First Skirmishes

 

Ashes 2013

First skirmishes

June 30^th

 

Today England start a practice match against Essex, a side whose travails this season have been so bad at times that fans will be happy if the match reaches the third day of a scheduled four. However, Australia, in the form of the ”A” side, packed with fringe players and members of the main party, and the official tourists have already played three games and have won all three, against Ireland, Gloucestershire and Somerset. It is always hard to assess these county games. Counties always talk about putting out “their best available side”, but that is usually cover for playing half a dozen 1^st XI players, generously interspersed with juniors and 2^nd XI players. Somerset, for example, played close to their best batting line-up, plus a pretty thin attack. Gloucestershire, immersed in injury and financial crises, have struggled to put out an XI of any description on some occasions, but played something closer to their recent Championship XI, even if that was nowhere close to their best XI.

Both Gloucestershire and Somerset provided a decent match, testing the opposition on occasions. Gloucestershire, having looked overpowered for a day and a half, made an astonishing comeback to dismiss the tourists for little over 100 and, starting the final morning, looked to have a real chance before falling away. There was a sting in the tail though, as the last wicket partnership got the home side desperately close to a famous win.

Somerset provided food for thought and some sizeable headaches for the tourists. A rookie student from Durham called Chris Jones, batting at three, who had averaged just 17.3 in 33 previous First Class innings, scored 130. After the early fall of Marcus Trescothick, Nick Compton, fresh from being told that he was surplus to requirements for England, Jones and James Hildreth, once expected to be an England player, but now just another decent county pro, took Somerset to 304-2, treating an attack of Pattinson, Starc, Siddle, Faulkner and Lyon with contempt. It was thrilling stuff to listen to, played in front of a decent crowd at Taunton. When Jones finally fell to the expensive Faulkner for 130 to a tired shot it looked as if he had done a massive service to his country in demoralising the tourists. However, you should write off an Australian at your peril. Craig Kieswetter, recently returned from injury fell rapidly and 304-2 became 310-4. The next five batsmen fell for ducks in an astonishing half hour, with the score stuck on 310, as Starc and Pattinson bowled fast and straight, taking the last seven wickets LBW or bowled. Somerset’s weak attack was unable to discomfort the tourists much and the match ended in a comfortable win, losing just nine wickets over the two innings.

Much has been made of the chaos and uncertainty around the Australians and their playing weakness.  They went to India on a hiding to nothing, having lost every single international match on their previous tour, with a far weaker batting unit available this time. India supplied low, slow pitches that totally eliminated the threat of the Australian pace attack and, without a spinner of the quality of Swann or Panesar to face, the Indian batsmen made hay, with Ravi Ashwin, who had looked out of his depth against England, spinning the Australians to defeat almost single-handed. The 4-0 defeat was almost inevitable. However, in England Australia will not have to face turning pitches – despite some mischievous suggestions from English scribes that our best tactic might be to prepare dust bowls – and their pace attack will be a major threat. How major depends on its ability to stay fit, which has not been one of its stronger suites in recent years.

Australia have also tended to underestimate the strength of the opposition: this just seems to be part of the national psyche that opponents are rarely, if ever, worthy of them. It can be a double-edged sword because when defeated, they do not have the excuse of saying that they were up against it from the start, so opprobrium rains on them from all directions: hell hath no fury like an Australian supporter of a losing side, unless it is an English supporter who has been patronised for months by rival supporters. Suggestions that Australia have the best attack in the world have not helped.

On the England side, depression about bowling depth is turning to optimism. Bresnan and Broad have recovered from injury and are looking back to their best. Chris Tremlett is beginning to look like a Test bowler again and England have been confident enough to leave Steve Finn – who has not looked particularly impressive this season – out of their best Champions Trophy XI. Outside the squad, Chris Jordan is suddenly showing why many fans hoped that he would declare for England over the West Indies, Liam Plunkett has had a glorious re-birth at Yorkshire and Boyd Rankin, returned after a prolonged injury nightmare, took just four balls to take his first wicket in England colours.

Rankin is Irish, but from Northern Ireland and thus also British, meaning that he is qualified by birth to play for the side confusingly known as England that is the outlet for all players in the United Kingdom. Not everyone is delighted that Rankin may play Tests for England, but in a democracy, if someone wants to exercise his legal and constitutional right to ply his trade in the way that he wishes, that right has to be respected and Rankin has declared for England. We live in a world of international mobility. Increasing numbers of people have a right to dual citizenship by birth by having a British parent, although born abroad. Some experts such as George Dobell, suspect that Boyd Rankin will play a major part in the Ashes series: if so, the mud-slinging may become serious, especially if Australia lose and the more radical fans start to look for excuses.