A Wasted Journey?

 

 

Ashes 2015

 

Was Your Journey Really Necessary?

 

April 7^th 2015

 

This was the slogan used in World War II to convince people to stay at home and not consume valuable resources on a wasted journey. It is equally applicable to many tour games these days and this one in particular. Back in 2013 England played several warm-ups in Australia that allowed batsmen to accumulate runs with minimal threat of being dismissed, on featherbed pitches against the weakest possible attacks. As preparation for the Ashes it proved to be totally useless. Lest we wish to censure the Australians, they were only making their own protest as what they saw as a deliberate policy of ensuring that counties withdrew any player with a semblance of ability from their own warm ups in England: they see it as tit-for-tat and doing unto your enemy what your enemy would do unto you. They have a point. Their only mistake is that it is not deliberate ECB policy: it is counties who see the games as an opportunity to rest players mid-season for what they see as more serious games in the county competitions. Either way, it is a lack of respect to the tourists.

England’s 2-day game against the St Kitts invitation XI has refined this policy to a whole new level. The side was so poor that the bowlers found the easiest pickings possible. 59ao the first time around, St Kitts were reduced to 24-6 the second time around as the final session of play turned into a gentle net, allowing the presumed reserve seamers a chance to take a few wickets before Adil Rashid and James Tredwell had a private spin-off. As a contest, it wasn’t. When England batted, only Gary Ballance missed out, crawling to 16 while Cook and Bell retired, having filled their boots.

Quite what England will have learnt from this game is open to question. Cook and Trott put on 158 together, but took over 50 overs to do it. Ben Stokes scored runs at a decent clip and took wickets, but then you would have fancied Sir Geoffrey or Jon Agnew to do the same against this opposition if they fancied a change from the commentary box.

It is a safe bet that Jonny Bairstow, Andrew Lyth and Mark Wood will not play in the 1^st Test. Liam Plunkett probably will not feature either. The last place is arguably between Adil Rashid and James Tredwell, but the selectors may worry about Gary Ballance’s form – he though should have a lot of credit from last summer’s Tests, however poor he was in the World Cup and here; dropping him, presumably for Adil Rashid, would be a huge gamble.

Right now, a side of:

Cook, Trott, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Jordan, Broad, Tredwell and Anderson looks the most likely.

Tony Cosier thinks that West Indian youth could give England a nasty shock: in every recent Caribbean series a star has appeared who has made life uncomfortable for England. Alistair Cook and Peter Moores will hope that the West Indians are short of nasty surprises this time.