Pietersen had edged behind, although interestingly neither the bowler nor first slip seemed terribly interested. The review showed Hot Spot picking something up, but it was some distance away from where the ball passed the bat: the only decision that the third umpire could give was not out. What followed was, at the risk of sounding like a sanctimonious Pom, unacceptable. Ponting harangued both umpires at length and also seemed to suggest to Pietersen that he should walk. He is a man under pressure but this went way beyond what is acceptable on the field of play – he can count himself fortunate to have been fined just forty per cent of his match fee, for there are many, including me, who feel that a more appropriate punishment would have been a suspension. It wasn’t even a clear miscarriage of justice – there was no evidence that Pietersen had hit the ball and the decision was absolutely correct.
Going back to the cricket, Prior survived being caught behind off Mitchell Johnson when the cameras detected a no ball and went on to blossom, moving to seventy-five not out with a delightful array of strokes. This was another day when nothing went Australia’s way, but it is hard to sympathise with any bowler who has wickets chalked off due to bowling a no ball. They kept trying, but with Mojo at his most Mojo-like, Hilfenhaus bowling tidily but with very little threat and Harris not looking the bowler that he did in Perth it was left to Siddle to carry the attack, which he couldn’t do on his own. Steve Smith didn’t bowl badly but looks out of his depth with both bat and ball at this level. He would, rightly, be nowhere near the England side and needs to play more first class cricket if he is to fulfil his undoubted potential: being a bit part player in a struggling team isn’t going to do his long term development any favours. To hear the Australian selectors describe him as a number six batsman who bowls a bit beggars belief. They would be far better off playing a genuine batsman, such as Khawaja, at number six and picking a proper spinner. Given that travails of Xavier Doherty in the first two tests and the weakness of the tail I still find it staggering that Nathan Hauritz has been discarded.
England will look to push on to a lead of five hundred tomorrow and aim to retain the Ashes sometime on the fourth day, and, at the risk of tempting fate, there’s no real reason to think that they won’t. If that does turn out to be the case, the Australian selection for Sydney will be very interesting.
They did achieve their first objective, however. In the midst of what can only be described as a debacle Peter Siddle, on his home turf, has bowled superbly, and he knocked over Cook and Strauss early on, Strauss superbly caught by Hussey. From there on, however, the wheels came flying off.
Jonathan Trott has only been playing test cricket for fifteen months, but today he calmly went about compiling his fifth test century. A hallmark of a Trott hundred is that one is left with very few strong memories of it, but he times the ball beautifully and never looked anything other than totally in control. He initially had Pietersen for company, who reined in his more frenetic tendencies but played some glorious shots before being palpably leg before to the persevering Siddle, and then lost Collingwood and Bell cheaply, both hooking Johnson to the ubiquitous Siddle in a manner that doubtless brought back all sorts of memories for Andrew Hilditch.
We shall come to Matt Prior’s knock in a moment, but for all of England’s dominance there is one incident that will overshadow today’s play. On forty-nine the Australians were convinced that Pietersen had edged behind, although interestingly neither the bowler nor first slip seemed terribly interested. The review showed Hot Spot picking something up, but it was some distance away from where the ball passed the bat: the only decision that the third umpire could give was not out. What followed was, at the risk of sounding like a sanctimonious Pom, unacceptable. Ponting harangued both umpires at length and also seemed to suggest to Pietersen that he should walk. He is a man under pressure but this went way beyond what is acceptable on the field of play – he can count himself fortunate to have been fined just forty per cent of his match fee, for there are many, including me, who feel that a more appropriate punishment would have been a suspension. It wasn’t even a clear miscarriage of justice – there was no evidence that Pietersen had hit the ball and the decision was absolutely correct.
Going back to the cricket, Prior survived being caught behind off Mitchell Johnson when the cameras detected a no ball and went on to blossom, moving to seventy-five not out with a delightful array of strokes. This was another day when nothing went Australia’s way, but it is hard to sympathise with any bowler who has wickets chalked off due to bowling a no ball. They kept trying, but with Mojo at his most Mojo-like, Hilfenhaus bowling tidily but with very little threat and Harris not looking the bowler that he did in Perth it was left to Siddle to carry the attack, which he couldn’t do on his own. Steve Smith didn’t bowl badly but looks out of his depth with both bat and ball at this level. He would, rightly, be nowhere near the England side and needs to play more first class cricket if he is to fulfil his undoubted potential: being a bit part player in a struggling team isn’t going to do his long term development any favours. To hear the Australian selectors describe him as a number six batsman who bowls a bit beggars belief. They would be far better off playing a genuine batsman, such as Khawaja, at number six and picking a proper spinner. Given that travails of Xavier Doherty in the first two tests and the weakness of the tail I still find it staggering that Nathan Hauritz has been discarded.
England will look to push on to a lead of five hundred tomorrow and aim to retain the Ashes sometime on the fourth day, and, at the risk of tempting fate, there’s no real reason to think that they won’t. If that does turn out to be the case, the Australian selection for Sydney will be very interesting.
Hark the Melbourne Angels Sing - Day One at Melbourne
Speaking after the first test, Michael Vaughan ridiculed the idea of momentum within a series: his view was that matches themselves develop a momentum but that series themselves have sufficient gaps between matches for teams to re-group and start afresh. Someone clearly failed to tell the Australian management.
In the aftermath of Perth much was being made of Australia’s pace attack, conveniently consigning to history the events of the first two tests, and so it wasn’t an enormous surprise to see them name an unchanged side. Not a great surprise, but a mistake. Cricket fans can make too much of history, but it is less than eighteen months since Australia won a test in helpful conditions at Headingley and duly named an unchanged side for the Oval, only to find the pitch turning square. This hasn’t been their problem yet, but, as Shane Warne pointed out, you pick a side for five days, not for the first morning.
It was a good toss for England to win, undoubtedly, although one wonders whether Ricky Ponting, still scarred by Edgbaston in 2005, would have had the courage of his convictions and bowled first. It is, however, one thing to win the toss in helpful conditions and quite another to take full advantage, as England did.
England bowled beautifully, with scarcely a loose delivery among the two hundred and fifty plus that they sent down, but they were helped by some awful batting. To paraphrase Maurice Leyland, no-one likes facing swing and seam bowling but some hide it better than others. Australia’s top order have had significant problems all series and they were on display again: Shane Watson was undone playing hard at a ball that got big on him, Ricky Ponting was stuck on the crease, Michael Clarke wafted and god only knows what Phillip Hughes thought that he was doing. Like Mitchell Johnson he has so many technical flaws that one wonders what on earth his state and national coaches are doing.
So far in this series, Mike Hussey has come to the wicket with the score 100, 2, 134, 28 and 64, so 37-3 was familiar territory for him. This time, however, he failed, and with him went Australia. The batting order looks horribly lopsided anyway, with a decent test number eight at number six, a talented but flaky number eight who has barely scored a run all year and then three number tens. The tail wagged at Perth but that increasingly looks the exception rather than the rule: from 66-4 the last six wickets fell for thirty-two to leave them embarrassed. When I got up on Boxing Day morning I saw that England were fifty-two without loss and assumed that the start had been delayed by rain – it took some time for my addled brain to register the sheer scale of the humiliation that has occurred.
The pitch certainly improved as the day went on, but Strauss and Cook batted sensibly and Australia didn’t carry the same discipline and threat that the England attack had. Mitchell Johnson, deadly in helpful conditions in Perth, was awful, conceding forty-two runs from his seven overs and flinging one ball so far down the leg side that it was like watching him at Lord’s. Without a decent spinner to tie up one end it could be a very long few days for the Australian side and for their supporters, who left in droves as England turned the screw.
In the aftermath of Perth much was being made of Australia’s pace attack, conveniently consigning to history the events of the first two tests, and so it wasn’t an enormous surprise to see them name an unchanged side. Not a great surprise, but a mistake. Cricket fans can make too much of history, but it is less than eighteen months since Australia won a test in helpful conditions at Headingley and duly named an unchanged side for the Oval, only to find the pitch turning square. This hasn’t been their problem yet, but, as Shane Warne pointed out, you pick a side for five days, not for the first morning.
It was a good toss for England to win, undoubtedly, although one wonders whether Ricky Ponting, still scarred by Edgbaston in 2005, would have had the courage of his convictions and bowled first. It is, however, one thing to win the toss in helpful conditions and quite another to take full advantage, as England did.
England bowled beautifully, with scarcely a loose delivery among the two hundred and fifty plus that they sent down, but they were helped by some awful batting. To paraphrase Maurice Leyland, no-one likes facing swing and seam bowling but some hide it better than others. Australia’s top order have had significant problems all series and they were on display again: Shane Watson was undone playing hard at a ball that got big on him, Ricky Ponting was stuck on the crease, Michael Clarke wafted and god only knows what Phillip Hughes thought that he was doing. Like Mitchell Johnson he has so many technical flaws that one wonders what on earth his state and national coaches are doing.
So far in this series, Mike Hussey has come to the wicket with the score 100, 2, 134, 28 and 64, so 37-3 was familiar territory for him. This time, however, he failed, and with him went Australia. The batting order looks horribly lopsided anyway, with a decent test number eight at number six, a talented but flaky number eight who has barely scored a run all year and then three number tens. The tail wagged at Perth but that increasingly looks the exception rather than the rule: from 66-4 the last six wickets fell for thirty-two to leave them embarrassed. When I got up on Boxing Day morning I saw that England were fifty-two without loss and assumed that the start had been delayed by rain – it took some time for my addled brain to register the sheer scale of the humiliation that has occurred.
The pitch certainly improved as the day went on, but Strauss and Cook batted sensibly and Australia didn’t carry the same discipline and threat that the England attack had. Mitchell Johnson, deadly in helpful conditions in Perth, was awful, conceding forty-two runs from his seven overs and flinging one ball so far down the leg side that it was like watching him at Lord’s. Without a decent spinner to tie up one end it could be a very long few days for the Australian side and for their supporters, who left in droves as England turned the screw.
Friday 24 December 2010
Melbourne Memories
I am indebted to Trev for providing these - if there's any plagiarism involved I can only apologise...
Centenary Test, Melbourne, 12-17 March 1977
Australia won by 45 runs: Not strictly an Ashes Test as the urn wasn’t at stake, but this match staged to commemorate the first-ever Test exactly 100 years earlier was a classic. Australia were shot out for 138 before Lillee turned the table on England with six for 26 as England could only muster 95. Rod Marsh then struck 110 as Australia set England a mammoth 463 for victory. Amazingly they got close and at one point were 346 for four. But when Randall fell for a brilliant 174 the end was nigh and Australia scraped home by 45 runs – the same margin as in that first test 100 years before.
4th Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December 1982
England won by 3 runs: An extremely tight match saw all four innings total between 284 and 294. When Australia were 218 for nine chasing 292 all looked lost for the home side. But Border and Thomson took them to within sight of the finishing line before that man Botham struck inducing an edge from Thomson that Tavare parried into the hands of a grateful Miller.
4th Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December 1998
England won by 12 runs: England were 2-0 down and the Ashes had already gone coming into the Boxing Day Test. But some unlikely seasonal cheer came their way when Australia collapsed chasing 175 – sliding from 130 for three to 162 all out. Dean Headley had his moment in the sun with six wickets whilst Steve Waugh scored 122 not out and 30 not out.
3rd Test, Melbourne, 29 December 1928 – 5 January 1929
England won by 3 wickets: Hobbs and Sutcliffe reprised their heroics in the next series, where with England set 332 to win on another wet wicket they compiled another century opening stand. Jardine, Hammond and then Hendren also provided sterling support to Sutcliffe who anchored the chase with 135. Despite some late wickets, England made it home by just three wickets to achieve an unassailable 3-0 series lead.
3rd Test, Melbourne, 1-7 January 1937
Australia won by 365 runs: With Australia 2-0 down in Bradman’s first series as captain it was do-or-die at Melbourne. But with rain making batting a lottery at times and both sides making bold declarations, Bradman reversed his batting order in the second innings and hit a magnificent 270 from number seven once the wicket had improved. Set 689 to win, England could only muster 323 and the biggest turnaround in any test series had begun.
Centenary Test, Melbourne, 12-17 March 1977
Australia won by 45 runs: Not strictly an Ashes Test as the urn wasn’t at stake, but this match staged to commemorate the first-ever Test exactly 100 years earlier was a classic. Australia were shot out for 138 before Lillee turned the table on England with six for 26 as England could only muster 95. Rod Marsh then struck 110 as Australia set England a mammoth 463 for victory. Amazingly they got close and at one point were 346 for four. But when Randall fell for a brilliant 174 the end was nigh and Australia scraped home by 45 runs – the same margin as in that first test 100 years before.
4th Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December 1982
England won by 3 runs: An extremely tight match saw all four innings total between 284 and 294. When Australia were 218 for nine chasing 292 all looked lost for the home side. But Border and Thomson took them to within sight of the finishing line before that man Botham struck inducing an edge from Thomson that Tavare parried into the hands of a grateful Miller.
4th Test, Melbourne, 26-30 December 1998
England won by 12 runs: England were 2-0 down and the Ashes had already gone coming into the Boxing Day Test. But some unlikely seasonal cheer came their way when Australia collapsed chasing 175 – sliding from 130 for three to 162 all out. Dean Headley had his moment in the sun with six wickets whilst Steve Waugh scored 122 not out and 30 not out.
3rd Test, Melbourne, 29 December 1928 – 5 January 1929
England won by 3 wickets: Hobbs and Sutcliffe reprised their heroics in the next series, where with England set 332 to win on another wet wicket they compiled another century opening stand. Jardine, Hammond and then Hendren also provided sterling support to Sutcliffe who anchored the chase with 135. Despite some late wickets, England made it home by just three wickets to achieve an unassailable 3-0 series lead.
3rd Test, Melbourne, 1-7 January 1937
Australia won by 365 runs: With Australia 2-0 down in Bradman’s first series as captain it was do-or-die at Melbourne. But with rain making batting a lottery at times and both sides making bold declarations, Bradman reversed his batting order in the second innings and hit a magnificent 270 from number seven once the wicket had improved. Set 689 to win, England could only muster 323 and the biggest turnaround in any test series had begun.
Looking forward to Melbourne
Gideon Haigh once described Christmas Day in Melbourne as Boxing Day Test Eve and with the series having been brought back to life in spectacular fashion in Perth there will be rather more Melbournians enjoying Christmas with one eye looking forward to events at the MCG than might have been the case a couple of weeks ago.
The Boxing Day test is iconic. I’ve been to a World Cup Final and tests at a number of venues, including more Lord’s tests than I can count, but it remains high on my ‘To Do’ list. My friend Trev emailed me earlier in the week to outline his post-Christmas itinerary – as a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club he will be attending three of the first four days and, in between lunch in the Long Room and numerous bar stops, will be keeping a watchful eye on the cricket. I’m hoping for a few first hand observations to create the illusion that I have been up all night...
So, what of the cricket. Australia’s comeback in Perth was remarkable but now we shall find out how much that was about the conditions and how much about the quality of their cricket. The expected slow, low deck may count against them as it will reduce the effectiveness of their pace attack and bring the spinners into play, but if they can get the ball moving around as they did at Perth then they will still be a fearsome proposition. The sheer size of the MCG may count against them, however, since the stands will prevent any significant breeze from reaching the playing area. Given that Ricky Ponting will almost certainly play the only decision that they have to make will be whether or not to bring Michael Beer into the side and, if so, who for. In 2009, of course, their four man pace attack blew England away at Headingley only to come horribly unstuck at the Oval, so it could be a vital decision.
As for England, the one thing in their favour is that in recent times they have tended to come back hard after defeats and they will be looking to put Perth behind them. With Jimmy Anderson fit, the only change that seems likely is Bresnan for Finn, which will bolster the lower order and may be more effective in Melbourne anyway. I would back England to bounce back but if Australia can continue to bowl with the menace and control that they showed in Perth then it could be a tough challenge for them.
My prediction? Having seen my prediction of an England win come horribly unstuck at Perth I’m going to tempt fate – England to win and retain the Ashes.
The Boxing Day test is iconic. I’ve been to a World Cup Final and tests at a number of venues, including more Lord’s tests than I can count, but it remains high on my ‘To Do’ list. My friend Trev emailed me earlier in the week to outline his post-Christmas itinerary – as a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club he will be attending three of the first four days and, in between lunch in the Long Room and numerous bar stops, will be keeping a watchful eye on the cricket. I’m hoping for a few first hand observations to create the illusion that I have been up all night...
So, what of the cricket. Australia’s comeback in Perth was remarkable but now we shall find out how much that was about the conditions and how much about the quality of their cricket. The expected slow, low deck may count against them as it will reduce the effectiveness of their pace attack and bring the spinners into play, but if they can get the ball moving around as they did at Perth then they will still be a fearsome proposition. The sheer size of the MCG may count against them, however, since the stands will prevent any significant breeze from reaching the playing area. Given that Ricky Ponting will almost certainly play the only decision that they have to make will be whether or not to bring Michael Beer into the side and, if so, who for. In 2009, of course, their four man pace attack blew England away at Headingley only to come horribly unstuck at the Oval, so it could be a vital decision.
As for England, the one thing in their favour is that in recent times they have tended to come back hard after defeats and they will be looking to put Perth behind them. With Jimmy Anderson fit, the only change that seems likely is Bresnan for Finn, which will bolster the lower order and may be more effective in Melbourne anyway. I would back England to bounce back but if Australia can continue to bowl with the menace and control that they showed in Perth then it could be a tough challenge for them.
My prediction? Having seen my prediction of an England win come horribly unstuck at Perth I’m going to tempt fate – England to win and retain the Ashes.
Wednesday 22 December 2010
Mr. Cricket
It was a surprise to followers of county cricket, and particularly to fans of Northants and Durham, when Mike Hussey was included in Australia’s one day squad in 2005 but not their test squad, for he had been a prolific run scorer in the County Championship. However, his success to that point had been as an opener and he had no realistic chance of ousting Langer and Hayden. At the time, though, there were many who felt that he would have been a more valuable member of the side than Simon Katich and some went so far as to say that the Ashes wouldn’t have been lost with Hussey in the side.
He duly made his debut as a reserve opener that November and made an undistinguished start, contributing just 29 and 1. Not for the first time he was only a failure away from losing his place in the side, since the injured Justin Langer would be returning soon. Hussey duly delivered, making 137 in the first innings to cement his place in the side.
From there he went on a phenomenal run. After twenty-one tests he was averaging an astonishing 80.22, his average having been as high as 86.18. He had made eight hundreds and, although his average was boosted by an unusually large number of not outs, he was being touted in some quarters as the new Bradman, although Bradman was averaging 106.37 after twenty-one tests. An already overpoweringly strong Australian side seemed to have added a freak of nature to the side.
It didn’t last. Although Hussey has been a fixture in the Australian side ever since, the thirty-six test that he has played since have brought 2,431 runs at 40.52. The recent run of poor scores that put his place in jeopardy were, in fact, nothing new. Indeed, prior to the Ashes series he was averaging a respectable 45.78, but that had been inflated by two unbeaten scores against Pakistan – without them his average dropped to twenty-one. Put bluntly, Mr. Cricket was no longer worth his place in the side.
The margins in test cricket are incredibly fine, though. Had Graeme Swann been standing a couple of feet closer when Hussey faced his first ball at Brisbane then he would have been walking back with another nought to his name and with his test career all but over, but instead he went on to play a truly remarkable innings before being dismissed just short of what would have been a well deserved double century. Since then he has been in astonishing form, achieving something that was beyond even the Don with six half centuries in consecutive Ashes innings. One wonders where Australia would be in this series without him.
So, where does he stand in the pantheon of great batsmen? There’s no doubt that his career figures are inflated by a freakish run early in his career, but he’s by no means unique in that. For the aesthete he is no David Gower or Greg Chappell, but neither is he Gary Kirsten or Alastair Cook. His pull shot is a thing of majesty and he drives beautifully through the covers. One area that does let him down, however, is his record outside Australia: at home he averages 67.39, but away from home that drops to an altogether more mortal 39.75 with only three of his thirteen test hundreds coming on foreign soil. This can partly be attributed to his upbringing in Western Australia: Justin Langer was praising his ability to leave the ball on length, but outside Australia this becomes altogether more problematic. Three of his nine dismissals in the 2009 Ashes came leaving the ball, an extraordinarily high number for a top class batsman.
So, is he an all time great? The answer is no, but in Australian conditions, especially when his side are up against it, he’s a top class performer. They shall miss him when he’s gone.
He duly made his debut as a reserve opener that November and made an undistinguished start, contributing just 29 and 1. Not for the first time he was only a failure away from losing his place in the side, since the injured Justin Langer would be returning soon. Hussey duly delivered, making 137 in the first innings to cement his place in the side.
From there he went on a phenomenal run. After twenty-one tests he was averaging an astonishing 80.22, his average having been as high as 86.18. He had made eight hundreds and, although his average was boosted by an unusually large number of not outs, he was being touted in some quarters as the new Bradman, although Bradman was averaging 106.37 after twenty-one tests. An already overpoweringly strong Australian side seemed to have added a freak of nature to the side.
It didn’t last. Although Hussey has been a fixture in the Australian side ever since, the thirty-six test that he has played since have brought 2,431 runs at 40.52. The recent run of poor scores that put his place in jeopardy were, in fact, nothing new. Indeed, prior to the Ashes series he was averaging a respectable 45.78, but that had been inflated by two unbeaten scores against Pakistan – without them his average dropped to twenty-one. Put bluntly, Mr. Cricket was no longer worth his place in the side.
The margins in test cricket are incredibly fine, though. Had Graeme Swann been standing a couple of feet closer when Hussey faced his first ball at Brisbane then he would have been walking back with another nought to his name and with his test career all but over, but instead he went on to play a truly remarkable innings before being dismissed just short of what would have been a well deserved double century. Since then he has been in astonishing form, achieving something that was beyond even the Don with six half centuries in consecutive Ashes innings. One wonders where Australia would be in this series without him.
So, where does he stand in the pantheon of great batsmen? There’s no doubt that his career figures are inflated by a freakish run early in his career, but he’s by no means unique in that. For the aesthete he is no David Gower or Greg Chappell, but neither is he Gary Kirsten or Alastair Cook. His pull shot is a thing of majesty and he drives beautifully through the covers. One area that does let him down, however, is his record outside Australia: at home he averages 67.39, but away from home that drops to an altogether more mortal 39.75 with only three of his thirteen test hundreds coming on foreign soil. This can partly be attributed to his upbringing in Western Australia: Justin Langer was praising his ability to leave the ball on length, but outside Australia this becomes altogether more problematic. Three of his nine dismissals in the 2009 Ashes came leaving the ball, an extraordinarily high number for a top class batsman.
So, is he an all time great? The answer is no, but in Australian conditions, especially when his side are up against it, he’s a top class performer. They shall miss him when he’s gone.
Monday 20 December 2010
Aussies In Excelsis - Day Four at Perth
If Jimmy Greaves were a cricket commentator which, mercifully, he isn’t, he would doubtless have plenty to say along the lines of ‘It’s a funny old game’. For once it would be difficult to argue with him, for I don’t think that anyone expected the shambles that was Australia at Adelaide to turn things round quite so spectacularly at Perth.
England were abject this morning – some of the more moronic of the media are trying to blame the arrival of the players’ families for the turnaround in fortune but the bottom line is that Australia bowled exceptionally well in conditions that could have been designed for their attack. Once England had closed five wickets down on the third evening there was only going to be one winner – with no prospect either of batting out for the draw or of chasing down the target it is perhaps no wonder that they capitulated. England have had a habit of collapsing horribly in one test a series of late, so they will feel that they can bounce back but the series now has a very different look to it.
That said, I would still rather be in England’s shoes in Australia’s. The betting is very reliant on Hussey, with able support from Watson and Haddin, and the bowling attack won’t find conditions quite so much to their liking again. There will be points in this series where they will need a spinner and the feeling persists that England are more likely to take wickets in good batting conditions. As for England, the selectors won’t panic – they’ve been exceptionally good at bouncing back from poor performances over the last couple of years and they are still only one win away from retaining the Ashes. They will almost certainly persist with the policy of playing four bowlers, but they might well consider resting Steven Finn at Melbourne and giving either Bresnan or Shahzad, both of whom would also improve the lower order, a game. They might also be looking at Paul Collingwood – for all of the brilliance of his fielding his batting in test cricket has been extremely moderate of late and they may think about bringing in Morgan and moving Bell up to number five.
It’s game on again. Bring on Melbourne.
England were abject this morning – some of the more moronic of the media are trying to blame the arrival of the players’ families for the turnaround in fortune but the bottom line is that Australia bowled exceptionally well in conditions that could have been designed for their attack. Once England had closed five wickets down on the third evening there was only going to be one winner – with no prospect either of batting out for the draw or of chasing down the target it is perhaps no wonder that they capitulated. England have had a habit of collapsing horribly in one test a series of late, so they will feel that they can bounce back but the series now has a very different look to it.
That said, I would still rather be in England’s shoes in Australia’s. The betting is very reliant on Hussey, with able support from Watson and Haddin, and the bowling attack won’t find conditions quite so much to their liking again. There will be points in this series where they will need a spinner and the feeling persists that England are more likely to take wickets in good batting conditions. As for England, the selectors won’t panic – they’ve been exceptionally good at bouncing back from poor performances over the last couple of years and they are still only one win away from retaining the Ashes. They will almost certainly persist with the policy of playing four bowlers, but they might well consider resting Steven Finn at Melbourne and giving either Bresnan or Shahzad, both of whom would also improve the lower order, a game. They might also be looking at Paul Collingwood – for all of the brilliance of his fielding his batting in test cricket has been extremely moderate of late and they may think about bringing in Morgan and moving Bell up to number five.
It’s game on again. Bring on Melbourne.
Hussey and Watson Turn The Screw - Day Three at Perth
Another day, another Mike Hussey mini-epic. It seems extraordinary that a man whose career looked to be on its knees after a sustained run of poor form has now surpassed even Bradman by making six consecutive Ashes half-centuries, three of which he has converted into hundreds. Not even the most optimistic Australian selector could have seen that coming.
England’s only real hope was to take early wickets and expose the tail, but Watson and Hussey continued fairly serenely in the morning until Watson fell, frustratingly, just short a hundred again. His inability to make the most of his opportunities to produce really big scores continues to frustrate, but he has been easily the most successful of a pretty dismal Australian top four and his innings here was crucial. Steve Smith also made a useful contribution without looking remotely like a test number six, although his talent is undoubted, but the tail, which played so well in the first innings, fell away. Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris in particular won’t be keen to see too many replays of their dismissals, but by that point the platform had been built by Hussey and Watson and Australia were in a commanding position.
The commanding position had become a winning position by stumps. Johnson, Harris and Hilfenhaus all bowled well in ideal conditions for their talents and England fell away. Only Kevin Pietersen can feel really bad about his dismissal – he seemed to be caught in about eight minds before edging to slip with his bat at a peculiar angle and his feet nowhere. The rest were victims of good bowling and decent catching, although it was obvious that things were going Australia’s way when Ponting’s dropped catch went straight to Haddin. That, however, is the way of cricket and they thoroughly deserved their success.
England will cling to the thought that they had a partnership of 332 for the eighth wicket in the summer, but in reality it is impossible to see anything other than a well deserved Australian win tomorrow.
England’s only real hope was to take early wickets and expose the tail, but Watson and Hussey continued fairly serenely in the morning until Watson fell, frustratingly, just short a hundred again. His inability to make the most of his opportunities to produce really big scores continues to frustrate, but he has been easily the most successful of a pretty dismal Australian top four and his innings here was crucial. Steve Smith also made a useful contribution without looking remotely like a test number six, although his talent is undoubted, but the tail, which played so well in the first innings, fell away. Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris in particular won’t be keen to see too many replays of their dismissals, but by that point the platform had been built by Hussey and Watson and Australia were in a commanding position.
The commanding position had become a winning position by stumps. Johnson, Harris and Hilfenhaus all bowled well in ideal conditions for their talents and England fell away. Only Kevin Pietersen can feel really bad about his dismissal – he seemed to be caught in about eight minds before edging to slip with his bat at a peculiar angle and his feet nowhere. The rest were victims of good bowling and decent catching, although it was obvious that things were going Australia’s way when Ponting’s dropped catch went straight to Haddin. That, however, is the way of cricket and they thoroughly deserved their success.
England will cling to the thought that they had a partnership of 332 for the eighth wicket in the summer, but in reality it is impossible to see anything other than a well deserved Australian win tomorrow.
Friday 17 December 2010
The Return of Mitch's Mojo - Day Two at Perth
Ah, hubris. Just as England supporters and bloggers (ahem), not to mention the Australian media, had written them off, back came Australia. Having been an absolute shambles for the best part of two tests the game, and the series, is well and truly on.
The catalyst for this was the man whose selection brought widespread criticism from pretty much all quarters. Mitchell Johnson has had a miserable 2010 but today he showed just why he was the 2009 World Cricketer of the Year. With this arm slightly higher, and his seam position perfect, his combination of pace and swing proved irresistible. With fine support from Ryan Harris in particular, he emerged from the last chance saloon in style.
The day didn’t start so well for Australia. Cook and Strauss saw off the new ball, with Haddin and Watson making a hash of a regulation chance in a manner that called Adelaide to mind, but once Hussey had clung on to a low chance to dismiss Cook it was all Australia and England’s tail couldn’t match the feats of their opponents. Those late order runs on day one looked as though they may be a futile gesture, but they could now end up being the difference between the sides and Australia deserve great credit for the strength of character that they have shown since just after lunch yesterday.
They still have their problems, though, and there are still crumbs of comfort for England. Hughes, Ponting and Clarke all failed again, although it is Hughes’s first test of the series, and they are not out of sight yet. If England can take wickets tomorrow morning then the game is far from over: there have been some big fourth innings totals at the WACA of late and the pitch still looks largely blameless. On the other hand, if Australia can swing the ball like they did today then chasing any sort of decent total will be problematic. Australia will hope that good Mitch is here to stay – one of his problems in the last couple of years has been stringing performances together, but if he can then the series will take on a new aspect.
Such is the beauty of test cricket. Just twenty four hours ago England were riding the crest of a wave and contemplating having the Ashes sewn up by Melbourne, but now they are wondering how they can hang on here. It is truly the greatest form of the greatest sport in the world.
The catalyst for this was the man whose selection brought widespread criticism from pretty much all quarters. Mitchell Johnson has had a miserable 2010 but today he showed just why he was the 2009 World Cricketer of the Year. With this arm slightly higher, and his seam position perfect, his combination of pace and swing proved irresistible. With fine support from Ryan Harris in particular, he emerged from the last chance saloon in style.
The day didn’t start so well for Australia. Cook and Strauss saw off the new ball, with Haddin and Watson making a hash of a regulation chance in a manner that called Adelaide to mind, but once Hussey had clung on to a low chance to dismiss Cook it was all Australia and England’s tail couldn’t match the feats of their opponents. Those late order runs on day one looked as though they may be a futile gesture, but they could now end up being the difference between the sides and Australia deserve great credit for the strength of character that they have shown since just after lunch yesterday.
They still have their problems, though, and there are still crumbs of comfort for England. Hughes, Ponting and Clarke all failed again, although it is Hughes’s first test of the series, and they are not out of sight yet. If England can take wickets tomorrow morning then the game is far from over: there have been some big fourth innings totals at the WACA of late and the pitch still looks largely blameless. On the other hand, if Australia can swing the ball like they did today then chasing any sort of decent total will be problematic. Australia will hope that good Mitch is here to stay – one of his problems in the last couple of years has been stringing performances together, but if he can then the series will take on a new aspect.
Such is the beauty of test cricket. Just twenty four hours ago England were riding the crest of a wave and contemplating having the Ashes sewn up by Melbourne, but now they are wondering how they can hang on here. It is truly the greatest form of the greatest sport in the world.
Thursday 16 December 2010
Tremlett Makes Them Tremble - Day One at Perth
It is a measure of how the dynamics of this series have shifted that it is no great surprise to see Australia bowled out for under three hundred again. Indeed, there’s almost a hint of disappointment that they got as many as they did after another dismal start, which feels very odd indeed.
Australia’s top four are in a horrible mess. The returning Phillip Hughes looked, in his brief innings, not to have made any significant progress since his last Ashes innings, and his record in Sheffield Shield cricket this winter is not that of a man in good form. Shane Watson has achieved much more at the top of the order than anyone expected, but he isn’t making the weight of runs required from an international opening batsman, Ricky Ponting has had quite a few struggles in test cricket over the last year or so and they are showing no signs of abating and Michael Clarke looks decidedly jittery. So far in the series they, and Simon Katich, have scored 474 runs between them at an average of 27.88 – take out the largely meaningless second innings at Brisbane and that average drops to 23.63. More worryingly, they have passed fifty five times between them in nineteen innings, but only once have any of them gone beyond sixty. By comparison, England’s top four have gone past fifty seven times in eleven innings and converted five of them into hundreds. Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin have done well, but they have almost invariably been called upon to dig their side out of the hole. This was, once again, the case here.
Anderson and Tremlett bowled pretty well with the new ball. Anderson looked unaffected by his round the world trip, although he bowled a little wide, and Tremlett fully vindicated the selectors’ faith in him. They were well supported in the field, as has now become the norm for England, with Collingwood and Swann both holding stunning catches, and by Swann, who picked up the vital wicket of Mike Hussey. The England management will be concerned at the fitness of Steven Finn, who may well be rested at Melbourne, and they will also be frustrated that the Australian tail, for once, wagged with Johnson and Siddle in particular batting belligerently and effectively. This was, in part, due to the pitch losing its greenish tinge as it baked in the hot sun and will be encouraging for the England batsmen. With Cook and Strauss progressing to stumps with few alarms, and a remarkable six from Cook, they will look to bat for a long time.
On the positive side for Australia, Hussey and Haddin batted well again and Mitchell Johnson rode his luck a little but also played some glorious shots in an important innings of sixty two which should help to boost his confidence. His bowling, in the brief spell that he managed before the close, looked improved as well, although it seldom takes much to throw him off his line. If he goes wicketless for long in the morning then don’t be surprised to see the arm get lower and the radar become wilder. They will also be pleased at the character that the lower order showed in getting the total up to 268, something which has been in short supply of late.
Tomorrow will be a fascinating day. Australia have gone with four quick bowlers plus Steve Smith to bowl leg spin, but it may that the best day for bowling seam has been and gone. If England can make it through the first half hour tomorrow unscathed then it could be a long day for Australia, and they may yet regret not picking Michael Beer. On the other hand, if the quicks can make inroads while the ball is still fairly new then they could come right back into the game. Such is the joy of test cricket.
Australia’s top four are in a horrible mess. The returning Phillip Hughes looked, in his brief innings, not to have made any significant progress since his last Ashes innings, and his record in Sheffield Shield cricket this winter is not that of a man in good form. Shane Watson has achieved much more at the top of the order than anyone expected, but he isn’t making the weight of runs required from an international opening batsman, Ricky Ponting has had quite a few struggles in test cricket over the last year or so and they are showing no signs of abating and Michael Clarke looks decidedly jittery. So far in the series they, and Simon Katich, have scored 474 runs between them at an average of 27.88 – take out the largely meaningless second innings at Brisbane and that average drops to 23.63. More worryingly, they have passed fifty five times between them in nineteen innings, but only once have any of them gone beyond sixty. By comparison, England’s top four have gone past fifty seven times in eleven innings and converted five of them into hundreds. Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin have done well, but they have almost invariably been called upon to dig their side out of the hole. This was, once again, the case here.
Anderson and Tremlett bowled pretty well with the new ball. Anderson looked unaffected by his round the world trip, although he bowled a little wide, and Tremlett fully vindicated the selectors’ faith in him. They were well supported in the field, as has now become the norm for England, with Collingwood and Swann both holding stunning catches, and by Swann, who picked up the vital wicket of Mike Hussey. The England management will be concerned at the fitness of Steven Finn, who may well be rested at Melbourne, and they will also be frustrated that the Australian tail, for once, wagged with Johnson and Siddle in particular batting belligerently and effectively. This was, in part, due to the pitch losing its greenish tinge as it baked in the hot sun and will be encouraging for the England batsmen. With Cook and Strauss progressing to stumps with few alarms, and a remarkable six from Cook, they will look to bat for a long time.
On the positive side for Australia, Hussey and Haddin batted well again and Mitchell Johnson rode his luck a little but also played some glorious shots in an important innings of sixty two which should help to boost his confidence. His bowling, in the brief spell that he managed before the close, looked improved as well, although it seldom takes much to throw him off his line. If he goes wicketless for long in the morning then don’t be surprised to see the arm get lower and the radar become wilder. They will also be pleased at the character that the lower order showed in getting the total up to 268, something which has been in short supply of late.
Tomorrow will be a fascinating day. Australia have gone with four quick bowlers plus Steve Smith to bowl leg spin, but it may that the best day for bowling seam has been and gone. If England can make it through the first half hour tomorrow unscathed then it could be a long day for Australia, and they may yet regret not picking Michael Beer. On the other hand, if the quicks can make inroads while the ball is still fairly new then they could come right back into the game. Such is the joy of test cricket.
Tuesday 14 December 2010
And so to Perth
As far as I can tell, Australia have never arrived at Melbourne for the Boxing Day test with the Ashes already gone, but this is the fate that will befall them if they cannot recover from Adelaide and lose at Perth, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.
When England arrived in Perth four years ago it was off the back of a soul destroying defeat in Adelaide and, having made some changes, they were comfortably beaten. They even changed their left arm spinner, although I suspect that even Michael Beer’s parents would admit that Monty Panesar has a bit more pedigree than their son. Panesar took five wickets in the first innings before being taken apart by Adam Gilchrist in the second – I suspect that even the most optimistic Australian supporter would settle for Beer taking five wickets in the match this week.
There has also been much speculation as to the nature of the pitch. The groundsman (curator, if you prefer) has said that he wants to get more pace into the pitch, and there have been various rumours as to how much grass is likely to be left on, but it’s difficult to escape the conclusion that anything that suits the Australian seamers will suit England every bit as well and, on performances so far at least, possibly rather better. Although Peter Siddle had an outstanding first day at Brisbane and Ryan Harris bowled pretty well at Adelaide there has been a hint of re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic about the selectors’ fast bowling whims. With Mojo Mitch having not played any cricket since his Brisbane debacle it is difficult to see how he could have improved sufficiently to play in this test, but the likelihood seems to be that he will. If he struggles here, though, then the selectors really will be up a certain creek without a certain implement.
England, though, will need to guard against complacency but with the two Andys (well, Andrew and Andy, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it) in charge then it seems highly unlikely that they will be getting carried away. They will miss Stuart Broad, who has bowled a lot better than his figures suggest and tends to grow into series, and will be slightly concerned at the wicketless performances of the reserve seamers in Melbourne, although they weren’t helped by a sluggish pitch and the butter-fingered performance of the gloveless Matt Prior. With Ajmal Shahzad seemingly out of the running it would appear to be a toss-up between Tremlett and Bresnan: if the pitch is bouncy then the height and extra bounce of Tremlett, who has bowled well in his limited opportunities on tour, could be of great value, but Bresnan could operate effectively into the wind, can bowl long, containing, spells and, of course, offers rather more with the bat. Personally I would go with Tremlett, but the England management know the conditions and the relevant strengths of the two players.
So, what’s my prediction? There is a general feeling that the Australians will bounce back, but I’m not sure that they have the character to do it. Adelaide on its own will have taken a lot out of them, but the second innings at Brisbane has also made a considerable psychological dent. They’ve also lost four out of their last five tests which, as England know of old, is a hard cycle to break. They will need to start well, take their chances and hope for some luck, but if things start going against them then expect heads to drop pretty quickly. I’m going to put my neck on the line and say that I expect England to win. Get your money on Australia.
When England arrived in Perth four years ago it was off the back of a soul destroying defeat in Adelaide and, having made some changes, they were comfortably beaten. They even changed their left arm spinner, although I suspect that even Michael Beer’s parents would admit that Monty Panesar has a bit more pedigree than their son. Panesar took five wickets in the first innings before being taken apart by Adam Gilchrist in the second – I suspect that even the most optimistic Australian supporter would settle for Beer taking five wickets in the match this week.
There has also been much speculation as to the nature of the pitch. The groundsman (curator, if you prefer) has said that he wants to get more pace into the pitch, and there have been various rumours as to how much grass is likely to be left on, but it’s difficult to escape the conclusion that anything that suits the Australian seamers will suit England every bit as well and, on performances so far at least, possibly rather better. Although Peter Siddle had an outstanding first day at Brisbane and Ryan Harris bowled pretty well at Adelaide there has been a hint of re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic about the selectors’ fast bowling whims. With Mojo Mitch having not played any cricket since his Brisbane debacle it is difficult to see how he could have improved sufficiently to play in this test, but the likelihood seems to be that he will. If he struggles here, though, then the selectors really will be up a certain creek without a certain implement.
England, though, will need to guard against complacency but with the two Andys (well, Andrew and Andy, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it) in charge then it seems highly unlikely that they will be getting carried away. They will miss Stuart Broad, who has bowled a lot better than his figures suggest and tends to grow into series, and will be slightly concerned at the wicketless performances of the reserve seamers in Melbourne, although they weren’t helped by a sluggish pitch and the butter-fingered performance of the gloveless Matt Prior. With Ajmal Shahzad seemingly out of the running it would appear to be a toss-up between Tremlett and Bresnan: if the pitch is bouncy then the height and extra bounce of Tremlett, who has bowled well in his limited opportunities on tour, could be of great value, but Bresnan could operate effectively into the wind, can bowl long, containing, spells and, of course, offers rather more with the bat. Personally I would go with Tremlett, but the England management know the conditions and the relevant strengths of the two players.
So, what’s my prediction? There is a general feeling that the Australians will bounce back, but I’m not sure that they have the character to do it. Adelaide on its own will have taken a lot out of them, but the second innings at Brisbane has also made a considerable psychological dent. They’ve also lost four out of their last five tests which, as England know of old, is a hard cycle to break. They will need to start well, take their chances and hope for some luck, but if things start going against them then expect heads to drop pretty quickly. I’m going to put my neck on the line and say that I expect England to win. Get your money on Australia.
Friday 10 December 2010
Adelaide - Some further thoughts
It still seems like an impossible dream, five days on which everything that England touched turned to gold. Even the timing of the rain, just a couple of hours after the Australian tail capitulated, played into their hands. It is difficult to remember a more complete England performance than this: to win by an innings is one thing, but to win by an innings while only losing five wickets yourselves is quite another. This is the kind of Ashes beating that we have been used to receiving, which made the victory all the sweeter.
One particularly bitter and twisted Australian poster on the Guardian’s sport blog played down England’s win, claiming that Australia were ‘only a Mike Hussey pull shot’ away from saving the game, which is an interesting spin to put on events, but there were moments when Australia could have seized the initiative, only to blow them. On the second morning, lest we forget, England lost Andrew Strauss in the first over to leave them 3-1. There was then a run out chance to Xavier Doherty and a low but fairly routine chance to Mike Hussey in the gully, neither of which were accepted. Had one of those been taken then Kevin Pietersen would have been in against the new ball and an upbeat attack, but with both of them spurned Cook and Trott were able to take the game away from Australia and lay the platform for another big score. The psychological impact of missed chances on bowlers and fielders shouldn’t be underestimated either, particularly coming off the back of the carnage of the second innings at Brisbane.
England will know that tests like these come around pretty rarely and, now that the well earned hangovers have receded, will be looking at how to ensure that they maintain the same level of intensity not just at Perth but for the rest of the series. The loss of Stuart Broad is a blow, for he has bowled better than his figures have suggested, but the England management team will feel confident that they have more than adequate reserves in the touring party. They are also in the happy position of having the world’s number two and number three bowlers both fit and firing. In spite of events since, they will also have the events of the first three days at Brisbane in the backs so their minds – Australia are currently in disarray but it isn’t so long since they bowled England out for two hundred and sixty and took a commanding innings lead.
There is an assumption than Australia will come back strongly, and it may be correct, but the Australian reputation for mental toughness has taken something of a battering of late. The final morning at Adelaide was a feeble effort, especially given that rain was forecast and England only had three fit bowlers, but they have also been found wanting against both India and Sri Lanka in the recent past, showing an uncharacteristic inability to seize the moment and falling apart under pressure. If they can re-group mentally then they undoubtedly have enough talented cricketers to make this series exciting, but the days of the mental disintegration being entirely on the part of their opponents are long gone.
One particularly bitter and twisted Australian poster on the Guardian’s sport blog played down England’s win, claiming that Australia were ‘only a Mike Hussey pull shot’ away from saving the game, which is an interesting spin to put on events, but there were moments when Australia could have seized the initiative, only to blow them. On the second morning, lest we forget, England lost Andrew Strauss in the first over to leave them 3-1. There was then a run out chance to Xavier Doherty and a low but fairly routine chance to Mike Hussey in the gully, neither of which were accepted. Had one of those been taken then Kevin Pietersen would have been in against the new ball and an upbeat attack, but with both of them spurned Cook and Trott were able to take the game away from Australia and lay the platform for another big score. The psychological impact of missed chances on bowlers and fielders shouldn’t be underestimated either, particularly coming off the back of the carnage of the second innings at Brisbane.
England will know that tests like these come around pretty rarely and, now that the well earned hangovers have receded, will be looking at how to ensure that they maintain the same level of intensity not just at Perth but for the rest of the series. The loss of Stuart Broad is a blow, for he has bowled better than his figures have suggested, but the England management team will feel confident that they have more than adequate reserves in the touring party. They are also in the happy position of having the world’s number two and number three bowlers both fit and firing. In spite of events since, they will also have the events of the first three days at Brisbane in the backs so their minds – Australia are currently in disarray but it isn’t so long since they bowled England out for two hundred and sixty and took a commanding innings lead.
There is an assumption than Australia will come back strongly, and it may be correct, but the Australian reputation for mental toughness has taken something of a battering of late. The final morning at Adelaide was a feeble effort, especially given that rain was forecast and England only had three fit bowlers, but they have also been found wanting against both India and Sri Lanka in the recent past, showing an uncharacteristic inability to seize the moment and falling apart under pressure. If they can re-group mentally then they undoubtedly have enough talented cricketers to make this series exciting, but the days of the mental disintegration being entirely on the part of their opponents are long gone.
Hilditch's Surprising Taste for Beer
Andrew Hilditch was long gone from the Australian side by the time of the 1989 tour of England, undone by hios fondness for the hook shot, but his recent performances as Chairman of Selectors suggests that he was paying close attention to the panic stricken activities of Peter May et al that summer, not as a cautionary tale but as a work of reference.
Having jettisoned Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus in the wake of the second innings at Brisbane he and his panel have now restored them to the party for Perth, the events of the second test having exposed Doug Bollinger’s lack of fitness and Xavier Doherty’s lack of ability. Hilfenhaus was a little unfortunate to be jettisoned in the first place, but Johnson has had a dismal year and hasn’t played any cricket outside the nets since the first test, so what exactly they are expecting to have changed is difficult to fathom. Perhaps they have been swayed by his batting – he is, after all, the only player in the series to have lasted for more than one ball at number eight.
The really eye catching selection, however, is that of Michael Beer, a twenty six year old left arm spinner who moved from Melbourne to Perth earlier in the year in order to forge a career with Western Australia. With sixteen wickets from five first class matches he at least has the virtue of a first class bowling average below forty, but his selection seems to be part of a continuing campaign to pick just about anyone except for Nathan Hauritz who, apparently, Ricky Ponting doesn’t want in the side. Announcing Beer’s selection, Hilditch was keen to point out that he had taken five wickets in the tour match against England but neglected to mention that he had also gone at over five an over. With a batting average of 3.6 he is hardly likely to bolster the tail either, so the logic of the selectors is almost impossible to fathom.
On the plus side, the selection of Steve Smith over Marcus North will improve the fielding, give a good extra bowling option and hardly weaken the batting and Phillip Hughes will feel that he has a lot to prove at the top of the order, but given that one of these changes was forced upon them it is difficult to give Hilditch and friends too much credit. If they lose at Perth then it will be fascinating to see where they go from here, but they may like to consider that the events of 1989 cost Peter May his job.
Having jettisoned Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus in the wake of the second innings at Brisbane he and his panel have now restored them to the party for Perth, the events of the second test having exposed Doug Bollinger’s lack of fitness and Xavier Doherty’s lack of ability. Hilfenhaus was a little unfortunate to be jettisoned in the first place, but Johnson has had a dismal year and hasn’t played any cricket outside the nets since the first test, so what exactly they are expecting to have changed is difficult to fathom. Perhaps they have been swayed by his batting – he is, after all, the only player in the series to have lasted for more than one ball at number eight.
The really eye catching selection, however, is that of Michael Beer, a twenty six year old left arm spinner who moved from Melbourne to Perth earlier in the year in order to forge a career with Western Australia. With sixteen wickets from five first class matches he at least has the virtue of a first class bowling average below forty, but his selection seems to be part of a continuing campaign to pick just about anyone except for Nathan Hauritz who, apparently, Ricky Ponting doesn’t want in the side. Announcing Beer’s selection, Hilditch was keen to point out that he had taken five wickets in the tour match against England but neglected to mention that he had also gone at over five an over. With a batting average of 3.6 he is hardly likely to bolster the tail either, so the logic of the selectors is almost impossible to fathom.
On the plus side, the selection of Steve Smith over Marcus North will improve the fielding, give a good extra bowling option and hardly weaken the batting and Phillip Hughes will feel that he has a lot to prove at the top of the order, but given that one of these changes was forced upon them it is difficult to give Hilditch and friends too much credit. If they lose at Perth then it will be fascinating to see where they go from here, but they may like to consider that the events of 1989 cost Peter May his job.
Thursday 9 December 2010
In praise of... Shane Watson
He was once the golden boy of Australian cricket, the blonde all rounder who hit the ball hard and bowled like the wind, Andrew Flintoff with a regular appointment at a hair salon. He had an exciting, touted by Steve Waugh as having the potential to be Australia’s first true all rounder since Keith Miller and Alan Davidson.
Then it all went wrong: stress fractures to his back stopped him from bowling fast and his place in the 2003 World Cup went to Andrew Symonds, who made the most of his opportunity. Although he returned to the one day side in 2004 and made his test debut in 2005 the golden boy was in danger of becoming the nearly man.
This started to change in 2006 when, at the instigation of Jamie Cox, the selectors, and Watson himself, stopped thinking of him as a bowling all rounder and rather as a batsman who might contribute some useful overs. He was promoted to open the batting in the one day side with considerable success but remained a peripheral figure on test tours, not deemed to be a good enough batsman to break into an impressive top order simply because he offered another bowling option.
The twist, and it was a surprising one, came at Edgbaston last year. The much heralded Phillip Hughes had had his technique worked over by England’s bowlers and was being made the scapegoat for the defeat at Lord’s so it was no great surprise when he was left out in Birmingham, but the identity of his replacement, who had barely scored a first class run at the top of the innings, was a massive surprise. Out of the wilderness, into an unfamiliar role, came Shane Watson.
Most anticipated failure, but he batted well in the series without ever going on to make a really significant score, and he has kept his place at the top of the Australian order ever since. His bowling, too, was ridiculed in England but he has worked hard to make the most of his medium pace and his performances against Pakistan spoke of a new maturity. In the carnage of Adelaide and the second innings at Brisbane he was also Australia’s most economical bowler, and is a useful fifth member of the attack.
All is not perfect, however. His conversion rate is short of what is required for an opening batsman and he tends to play rather hard at the ball. He is firm footed when the ball is swinging as well, meaning that he has been out bowled and LBW more than would be desirable, but he deserves credit for taking the chance when it was presented to him. The question for Australia is no longer whether or not he should be in the side but where he can serve them best, for there is a suspicion that, although he has done a good job as an opener, he is better suited to the middle order. For the time being, however, and especially with Simon Katich injured, the likelihood is that he will remain there for the foreseeable future.
Then it all went wrong: stress fractures to his back stopped him from bowling fast and his place in the 2003 World Cup went to Andrew Symonds, who made the most of his opportunity. Although he returned to the one day side in 2004 and made his test debut in 2005 the golden boy was in danger of becoming the nearly man.
This started to change in 2006 when, at the instigation of Jamie Cox, the selectors, and Watson himself, stopped thinking of him as a bowling all rounder and rather as a batsman who might contribute some useful overs. He was promoted to open the batting in the one day side with considerable success but remained a peripheral figure on test tours, not deemed to be a good enough batsman to break into an impressive top order simply because he offered another bowling option.
The twist, and it was a surprising one, came at Edgbaston last year. The much heralded Phillip Hughes had had his technique worked over by England’s bowlers and was being made the scapegoat for the defeat at Lord’s so it was no great surprise when he was left out in Birmingham, but the identity of his replacement, who had barely scored a first class run at the top of the innings, was a massive surprise. Out of the wilderness, into an unfamiliar role, came Shane Watson.
Most anticipated failure, but he batted well in the series without ever going on to make a really significant score, and he has kept his place at the top of the Australian order ever since. His bowling, too, was ridiculed in England but he has worked hard to make the most of his medium pace and his performances against Pakistan spoke of a new maturity. In the carnage of Adelaide and the second innings at Brisbane he was also Australia’s most economical bowler, and is a useful fifth member of the attack.
All is not perfect, however. His conversion rate is short of what is required for an opening batsman and he tends to play rather hard at the ball. He is firm footed when the ball is swinging as well, meaning that he has been out bowled and LBW more than would be desirable, but he deserves credit for taking the chance when it was presented to him. The question for Australia is no longer whether or not he should be in the side but where he can serve them best, for there is a suspicion that, although he has done a good job as an opener, he is better suited to the middle order. For the time being, however, and especially with Simon Katich injured, the likelihood is that he will remain there for the foreseeable future.
Wednesday 8 December 2010
What now?
Where now for Australia? With a poll in the Sydney Morning Herald currently showing 64% of respondents no longer believe that Ricky Ponting is the best man to lead Australia, confidence is at a startlingly low ebb. The bowling attack looks short of confidence and penetration, the batting looks brittle and the fielding decidedly middle-aged, so something clearly has to be done.
According to Australian cricket writer Peter Fitzsimons and, astonishingly, 75% of respondents to another Sydney Morning Herald poll, the solution is to recall Shane Warne and make him captain, an idea that suggests that they have gone past concern and straight into blind panic. The only way for Australia to improve is to look forward – the longer that they look back at the glory years the longer they will struggle. Certainly, Australia need a new spinner and Ponting’s captaincy has been pretty indifferent, but the pace bowlers have been lacklustre as well – following Fitzsimons’ spurious logic then they should be considering a recall for Glenn McGrath as well.
So what will they do? Simon Katich is certainly out so a recall for Phillip Hughes seems likely, especially following Ricky Ponting’s ringing public endorsement. If Hughes can show some of his non-Ashes form and avoid having his technical weaknesses exposed he could add a touch of flair to the top of the order and put the England seamers on the back foot. Xavier Doherty also, surely, must be left out, with the obvious alternative being the recently discarded Nathan Hauritz. Hauritz remains the best spinner in Australia and would also bolster the batting, being more than capable of batting at eight.
Of the others, Marcus North’s days must surely be numbered. He has done nothing in this series to suggest that he is worth his place, and his replacement with Steve Smith, who bats at four for his state, wouldn’t weaken the batting, would provide an extra bowling option and pep up the fielding. As for the seamers, Ryan Harris bowled well in Adelaide with little reward, although he isn’t a test number eight, and Peter Siddle will keep his place on the back of the first innings at Brisbane, but the third seamer is a problem. Having discarded Mitchell Johnson the selectors will be reluctant to return to him so soon, but Doug Bollinger, after a decent start, tired and lost pace, hostility and accuracy as England’s epic innings went on. The selectors may want to re-consider Ben Hilfenhaus, slightly unlucky to lose his place after the first test, or go for a youngster, but it is hard to see them persisting with Doug the Rug.
A word of caution and, possibly, a word of advice for Australia. England were almost as convincingly outplayed at Cardiff eighteen months ago and came back to win the series. Australia need to make changes, but now is not the time for panic. Equally, England should not rest of their laurels, but it is nice that for one it is the Australian selectors who are under the spotlight. It will be fascinating to see what they come up with.
According to Australian cricket writer Peter Fitzsimons and, astonishingly, 75% of respondents to another Sydney Morning Herald poll, the solution is to recall Shane Warne and make him captain, an idea that suggests that they have gone past concern and straight into blind panic. The only way for Australia to improve is to look forward – the longer that they look back at the glory years the longer they will struggle. Certainly, Australia need a new spinner and Ponting’s captaincy has been pretty indifferent, but the pace bowlers have been lacklustre as well – following Fitzsimons’ spurious logic then they should be considering a recall for Glenn McGrath as well.
So what will they do? Simon Katich is certainly out so a recall for Phillip Hughes seems likely, especially following Ricky Ponting’s ringing public endorsement. If Hughes can show some of his non-Ashes form and avoid having his technical weaknesses exposed he could add a touch of flair to the top of the order and put the England seamers on the back foot. Xavier Doherty also, surely, must be left out, with the obvious alternative being the recently discarded Nathan Hauritz. Hauritz remains the best spinner in Australia and would also bolster the batting, being more than capable of batting at eight.
Of the others, Marcus North’s days must surely be numbered. He has done nothing in this series to suggest that he is worth his place, and his replacement with Steve Smith, who bats at four for his state, wouldn’t weaken the batting, would provide an extra bowling option and pep up the fielding. As for the seamers, Ryan Harris bowled well in Adelaide with little reward, although he isn’t a test number eight, and Peter Siddle will keep his place on the back of the first innings at Brisbane, but the third seamer is a problem. Having discarded Mitchell Johnson the selectors will be reluctant to return to him so soon, but Doug Bollinger, after a decent start, tired and lost pace, hostility and accuracy as England’s epic innings went on. The selectors may want to re-consider Ben Hilfenhaus, slightly unlucky to lose his place after the first test, or go for a youngster, but it is hard to see them persisting with Doug the Rug.
A word of caution and, possibly, a word of advice for Australia. England were almost as convincingly outplayed at Cardiff eighteen months ago and came back to win the series. Australia need to make changes, but now is not the time for panic. Equally, England should not rest of their laurels, but it is nice that for one it is the Australian selectors who are under the spotlight. It will be fascinating to see what they come up with.
Exorcising the Demons - Day Five at Adelaide
Supporting England prepares you for disaster, so it would have been no surprise to have woken up this morning to find that the day had been washed out by rain, or that Brad Haddin and Mike Hussey had put on over three hundred again, but mercifully when I switched Radio 4 on in the small hours of the morning it was to find that Australia were all out and the Barmy Army were in the process of drinking Adelaide dry.
Australia knew that they were up against it, having lost Clarke the night before, but they must also have known that rain was forecast for later in the day and that Stuart Broad wouldn’t be bowling so their task, while difficult, wasn’t insurmountable. Unfortunately, having shown considerable resolve on day four they folder in just ninety minutes before lunch.
Swann started well, having Hussey dropped by Prior, but it was the second new ball that produced the vital wicket of Hussey. Finn had started slightly erratically, but produced a delivery that got big on Hussey and he spliced a straightforward catch to Anderson who celebrated gleefully. England must have felt that Hussey took the hopes of his side with him as he trudged from the field.
Haddin and North resisted for a time, but when Haddin edged a beauty from Anderson to Prior and then Ryan Harris completed a slightly unfortunate King Pair all of the impetus was with England. Harris will consider himself a little unlucky, but it is hard to have much sympathy for anyone who is leg before playing no stroke and the way that he played the two balls that he faced in the match suggested that he is too high at number eight.
Marcus North got to twenty for the second time in the match, usually a sign that he will go on to a decent score, but fell leg before to a ball from Swann that the review showed would have hit middle about halfway up. Neither Doherty nor Siddle stayed for long, Doherty bowled by an arm ball and Siddle surviving playing the ball onto the stumps only to be bowled by a beauty from Swann that would have dismissed a far better player. England had well and truly banished the memories of 2006 – Adelaide is no longer a word for English supporters to fear.
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Clarke on a Hot Tin Roof - Day Four at Adelaide
With the resistance of Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey coupled with the weather forecast, Australia will sleep a little more easily tonight than on any of the previous three days, although the fall of Clarke to what turned out to be the last ball of the day and the prospect of a wearing pitch may cause more twitches than they would like.
After Ian Bell and Matt Prior had further hastened the end of Xavier Doherty’s test career, for surely not even a match saving hundred can save him now, this was a real test of character for an Australian batting line-up for whom the first innings at Brisbane seemed a long time ago. Watson and Katich got off to a flyer, aided by James Anderson’s desire to bowl miracle balls rather than simply concentrating on good areas (he needs to talk to Monty Panesar), but gradually became becalmed against good England bowling, hampered to an extent by Katich’s immobility. The pitch hadn’t completely fallen apart, but there was certainly enough there to keep the bowlers interested and the openers did well to make it through to lunch.
Not long after the interval, things were looking less promising. First Katich feathered to Prior and then Ponting, the ball after a glorious slog sweep, prodded tentatively to slip, his feet an ungainly mess, leaving the out of form Michael Clarke under more pressure than he would have liked.
Clarke, probably Australia’s best player in 2009, has looked horribly out of form of late, both here and in India, and responded by looking to bat positively. His footwork to Swann could easily have been described as reckless had it not worked, and the close fielders were certainly kept interested, but he played with real character. Having lost Watson, who once again squandered a start with a hard handed edge to slip, he and Hussey, who is batting as though the previous eighteen months haven’t happened, almost took Australia to the close three down. It was rather surprising that Kevin Pietersen in the end produced the ball to dismiss him, but somehow inevitable given the match that Pietersen has had. As returns to form go it’s been pretty impressive.
England lacked some of the inspiration of the first day and also lost Broad to an injury, but their out cricket remains excellent and the bowlers were well supported on a hot day. They will certainly feel that they are a couple of wickets away from being able to wrap the match up since it is difficult to imagine Australia’s tail hanging around for long, but for the first time in a few days their opponents have shown the sort of character and skill to suggest that the series is not yet a done deal.
Sunday 5 December 2010
The importance of fielding
It is some years now since Michael Bevan surprised an Australian team meeting with the observation that fielding is a measure of a team’s unity of purpose because it is an activity that is entirely carried out for the benefit of others, an observation that would have been quite a revelation to some of my former team mates.
Bevan, though, was right. The Australian side that was so utterly dominant for so long fielded beautifully because they absolute confidence in one another and in their own abilities. Some of the team bonding exercises, such as the excruciating poetry and the singing of ‘Under the Southern Cross’ seem rather naff to an outsider, but there is no doubt that this was a succession of teams with a powerful sense of destiny whose commitment to themselves, to the team and to the occasionally rather mawkish cult of the baggy green was absolute. This was shown by the way that they hunted as a pack - even the essentially unathletic Glenn McGrath turned himself, through hard work and commitment, into a decent out fielder, as his spectacular boundary catch in 2006/07 showed.
In the same way, the fielding of the two sides currently doing battle in Adelaide can be used as a barometer not simply of the respective sides’ abilities but also of their psychological well being. Australia’s fielding hasn’t been awful, for there has still been plenty of the athleticism that we associate with modern sides, but it has suffered in comparison not only withthe sides that have gone before but also with their opponents. England fielded pretty well at Brisbane, Collingwood’s drop of Watson on the final afternoon aside, but they performed superbly on the first morning at Adelaide, hitting the stumps when they had to and holding onto all but the most difficult chance of the day. By contrast, Australia missed the run out opportunities when they came and took their total number of drops for the series to nine, a most un-Australian quantity. The bowlers are having a rough enough time of it bowling to in-form batsmen on a flat deck without watching chances go begging and routine stops flying to the boundary. While Australia are fielding like this then England know that they are on top – it will be a significant challenge for Ricky Ponting to turn it around.
KP Goes Nuts - Day Three at Adelaide
Until today, mentioning the words ‘five hundred and fifty one’ and ‘Adelaide’ to an England supporter would probably lead to them either rocking gently in the corner or having an extended phone call to their therapist. Now, though, we can only sit and marvel at what has happened since the midway point at Brisbane and hope fervently that it isn’t all too good to last.
The Australian quick bowling certainly can’t be accused of a lack of effort – they kept running in and giving it their all in punishing heat and against batsmen who were in no mood to be merciful, but they were, for the most part, unable to exert the sort of pressure that brings wickets. Ryan Harris bowled well for scant reward but both Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle served up too many four balls, meaning that the England batsmen could simply wait for the bad ball to come along and punish it.
They weren’t helped by the presence of Xavier Doherty in the side. It is no fault of Doherty’s that he isn’t good enough for test cricket, it is the fault of the selectors for putting him there, but given that he was chosen in response to Kevin Pietersen’s perceived weakness against left arm spin and that Pietersen is currently 213 not out it cannot be said to have been a success. In conditions in which the quick bowlers desperately needed some respite he went at five an over – if he plays at Perth then the selectors are abdicating their responsibility and Nathan Hauritz might as well retire.
In the end it was left to Shane Watson, whose bowling has improved dramatically since the Ashes tour of 2009, to provide some control and he thoroughly deserved the wicket of Paul Collingwood for an intelligent spell of bowling. This, though, was but a crumb of comfort for the Australians who would have welcomed the rain that fell in the afternoon but whose body language was increasingly of people that simply didn’t want to be there.
That said, England, for the second successive day, batted beautifully. They recovered from the early loss of Cook, well caught by Brad Haddin to take his tally for the series to two dismissals and two missed chances, to move serenely to a huge total, mainly thanks to Kevin Pietersen’s return to his best. It is often forgotten that in his poor run of test form he was also the player of the tournament at the World Twenty20 and he showed that class in this innings, hitting the ball with withering power and, at times, contempt for the bowlers. He had one or two moments of good fortune but deserved them for the sheer élan of his batting.
Worse news for Australia is that the pitch was starting to show signs of wear towards the end of the day, with quite a number of deliveries going through the top. Assuming that they aren’t saved by the weather then they are going to have to bat very, very well to avoid going one down in the series.
Saturday 4 December 2010
Cooking with Gas - Day Two at Brisbane
There was plenty of fighting talk from the Australian players on the first evening, saying that two hundred and forty five wasn’t a disastorus total and that they would come back strongly on the second day. By Saturday evening they must have been wondering what had hit them, as Alastair Cook continued to three hundred and seventy one runs since his last dismissal and England moved on to a scarcely credible 834-3 since the halfway point at Brisbane.
Trev emailed me from Australia this morning, echoing Dickens in his assessment that it was the best of cricket and the worst of cricket. Everything that England had touched in the field on the first day turned to gold but Australia contrived to make a mess of the few chances that came along.
Harris and Bollinger didn’t swing the new ball anything like as much as their English counterparts had but they still created chances in the first hour. After Andrew Strauss contiuned his feast or famine form with an ill-judged leave in the first over Australia had opportunities to drag themselves back into the game. First Doherty took aim at the stumps with Trott stranded yards from safety but, unlike Trott on day one, he missed by miles. Then Trott, again, played a fairly typical early innings sliced drive towards gully where Mike Hussey, usually so reliable, shelled the chance. Brad Haddin also dropped Trott, although less damagingly, as Australia’s fielding plumbed depths not seen since the eighties.
Harris bowled pretty well, maintaining control and offering what threat there was, but the much vaunted Doug Bollinger bowled as though he had taken Mitchell Johnson and Devon Malcolm on as his personal bowling coaches, and Xavier Doherty looked horribly out of his depth. To compound the problem, Australia’s plans looked poorly conceived and even more poorly executed. Trott was allowed to get off to a flying start by virtue of the Australian quicks bowling to his strengths and Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen, both of whom have struggled in recent times, barely looked troubled. Perhaps the most worrying thing was Australia is that there wasn’t the same incredulity around England’s batting performance as there was at Brisbane: it would have been more of a surprise to see wickets fall.
For all of Australia’ shortcomings, though, England batted beautifully. Alastair Cook seems a mile away from the fretting figure of the summer, Jonathan Trott continued his rich vein of form and Kevin Pietersen was back close to his best. You can, as they say, only beat what it put in front of you, and they made some fairly ordinary bowling look exactly what it is. They will look to build on this tomorrow.
Of course, if Australia get off to a decent start with the new ball then there is still plenty of cricket to be played, as we found at Brisbane. The difference is that England played some good cricket during Australia’s first innings in Queensland and were a little unlucky whereas here Australia were mostly abject. It is hard to escape the feeling that they are only a couple of poor sessions away from becoming a total shambles – tomorrow will be the biggest test of Ricky Ponting’s captaincy and the mental strength of his side. If they can recover from the first two days here then they will deserve massive praise, but if they can’t then it could be a very long series for Australia.
Friday 3 December 2010
Jimmy Jimmy - Day One at Adelaide
It is always unwise to judge a test after the first day, as Brisbane taught us a few days ago and, indeed, as Adelaide taught us four years ago, but there is no doubt which side will be warming down with the greater enthusiasm this evening. Having lost the toss on what is traditionally a batting paradise, at least on the first few days. England
The start, of course, was extraordinary. It is always horrible being run out without facing a ball, but Watson and Katich ran like two people who had never met each other before rather than an established opening pair and Jonathan Trott’s composed direct hit set the tone for the day. There have been times in the past when a chance like that would have resulted in four overthrows, but this is a side brimming with self belief.
This self-belief swiftly became ecstasy as Australia
Regardless of the outcome of this series, it seems likely that Ponting’s tenure as captain of Australia
One player for whom the knives were out before Brisbane
Brad Haddin is another player who must have been waiting slightly nervously for the selectors’ call before Brisbane
The tail offered little resistance. Ryan Harris can count himself unlucky, although the way that he played the ball from Swann didn’t inspire confidence. Doherty was the victim of another stuttering piece of running and composed fielding from England
It’s easy to be critical of Australia , but England England
There are still four days to go, however. If Australia can make inroads with the ball tomorrow morning then the game will still be in the balance, but the feeling persists that if England England
Wednesday 1 December 2010
Adelaide
The ghosts of Harold Larwood, Bill Voce and Bertie Oldfield were truly laid to rest in 2006, however, when England Adelaide to an England
That, however, was then and this is now. Shane Warne, England ’s tormentor in chief four years ago, is now happily settled in the old boys’ club of the commentary box and there is a spring in the step of this England
This has been the key outcome of the last two days at Brisbane London
So, what will Adelaide England South Australia
Much, ultimately, will depend on which side can take the opportunities that are presented to them and hold their nerve. England created half chances on each of the first two days at Brisbane, only to be swept away first by Peter Siddle and then by the Hussey / Haddin partnership, but they then showed immense nerve to save the game in the style that they did, no matter how flat the pitch was. Australia , on the other hand, did exceptionally well to snuff out England England
If I had to put money on it then I would go for a draw (although that would blow my pre-series prediction out of the water) but my heart, and a small part of my head, is saying England
Mojo Mitch
In a generally hilarious article in this morning’s Guardian, Stuart Clark has written a staunch defence of Mitchell Johnson, saying that all he needs is wickets to build his confidence back up. Merv Hughes has also joined in the chorus, suggesting that Ben Hilfenhaus bowled worse at Brisbane
That sentiment would have more worth if Johnson’s performance at Brisbane was a one off, but he has been more of a liability than a bonus for Australia
An apologist for Mojo recently explained these statistics by pointing out that he had played two tests in India India New Zealand , where he took twelve wickets in two tests, he averaged 23.08, but in Australia , in three tests, he has averaged 66 and in England , in helpful conditions against a basket case of a Pakistan
His batting, so powerful against South Africa
These stats would be less damning if he was, at least, keeping it tight, but he has gone at over four an over in seven of his last seventeen tests. You’ve got to take a lot of wickets to compensate for that, and, at the risk of being blunt, he isn’t.
For all the talk of targeting Andrew Strauss, England England
Two statistics do support his inclusion at Adelaide New Zealand Adelaide it may not be prudent to keep him for Perth
I’m indebted to Trev for some of these stats. The main reason for dropping Mitch is that I fear for my friend’s health if he is retained.
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