[KF's latest piece of Ashes Analysis]
As promised, I quote from the end of my ‘article’ of two weeks ago “I always said Australia would win back the Ashes at a canter”.
Finally, we have a contest. From oblivion and hopelessness, the clichés of grit, determination and a few lorry-loads of obnoxiousness have returned to the Australian cricket team just in the nick of time.
What a very strange series. Every single toss so far has been a great toss to lose. In the first Test, Strauss struck the first psychological blow by winning the toss and batting, then poked himself in the eye by giving his wicket away third ball. Match drawn. At Adelaide, Australia won the toss on a batsman-only pitch, batted and were 2-3. England won. England won the toss at Perth, stole a march on Ponting who had picked a bowl first team, put them in, then proceeded to wilt in the face of Australian aggression. Australia win. Let’s see what happens at the MCG and Sydney but losing the toss would appear to be quite important.
Elsewhere, the show ponies and prima donna’s, the players with more ability than Charlie and Coco combined, the guys who need to perfect their hair before taking the field, the top level match winners like KP & Mitch apparently require the axe to bring them to their senses. Pre-series, KP was chopped. When he returned, it didn’t take him long to carve out a Test best. If England’s top 3 score tons, KP somehow feels he must do even better. If they fail, no pressure on him, he can seemingly fail too.
Meanwhile, every English commentators favourite Aussie quick, Mitchell Johnson, batted and bowled in the 3rd Test so immensely well that it seems to me more of negative against him considering how atrocious he was in the 1st Test. Does he really need to be dropped to force him to perform like that? It’s one thing to be below par, then re-find your form. It’s entirely different if you go from utterly hopeless to best ever in the space of one performance. Quite beguiling with shades of Botham when he lost the captaincy. But Johnson’s incredible improvement was almost all Australia needed to win this test. His batting in the first innings was the most entertaining and devastating knock of the series so far, I’d even contend it eclipsed his magnificent bowling destruction which knocked England batting confidence back about 15 years. Do the Aussie selectors have the cohoonies to claim credit for his resurgence? Even a stopped clock…
Now, after consulting with Captain Hindsight, I’d like to do my usual ‘I know best’ spiel. Would there be an improvement on the last test when Hilditch & Co picked 4 injured players (Clarke, Katich, Bollinger, Harris) and a nonentity (poor old Xavier), so effectively playing with about 6 players? Only just. They refused to listen when I called for Marsh and D Hussey. Instead they picked Hughes (14 runs) and a still unfit Clarke (24 runs). They persist with Watson as an opener (45 innings, 2 hundreds). I think in M Hussey (42,000,000 runs and a series average of 8876.99) they have a ready made series winning opener (in all seriousness, 99 innings, 13 tons), leaving Watson to come in at 6 and batter England with no responsibility. Imagine a Haddin/Watson 6th wicket partnership or two!!!! As for Marsh, he has no Tests to state a proper case for him, plus, he’s not usually an opener. But for sure he’s fitter than Katich at the moment and I’d liken Hughes to a powerful outboard motor attached to a colander. The holes in Hughes game are remarkable for a 50+ pre-3rd-test average (although its now below 45). He may come again, but now isn’t his time. I was happy to see Steve Smith (43 runs), but couldn’t believe he appeared above Haddin at 6. And it was good to see a recall for Johnson, who should only have been dropped if there was better to come in, which there so obviously wasn’t. I’d have picked Bolly (Test ave 25.92) ahead of Hilfenhaus (Test ave 34.04 and 1-68 in the 3rd Test). The only selection I’d accept I got wrong, was that of Harris who ignored my fitness question marks to be a worthy inclusion who played an important part in equalling the series, albeit at a slower pace than in Adelaide. Since he’s a bowler, I’ll leave his comedy batting alone for now.
As for England, are they just a victim of the shifting tides of sport? You simply can’t win them all. We are always told that getting to the top is the easy bit, it’s staying there that’s difficult. The difference in performances between Tests II & III show a drastic lack of consistency (arguably you could say this has been the case the whole series), the trademark over which they shall have to do battle with Johnson. They were beaten far too easily for a team that had just won so easily. But who could have coped with such a fired up Johnson in particular and Australia in general?
Pre-Test I felt Tremlett had to come in for Broad. However, after in depth discussions with ol’ Captain Hindsight, feel that Bresnan should also have appeared at the expense of Finn. Neither Finn or Tremlett could replace Broads experience and I’m arguing age ahead of actual Test experience may have been more in England’s favour as a Broad replacement. I’d still suggest Tremlett/Bresnan for the 4th Test ahead of Finn.
In the 4th innings, you may have noticed, that not only was Bell (this series 76, 68*, 53, 16) still below Collingwood (4, 42, 5, 11), he was actually at 7 below JAMES ANDERSON too. This sort of decision should be a sackable offence. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! Bell must now move up to 5 and Collingwood must perform with the bat asap or make way. I’ve heard folk talk about getting the 1 percenters right. Moving Bell up would be a 10 percenter!!!!
Now for the leftfield suggestion. Why not drop KP for Melbourne? Using the Johnson example, this should ensure an England victory when he’s (inevitably) recalled for the 5th Test. This would mean England win the 5th Test and therefore the series, no matter what happens at the MCG. You can read too much into a speeding ticket in a bright yellow sports car, but if these prima donna menchildren need their shiny toys taken away from them before they perform like adults, then so be it. We might see them less, but when we do, they’ll come out all guns blazing.
Smujinder has remembered another tasty little nugget from the depths of his cricket viewing memory. Once more I shall let the great sage's words do the so called talking!!!
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