We must win, no ifs and no butts
JOE ROOT says the planning for a successful Ashes tour Down Under in four years’ time must start now, and victory in the final Test of this series would be the perfect foundation stone. The England captain has been forced to absorb lessons from what has been an unforgiving and salutary experience this winter. But he insists a positive postscript here in Sydney can be the start of England’s fightback, just as it was for Australia when they won the final Test on English soil in an already lost series at the Oval in 2015. “It’s really important to me and this squad moving into the rest of this winter, and then into the summer, that we can get a win and build on that for four years’ time,” said Root. “The next time we come here we can’t look at it in a daunted way, or feel like there’s a massive gap between the two sides, because if we do things in the right way we’ve got a really good chance next time. “It’s going to be really important that we look at performing out here well from now – not too far later down the line. The planning for it has to start now.” Lessons have been learnt on and off the pitch according to Root, who admitted much of the damage was self-inflicted and the attention it brought unwelcome. Asked what England would do differently if they had their time again, he said: “Make sure no one is head-butting anyone and people were more sensible off the field on the back of what happened in the summer.” But if England lost battles off the field, Root and coach Trevor Bayliss believe their strategies were not flawed. “It’s not been the way we’ve looked to do it, it’s been the way we’ve executed it, and it’s very difficult to say if I had my time again how I’d change that,” said Root. “The thought processes and the way we’ve wanted to break down Australia here have not necessarily been wrong. We’ve just been out-skilled in these conditions and that’s tough to take.”
If Root’s England have been “out-skilled” it has, he says, not been for a lack of application, whatever the perception from outside.
Ben Stokes would have helped in that regard on the field had he not already done the opposite off it. “That extra bit of pace could be very important next time around. It’s hard to plan for that,” said Root.
“It’s also been proved how big the spin department can be over here. And as a batting group, you’ve got to be prepared to bat for long, long periods of time.
“The characters in our squad have that desire and ability but it’s now making sure that leading up to that next Ashes, there’s plenty of opportunities for guys to gain experience and come back really ready for it.”
Australia captain Steve Smith agreed with Root when asked about the momentum victory in this final Test could have for the England side going forward.
“In 2015 [winning the last Test] it certainly gave us confidence just knowing that we could win in foreign conditions,” he said. “England will be doing their best to get the result this week and we need to do everything we can to stop that.”
The sight of Mitchell Starc declaring himself fit after a run-out in the nets following a fortnight resting his bruised heel was not good news.
The Sydney Cricket Ground has had limited use this year with just one T20 game and no Sheffield Shield cricket following running repairs after a full AFL season. But the pitch had a fair covering of grass on it (8mm) 48 hours out. Smith indicated that would be cut down to 5mm and the roasting weather would bake it enough for spin to play a big part later in the match.
And for England that leaves a tricky dilemma, with Root insisting no decision had been made on leg-spinner Mason Crane’s possible call-up. But it seems likely that if he does come in it will be at the expense of Tom Curran rather than Moeen Ali.
Next time we come we can’t feel daunted