England Try Something Different

 

 

Ashes 2013

 

England show that they can innovate

 

December 5^th 2013

 
 

When you lose the toss on a pitch that looks flatter than a pancake and more lifeless than slowly drying paint, you would normally settle for 273-5, especially with a still new ball in the hand and much better batting conditions expected for the next two days. In fact, you would normally feel quite pleased. It is a measure of how the day went that England will actually feel quite disappointed: had the chances offered been taken it is not impossible that England would have been batting before the Close.

A pitch that had been emerald green three days ago was revealed to be as brown and grassless as any in India and, suddenly, England’s thinking changed. With the 3^rd Test starting only three days after this one (assuming that it lasts the five days, as expected), England decided that their seam attack would be better saved to be fresh for the responsive Perth surface. Australia went for three seamers, backed up by Nathan Lyon and Shane Watson, taking the gamble that they could exhaust the attack if England made the sort of scores that they made in 2010/11. England, as ventured here, went for two spinners. Rather than bring in Bresnan and Ballance, as they had intended to even yesterday, Ben Stokes and Monty Panesar were summoned.

Stokes has taken 1-56 and 0-18 and scored 4 at Perth in the opening match, followed by 0-37 and 28 at Alice Springs. Monty’s entire tour has consisted of 3-41 from 19 overs at Alice Springs. Neither would have been expecting to play any part in the Test series and were probably expecting the Alice Springs game to be their last action of the tour. Yet Ben Stokes is now being asked to bat at 6 and act as third seamer for England in a Test. It is asking a lot of him, based on his form so far during the tour against the weakest opposition that England have faced, to make the step up.

Monty Panesar has been in this situation before and you know what you are going to get with him. Hide him in the field and hope that no catches float his way (a caught and bowled did, with the inevitable result) and, with a bit of luck, you have declared before he is asked to bat. However, there is one factor that people have forgotten: he bowls very well in tandem with Graeme Swann. Picking Monty has been a masterstroke because it has closed one line of Australian attack. At the Gabba Swann was targeted mercilessly because Australia know that if he is allowed to settle he can destroy them. Here, in tandem with Monty, Swann took 1-55 in 19 overs, blocking up an end nicely and getting rid of Chris Rogers. With Swann and Monty in tandem, England were able to bowl 43 overs of spin at well under 3-an-over: at the Gabba, Swann had gone for 2-215 from 53 overs.

Stokes had only a light workload: eight inexpensive overs, although he did bowl the fastest ball of the day and was consistently England’s quickest bowler, although only averaging a fraction under 85mph. In part, Stokes is insurance against the rather frightening possibility of having to give Ian Bell the new ball if Jimmy Anderson or Stuart Broad have to go off, but he knows that his job is to support the senior bowlers, chase like hell in the field, catch anything that goes his way and score a fifty if he can whenever he gets to bat.

The next session will probably define England’s tour. If England can take wickets in the morning, they can limit Australia to under 350 and will have a real chance to put Australia under some pressure. A big first innings score would put down a marker and allow England to put fielders around the bat to Monty and Swann. If, instead, Australia reach 450, any chance of victory will have gone and Australia, in turn, will have a chance to apply real pressure, knowing that England will have to bat last. Either way, England need wickets in the morning and then for the top three to give them a good start.

Whatever happens, the Flower/Cook combo have shown that they are able to tear up the formula and take a gamble. England are being positive in the field and showing that they are going to fight back in this Test.