No-one ever remembers the first half of The Titanic’s voyage, do they? The punctual departure; the excellent catering or the smooth progress.
All anyone talks about is that unfortunate incident with the iceberg.
It could prove the same for England in Australia. While the first few weeks of the tour could scarcely have gone much better for England, all that will count for nothing if they are unable to retain the Ashes.
England hit their iceberg on the second day at the WACA. It appeared in the unlikely form of Mitchell Johnson who produced an incisive spell of fast, swing bowling to precipitate a spectacular batting collapse.
Steaming along merrily at 78 without loss, Johnson persuaded Cook into a loose drive and sliced a catch to gully. From there, England proceeded to lose all ten wickets for just 109 runs, leaving Australia with a first innings lead of 81.
Perhaps it seems harsh to criticise Cook. He has enjoyed a prolific series, after all, and must be excused the odd moment of fallibility.
But his dismissal, somewhat self-inflicted as it was, should serve as a reminder of the danger of complacency. England had an opportunity to build a substantial lead, but Cook’s departure gave Australia – and Johnson in particular – fresh heart and exposed the middle-order to the swinging ball. It could prove to be the turning point of the series.
Johnson’s part in the carnage was six wickets for 38 runs. Bowling with pace, hostility and, most crucially of all, swing, Johnson ripped through England’s top-order with worrying ease, turning this series on its head in the process.
This was quite a different Johnson to the confused trundler witnessed in Brisbane. Running in straighter and with more purpose, he found the swing that has eluded him for so long and, as a consequence, had England’s batsmen, so dominant in Adelaide, suddenly appearing all at sea. Whatever remedial work Troy Cooley and co have applied in recent weeks, it appears to have done the trick.
Johnson gained good support from his pace colleagues. Siddle and Harris bowled with excellent pace and hostility, while Hilfenhaus bowled without luck but ensured the pressure was maintained at both ends.
England’s batsmen looked mightily uncomfortable against the barrage. Though Strauss and Cook set a decent platform,it was not without some fortune. Strauss was missed, for example, on just 16 when Haddin inexplicably failed to attempt to catch a regulation outside edge.
When the damn was broken, the water poured through. Trott, unsettled by a fast bouncer, was then trapped by the next delivery, a full ball that swung in fractionally, before, three balls later, Kevin Pietersen was punished for playing across an inswinger.
Collingwood, whose form is now causing some concern, was also beaten by one that swung in and could really do with a sizable contribution in the second innings if speculation over his place in the side is not to return.
Strauss finally departed to an outside edge, before Prior was bowled off the body as Siddle peppered him with short deliveries. Perhaps Prior can count himself somewhat unfortunate: a seagull flew right in front of him at the moment of delivery and cannot have helped his concentration.
Swann, unsettled by the bounce, fell to a timid outside edge, before the tail – longer than is comfortable in the absence of Broad – were swept away with ease.
Only Bell emerged with much credit. Timing the ball beautifully, he dealt with the short ball – and there were many – with more comfort than anyone and also produced a number of sumptuous drives and pulls. His dismissal, attempting to force the pace with only the tail for company, underlined the impression that he is wasted batting as low as six. A swap with Collingwood is surely overdue.
England had an opportunity to hit back in the last session. Phillips fell to an indeterminate prod, Ponting was unfortunate to be caught off the glove down the leg side and Clarke mis-judged Tremlett’s bounce and played-on.
But, despite those three relatively early wickets, Watson and Hussey combined to snuff out any English fightback. Watson, with an immaculate forward defensive, also put away the poor ball – and there were several – with power, while Hussey ran swiftly, found the gaps well and deals with Swann with dispiriting confidence.
England weren’t at their best in the field. Swann bowled uncharacteristically short, while Finn also struggled to maintain a consistent length.
So, at the end of the second day, Australia lead by exactly 200. It’s worth remembering that South Africa scored 414-4 to win in the fourth innings here just a couple of
years ago, but this pitch bears little resemblance. England will do very well to score 400 in the fourth innings.
All of a sudden, a series that seemed to be heading England’s way is wide open again.
Tags: Alastair Cook, George Dobell, Graeme Swann, ian bell, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Michael Hussey, mitchell johnson, peter siddle, shane watson, SPIN, The Ashes
When Chris Tremlett was released by Hampshire at the end of 2009, it appeared a career that promised so much might be sliding towards an early, unfulfilled finish.
Tremlett was 28 at the time and had taken just 14 wickets in the previous first-class season. For one so talented, it was a pitiful return. Capable of pace, hostility and menace, he had instead earned a reputation as diffident, work-shy and injury prone.
It was largely unfair. In truth, Tremlett suffered from some bad luck (on one occasion he suffered a punctured lung when an acupuncture session went wrong while on another he damaged ligaments on his hand when he cut himself washing up), from some misconception (his England record was actually pretty decent even before today; remember how close he was to a hat-trick on ODI debut or his three-wicket burst against India?) and from some poor handling (recall how he was named in England’s 12-man Test squad in 2008 only to be discarded for Darren Pattinson or how he was asked to fulfil role of strike and stock bowler for Hampshire on some featherbed wickets?).
A fresh start seems to have worked wonders. Relocating to The Oval, Tremlett has become fitter than ever before and, just as importantly, found acceptance and understanding of his role. As Surrey’s strike bowler, he claimed 48 first-class wickets in 2010 – his best season return – and thoroughly earned this second chance with England.
Doubters remained, of course. They questioned his stamina and, more damagingly, his pluck. But, on the biggest of stages, under the most intense spotlight, he delivered today. He answered all the questions. Let there be no more nonsense about him lacking heart. He outbowled his colleagues and gave a performance to suggest he could be in the side for some time.
Perhaps we should suspend judgement. Well though Tremlett bowled, he will surely come up against more testing opposition on less helpful surfaces. Phillip Hughes, for example, departed in Tremlett’s first over. He immediately looked uncomfortable against the short ball and, when confronted with a full delivery, simply played across it in a manner that casts doubts over his ability to ever succeed as a Test opener. Michael Clarke also played a large part in his own downfall, prodding horribly at one he should have left, while Steve Smith was drawn into prodding outside off stump with hard hands.
Still, this was a fine performance from Tremlett. He maintained a probing line and length and, by virtue of his height (six feet, seven inches), generated enough bounce to unsettle all the Australian batsmen.
“When i woke up this morning I was very nervous,” Tremlett said afterwards.
“But actually when I got into my stride and bowled my first over and got the wicket I felt at ease and just tried to enjoy the experience. It’s been a very exciting and enjoyable day.
“I moved to Surrey last year and enjoyed things there. Obviously the aspiration was to get back to playing for England and it’s great for me that I’ve had the opportunity to do it again. It was something I decided myself I wanted to do, get away from the comforts of Hampshire. A new county a new pitch a new place. Straight away I felt very welcome at Surrey, I enjoyed the whole season and felt I bowled pretty well.
“I’ve grown up a bit. I’m more experienced as a cricketer. I know my game a lot more. I just think I’m a better bowler than I was three years ago.
“My plan was to go in there and show people that I can be consistent, bowl my areas, and do what I’ve been going for Surrey. I try to ignore what people say’ when i get the ball in my hand I try to be aggressive and be positive.
“I would have been desperate to play in any Test, but the opportunity has come about to play in Perth. I think it showed that this wicket has bounce, and hopefully it has proved to be the right selection,. I thought I bowled the right way on this wicket and I was the right man to pick.”
“I always wanted to play for England, but it’s taken a bit of time to get back to where I wanted to be. Now the hard work has paid off.
“At the moment I feel fitter than ever stronger than ever and I am very happy with my action. It is as repetitive as it ever been and a it’s more consistent that its ever been. That was the most special game I’ve played in so far it was an amazing atmosphere and a very special day.”
It was a puzzling performance from Australia. Often their batsmen seemed to be the ones struggling to adapt to Perth’s bouncy, but hardly lightening fast, pitch. Ponting, for example, was again punished for pushing hard outside the off-stump (and was superbly caught by Collingwood in the slips), while Watson simply missed a yorker and Haddin and Johnson undid much of their good work with gormless dismissals: Haddin edging a wild drive and Johnson pulling obligingly to the man placed for the shot.
It could have been even better for England. Australia were reeling at 69-5 shortly after lunch and, but for some spirited resistance from Hussey, Haddin, Johnson and Siddle, might have struggled to exceed 130.
That the last five wickets added 199 tells us three things, however. Firstly that Australia’s top-order could learn much from the fortitude of their lower-order; secondly that this pitch holds no horrors and thirdly that utilising the new ball is crucial. England should be aiming for a total in excess of 400.
Hussey was typically impressive, leaving the ball well and finding the gaps cunningly, while Haddin drove beautifully and Johnson slashed with abandon that never hinted at permanency.
But when Swann produced a beauty, drifting in and turning away sharply, to dismiss Hussey, Australia’s last real chance of a substantial total had gone. A total of 268 might be better than they feared at lunch but, make no mistake, it’s inadequate.
Australia should have struck back in the evening. Hussey, at gully, was unable to lay a hand on a chance – routine at this level – offered by Strauss (on 7) off Johnson. England survived, however, and though they may endure some torrid moments early on day two, the Australia attack – with Steve Smith as the premier spinner – may appear very one paced later in the day.
Australia’s only crumb of comfort is the pace with which Johnson bowled and the hint of swing he managed. He is certainly fired-up – as a late broo-ha-ha with Cook illustrated – and retains the ability to turn such games.
There are a couple of clouds on England’s horizon, too. Kevin Pietersen spent some time off the field with a hamstring injury, while Steve Finn, whose failure to maintain the correct length was punished for nearly six an over, also received treatment for a calf problem.
Still, England should be delighted with their first day performance. It was a brave decision from Strauss to insert Australia but it has been fully vindicated. England now have an excellent opportunity to bat the hosts out of the game. The Ashes could be secured by Monday.
Tags: Andrew Strauss, chris tremlett, cricket, George Dobell, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Michael Hussey, perth, Ricky Ponting, SPIN, The Ashes
It was, perhaps, fitting that Adelaide should be the location for England’s most crushing win over Australia in a quarter of a century.
For it was here, in Adelaide, four years ago, that England suffered the crushing defeat that destroyed their hopes of competing in the last Ashes series to be contested in Australia. The manner of that loss, from a position of apparent impregnability (having scored 551-6 in their first innings), so shocked England, that their confidence vanished and they subsided to an embarrassing five-nil series reverse.
This will surely turn out to be just such a watershed moment. Australia were not just beaten, they were thrashed and exposed for the mediocre side they now are. As Ricky Ponting put it: “England out batted, out bowled and out fielded us. They thoroughly deserve their win.” He’s quite right: the margin of victory – an innings and 71-runs – does not lie. It’s their biggest win against the old enemy since 1985 and their 100th Ashes Test win in all.
It’s the first time England have beaten Australia by an innings since December 1986, when they won by an innings and 14-runs in Melbourne. That was also the last game when England took 20 wickets in a Test in Australia when the Ashes were at stake. And they last time they won the Ashes in Australia.
So the omens are good.
Maybe we should remain somewhat cautious. We only have to look back to 2009, after all, when England responded to an innings loss at Leeds with a crushing victory at The Oval to see how quickly fortunes can change. Cricket wouldn’t be nearly so entertaining if it was predictable.
But, on the evidence of this series so far, Australia need a miracle of Biblical proportions if they are to arrest the momentum of this series and regain the Ashes.
After all, England’s last six wickets have posted 1,137 runs against this Australian attack. And England’s bowlers have just taken 20 wickets on a blameless batting track having lost the toss. And Australia have gone five Tests without a victory. It is far from impossible – hell, it even seems likely – that the Ashes will be decided in Perth. If England win the next Test, the urn is theirs. As things stand, Australia need to win two of the last three Tests. It’s very hard to to see them doing that.
Victory did not come without a cost, however. It has been confirmed that Stuart Broad will miss the rest of the tour with a torn stomach muscle. Bresnan, Shahzad and Tremlett, all of whom will play in the first-class game against Victoria this week, will compete to replace him. Tremlett, with his pace and bounce, is probably favourite bearing in mind the character of the Perth pitch.
James Anderson is also heading home. He is attending the birth of his second child and hopes to be back in time for the Perth Test.
This game will surely be remembered for the contribution of Kevin Pietersen. His double-century was an innings of the highest class and his timely wicket of Michael Clarke proved to be, in the words of Ponting, the blow that “broke the back” of Australia.
But there were other England heroes. James Anderson’s potency with in the first innings – and with the second new ball on the final day – was crucial, while Graeme Swann justified his big reputation with a performance of character, persistence and skill. His five-wicket haul – his first against Australia but his 10th in 26 Tests in all – confirmed the pre-series suspicion that he may well prove the difference between the two sides.
There were other contributors. Alastair Cook continues to bat superbly, while Bell and Trott also impressed. Trott’s superb run-out of the luckless Katich (who is likely to miss the rest of the series with an Achilles problem) stole the initiative on the first day, while Steve Finn also produced the best bowling of his England career.
It speaks volumes for Australia’s performance that their best hope of salvation lay in poor weather. Ponting insisted after the game that there had never been any talk in the Australian dressing room about the rain saving his side, but the comments from several of his team-mates suggested otherwise. The rain that descended upon Adelaide a couple of hours after the match was completed did nothing to dampen the celebrations of the England supporters.
The manner of the final Australian collapse suggested a dam had been breached. From the fall of Clarke, to the last ball of day four, Australia lost their last seven wickets for 66 runs.
The crucial wicket on the final day came when Hussey, perhaps surprised by extra bounce, mis-timed his pull shot and looped a catch to mid-on. It was, in the circumstances, a poor shot. Anderson then produced a beauty to lure Haddin into a tentative prod at one that left him and took the edge, before Harris became just the second Australian in Ashes history (Gilchrist is the other) to suffer the indignity of a ‘king pair’ when he padded up next delivery. North and the hapless Doherty were both punished for playing for turn that wasn’t there, while Siddle was bowled through the gate by a classic off-break.
Where do Australia go from here? Well, their selectors meet tonight and expect to announce another squad by the weekend. Phillip Hughes, the left-handed opener who was so ‘found out’ by Flintoff on the last tour to England is highly likely to come into the side. But Australia surely need another seamer and another spinner, too. Xavier Doherty is simply not up to it and was out-bowled not just by Swann, but by North and Pietersen, too.
The Australian media will do them few favours. They are now pouring scorn on their team who have lost a game by an innings for the first time in this country since 1993 and it is quite possible that Ponting may be in his final days as captain.
As if overcoming the Australian team isn’t hard enough, England will also have to overcome the Australian weather if they are to win the Adelaide Test. As if winning the Ashes wasn’t hard enough.
The rain that forced the sides off the field for an hour on day four is forecast to return on day five. With Australia on the ropes but battling hard, the rain perhaps provides their most realistic lifeline as they battle not to go one-down in the series.
As things stand, Australia are still 137 behind with six wickets in hand. They have quite a tail, however, and will not relish the challenge of resisting the world’s best spinner on a worn pitch offering sharp turn. If the rain relents – and the forecast is distinctly dodgy – then Australia face an uphill struggle to survive.
England may have to manage without Stuart Broad, though. He was forced off the pitch with what is thought to be a strained stomach muscle and, though he returned to field later, he did not bowl. Broad’s loss would be a substantial blow. He has bowled far better than his figures suggest so far in this series and would surely relish the bounce of the Perth pitch. He faces a fitness test before play on the fifth day with the worst case scenario – a torn muscle – ending his involvement in the series.
At least England won’t have to dismiss Michael Clarke on the last day. Clarke, who had batted beautifully, fell to the last ball of the fourth day when he edged a sharply-turning Kevin Pietersen off-break to short-leg. Though Clarke initially ‘walked’, he realised the umpire was not going to give him and returned to the crease only to be sentenced by the review system. It was a moment that did not cast a particularly flattering light on Clarke’s sportsmanship though it is likely that many professional players would have done the same. He later apologised via his twitter account, stating: “Just want to apologise for not walking off the ground tonight when I hit the ball. I was just so disappointed, my emotions got best of me.” It comes to something when an Australian apologises for not walking.
The wicket was also reward for an inventive piece of captaincy from Andrew Strauss. Swann had bowled 34 overs from the Cathedral End and, under normal circumstances, might have been expected to deliver the final two of the day. Instead, however, Strauss called Pietersen – with a Test bowling average of 143.5 – into the attack and won almost immediate reward. It really has been a wonderful game for KP.
In the context of this Test – and this series – it was a huge wicket. Clarke, using his feet to Swann and timing the ball crisply, had looked back to his best and, with Michael Hussey, had added 104 for Australia’s fourth wicket in 33 overs. The draw was beginning to look the most likely result.
“The wicket was a massive bonus,” Swann said. “That last session was tough going; Australia had their two best players of spin out there. In an ideal world we would have had them 8 or 9, but its not an ideal world. We were up against a very resilient Australian side. I’ve bowled worse than that and taken wickets, but I’m mature enough to know that I shouldn’t try and take a wicket with every ball. “
Hussey remains, however. While he has never quite matched Clarke for fluency, England are already well aware of his resilience and he may take some dislodging on the final day. He has already survived one flash past slip off Collingwood and was beaten a couple of times by Swann. But he is well capable of batting all day and, in North and Haddin, in particular, represents a viable survival opportunity. Particularly if he has help from the weather.
“We fought hard today,” Hussey said afterwards, “but a little bit of rain would help! If we can draw the match England will see it as a loss. But they have certainly outplayed us, no question. It’s very rewarding if you can come in and get your team through to win or save a match.”
Swann will present the greatest threat. Generating substantial turn, often from the footmarks, he found Katich’s edge with a fine ball that drifted in and turned sharply, before defeating Ponting with one that turned far less than had been anticipated. It was a clever – and intentional – piece of variation from Swann, who held the ball slightly differently for the delivery. These are conditions of which off-spinners dream. Swann really should win this Test for England.
Finn was impressive, too. Bowling at a sharp pace and gaining a little seam movement, he troubled all the batsmen and thoroughly deserved the wicket of Watson, forced to play at one on off stump that bounced a little. It was due reward for a probing spell.
Earlier, England’s batsmen maintained their domination over the Australian bowlers. By adding 69 in 9 overs, they extended their total to 620-5 (the second largest total they’ve ever made in Australia and the highest since the 636 they made at Sydney in 1928) and earned a first innings lead of 375.
Ian Bell, again timing the ball sweetly, sped to his sixth half-century in Tests in Australia, while Matt Prior batted typically selflessly. In the gluttony for runs currently embracing his colleagues it could easily be overlooked how well Bell is batting, but he really does look in the most delicious form. Sooner or later, the bowlers will pay. Pietersen, who surpassed his previous Test best (226, against the West Indies), fell in the charge to set-up the declaration, edging one that turned sharply.
So Xavier Doherty will, at least, be able to tell his grandchildren about the day he defeated Kevin Pietersen with just his second ball of the day. But it will be like Gordon Brown telling his grandchildren that he was once Prime Minister. The full story isn’t so flattering.
It is testament to England’s dominance in this Test that the first substantial obstacle to their progress has come, not from an Australian player, but from the weather.
Heavy rain that arrived at tea and prevented any further play was the home nation’s only response to another day of dominant batting from England.
It will encourage the hosts to know that more rain is forecast over the remaining days of this Test. England already lead by 306 and the pitch is providing increasing assistance to bowlers of all types. It’s unthinkable that the likes of Swann and Anderson will not use that assistance better than the likes of Doherty and Bollinger.
For the first time in many months, it was Kevin Pietersen who led the way for England. Pietersen has endured a tough time since being sacked as England captain: he’s suffered serious injury, gone 20-months – and 27 Test innings – without a century and suffered the indignity of being left out of both his county and country’s side.
But here he gave a powerful reminder of his substantial talents with a double-century of rare class and dominance. This was a great player at his magnificent best. He drove with power and skill and whipped perfectly respectable deliveries through mid-wicket with a style that perhaps only Viv Richards could hope to match. Pietersen became the fifth Englishman to score an Ashes’s double-century in Australia and his treatment of Doherty, the spinner who increasingly seems destined to be playing his only Test, almost amounted to bullying.
His celebration upon reaching three-figures spoke volumes. This was an innings that meant much to Pietersen.
“I do love big occasions, and to challenge myself against the biggest players in the world,” Pietersen said. “It’s been pretty tough the last 18 months, but I love the fact that it’s all going so well for me. I have high standards, so to get 80/90/99, it does my head in.The state of the game was one where I needed to play with a level head. We knew we had to bat all day today.”
Pietersen waited a long time to get back to the crease after his first innings at the Gabba, eleven hours in fact. “I have never waited so long to bat before,” he said, “and it showed when I came out. I think I was trying to get 50 in 5 balls! But it has been brilliant to watch and see, long may it continue. It was more tiring waiting the other day to bat than it was to bat all day today.”
“The Ashes has not been a particular target for me to get back to form,” he continued. “But you get up in the morning as an England player and you think ‘this is what it’s made of.’ It’s gets the juices flowing. I remember being at Heathrow airport to fly out here and thinking ‘this is going to be amazing’.
Pietersen won good support from each of his colleagues. Though his excellent partnership with Cook (worth 175) ended when Cook (148) was superbly caught by Haddin off an inside edge, both Collingwood and Bell looked in fine touch.
Collingwood, with his highest score in five Tests, attacked judiciously, while Bell produced a series of elegant drives and cuts on the way to an unbeaten 41 by the time the rain arrived. The sense remains that, given more opportunity, Bell’s form would see him pulverise this Australian attack. It bodes well for England that he has hardly been required as yet.
Australia, inevitably really, wilted in the field. Harris and Siddle charged in, but did nothing to dispel the suspicion that they are honest, rather than inspired seamers, while Bollinger lacks the fitness, accuracy or skill to flourish at this level. Doherty, sad to say, is simply out of his depth. He’s the ninth spinner Australia have turned to since the retirement of Shane Warne and, clearly, he’s not the answer.
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, who picked up the wicket of Collingwood, admitted that a great challenge lies ahead for Australia.
“We are going to have to bat unbelievably well over the next two days to save the game,” he said. “But we only have ourselves to blame. We have been totally outplayed.
“It hurts to be in this position,” he continued, “whether on our home turf or anywhere in the world. What we’ve been doing hasn’t been good enough. We haven’t taken enough wickets and we haven’t made enough runs. It’s as simple as that.”
Has England ever boasted the better fielding side in an Ashes series?
Before now, anyway.
For many years, Australia have looked fitter, stronger and more
athletic in the field. They have taken more than their fair share of
half chances and, while England have sometimes looked ragged,
Australia punished nearly ever lapse by opposition batsman.
Not any more. England look fitter, better drilled, more athletic and
more confident in the field. And, when chances have come their way -
such as Trott’s run-out of Katich in the first over of this game -
they have, generally, taken them.
Australia, however, have not. And it could prove to be the difference
between the sides in this series.
They did create a few chances on the second day in Adelaide. After the
vital early wicket – Strauss leaving the third ball of the day -
Trott, on just six, survived a run-out chance when Xavier Doherty
missed his shy at the stumps. Trott was also missed on 10 when Hussey
spurned a relatively straightforward chance at gully off Bollinger and
again on 76, when Haddin put down a gloved pull shot off the deserving
Harris. On pitches as flat as this, such profligacy will be punished.
And so it was. Trott, driving through the legside with the sweetest of
timing, continued his superb record against Australia (he currently
has the third highest batting average – 61.63 -of anyone who has
played more than 15 Tests; only Bradman and Barnes better him),
Pietersen returned to something approaching his best form and Cook,
well, Cook just went on and on.
He gave no chances. Instead he recorded his third century in four
Tests and took his series tally to 438 for only one dismissal. He has
now been on the pitch for all but an hour of this series and has
surpassed Wally Hammond’s record of 365 Test runs without being
dismissed. Just 25 years old, Cook already has 15 Test centuries. He’s
going to break every English batting record in existence.
It’s no secret that he is mentally strong. Now, however, he has added
style to his substance. Some of his cover drives were reminiscent of
David Gower and his cutting – particularly off Doherty – was of the
very highest class.
He enjoyed only one nervous moment. He was given out once, on 64, when
the umpire thought he had gloved a hook off Siddle, but successfully
reviewed and scarcely played a false shot afterwards.
Once England had resisted the initial onslaught, there was little to
trouble them from the Australian attack. Though Siddle and Harris
remained admirably hostile, their approach lacks the subtly to
dislodge good batsmen on such wickets, while Bollinger, for all his
passion, lacks the accuracy for Test cricket.
As for Xavier Doherty… well, suffice it to say, the search for an
Australian spinner goes on. He was out bowled by North and milked by
Pietersen, the man Doherty was supposed to threaten, as if he were a
Friesian. It will be some surprise if he remains in the side for
Perth.
The fact is that England’s last three wickets – here and in Brisbane -
had now added 828 runs. Such stats do not lie. And they do not reflect
well on Australia’s bowling.
So, England reached the close 72 ahead and with plenty of power to
add. Australia will have to bat much, much better if they are not to
go one down in this series.
We should have had more faith. When Ricky Ponting won and toss and chose to bat under a burning sun, there was a sense of resignation over what was to follow: a daunting first innings appeared inevitable.
But this England team is a very different animal from the ones that have toured Australia in recent years. England, as they showed in their second innings in Brisbane, no longer subside meekly when pressure is applied. And if the script called for a dominant display of Australian batting, England hadn’t read it.
It’s not the same Australian team, either. This version has a vulnerability unseen in these parts since 1986-87. You may even have to go back a further decade – to the years when they were decimated by the Packer exodus – to find a weaker Australian side. And there’s no overwhelming evidence of emerging talent. They could be in for a few years of relative mediocrity.
Australia certainly squandered a golden opportunity on the first day here at Adelaide. Winning the toss on the sort of pitch that could reduce bowlers to nervous wrecks, they subsided to 245 all out. It’s a total at least 200 short of par and provides England with a wonderful chance to inflict a telling blow. It’s not over-stating things to say that it was a day that could define the series.
England bowled – and fielded – admirably. Crucially, James Anderson utilised the new ball expertly, with Stuart Broad mean and luckless in support.
Graeme Swann also produced his best bowling of the series so far, capturing the key wicket of Michael Hussey and proving far more consistent that he had been in Brisbane.
But Australia suffered more than a little self-inflicted damage. Two men fell to dozy run-outs and several others played shots they will regret. For only four men to make it into double figures on this pitch is a damning indictment of their cricket.
Certainly they suffered an appalling start. Just 13 balls into their innings, they stood on two for three: with Katich, Ponting and Clarke all back in the pavilion. Never, in their Test history, has an Australian team lost their first three wickets so cheaply.
Katich suffered the indignity of being dismissed before he had faced a ball. Responding sluggishly to an optimistic call for a single from Shane Watson, Katich was left stranded when Jonathan Trott swooped round to square-leg and pulled off a direct hit with only one stump at which to aim: Richard Halsall, England’s fielding coach, take a bow.
Ponting went next ball. Perhaps the harsh would chastise him for pushing at the ball too hard, but Anderson deserves much credit for a perfect outswinger, demanding a stroke, and the outside edge was well taken by Swann at second slip. Michael Clarke, also pushing with hard hands, went in similar fashion.
In Mike Hussey, however, Australia have the perfect man for a crisis. It is almost unthinkable that Australia considered dropping him ahead of the series and, first with Watson, then with North and Haddin, he averted the rout that had appeared possible. He survived a couple of nervous moment – on three Anderson missed a tough caught and bowled opportunity and on 10 he edged just short of the slip cordon – but this was another assured performance from a man who might have thought his best years were behind him.
He added 94 with Watson, 60 with North and 51 with Hussey, but can only have been frustrated at his partners’ propensity to throw their wickets away.
Because, for a time, England had appeared toothless. Once Anderson and Broad had been seen off – Hussey and Watson leaving the ball with discipline – Finn was punished for over-pitching by conceding a run-a-ball and Hussey, using his quick feet and soft hands, negated Swann’s threat.
So the wicket of Watson, pushing hard at one he could have left and slicing a catch to gully in the second over after lunch, was something of a bonus. North, too, having done the hard work, gifted his wicket with a shocking stroke: had he been aiming to provide catching practise to Prior, he could hardly have been more obliging.
Hussey, seven short of a well-deserved century, was the victim of a fine piece of bowling, however. Drawn into the drive, he was beaten by flight and turn and well caught at slip. Ryan Harris followed next ball, though as replay suggested he not only hit the ball, but that it was going to miss the stumps, he can count himself a little unlucky. The review system, used for the dismissal, remains a work in progress.
Haddin swung merrily for a while – including one outrageous heave for six off Anderson – but this Australian tail has been docked by the loss of Johnson and Hauritz and was never likely to resist for long. Doherty was punished for ball-watching and run out after some slick work from England – Halsall take a bow again – and Haddin, clearly with little faith in his partners, fell hooking in the pursuit of quick runs.
Harris, controversially preferred to Hilfenhaus, showed some pace when England began their reply, but there was no disguising the fact that was England’s day. Overwhelmingly so.
Particularly for Anderson. The series is barely underway, but already he has answered many of the questions posed before it began. While he has not always found the swing he would like, he has also proved to be far more than a one trick pony. Certainly his command of line and length – and his ability to perform under pressure – is far better than it was when he toured here previously while his new ball bowling is the most incisive of any bowler on either side. If he misses the Perth Test on paternity leave, England will miss him sorely.
It wasn’t, perhaps, quite as shocking a start as we’ve seen in previous series, but England still ended the first day at the Gabba facing an uphill fight to avoid going one-down in the Ashes.
From 197 for four, England collapsed to 260 all out as Peter Siddle claimed career-best figures and Australia’s first Ashes hat-trick since Shane Warne in Melbourne in 1999. On a pitch offering the bowlers some assistance, England’s total isn’t, perhaps, disastrous, but may still prove to be about 100 below par.
There were some bright moments. Cook resisted with characteristic obduracy, Pietersen flourished for a while and Bell batted with the calm authority that suggests a prolific series beckons. This was his fifth half-century in 11 Test innings in Australia. There will surely be many more to come.
But, on the whole, this was a disappointing performance from the tourists. While Siddle, in particular, bowled admirably full and straight, too many of the English batsmen (Cook, Pietersen and Collingwood) were drawn into pushing at balls outside off stump, while others (Swann, Trott, Broad and Prior) played around or across full, straight balls. Yes, it was good bowling, but every one of England’s batsmen will reflect that they paid a part in their own dismissal.
No-one more so than their captain. Strauss, in prime form coming into the series, continued England’s habit of starting poorly by cutting the third ball of the day straight to gully. No doubt Strauss’ positive intent was admirable, but the ball was a little close for the cut shot he attempted and only served to hand the early initiative to Australia.
Siddle deserves credit, though. Controversially preferred to Doug Bollinger, Siddle vindicated the selectors’ faith in him with an intelligent, skillful display of bowling that earned him figures of 6-54 and Australia’s first Test hat-trick since Glenn McGrath’s against West Indies in Decemeber 2000.
Appreciating that there was surprisingly little pace in the pitch, Siddle bowled a fuller length at a sharp pace. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But he also gained just enough movement to trouble the batsmen and stuck to the game-plans Australia had for each of the batsmen. The dismissal of Prior – bowled, not for the first time – by a full, straight ball, was a case in point. It was the perfect delivery for the new batsman.
Prior was the second wicket in the hat-trick sequence. The ball before, Cook had reached for one outside off stump – always his Achilles heel – and sliced to slip, while Broad, struck on the foot by a perfect yorker, completed the trio. Siddle later had the grace to admit it wasn’t the ball he intended to bowl (“I was aiming for the top of off stump,” he said), but it was high-quality fast bowling nevertheless.
Siddle apart, this was an anodyne display from Australia’s bowlers. Johnson, in particular, and Hilfenhaus were largely ineffective, while Trott will chastise himself for his lazy drive at an innocuous, full length ball from Watson. Doherty, meanwhile, the ninth spinner Australia have tried in their Test team since Warne retired, was somewhat flattered by his figures. He claimed the wicket of Bell, caught in the outfield after he was left with only the tail for company, and Anderson, ambition exceeding ability, when he missed a reverse sweep. England need have no nightmares over his inclusion, however. A first-class bowling average of 48 doesn’t lie.
Afterwards Bell, by far the pick of England’s batsmen, said he thought England’s total was “not a million miles away” from a competitive total. He’s probably right but, the manner in which Katich stroked Swann’s first two deliveries – a long-hop and a half-volley – to the boundary was ominous. Neither Anderson or Broad found a hint of swing, either. This was, without question, Australia’s day.
Are England out of this game? Of course not. But have they given themselves a mountain to climb? Damn right.
Victory was, in the end, overwhelming. England won by the second Test at Edgbaston by nine wickets with four-and-a-half sessions to spare. They’re two-nil up in the four-match series and have now won six Tests in succession.
So, on the surface, all is well. England have, give or take a position or two, a settled side and they’ll go into an away Ashes series with more optimism than any time in the last 25 years.
Yet, scratch beneath the surface, and things are less straightforward.
England have been flattered by their results this summer. They have played against two sides – Bangladesh and Pakistan – who are woefully sub-standard and in conditions that couldn’t have suited England’s bowlers better.
It won’t be like this in the winter. James Anderson, so dangerous when the ball swings and seams, can still look ordinary and innocuous when it does not. And it will not in Australia. The pitches will be flat and the balls used there – Kookaburras rather than the Dukes ball used in England – will provide him with far less assistance.
Australia won’t prove nearly so unforgiving, either. Pakistan captain, Salman Butt, reckoned that his side missed 14 chances at Edgbaston. Had they held even half of them, then England would surely have faced a far tougher run-chase.
There’s growing concern over a couple of England’s batsmen, too. Alastair Cook looks hopelessly out of touch at present, while Kevin Pietersen has now gone 23 Test innings since recording a century. Yes, he made 80 at Edgbaston, but he was missed five times. He won’t enjoy so many lives in Australia.
Cook’s form is causing particular concern. He has now scored just 100 runs in his last seven Test innings and his dismissal in the second innings at Edgbaston, unable to move his feet or retain his balance, hinted at a man in crisis. He’s barely able to play on the off side and needs to be replaced as opener. The Aussies will gobble up Cook in moments.
Harsh? Maybe. Cook was captain of England only five Tests ago and, aged just 25, he’s scored 12 Test centuries and averages 42. He can clearly play.
In current form, however, he is unrecognisable from that man. So, for The Oval, Trott could step up a position (though he’s reluctant) or England could draft in the excellent but uncapped Adam Lyth. He has the class to represent England with distinction.
And then there’s Stuart Broad. Broad, aged 24, has the world at his feet. He’s now developed into a world-class bowler – he’s rated eighth in the world Test rankings – and he will, in time, score Test centuries. More than that, he’s the pin-up boy of English cricket.
But with that comes responsibility. And Broad’s on-field behaviour is ugly. It demeans him and it demeans the game.
He may count himself fortunate to escape a ban for throwing the ball at Pakistan’s Zulqarnain Haider but he needs to learn the lessons. His constant grumbling at the umpires, his moaning at team-mates’ mistakes in the field and his sledging of batsmen are as unattractive as they are unnecessary. He’s a fine player. He needs to let his cricket do the talking and remember his responsibilities as a role-model.
That’s not to say all is doom and gloom. Far from it. The form of Graeme Swann adds weight to Shane Warne’s theory that he the Englishman is currently the best spinner in the world, while Warwickshire’s Jonathan Trott looks wonderfully sound. As England captain, Andrew Strauss, put it, his presence at number three is “immensely reassuring.”
The Test did not go particularly well from a Warwickshire perspective, however. The club were budgeting on selling 45,000 tickets for the Test. In the end, they sold more like 30,000. They did not, as has been reported elsewhere, make a loss on the game, but the profit they have made is well below expectation. As they also failed to hit their targets for domestic T20 sales, membership, the neutral games between Pakistan and Australia and for their general banqueting business, their end of year financial results will be far below budget.
It’s taken 18 attempts and 35 years, but England have finally won a global limited-overs tournament.
Victory over Australia – and a crushing victory at that – in the World Twenty20, finally shed an unwanted record: no longer are England the only major Test nation to never have won a major, world trophy. For a team that last reached a major final in 2004 – and hasn’t looked consistently dangerous in limited overs cricket for nearly 20 years – that is a fine achievement.
Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of this success is that it was based around an all-round team performance. England have only used 12 players in the entire event – and Bopara played just the one game while KP was on paternity leave – with all of the first choice XI contributing.
Ryan Sidebottom, who was controversially selected ahead of James Anderson, vindicated that faith by finishing as England’s leading wicket-taker in the event (equal with the excellent Graeme Swann) and claiming two early wickets in the final. Luke Wright contributed with a couple of fine innings and a nerveless over under pressure in the final, Mike Yardy was mean with the ball and Eoin Morgan, despite limited opportunities, reinforced the impression that he could become one of the finest players in the world.
Neither Lumb – who was exposed by Australia’s pace – or Kieswetter – who was lucky to see Swann catch Watson via a rebound off Kieswetter’s iron-like gloves in the first over and has questions to answer against the short ball – are ready for Test cricket.
But they proved the right choice for this event. Broad conceded fewer than seven runs an over and Bresnan showed well-honed skill with bat and ball. All have fielded with commitment and skill. It has been a highly impressive performance.
For all that, one man stood out this tournament. Kevin Pietersen was immense for England. It was not just that he was the second highest run-scorer in the event (only Mahela Jayawardene managed more), it was the manner he scored them. KP’s batting now intimidates bowlers in a way that few – Bradman and Viv Richards spring to mind – have ever managed. He’s not just back to his best, he’s batting better than ever. A prolific summer looms.
His batting in the final emboldened the team. Before his arrival, Lumb and Kieswetter had both looked troubled by the extreme pace of Nannes and Tait.
KP looked to have all the time in the world, however. Treating Tait – who topped 97 mph at one stage – like a medium-pace trundler – KP, lent back and drove him for six over mid-off. It was batting of the highest class.
Recognition as player of the tournament was no more than he deserved.
Afterwards, Pietersen admitted that his improved form was rooted in “disappointment”. “It was the disappointment of the last 12 months [that motivated me],” he said. “So I worked very hard in Bangladesh and India. I spent hours in the nets, had lots of nights and dinners with ‘Colly’ [Paul Collingwood] when I had lost sight of how I should play.
“So these are moments to savour. It’s difficult to believe. It’s humbling.
“But the team is the important thing and if not for the team, I wouldn’t be here.”
Kieswetter followed KP’s suit with some audacious strokes. He’s nowhere near the finished article, but he demonstrated some raw talent that bodes very well for the future.
And what of Andy Flower? It’s little over a year ago that Flower assumed the England coaching role against a background of chaos and discord. After a tricky start – remember the ignominy of Jamaica and Holland – he’s now overseen Ashes victory and that elusive limited-overs success. That, by any standards, is an excellent achievement and it is no coincedence that England’s revival coincided his appointment.
England are almost unrecognisable from the rabble he inherited. Where once the players seemed timid and hesitant, they now appear fearless and positive. Where once England were, at best, workmanlike in the field, they are now consistently superb, and where once their bowling was predictable, it is now intelligent and disciplined. Flower must take much of the credit.
Perhaps England had a little fortune in the final. The dismissal of Haddin surely owed more to poor umpiring than fine bowling, but Michael Clarke was quite right when he admitted afterwards that his team had been “outplayed by a better team.” Indeed, he said England played “wonderful cricket.”
In truth, Australia had been living dangerously for a while. Their top-order had rarely fired at this event and, excellent though the Husseys and White remained until the end, it was asking too much of them to continually rebuild.
Collingwood compared the success favourably with any in his career. Including the Ashes.
“It’s very special,” he said. “This is right up there with the best [moments of my career]. To be the first [England] team to win a [cricket] world cup is amazing and it’s something that can never be taken away from us.
“Everyone in the team contributed but, the really exciting thing is that we have a lot more potential. The good team kick-on and we can do that now.
“This [no global success] has been a real monkey on our back. But now we’ve done it on the big occasion; we’ve done it under pressure and we’ve done it as a team. It’s a very special moment.”
Tags: Andy Flower, Barbados, Craig Kieswetter, cricket, England cricket, George Dobell, Kevin Pietersen, michael clarke, SPIN, World T20, World Twenty20
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