Thanks to a delightful perchance of political unrest and wistful programming, cricket fans have the chance to dip the litmus paper on both sides in the fast approaching Ashes series during the Australian summer.
Starting from this evening, England take on the ebullient Pakistan in a four Test series which will be the last workout for the Poms at Test level before the fun begins in Brisbane on 25th November. This would be a compelling series anyway, marking as it does the first return to England by Pakistan after their troubled previous tour during which a Test match was forfeited and an umpires career ended for simply standing up to bullying and threats and applying the laws. That series marked the first for Andrew Strauss as captain as he stood in for the injured Freddie Flintoff. Many thought it was a pity he didn't keep the job in the tour which followed to Australia.
For fans of the game Down Under this series of four matches gives us the rare opportunity to compare apples against apples. Both England and Australia will have played the same opponent in the same conditions and therefore a chance for real comparison as to how the teams are travelling. Australia could claim their matches were played "out of season" but in these days of professional cricketers, northern and southern seasons no longer exist.
England go into the first Test at near best strength, with only Ian Bell missing after breaking bones in his foot. His replacement Eoin Morgan will almost certainly tour to Oz but would like runs at any opportunity to make sure. Steven Finn is back after a rest from the silly slap and tickle stuff and a special conditioning program and will likely be selected in all four Tests in the hope of running him into form. The English are placing much hope in the young Middlesex lad and are banking on him being able to apply pressure on the Australian top order. The only England player under any sort of tour blow torch is Jonathan Trott, whose batting has been good yet horribly inconsistent and England would be concerned about exposing him at number three. However, in truth what other options do they have? He represents a significant long term investment for a specific task. Surely Bell can't go back to 3 and Peitersen has flat out refused to bat there. If common sense applied, wouldn't you be telling a South African bred batsmen to relax and enjoy the four Tests against Pakistan in order to get him onto Australian wickets in conditions that will suit him?
England should be too good for Pakistan and there won't be any all out for 88's in this England side - too much mental toughness. Each would have been reminded that a series of crushing performances against Pakistan will give them the psychological upper hand to achieve the tour result all Englishmen, their wives, girlfriends, nannies and publicans long for ... victory over Australia under the harsh sunlight and harsher attention of her baying spectators.
This immediate Test program should make for interesting competition for the English against a raw boned side which plays its cricket like a bunch of school boys having a cricket scrap at lunchtime. They bowl well these boys, but they bat like they are late for a job interview. History tells us that half the Tests between the two have been drawn but then a majority have been played in England, still, should Pakistan fail to win a Test in four, what does that mean for Australia when they took one from two against us in the same conditions?
The Australian side which played Pakistan can't improve personnel that much ... perhaps Hauritz and Siddle and the bolter from NSW, Josh Hazelwood but the batting will be much the same ... the same batting which lost a Test by collapsing for less than 100.
This is England's shakedown for Australia.
Australia goes to India for two Tests in October.
Is it just me or does that sound like daft programming?
Lango, At this stage we are looking down the barrell. We have a quick attack with just one in form, Bolinger, Hilfanhaus is not as good in Australia and Johnson way off the boil, in fact facing the axe if form is taken seriously. Watson falls back as a fill in bowler on our tracks although if he keeps his line and movement away going, his likely continued success with the ball may introduce a conundrum of...... should he slip down the order. Enter P. Hughes, perhaps the forgotten man add in Callum Ferguson and send North West and perhaps our batting looks a little more solid. The bowling is a problem although if as you say Siddle bounces back and charges in as he did pre injury he will be a positive. Josh may get a look in and the young quick from Victoria whose name escapes me was very good last season. I would stick with Smith as the temptation of Poms playing leg spin is always in question. The problem is unlike Warne at 21 who was a total leggie from the development squads Smith is a batter trying a new art and may be ruined for good if overexposed too early.
ReplyDeleteThe ashes always delivers tantalising cricket and this shapes up as no different however greed has taken the seat at the game into dollars that many will not afford. The grounds will probably still fill up therefore justifying the commercial gods, but will perhaps not attract the kids who are the future watches. Will we see a dampening effect on crowd numbers in years to come?