Toughen up, says Malan
DAWID Malan is calling on England to take the attack to Australia as they set out to salvage something from a miserable Ashes tour.
Malan is England’s top run scorer and heads their averages too, with 302 at 50.33, but he insists he could and should have done better to stop England losing the Ashes before Christmas.
They have arrived in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test already 3-0 down, with the urn gone south again.
Malan said England must meet Australia head on to see if they crack under the pressure — as Joe Root’s team has done so far.
“I personally believe we need to be as aggressive with these guys as they are with us,” he said.
“If you ever take your foot off the gas with these blokes, they seem to really, really dominate.
“It showed at Adelaide when we were aggressive to them under lights in their second innings — we attacked them, and they fell away just as we did at certain times.”
Malan is not advocating outrageous sledging, just a can-do attitude and cricket on the front foot — sustained for the rest of the series.
“It doesn’t mean you have to chirp,” he said.
“It doesn’t mean you have to get in people’s faces, but ... be positive in everything and don’t take your foot off and let them get into the game.”
Malan discovered to his and England’s cost that it is also critical they do not give Australia even a half chance to battle back mid-match — as Steve Smith’s men have done so effectively.
Most recently in Perth, the tourists were 4-368 as Malan and his fellow first-innings centurion Jonny Bairstow piled up a record fifth-wicket partnership.
But once the left-hander went, six wickets fell for 35 — and England was soon a spent force as Smith hit a doublecentury and Mitch Marsh 181.
“One little mistake out here, and these guys seem to pounce on it,” added Malan. “You have to be mentally strong.
“It is a tough place, but it is as tough as you make it.”