Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Gift of The Gabba is a real cracker
Root’s men must pass speed test once and for all or they’ll come up short
ENGLAND must solve a familiar failing if they are to win back the Ashes.
They threw away a golden chance to bat Australia out of the first Test when the wickets started tumbling under pressure of more short-pitched aggression.
The relentless collapses at home and away are a huge cause for concern.
From 246-4 and without a sniff of a chance for the Aussies, England lost their last six firstinnings wickets for 56 runs to hand a major confidence boost to the home side who had been pretty toothless.
The Gabba pitch has been slow throughout the first two days, allowing England’s top order to play with a calm authority that should serve them well during the series.
But the sight of Dawid Malan top-edging a hook into the deep was the sort of encouragement the Aussies needed and the wickets continued to tumble.
“It was quite a positive way to go,” said James Anderson. “We knew what would be coming down to them and we’re confident to take it on.
“Obviously you don’t want to get bowled out like that when you get into a decent position though. But as the pitch is so different to what we are used to here, 300 could be good score.”
What should be a worry for coach Trevor Bayliss and captain Joe Root is that this is not a blip, it is quite a common problem. To have two new batsmen at the crease on nought is a basic error.
If England are to retain these Ashes, this is an area that needs attention, because unlike in England there won’t be as many chances to make amends on surfaces that will be so good for batting.
In the recent past it has been their top order who have been ENGLAND are in the middle of a titanic opening battle for supremacy in the Ashes and you can’t take your eyes off it for a second.
If days one and two at The Gabba are anything to go by, we are in for a cracker of a series where heroes will be made. Under normal circumstances, I would expect Ben Stokes to stand tall just
THE STARK WITH STARC
most guilty with the likes of Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow bailing them out, but this time the platform had been set.
Malan and Bairstow fell to the short-ball as did Jake Ball.
Motormouth spinner Nathan Lyon said: “I wasn’t surprised, especially when we came round to that plan for Malan.
“We knew once we cracked one we could take two or three quickly. Once you get to the bowlers there are opportunities.
“I enjoyed watching them deal with the short stuff, especially on a slow wicket.”
In the field England had their own encouragement thanks to @Beefybotham
STATS & CO
the preseries planning of Root with bowling consultant Shane Bond.
They have come up with plans and fields based on data for each batsman and the way that opener David Warner was frustrated before getting out to Ball, showed that homework can help. batting at No.6 before bowling lots of overs on a pitch taking more turn than normal showed how players can influence this series.
Those of us who watch England know all about Moeen and his ability to turn a game with bat or ball.
He is positive and likes to entertain, but is also a battler, so to see him score 38 much more slowly than usual is actually quite encouraging.
England will need plenty more from him in both roles, but if he can keep firing out the Australian No.3 that would be a terrific start.
Jimmy Anderson (left) and Co got stuck into the Australian top order. The only man to cope was Smith, but then we knew he would.