Australia Need to Re-Capture an Australian Virtue

 

 

Ashes 2013

 

What are the Options?

 

July 23^rd

 

 [23:30 CEST] It is certain that Australia will make changes for the 3^rd Test, but there is intense debate over what, if anything, the Australians can do to get back into the series. Only once has a side ever come back to win from 2-0 down and that was Don Bradman’s 1936/37 warriors: then England won the 1^st Test by 322 runs and the 2^nd Test by an innings and 22, before losing the last three Tests by 365 runs, 148 runs and an innings and 200 runs. The swing in fortunes in that series was violent in the extreme. In the first two Tests Australia were dismissed for 58 and for 80, before Bradman managed a sequence of 270 in the 3^rd Test, 212 in the 4^th Test and 169 in the 5^th Test. Michael Clarke is capable of such a sequence and Australia do need a similar one from him.

Australia must make one change: James Pattinson has to be replaced and rarely does Ryan Harris play consecutive Tests due to his fragile body, so a second may be required. After 44 overs in the Lords Test it would be taking a big risk to play him again at Old Trafford. There is also a strong case for saying that for all his heroics with the bat, Ashton Agar has been picked as a bowler and looks out of his depth in that role: even with very little recent bowling Nathan Lyon may be a better bet to take wickets. However, that is by the by because the biggest single problem is the batting. With David Warner right out of form with Australia A and Ed Cowan out of favour, Matthew Wade is being considered as a serious candidate for the 3^rd Test as a specialist bat.

However, there is an alternative way to look at things. Australia were, when in their pomp, known for rarely making changes to their side, even after defeats. This is a trait that England have inherited. There is a strong argument for Darren Lehman telling the side that he has faith in them and making just the single change to bring back Mitchell Starc as a replacement for James Pattinson, showing faith in the XI from Lords plus the bowler who was dropped to make room for Ryan Harris. Show faith in the players. Do not make wholesale changes and see if they respond.