This summer's Ashes series has seen the pendulum swing massively. Gone are the days of Australian dominance, aided by the likes of McGrath, Warne and Ponting, and emphatically so. The complexion of the current Ashes landscape sees the English, for arguably the first time in decades, in the drivers seat. There are some that will argue that this was confirmed by the historic English victory in the 2009/2010 Ashes victory down under, but for me, I consider this to be the clincher. An individual series can be a flash in the pan, but to consolidate without losing a Test in the next series is highly impressive, and indicative of a shift in power. Of course, winning a series comfortably is a lot easier on home soil than it is away, and therefore any claims of an English Ashes dynasty will have to wait until after this winter. Should England win the next series in three months' time, I would expect the urn to be residing at Lord's for quite some time. This post will review this summer's Ashes series, giving my personal high points and lows, before asking whether the momentum has swung full circle, and it is England that now have the dominance that the Australians enjoyed throughout the 1990's and early 2000's.
High Points:
1) Ian Bell's Breakthrough Series?
Ian Bell has been a regular in the England side for some time now, so perhaps the sub-heading is a little misleading. I am not suggesting that he really needed to prove himself, being under pressure for his place. Nevertheless, it could certainly be argued that Bell has produced his best cricket, and more importantly, his most consistent performances of his career. The Warwickshire man had never really starred in Ashes series, with 2005 being a particularly poor showing, but he has completely redeemed himself this time around. At times keeping England in the Tests, his 3 centuries had the Australian bowlers quaking when he strode to the crease. Beginning with his vital century at Trent Bridge, which gave England the lead that enabled them to take the opening Test, he continued that form into the Lord's Test. At the home of cricket, a 109 gave Bell his second consecutive ton, helping England to a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead. Finally, arguably his most pivotal contribution occurred in the 4th Test at Durham. With England in real trouble at 49-3, Bell stepped in to produce a magnificent 113 not out, and once again set England on the path to victory. All of the English victories owe something to the middle-order batsman, and proved why he is one of the best with the willow worldwide.
2) The Nerves and the Drama
The first and final Tests are the ones that I am referring to here. Trent Bridge was reminiscent of that classic Test at Edgebaston in 2005, and ended with the same result: an English win. A quite incredible Test, which had the most enthralling final day. With England looking nailed on for victory, needing just 4 wickets to take the opening Test, Australia fought back, getting to within 15 runs of their 310 target. A controversial decision ended the game, with Australian wicketkeeper Haddin being dismissed after a DRS review indicated a small mark on the bat. The final Test at the Oval was equally as dramatic, but for different reasons. Instead of allowing the game to peter out into a boring draw, Aussie captain Clarke rolled the dice and tried to win it. Instead, they very nearly lost it, with another controversial decision this time costing the English the win.
3) So Near and Yet So Far For Agar
Arguably my favourite moment could also go in one of the worst moments. At the beginning of the Trent Bridge test, the name Ashton Agar meant nothing to the world of cricket, with the 'mystery spinner' being handed his Australian Test debut. By the end of it, he was a household name (for the next week at least!) in cricket homes up and down the country. After Australia followed England's example, collapsing to just 117-9, the 19-year-old stepped onto the park knowing his country needed him. Another 3 hours later, the number 11 was still there, having broken record after record in the meantime. Some of his records now include: highest score by a debutant number 11, first ever half century by a debutant number 11, world record 11th wicket partnership, highest ever score by a number 11. Unfortunately, it could not have a fairy-tale ending, as he fell for 97. Despite being an England fan, I have to admit I was willing the young man on to his century. However, having seen the narrow margin of victory three days later, I am not so certain I would have been as sporting had I known! Nevertheless, his 97 put Australia into the lead after the first innings, and put them back into contention.
4) The Best Batsman In The World?
Challenging the likes of Ian Bell for the title of 'World's Best Batsman' is Michael Clarke. To make a comparison, the Australian captain is arguably the Robin van Persie of cricket, with the middle-order batsman seemingly carrying his side, having scored an alarming percentage of the visitors runs. Most notably was an exceptional century in the 3rd Test at Old Trafford, where the captain scored a classy knock of 187 to put his side in a dominant position. Had it not been for the downpour, the Australians would almost certainly have registered, and that century could have been the moment that swung the momentum to the Aussies. The most consistent performer of the Australians, the captain is exceptional with the bat and in the field. If anything, the only aspect he lacks is the ability to judge the technology, something that frequently haunted the Australians. If he can learn from Cook in that regard, he will be a phenomenal captain for the Aussies down under.
5) The Marmite Man (1): Chester-le-Street
The 'love him or hate him' man of this series has undoubtedly been Stuart Broad. The seamer has been in the news for both positive and negative reasons, but we will start on his high moment. Day 4 of the 4th Test was the hero moment for Broad, who almost single-handedly destroyed the Australian batting, and claimed the Ashes victory for the English. Finishing with bowling figures of 6-50 in the second innings, and 11 wickets in the match, his was the outstanding contribution in Durham, ensuring that the English did not just retain the urn, but actually won the series as well. However, unfortunately for Broad, it was not all light moments...
Low Points:
1) 'Punchgate' and David Warner
Even before the Test series began, controversy surrounded the Ashes. With the news that after a night out, Australian opener David Warner had launched into an 'unprovoked attack' on English opener Joe Root, which was later confirmed as a punch on the English man. This saw Warner dropped for the opening two Tests, returning for the Old Trafford contest. Cue boos from all areas of the ground when the Australian entered the pitch or touched the ball, but what did he expect? In fairness to him, the opener did not allow it to distract him from his job, often bringing a rye smile to his lips. Eventually, the Aussie fought back to record two half centuries in the series, but Joe Root's dismissal of him brought smiles to the faces of all Englishmen concerned.
2) The Marmite Man (2): Trent Bridge
I said Stuart Broad's performance wasn't entirely flawless... In the very first Test, Broad got involved in a moment of controversy that would continue burning until the very end of the season, and I suspect will see the seamer treated like David Warner when England visit Australia for the return series this winter. On the 3rd day at Trent Bridge, and with England on 297-6, Broad clearly edged an Agar delivery. However, having ballooned off the pads of Brad Haddin and into the grateful hands of Michael Clarke, the umpires refused the requests, much to the disbelief of the Australian captain. Given how obvious the edge was, it is amazing that the umpires missed it, but even more amazing and disturbing was Stuart Broad's refusal to walk. This threw questions of gamesmanship, with the phrase 'it's not cricket' being thrown around, which were even more so when Broad admitted he knew he had hit it. Even more so, it escalated into Australian coach Darren Lehmann accusing Broad of cheating, and asking the Australian people to 'make him cry' in the return series. Though the Aussie has apologized for those comments, the issue will remain in the minds of the Australian people, and I expect the Englishman to recieve a particularly hostile reception.
3) I Thought We Got Rid Of Human Error?
Unfortunately, for all the good cricket that has been played this summer, there are countless examples of DRS and umpiring controversies. Beginning with the Broad-walking issue, and finishing with the 'Bad Light' fiasco at Lord's, this series has rarely been without incident and controversy. Though no-one would ever accuse them of corruption or cheating, the vast majority of the controversial decisions have gone in the favour of England. So bad were a couple of the decisions, the Australian Prime Minister got involved on Twitter. After Usman Khawaja was dismissed after a review in the Old Trafford Test, despite the video clearly showing no contact between bat and ball, the Aussie PM took to Twitter to announce his displeasure, with the comment 'one of the worst umpiring decisions I have ever seen'. Technology has been blamed for the inconsistencies and errors, but for me, it is the lump of flesh working the technology that has seemed to have crashed on all too many occasions.
4) Kevin Pietersen and the Silicone Tape of Deceit
Until the events of the final night, I would have said that this was the most ridiculous controversy of the entire series. In the lead up to the 4th Test at Chester-le-Street, reports circulated that an Australian paper had accused English batsman Kevin Pietersen of cheating. Rather than the Broad 'non-walking' element of cheating, which the Aussies had a case for, they chose an altogether more non-sensical tack. They made the assertion that the South African-born batsman had been using silicone tape to prevent the thermal imaging part of the DRS system, Hotspot, to detect nicks through to the wicketkeeper. This would make complete sense as an argument if caught behind was the only way of getting out. The Australians clearly did not think about lbw claims. If, as they suggested, the batsman had been using tape to prevent any evidence of the ball on Hotspot, it would actually work against him on lbw claims. Both sides confirmed this as ridiculous, and nothing came of it since.
5) The Ridiculous Celebrations
The story that broke relatively recently arguably tops the lot in terms of controversy. A story that would be more appropriate in Mario Balotelli's house or among the stories of dwarf throwing in the England Rugby Union World Cup camp, reports emerged that the English players had been seen urinating on the Oval turf after the finish of the final Test. This was practically confirmed when, just this morning, the England players came out and apologized for what they called 'inappropriate behaviour'. Why anyone would consider this to be an ordinary thing to do is beyond me, and it simply put a downer on the end of what had been a tremendous summer for the English boys. They will have to redeem themselves when they travel to Australia, and behave in an impeccable manner. However, as we have seen, that appears to be easier said than done...
Has It Swung All The Way?
Such has been the dominance of the English team at times this series, that the question now has to be raised about whether the balance of power has shifted the full 180 degrees from the 90's. Personally, I think that we saw enough from the Australians in the latter parts of the series to suggest that they will fight back this winter. However, should the English dominate that series down under, we could be on for a good few years of English success, which may see the Aussies put into the wilderness in terms of the Test game, at least for the time being.
Analysis of sporting events, talking points and controversies.
Showing posts with label DRS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DRS. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 August 2013
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
The Ashes 2013: 4th Test, Chester-le-Street: Aussies Broad-Sided By Stuart Demolition
Just four days had passed since the end of the 3rd Test at Old Trafford, and still there seemed ample time for bickering and controversy around this Ashes series. The major story broke on an Australian TV channel, which claimed that England batsman Kevin Pietersen was using some form of silicone tape to prevent the thermal imaging part of the Decision Review System (DRS) picking up nicks, thereby stopping Pietersen being given out caught behind. Understandably, the English batsman and his colleagues reacted angrily to these claims, as accusations of cheating are rarely taken in good spirits. Cue several character references from fellow team-mates, including his captain Alastair Cook, who claimed he 'would never do something like this'. This means little to me, as how many times have we heard glowing character references from fellow sportsmen, only to to discover that they were guilty as accused? The debacle involving the spot-fixing with the Pakistan cricket team is a good example of this, as all were defended vehemently, but still convicted. The argument that makes me certain the accusations were untrue, apart from the Australian team's clear lack of outrage, is that putting tape on his bat would not actually help him avoid getting out much. Whilst it would aid him avoiding the caught-behind claims, it would hinder the third umpire in cases of lbw, as the smallest nicks on the bat would should that the decision should be reversed. Unless Pietersen was certain that he was not going to be trapped lbw, which he could not have been, then to put tape on his bat would seem a ridiculous thing to do.
As per usual, not a week goes by where the DRS system isn't questioned or queried. This four day break is no exception. After the dismissal of Usman Khawaja in the first innings of the 3rd Test, where the ball was clearly shown not to have hit his bat, the Australian PM tweeted his disapproval of the decision. The lack of trust of the DRS system has become so bad amongst the players that they are even starting to walk instead of reviewing. A case in point would be Tim Bresnan, who was equally shown to not have hit the ball in replays. However, due to what can only be imagined as a lack of faith in DRS, and its ability to reverse the decision, he opted to walk instead. These incidents led ex-England captain Michael Vaughan to call for the immediate removal of the DRS system, a move supported by many ex-cricketers. I think that any technology in sport is a good thing. Notice that in cricket, the errors are not being made by the technology, they are being made by the human operating it. A more sophisticated, or trusted system is certainly needed to ensure that human error is reduced to a minumum.
Moving onto events in Durham, Day 1 began with England winning the toss and electing to bat. However, after five days of Australian dominance at Old Trafford without reward, the Aussies got off to a similar start in the north east. Joe Root, who has failed with the bat on all but one occasion this tour, fell for 16 as England toiled. Cook and Trott began to anchor the innings, taking them to 107-1 by 2:30. Then, just as it seemed that a half-century was on the horizon, Trott edged Nathan Lyon to Usman Khawaja. The Australian spinner would prove to be a thorn in England's side for the rest of the day. Cook and Pietersen then continued to pile the runs on, taking Cook past 50, only for Pietersen to get himself in and then out, for 26. With England on 149-3, in form Ian Bell came to the crease to partner Cook. At first glance, this appeared a partnership that would take England to a very respectable total. In reality, it last a matter of moments, as an lbw shout on Cook handed Jackson Bird his maiden Test wicket. Bell lasted little longer, chipping a simple delivery to Harris at long on, leaving England with the tail exposed at 155-5. Prior and Bairstow set about their recovery effort, with both needing to find some kind of form. Instead, Prior only managed 17 before perishing to Siddle, whilst Bairstow accrued 14, before an lbw to Lyon got rid of him. Broad went for a duck in the following over, and with England on 197-8, there was a real possibility that they wouldn't make it past 200. Tim Bresnan and Graham Swann began bringing the run rate up, pushing England past the 200 mark, before Swann eventually had to go for 13. The final pairing remained firm until the close, leaving England on a perilous 238-9. Not bad considering they had a middle order collapse, leaving them at 197-8.
England's batting order did not last long on Day 2, with the pair failing to add to their overnight score, and Anderson losing his wicket to Bird in the second over. Australia's response started badly, with David Warner gone early for just 3, before Usman Khawaja swiftly followed for a duck. That brought Michael Clarke to the crease. After a couple of shots to get himself set, it appeared as though England would be in for another tough afternoon. But then we witnessed something that rarely happens: an error from the Australian captain, gifting Broad his wicket for just 6. Australia were rocking at 49-3, but Chris Rogers's innings was the anchor for the Australian team. Gritty and, at times fortunate, the opener remained composed as others lost theirs. Steve Smith had the briefest of cameos before departing for 17, bringing former opener Shane Watson to the crease. This partnership proved to be crucial to the success of the Australian batsmen. As Rogers edged Broad repeatedly, he managed to scramble his half-century, with Watson keeping a positive strike-rate at the other end. At tea, Australia had dragged themselves to a respectable 148-4, and put themselves within striking distance of England's first innings total. The onslaught continued after the break, but both batsmen remained firm, with Watson eveuntually bringing himself to a half-century, and Rogers putting himself on the cusp of three figures. When Watson did go to the bowling of Broad for 68, Australia had managed to get themselves to within 35 of England's total, and with 5 first innings wickets still in hand, they looked well placed to give themselves a good lead. A nice moment followed, with all sides of the ground rising to salute Chris Rogers's maiden Test hundred. His tenacity and determination had prevented the seemingly inevitable collapse of the Australian batsmen, and had led his side to 222-5 at the close of play, just 16 runs behind.
Unfortunately for Australia, Day 3 is where the momentum shifted. Just as England lost a wicket in the second over of the second day, Haddin went to Swann in the second over of the 3rd. An even bigger wicket fell just moments later. With England still leading by 5, Chris Rogers nicked Swann to Matt Prior (after a neat bit of work from the keeper). After such a fantastic innings, it was a shame to see such a soft dismissal. Not that England cared. With the tail now exposed, Siddle, Lyon and Harris all went before lunch, finishing the Australian innings on 270 all out, with a lead of just 32. England's response was once again checked by terrific Australian bowling, with Ryan Harris the key man. After dispensing of Root for just 2 with a stunning delivery, the seamer then got rid of Cook and the dangerous Trott in quick succession. With England on 49-3, a partnership was desperately required if they were to stand any chance. Pietersen and Ian Bell were that partnership, securing the innings and taking England to tea on 123-3, with a lead of 91. The pair stayed firm after the interval, leading Bell to yet another half-century. Pietersen looked set to follow the Warwickshire man to 50, but a poorly played shot to a Lyon delivery left him nicking through to Haddin, bringing an end to the 106 run partnership. The out of sorts Bairstow was next in, and he got off to a positive start, making it to 18 before a bizarre decision. Despite the light looking perfectly fine, the umpires decided that it wouldn't be safe to continue, and took the players off for a farcical 7 minutes. After the restart, Bairstow managed to add a further 10 runs before he perished, but Bell, like Rogers the day before, had to wait until into the evening to secure another century in this Ashes series. This fantastic innings enabled England to get to 234-5, 202 runs ahead. This set the final two days up nicely to be a close contest.
Day 4 proved to be the pivotal one, and ensured that England would not just retain the Ashes, but win the series. It did not start all that well, with overnight hero Bell having to depart for 113, before Prior went the very next ball for a golden duck, leaving Harris on a hat-trick. After defending that delivery, Broad could only make 5, before Harris did for him. Tim Bresnan added valuable runs as England moved past 300, and closed in his own personal half-century. However, he eventually fell just 5 runs short c&b to Lyon, but left England handily placed. Swann added the final few runs before Anderson was bowled by Lyon, meaning that England's innings came to a close on 330, setting Australia a target of 299 to win the 4th Test. In response, Australia started well, with both Warner and Rogers passing 30 comfortably. At 100-0, Australia looked to be in pole position, with Warner past his half-century, and Rogers on the brink. However, on 49, Rogers clipped a Swann delivery off his legs and into the hands of Prior. At tea, Australia seemed firm on 115-1, however few could have predicted the collapse that was to unfold. Even immediately after tea, Australia were adding the necessary runs, getting to 147-1, nearly half-way to their target. Swann then took the wicket of Khawaja, before Bresnan took the big scalp of Warner for 71. This set about an incredible turn of events, with one particular man taking the fore.
That man was seamer Stuart Broad. After an impressive first innings 5-fer, the bowler continued his form into the second innings. He began with the biggest wicket of them all, with a stunning delivery getting rid of the pivotal wicket of Michael Clarke. Next over, Steve Smith pulled back onto his stumps from another outstanding Broad delivery. After Bresnan took the wicket of Watson, Broad polished off the tail with no mercy. After Haddin was trapped lbw for 4, Harris went for 11 for the same reason. At 199-8, it seemed only a matter of when and not if England would reclaim the Ashes, meaning that Broad could bring up an incredible 10 wicket haul. He even managed to better that, taking the wickets of both Lyon and Siddle, to finish off the Test with a career-best 11 wickets, and sending the Chester-le-Street crowd into delirium.
This Australian collapse will also worry coach Darren Lehmann, and the entirety of the population down under. With the return Ashes series just a matter of months away, there will be much work for the Aussie staff and players to do if they are to stand a chance of reclaiming the urn on home soil. For me, I think that the Australian years of dominance are emphatically over, and though I do not expect a 5-0 victory down under like many commentators, I full expect the England side to retain, at least, the Ashes when they make that long journey this winter.
As per usual, not a week goes by where the DRS system isn't questioned or queried. This four day break is no exception. After the dismissal of Usman Khawaja in the first innings of the 3rd Test, where the ball was clearly shown not to have hit his bat, the Australian PM tweeted his disapproval of the decision. The lack of trust of the DRS system has become so bad amongst the players that they are even starting to walk instead of reviewing. A case in point would be Tim Bresnan, who was equally shown to not have hit the ball in replays. However, due to what can only be imagined as a lack of faith in DRS, and its ability to reverse the decision, he opted to walk instead. These incidents led ex-England captain Michael Vaughan to call for the immediate removal of the DRS system, a move supported by many ex-cricketers. I think that any technology in sport is a good thing. Notice that in cricket, the errors are not being made by the technology, they are being made by the human operating it. A more sophisticated, or trusted system is certainly needed to ensure that human error is reduced to a minumum.
Moving onto events in Durham, Day 1 began with England winning the toss and electing to bat. However, after five days of Australian dominance at Old Trafford without reward, the Aussies got off to a similar start in the north east. Joe Root, who has failed with the bat on all but one occasion this tour, fell for 16 as England toiled. Cook and Trott began to anchor the innings, taking them to 107-1 by 2:30. Then, just as it seemed that a half-century was on the horizon, Trott edged Nathan Lyon to Usman Khawaja. The Australian spinner would prove to be a thorn in England's side for the rest of the day. Cook and Pietersen then continued to pile the runs on, taking Cook past 50, only for Pietersen to get himself in and then out, for 26. With England on 149-3, in form Ian Bell came to the crease to partner Cook. At first glance, this appeared a partnership that would take England to a very respectable total. In reality, it last a matter of moments, as an lbw shout on Cook handed Jackson Bird his maiden Test wicket. Bell lasted little longer, chipping a simple delivery to Harris at long on, leaving England with the tail exposed at 155-5. Prior and Bairstow set about their recovery effort, with both needing to find some kind of form. Instead, Prior only managed 17 before perishing to Siddle, whilst Bairstow accrued 14, before an lbw to Lyon got rid of him. Broad went for a duck in the following over, and with England on 197-8, there was a real possibility that they wouldn't make it past 200. Tim Bresnan and Graham Swann began bringing the run rate up, pushing England past the 200 mark, before Swann eventually had to go for 13. The final pairing remained firm until the close, leaving England on a perilous 238-9. Not bad considering they had a middle order collapse, leaving them at 197-8.
England's batting order did not last long on Day 2, with the pair failing to add to their overnight score, and Anderson losing his wicket to Bird in the second over. Australia's response started badly, with David Warner gone early for just 3, before Usman Khawaja swiftly followed for a duck. That brought Michael Clarke to the crease. After a couple of shots to get himself set, it appeared as though England would be in for another tough afternoon. But then we witnessed something that rarely happens: an error from the Australian captain, gifting Broad his wicket for just 6. Australia were rocking at 49-3, but Chris Rogers's innings was the anchor for the Australian team. Gritty and, at times fortunate, the opener remained composed as others lost theirs. Steve Smith had the briefest of cameos before departing for 17, bringing former opener Shane Watson to the crease. This partnership proved to be crucial to the success of the Australian batsmen. As Rogers edged Broad repeatedly, he managed to scramble his half-century, with Watson keeping a positive strike-rate at the other end. At tea, Australia had dragged themselves to a respectable 148-4, and put themselves within striking distance of England's first innings total. The onslaught continued after the break, but both batsmen remained firm, with Watson eveuntually bringing himself to a half-century, and Rogers putting himself on the cusp of three figures. When Watson did go to the bowling of Broad for 68, Australia had managed to get themselves to within 35 of England's total, and with 5 first innings wickets still in hand, they looked well placed to give themselves a good lead. A nice moment followed, with all sides of the ground rising to salute Chris Rogers's maiden Test hundred. His tenacity and determination had prevented the seemingly inevitable collapse of the Australian batsmen, and had led his side to 222-5 at the close of play, just 16 runs behind.
Unfortunately for Australia, Day 3 is where the momentum shifted. Just as England lost a wicket in the second over of the second day, Haddin went to Swann in the second over of the 3rd. An even bigger wicket fell just moments later. With England still leading by 5, Chris Rogers nicked Swann to Matt Prior (after a neat bit of work from the keeper). After such a fantastic innings, it was a shame to see such a soft dismissal. Not that England cared. With the tail now exposed, Siddle, Lyon and Harris all went before lunch, finishing the Australian innings on 270 all out, with a lead of just 32. England's response was once again checked by terrific Australian bowling, with Ryan Harris the key man. After dispensing of Root for just 2 with a stunning delivery, the seamer then got rid of Cook and the dangerous Trott in quick succession. With England on 49-3, a partnership was desperately required if they were to stand any chance. Pietersen and Ian Bell were that partnership, securing the innings and taking England to tea on 123-3, with a lead of 91. The pair stayed firm after the interval, leading Bell to yet another half-century. Pietersen looked set to follow the Warwickshire man to 50, but a poorly played shot to a Lyon delivery left him nicking through to Haddin, bringing an end to the 106 run partnership. The out of sorts Bairstow was next in, and he got off to a positive start, making it to 18 before a bizarre decision. Despite the light looking perfectly fine, the umpires decided that it wouldn't be safe to continue, and took the players off for a farcical 7 minutes. After the restart, Bairstow managed to add a further 10 runs before he perished, but Bell, like Rogers the day before, had to wait until into the evening to secure another century in this Ashes series. This fantastic innings enabled England to get to 234-5, 202 runs ahead. This set the final two days up nicely to be a close contest.
Day 4 proved to be the pivotal one, and ensured that England would not just retain the Ashes, but win the series. It did not start all that well, with overnight hero Bell having to depart for 113, before Prior went the very next ball for a golden duck, leaving Harris on a hat-trick. After defending that delivery, Broad could only make 5, before Harris did for him. Tim Bresnan added valuable runs as England moved past 300, and closed in his own personal half-century. However, he eventually fell just 5 runs short c&b to Lyon, but left England handily placed. Swann added the final few runs before Anderson was bowled by Lyon, meaning that England's innings came to a close on 330, setting Australia a target of 299 to win the 4th Test. In response, Australia started well, with both Warner and Rogers passing 30 comfortably. At 100-0, Australia looked to be in pole position, with Warner past his half-century, and Rogers on the brink. However, on 49, Rogers clipped a Swann delivery off his legs and into the hands of Prior. At tea, Australia seemed firm on 115-1, however few could have predicted the collapse that was to unfold. Even immediately after tea, Australia were adding the necessary runs, getting to 147-1, nearly half-way to their target. Swann then took the wicket of Khawaja, before Bresnan took the big scalp of Warner for 71. This set about an incredible turn of events, with one particular man taking the fore.
That man was seamer Stuart Broad. After an impressive first innings 5-fer, the bowler continued his form into the second innings. He began with the biggest wicket of them all, with a stunning delivery getting rid of the pivotal wicket of Michael Clarke. Next over, Steve Smith pulled back onto his stumps from another outstanding Broad delivery. After Bresnan took the wicket of Watson, Broad polished off the tail with no mercy. After Haddin was trapped lbw for 4, Harris went for 11 for the same reason. At 199-8, it seemed only a matter of when and not if England would reclaim the Ashes, meaning that Broad could bring up an incredible 10 wicket haul. He even managed to better that, taking the wickets of both Lyon and Siddle, to finish off the Test with a career-best 11 wickets, and sending the Chester-le-Street crowd into delirium.
This Australian collapse will also worry coach Darren Lehmann, and the entirety of the population down under. With the return Ashes series just a matter of months away, there will be much work for the Aussie staff and players to do if they are to stand a chance of reclaiming the urn on home soil. For me, I think that the Australian years of dominance are emphatically over, and though I do not expect a 5-0 victory down under like many commentators, I full expect the England side to retain, at least, the Ashes when they make that long journey this winter.
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
The Ashes 2013: 3rd Test, Emirates Old Trafford: Rain Retains Ashes
Typical Manchester. Hailing from the city myself, I am all too aware of the daily potential for rain, with the weekly forecast rarely completely absent of the dark clouds and two drop symbols. However, after the recent heatwave, my hopes were initially high that we would see a result at Old Trafford, with a full 5 days play looking on the cards. After the result at Lord's, it appeared as though five days would not even be necessary, with the English rampant, and looking to wrap up a series win, pushing on to achieve a home whitewash. Once again though, this rollercoaster of a series threw up another surprise, with the rain eventually coming to the aid of the home side, ensuring that England retained the Ashes.
Day 1 began brightly, with the Australians winning their first toss, and electing to bat. This appeared to be an important moment, as the pitch seemed perfect for batting, and was only likely to worsen over the course of the Test. Chris Rogers and Shane Watson set about the English bowlers in the early overs, with Rogers looking particularly impressive. As has been the case recently, Watson got in, and then got out, managing just 19. At 76-1, Australia had got off to a good start. However, a moment of enormous controversy followed soon after. Having defended well since coming to the crease, Usman Khawaja was given out caught behind off the bowling of Swann. The batsman instantly reviewed the decision, standing his ground. As the TV began relaying the pictures, it became more and more obvious that Khawaja had not touched the ball. No mark on Hotspot, the thermal imaging used, no sound as the ball passed the bat, and even more convincingly, clear daylight between the bat and the ball. Despite this overwhelming evidence, unbelievably the decision was upheld, and Khawaja had to walk for 1. This drew criticism from fans, pundits, and even the Australian Prime Minister on Twitter, calling it 'one of the worst cricket umpiring decisions I have ever witnessed'. As captain Michael Clarke came to the crease, there was a sense of injustice amongst the Aussie ranks. This propelled Rogers and Clarke to put a good partnership together, before the opener eventually fell for 84, leaving Australia on 129-3. However, if England thought they had created a good platform for themselves, they were wrong. In a stand lasting the rest of the day (a full four hours), Clarke and Steve Smith put on a further 174 runs, leaving Australia at 303-3 at the close, with Clarke on an unbeaten 125, swinging the balance Australia's way.
Day 2 started in the same vein as the first, with Australia, and mostly Clarke, on top. Quickly bringing up his 150, the Aussie captain, aided by Smith, pressed on to put the Australians in a commanding position. With a century seemingly guaranteed, Smith was also beginning to play with increased freedom. However, this freedom eventually came back to bite him, as he played a loose shot to a Swann delivery on 89, putting Australia on 343-4. After such a fantastic innings, the 24 year old will be bitterly disappointed he couldn't manage his first Test century. Further misfortune for Smith was that David Warner was the next man in. This meant that rather than the rapturous applause he deserved, the pitch was alive to the sound of boos in the direction of the new man. After his 'unprovoked attack' on England batsman Joe Root, it was unlikely to be any different! His panto villain cameo was appropriately brief, with the Aussie being caught at slip by Trott on just 5. This brought about the largest cheer of the day from the English fans, who up until then had had precious little to cheer about. Brad Haddin's solid start led the Australians to 392-5 at lunch, putting them in a commanding position for the rest of the Test, and, with reports of poor weather on the horizon, leaving Clarke with a dilemma of whether to declare. Clarke's mammoth innings came to an end roughly a day after it started, playing onto his stumps to give Stuart Broad his 200th Test wicket. A fantastic knock from the captain, who Australia are often too reliant on for success. When Siddle fell just a couple of overs later, it looked as though the tail would be mopped up fairly easily. But an 8th wicket stand between Haddin and Mitchell Starc saw the Australians past 500, and handing the pair half-centuries. At 527-7, Clarke declared, decided that this would be sufficient to get the 20 wickets required. The next 40 overs seemed to prove him right, as England started poorly. After captain Cook got off to a positive start, Joe Root fell cheaply to Siddle for 8. Tim Bresnan was then sent out as night-watchman, only to perish for 1, leaving England in real trouble at 52-2 at the close, and in desperate need of a large score.
After two days of Australian dominance, Day 3 needed to be the day that England fought back. And when Trott fell to Harris for just 5, it looked as though England were in deep trouble. However, in came Kevin Pietersen. With the new spinner Nathan Lyon not performing as well as expected, Cook closed in on his half-century. However, similarly to Steve Smith, after looking good for a century, he fell, managing just 64. This put England on 110-4, still needing 218 to avoid the follow-on. Just like Australia, the middle-order then proved vital. Pietersen and the in-form Ian Bell then took England away from trouble, and towards that follow-on target. When Bell lost his wicket to a fantastic delivery from Harris for 60, England were looking altogether more secure on 225-5. Pietersen quickly brought up his maiden Test century at Old Trafford, playing some expansive cricket, and victimising the spinner Lyon. Jonny Bairstow had a brief cameo, making 22 before he fell to Starc. Pietersen went to the same bowler a couple of overs later, after an lbw review failed. With England at 280-7, they could ill-afford a collapse. Fortunately for England, Prior and Broad steadied the ship, taking England to 294-7 at the close, needing 34 to avoid the follow-on.
England's objectives for Day 4 would have been as follows: 1) avoid the follow-on 2) set a respectable target 3) attempt to skittle the Australians out in their second innings and 4) do several rain dances throughout the day. Number 1 was achieved fairly comfortably, with the capable Broad and Prior batting well to take England towards 350. Broad fell for a well-played 32, with Lyon finally taking his first wicket, after a miserable day the day before. Swann came in and went out very quickly, scoring a run a ball for his 11. A period of frustration for the Australians followed, as the English batsman attempted to while away overs and time. With the impending rain, the Australians knew that every over was crucial, and therefore getting the final wicket quickly was critical. The wicket of Prior eventually fell an hour and a half into the first session, leaving the Aussies to rush off and get themselves ready to bat. Treating the rest of the Test as a one-day game, the Australians set off at a decent pace, with Warner and Rogers opening. Rogers quickly fell for 12, but the scoring continued at a good rate with the partnership of Warner and Khawaja. When Warner perished on 41, who was there to take the catch? Joe Root, who else! Khawaja followed quickly, leaving the Australians at 99-3, with a lead of 258. Just four runs later, Watson had to make the walk back to the pavilion, having made a valuable 19 for his team. The last thing England would have wanted to have seen was Steve Smith striding out to meet Michael Clarke at the crease after the events of Day 1. However, a gift of a run-out managed to keep the run count down (lead at 300), and got rid of the dangerous Smith. Haddin and Starc both followed before tea, leaving the score at 172-7, with an Australian lead of 331. Another moment of controversy came soon after, as the players were taken off for bad light. Cue furious protests from the Australian players, spearheaded by Clarke, who recognised just how crucial this time may be. This proved even more critical as the rain prevented any further play after tea, and, with little signs of improvement for Day 5, it seemed as though the Aussies would run out of time and overs.
This proved to be the case in Day 5. After the decision by Clarke to declare at their overnight total of 172-7, with a lead of 331 to defend, England got off to a terrible start. Cook, who has looked fairly consistent throughout this series, went for a duck. Things went from bad to worse, as both Trott and Pietersen lost their wickets, leaving England in trouble at 27-3. Cue torrential Mancunian rain, which lasted for the rest of the day, eliminating any chance of the Australians winning the Ashes. This meant that only 20.3 overs were bowled in the day, but that did not prevent fans staying in the ground to chant their approval at the result.
As I mentioned in my last post, I wanted to see a little more fight from the Australians, particularly with the bat. I am pleased to say that the next two Tests look as though they will be highly competitive, with all three results realistically possible. No 5-0 whitewash for England, nor an Australian Ashes win is possible, but pride is still to play for, and I think that (provided the rain stays away), we are still in for an interesting couple of weeks of cricket.
Day 1 began brightly, with the Australians winning their first toss, and electing to bat. This appeared to be an important moment, as the pitch seemed perfect for batting, and was only likely to worsen over the course of the Test. Chris Rogers and Shane Watson set about the English bowlers in the early overs, with Rogers looking particularly impressive. As has been the case recently, Watson got in, and then got out, managing just 19. At 76-1, Australia had got off to a good start. However, a moment of enormous controversy followed soon after. Having defended well since coming to the crease, Usman Khawaja was given out caught behind off the bowling of Swann. The batsman instantly reviewed the decision, standing his ground. As the TV began relaying the pictures, it became more and more obvious that Khawaja had not touched the ball. No mark on Hotspot, the thermal imaging used, no sound as the ball passed the bat, and even more convincingly, clear daylight between the bat and the ball. Despite this overwhelming evidence, unbelievably the decision was upheld, and Khawaja had to walk for 1. This drew criticism from fans, pundits, and even the Australian Prime Minister on Twitter, calling it 'one of the worst cricket umpiring decisions I have ever witnessed'. As captain Michael Clarke came to the crease, there was a sense of injustice amongst the Aussie ranks. This propelled Rogers and Clarke to put a good partnership together, before the opener eventually fell for 84, leaving Australia on 129-3. However, if England thought they had created a good platform for themselves, they were wrong. In a stand lasting the rest of the day (a full four hours), Clarke and Steve Smith put on a further 174 runs, leaving Australia at 303-3 at the close, with Clarke on an unbeaten 125, swinging the balance Australia's way.
Day 2 started in the same vein as the first, with Australia, and mostly Clarke, on top. Quickly bringing up his 150, the Aussie captain, aided by Smith, pressed on to put the Australians in a commanding position. With a century seemingly guaranteed, Smith was also beginning to play with increased freedom. However, this freedom eventually came back to bite him, as he played a loose shot to a Swann delivery on 89, putting Australia on 343-4. After such a fantastic innings, the 24 year old will be bitterly disappointed he couldn't manage his first Test century. Further misfortune for Smith was that David Warner was the next man in. This meant that rather than the rapturous applause he deserved, the pitch was alive to the sound of boos in the direction of the new man. After his 'unprovoked attack' on England batsman Joe Root, it was unlikely to be any different! His panto villain cameo was appropriately brief, with the Aussie being caught at slip by Trott on just 5. This brought about the largest cheer of the day from the English fans, who up until then had had precious little to cheer about. Brad Haddin's solid start led the Australians to 392-5 at lunch, putting them in a commanding position for the rest of the Test, and, with reports of poor weather on the horizon, leaving Clarke with a dilemma of whether to declare. Clarke's mammoth innings came to an end roughly a day after it started, playing onto his stumps to give Stuart Broad his 200th Test wicket. A fantastic knock from the captain, who Australia are often too reliant on for success. When Siddle fell just a couple of overs later, it looked as though the tail would be mopped up fairly easily. But an 8th wicket stand between Haddin and Mitchell Starc saw the Australians past 500, and handing the pair half-centuries. At 527-7, Clarke declared, decided that this would be sufficient to get the 20 wickets required. The next 40 overs seemed to prove him right, as England started poorly. After captain Cook got off to a positive start, Joe Root fell cheaply to Siddle for 8. Tim Bresnan was then sent out as night-watchman, only to perish for 1, leaving England in real trouble at 52-2 at the close, and in desperate need of a large score.
After two days of Australian dominance, Day 3 needed to be the day that England fought back. And when Trott fell to Harris for just 5, it looked as though England were in deep trouble. However, in came Kevin Pietersen. With the new spinner Nathan Lyon not performing as well as expected, Cook closed in on his half-century. However, similarly to Steve Smith, after looking good for a century, he fell, managing just 64. This put England on 110-4, still needing 218 to avoid the follow-on. Just like Australia, the middle-order then proved vital. Pietersen and the in-form Ian Bell then took England away from trouble, and towards that follow-on target. When Bell lost his wicket to a fantastic delivery from Harris for 60, England were looking altogether more secure on 225-5. Pietersen quickly brought up his maiden Test century at Old Trafford, playing some expansive cricket, and victimising the spinner Lyon. Jonny Bairstow had a brief cameo, making 22 before he fell to Starc. Pietersen went to the same bowler a couple of overs later, after an lbw review failed. With England at 280-7, they could ill-afford a collapse. Fortunately for England, Prior and Broad steadied the ship, taking England to 294-7 at the close, needing 34 to avoid the follow-on.
England's objectives for Day 4 would have been as follows: 1) avoid the follow-on 2) set a respectable target 3) attempt to skittle the Australians out in their second innings and 4) do several rain dances throughout the day. Number 1 was achieved fairly comfortably, with the capable Broad and Prior batting well to take England towards 350. Broad fell for a well-played 32, with Lyon finally taking his first wicket, after a miserable day the day before. Swann came in and went out very quickly, scoring a run a ball for his 11. A period of frustration for the Australians followed, as the English batsman attempted to while away overs and time. With the impending rain, the Australians knew that every over was crucial, and therefore getting the final wicket quickly was critical. The wicket of Prior eventually fell an hour and a half into the first session, leaving the Aussies to rush off and get themselves ready to bat. Treating the rest of the Test as a one-day game, the Australians set off at a decent pace, with Warner and Rogers opening. Rogers quickly fell for 12, but the scoring continued at a good rate with the partnership of Warner and Khawaja. When Warner perished on 41, who was there to take the catch? Joe Root, who else! Khawaja followed quickly, leaving the Australians at 99-3, with a lead of 258. Just four runs later, Watson had to make the walk back to the pavilion, having made a valuable 19 for his team. The last thing England would have wanted to have seen was Steve Smith striding out to meet Michael Clarke at the crease after the events of Day 1. However, a gift of a run-out managed to keep the run count down (lead at 300), and got rid of the dangerous Smith. Haddin and Starc both followed before tea, leaving the score at 172-7, with an Australian lead of 331. Another moment of controversy came soon after, as the players were taken off for bad light. Cue furious protests from the Australian players, spearheaded by Clarke, who recognised just how crucial this time may be. This proved even more critical as the rain prevented any further play after tea, and, with little signs of improvement for Day 5, it seemed as though the Aussies would run out of time and overs.
This proved to be the case in Day 5. After the decision by Clarke to declare at their overnight total of 172-7, with a lead of 331 to defend, England got off to a terrible start. Cook, who has looked fairly consistent throughout this series, went for a duck. Things went from bad to worse, as both Trott and Pietersen lost their wickets, leaving England in trouble at 27-3. Cue torrential Mancunian rain, which lasted for the rest of the day, eliminating any chance of the Australians winning the Ashes. This meant that only 20.3 overs were bowled in the day, but that did not prevent fans staying in the ground to chant their approval at the result.
As I mentioned in my last post, I wanted to see a little more fight from the Australians, particularly with the bat. I am pleased to say that the next two Tests look as though they will be highly competitive, with all three results realistically possible. No 5-0 whitewash for England, nor an Australian Ashes win is possible, but pride is still to play for, and I think that (provided the rain stays away), we are still in for an interesting couple of weeks of cricket.
Monday, 22 July 2013
The Ashes 2013: 2nd Test, Lord's: Are The Predictions Really So Ridiculous?
In my 1st Test review, I stated that the events of the previous 5 days suggested that the predictions made by the likes of Sir Ian Botham (who made a seemingly outrageous 10-0 prediction over the next two Ashes series) were completely ridiculous, and bordering on disrespectful of the opponent. Predictions like that also tend to have the effect of underestimating their opponent, a fear that appeared realised as the Aussies moved within 15 runs of victory at Trent Bridge. However, the events of the previous four days at Lord's have shattered those illusions, and have forced me to question whether the predictions of Botham were actually so ridiculous in the first place. A complete decimation of the Australian batting, with the bowling often being treated with similar contempt, England have now moved within one Test victory of a series win, and still appear on course for a home whitewash.
The Lord's test started with England winning their second consecutive toss. With the wicket seeming dry and perfect for batting, the consensus was that this was a fantastic toss for Cook to have won. However, after a brief visit from the Queen, delaying the start (cue calls of 'reign stops play'), play began with a bang. England's top order were shattered by firstly Shane Watson, and then new-man Ryan Harris, leaving England without Root, Cook and Pietersen, and languishing on 28-3. Cue an inspirational fight-back from Trott and Bell, with the latter progressing to his third succesive century to put England in command of the Test by tea. Trott, who had reached his fifty in quick time, perished with a silly mistake, bringing the inexperienced Bairstow to the crease. He provided the perfect foil for Bell to add major runs, but should have gone on just 21, when the predatory Siddle ripped through the gate to send his off-stump cartwheeling. However, closer inspection revealed a no-ball, and the lucky Yorkshireman was called back. And he made the Aussies pay, reaching an impressive 50. With England rampant on 271-4, Aussie captain Michael Clarke will have been understandably worried. His solution: turn to the untested leg-spinner Steve Smith. Fortunately, the gamble paid off, as Smith took the wickets of Bell (109), Bairstow (69) and Prior (6) in quick succession, leaving the Aussies in higher spirits by the end of day 1, as England closed on 289-7.
Day 2 started with the Test still very much in the balance. With the average first-innings total at Lord's being closer to 400, England knew that the first session needed to be good to recover from the lapse in concentration at the end of the previous day. But their day got off to the worst possible start, as Bresnan went first ball to Harris. 289-8, and now England looked desperate. Anderson, after the briefest of responses, went to Harris. 312-9. With England seemingly on target for a below-average score, hopes rested on the partnership of Swann and Broad. Fortunately, they didn't disappoint, scoring at a tremendous rate, and moving England closer to that magic 400 mark. When Broad eventually perished, England sat on a much healthier 361, with a real target to now attack the Australians. Clearly frustrated, the Aussies lacked concentration in the early overs of their reply, with Watson narrowly avoiding an edge to Anderson first ball. Having briefly regathered his thoughts, the opener went for 30 to leave Australia on 42-1 at lunch, and missing a crucial batting cog. Things got much worse after lunch, as firstly Rodgers, then Hughes joined Watson in the pavilion in successive overs to leave Australia on 53-3. After debutant Khawaja briefly stabilised the innings, he too fell. 69-4. With Michael Clarke and Steve Smith the only registered batsmen left, an Ian Bell-esque recovery was needed. Clarke promised much, being the first man to reach 25 since Watson. But a disastrous couple of overs put the Aussies on the brink of collapse, as firstly Smith (2) and then Clarke (28) perished, leaving Australia on 91-6. The collapse was soon complete, as a shambolic run out gifted England the wicket of Agar, before Siddle, Haddin and Harris all fell before tea, finishing the innings on 128 all out. A dismal total. More bizarrely, however, England did not enforce the follow-on, electing instead to bat on themselves, presumably hoping to add further runs to the lead. The plan did not start well, with almost a carbon copy of the first innings. This time Cook (8), Trott (0) and Pietersen (5) all went cheaply, gifting Australia a way back in at 31-3 by the close.
Day 3 would seal the English victory, however. Starting the day on such a small total, the Aussies would have been confident of skittling the English batsmen and having a crack at a reasonable total to win. What they didn't account for was someone to have the game of their life. That someone was England's Joe Root. The young Yorkshireman started day 3 in confident fashion, himself and night-watchman Tim Bresnan picking up where they left off the previous night to pile 99 runs onto the total. With Root handily placed on 72, Bresnan lost his wicket on 38, after an excellent innings. After three successive centuries, the last person Australia would have wanted to have seen walking to the crease was Ian Bell. Himself and Root continued the onslaught of the Australian bowlers, helping Root to his maiden Test 100. There is certainly no better place to start than with an Ashes hundred at Lord's. A worrying sense of deja-vu set in as Bell cruised to his 50, and with England seeming invincible, it was surely only a matter of time until he reached three figures? Wrong. After another incredible innings, the usually calm Bell chipped a simple delivery down the throat of Chris Rodgers on 74. Despite this set back, Root remained collected, extending England's lead past the 500 mark, and bring up his 150 in fantastic fashion. At the close of play, England led by 566, and would pick up day 4 on 333-5, with Root on 178 not out.
What proved to be the final day began in dramatic fashion. In just the third over, Bairstow's quick innings came to an abrupt end, as he edged a Harris delivery through to Haddin. Just two overs later, Joe Root's dream of a Lord's double century went up in smoke. After such a composed innings, a horrible shot straight up into the air saw the young man perish. Immediately, England captain Cook signalled the declaration, leaving England on 349-7dec, and setting the Australians a seemingly insumountable target of 583 to win. More importantly, it gave England a whole day and a half to take the necessary 10 wickets. After starting nicely, the inconsistent Shane Watson was trapped lbw by Anderson for 20. Chris Rodgers soon followed for just 6, leaving the Aussies in real trouble of not making it to day 5, on just 32-2. The wickets continued to tumble, with Hughes gone soon after for just 1. 36-3. Michael Clarke and Usman Khawaja set about rebuilding the innings, with the pair making a good partnership. Not enough to worry England, but well built. Had the pair stuck around until the close, the nerves may have begun to settle in amongst the English players. However, both fell after making half-centuries. Joe Root, who seemingly walked on water for the last two days of the Test, was the catalyst behind both dismissals. Firstly, the captain Clarke, who clipped a simple delivery round the corner to his opposite number at slip for 51. He was swifly followed by Khawaja, who did something similar, picking out Anderson at gully for 54. Another collapse was threatened as Smith went for just 1 in the next over, but the Aussies stabilised.
With England requiring just 4 wickets, it was a touch ironic that the man they faced next was the very man they had tried, and failed to get out for so long at Trent Bridge: Ashton Agar. When he did eventually depart for 17, it wasn't without its share of controversy. Having been given not out on the field after a shout for a caught behind, England reviewed the decision to the third umpire. Needing to find 'conclusive evidence to overturn', Agar's cause was seemingly vindicated when no mark showed on HotSpot. However, much to the astonishment of the batsman, the decision was reversed, based solely on movement and a noise, rather than on the much more trusted thermal imaging. This certainly pours fuel on the already burning fire over DRS, with critics now suggesting that it doesn't actually work. Certainly, this decision appears to be unjust, and most DRS decisions this series have certainly benefitted the hosts. If this had been at Old Trafford (the football ground rather than the cricket one), we would be talking about 'Fergie-time' and bias and conspiracy theories. I am all for technology in sport, but when it is incorrectly used, there is no excuse. A swift apology may be required, as we saw in rugby league recently.
After Agar's dismissal, Australia attempted to get going, but every time they began to look comfortable, a wicket would fall. Next to go was Haddin, who was completely outfoxed by the bowling of Swann, to leave England needing just 2 wickets, and the Australians simply looking to draw the inevitable defeat out a little longer. The tail began to wag slightly, with Peter Siddle beginning to play some strokes. However, at 190-8, he too fell, leaving England just one wicket from victory. As 6 o'clock drew ever closer, new rules were consulted. As Australia were nine wickets down, an extra half an hour is allowed to be played, in order to try and finish the game then and there. Pattinson and Harris, having batted valiantly for the final wicket, now had to withstand another period of intense pressure. After holding England at bay for 10 minutes over the allotted time, Swann began the final over of the day. After defending the first ball, Pattinson was trapped lbw with the second to send the English crowd into delirium, and leave the English side needing just one more Test victory to secure the urn once more.
Having watched the Trent Bridge Test on the edge of my seat, I found myself becoming less and less interested during the Lord's one. As I have said previously, I would most enjoy a highly competitive set of Tests, with an English victory being the ultimate outcome. The 1st Test fulfilled all of my expectations, and more. However, this one left me feeling bored. Not at the way the English played, as it was at times exhilarating. I am becoming bored of the Australian batting order collapsing. Having discussed this with several people, the best piece of advice as to why I feel this way is undoubtedly that I 'haven't experienced the pain'. With my first memory of being interested in an Ashes Test series being in 2005, I have only experienced English home wins. I therefore was not watching when England were ripped apart for series after series in the 90s, and so cannot feel that delight at watching an old enemy suffer now. From my point of view, I hope the Test at Old Trafford is considerably closer than the one at Lord's, as I am looking for entertainment. I do now understand, but cannot feel, the point of view from every other cricket fan in the country: more of the same please!
The Lord's test started with England winning their second consecutive toss. With the wicket seeming dry and perfect for batting, the consensus was that this was a fantastic toss for Cook to have won. However, after a brief visit from the Queen, delaying the start (cue calls of 'reign stops play'), play began with a bang. England's top order were shattered by firstly Shane Watson, and then new-man Ryan Harris, leaving England without Root, Cook and Pietersen, and languishing on 28-3. Cue an inspirational fight-back from Trott and Bell, with the latter progressing to his third succesive century to put England in command of the Test by tea. Trott, who had reached his fifty in quick time, perished with a silly mistake, bringing the inexperienced Bairstow to the crease. He provided the perfect foil for Bell to add major runs, but should have gone on just 21, when the predatory Siddle ripped through the gate to send his off-stump cartwheeling. However, closer inspection revealed a no-ball, and the lucky Yorkshireman was called back. And he made the Aussies pay, reaching an impressive 50. With England rampant on 271-4, Aussie captain Michael Clarke will have been understandably worried. His solution: turn to the untested leg-spinner Steve Smith. Fortunately, the gamble paid off, as Smith took the wickets of Bell (109), Bairstow (69) and Prior (6) in quick succession, leaving the Aussies in higher spirits by the end of day 1, as England closed on 289-7.
Day 2 started with the Test still very much in the balance. With the average first-innings total at Lord's being closer to 400, England knew that the first session needed to be good to recover from the lapse in concentration at the end of the previous day. But their day got off to the worst possible start, as Bresnan went first ball to Harris. 289-8, and now England looked desperate. Anderson, after the briefest of responses, went to Harris. 312-9. With England seemingly on target for a below-average score, hopes rested on the partnership of Swann and Broad. Fortunately, they didn't disappoint, scoring at a tremendous rate, and moving England closer to that magic 400 mark. When Broad eventually perished, England sat on a much healthier 361, with a real target to now attack the Australians. Clearly frustrated, the Aussies lacked concentration in the early overs of their reply, with Watson narrowly avoiding an edge to Anderson first ball. Having briefly regathered his thoughts, the opener went for 30 to leave Australia on 42-1 at lunch, and missing a crucial batting cog. Things got much worse after lunch, as firstly Rodgers, then Hughes joined Watson in the pavilion in successive overs to leave Australia on 53-3. After debutant Khawaja briefly stabilised the innings, he too fell. 69-4. With Michael Clarke and Steve Smith the only registered batsmen left, an Ian Bell-esque recovery was needed. Clarke promised much, being the first man to reach 25 since Watson. But a disastrous couple of overs put the Aussies on the brink of collapse, as firstly Smith (2) and then Clarke (28) perished, leaving Australia on 91-6. The collapse was soon complete, as a shambolic run out gifted England the wicket of Agar, before Siddle, Haddin and Harris all fell before tea, finishing the innings on 128 all out. A dismal total. More bizarrely, however, England did not enforce the follow-on, electing instead to bat on themselves, presumably hoping to add further runs to the lead. The plan did not start well, with almost a carbon copy of the first innings. This time Cook (8), Trott (0) and Pietersen (5) all went cheaply, gifting Australia a way back in at 31-3 by the close.
Day 3 would seal the English victory, however. Starting the day on such a small total, the Aussies would have been confident of skittling the English batsmen and having a crack at a reasonable total to win. What they didn't account for was someone to have the game of their life. That someone was England's Joe Root. The young Yorkshireman started day 3 in confident fashion, himself and night-watchman Tim Bresnan picking up where they left off the previous night to pile 99 runs onto the total. With Root handily placed on 72, Bresnan lost his wicket on 38, after an excellent innings. After three successive centuries, the last person Australia would have wanted to have seen walking to the crease was Ian Bell. Himself and Root continued the onslaught of the Australian bowlers, helping Root to his maiden Test 100. There is certainly no better place to start than with an Ashes hundred at Lord's. A worrying sense of deja-vu set in as Bell cruised to his 50, and with England seeming invincible, it was surely only a matter of time until he reached three figures? Wrong. After another incredible innings, the usually calm Bell chipped a simple delivery down the throat of Chris Rodgers on 74. Despite this set back, Root remained collected, extending England's lead past the 500 mark, and bring up his 150 in fantastic fashion. At the close of play, England led by 566, and would pick up day 4 on 333-5, with Root on 178 not out.
What proved to be the final day began in dramatic fashion. In just the third over, Bairstow's quick innings came to an abrupt end, as he edged a Harris delivery through to Haddin. Just two overs later, Joe Root's dream of a Lord's double century went up in smoke. After such a composed innings, a horrible shot straight up into the air saw the young man perish. Immediately, England captain Cook signalled the declaration, leaving England on 349-7dec, and setting the Australians a seemingly insumountable target of 583 to win. More importantly, it gave England a whole day and a half to take the necessary 10 wickets. After starting nicely, the inconsistent Shane Watson was trapped lbw by Anderson for 20. Chris Rodgers soon followed for just 6, leaving the Aussies in real trouble of not making it to day 5, on just 32-2. The wickets continued to tumble, with Hughes gone soon after for just 1. 36-3. Michael Clarke and Usman Khawaja set about rebuilding the innings, with the pair making a good partnership. Not enough to worry England, but well built. Had the pair stuck around until the close, the nerves may have begun to settle in amongst the English players. However, both fell after making half-centuries. Joe Root, who seemingly walked on water for the last two days of the Test, was the catalyst behind both dismissals. Firstly, the captain Clarke, who clipped a simple delivery round the corner to his opposite number at slip for 51. He was swifly followed by Khawaja, who did something similar, picking out Anderson at gully for 54. Another collapse was threatened as Smith went for just 1 in the next over, but the Aussies stabilised.
With England requiring just 4 wickets, it was a touch ironic that the man they faced next was the very man they had tried, and failed to get out for so long at Trent Bridge: Ashton Agar. When he did eventually depart for 17, it wasn't without its share of controversy. Having been given not out on the field after a shout for a caught behind, England reviewed the decision to the third umpire. Needing to find 'conclusive evidence to overturn', Agar's cause was seemingly vindicated when no mark showed on HotSpot. However, much to the astonishment of the batsman, the decision was reversed, based solely on movement and a noise, rather than on the much more trusted thermal imaging. This certainly pours fuel on the already burning fire over DRS, with critics now suggesting that it doesn't actually work. Certainly, this decision appears to be unjust, and most DRS decisions this series have certainly benefitted the hosts. If this had been at Old Trafford (the football ground rather than the cricket one), we would be talking about 'Fergie-time' and bias and conspiracy theories. I am all for technology in sport, but when it is incorrectly used, there is no excuse. A swift apology may be required, as we saw in rugby league recently.
After Agar's dismissal, Australia attempted to get going, but every time they began to look comfortable, a wicket would fall. Next to go was Haddin, who was completely outfoxed by the bowling of Swann, to leave England needing just 2 wickets, and the Australians simply looking to draw the inevitable defeat out a little longer. The tail began to wag slightly, with Peter Siddle beginning to play some strokes. However, at 190-8, he too fell, leaving England just one wicket from victory. As 6 o'clock drew ever closer, new rules were consulted. As Australia were nine wickets down, an extra half an hour is allowed to be played, in order to try and finish the game then and there. Pattinson and Harris, having batted valiantly for the final wicket, now had to withstand another period of intense pressure. After holding England at bay for 10 minutes over the allotted time, Swann began the final over of the day. After defending the first ball, Pattinson was trapped lbw with the second to send the English crowd into delirium, and leave the English side needing just one more Test victory to secure the urn once more.
Having watched the Trent Bridge Test on the edge of my seat, I found myself becoming less and less interested during the Lord's one. As I have said previously, I would most enjoy a highly competitive set of Tests, with an English victory being the ultimate outcome. The 1st Test fulfilled all of my expectations, and more. However, this one left me feeling bored. Not at the way the English played, as it was at times exhilarating. I am becoming bored of the Australian batting order collapsing. Having discussed this with several people, the best piece of advice as to why I feel this way is undoubtedly that I 'haven't experienced the pain'. With my first memory of being interested in an Ashes Test series being in 2005, I have only experienced English home wins. I therefore was not watching when England were ripped apart for series after series in the 90s, and so cannot feel that delight at watching an old enemy suffer now. From my point of view, I hope the Test at Old Trafford is considerably closer than the one at Lord's, as I am looking for entertainment. I do now understand, but cannot feel, the point of view from every other cricket fan in the country: more of the same please!
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