The Missing Ashes Blogs, England’s World Cup draw and an end-of-term update

John Lense-on, Paul i-MacCartney, Ring-Ringo Star and Georgina Harrison
The modern-Beatles recreate Abbey Road in a photography lesson © Giulio Gasparin 

As England slumped to the inevitable defeat on the fifth morning of the second Ashes Test I was left with the conundrum of how to objectively word another appraisal without going over old ground.

The fact that several batsmen got out playing the same shot wasn't going to make the task any easier.

As I have been part of an increasingly professional and impressive coverage of the Tests on Sports Gazette, our student publication, I thought it might be nice to share the burden of explaining England’s woes. This idea will be trialled for the third Test.

So keep an eye out here for a summary when this current Test finishes, and a link to the article as our crack-team explains where it has all gone wrong.

Regarding the final day of the second Test, the England tactics were virtually non-existent, and as Broad, Prior and the tail threw that bat, fifty runs were scored rapidly, but from the moment Broad got out to the fifth ball of the morning, to Monty Panesar’s demise, it was when, and not if, Australia would win.

Another issue that is worthy of comment is the World Cup draw that has placed England in the Group of Death, helpfully caricatured by Greg Dyke’s cut-throat symbol.

As soon as England went into the draw without a top seeding, all hell was scheduled to break loose. The Fifa World Ranking system produces some bizarre results, but you’d be hard-pushed to suggest England are one of the best eight teams on the planet.

Therefore, once there is an acceptance of this, it is also accepted that the draw would put England against one of those teams.

However, whether or not it is unlucky, the group is a tough one, made harder by the trip to Manaus and the humid conditions that will greet the players as the opening fixture kicks off earlier in the day than initially planned.

The stereotypical result would be to draw the opening game 1-1 through a set-piece goal (see England’s previous starts to major tournaments), scrape something against the Uruguayan’s and sneak through in the final group fixture unconvincingly.

With England losing so poorly to Chile and Germany at Wembley last month though, the levels of pre-World Cup optimism may be at an all time low. In previous friendly matches against big opposition, England have defied expectations and got credible results and sometime impressive wins.

During Capello’s reign, and Sven before him, the major tournament results were disappointing, but there was at least some semblance of form in show-piece non-competitive fixtures.

It is with that in mind that I abandon any optimism and only foresee an early exit, but it is the manner of this I will be looking out for, with the future in mind.

Finally, the calendar informs me that I’ve been making the painstaking expedition from Brentwood to Twickenham, for twelve weeks now, and we have broken up for Christmas. (A key advantage for never ending further-education)

The time has flown past in a blur of cold station platforms, shorthand outlines and local angles. I have observed and learned many things in this period of time including, but not limited to:

• -       Phil Collins is big in Italy
• -       The best method for bringing down the school prefect system ISN'T becoming a prefect
• -       The easiest way to wind up someone from ‘The Costa Del Gloucester’ is to call them Northern
• -       Crocs are the perfect shoes for any outfit
• -       Anything is news if it’s local

I have also been learning slightly more sports-journalism specific things, and have managed to produce some articles for the Sports Gazette, live-blog the catastrophe down-under, and record and put-together a 5-minute radio feature about Tchoukball, a sport that still mystifies the majority of my course-mates.

I remain unconvinced by Journalism as a profession, and may take a characteristically bizarre detour at the end of the course, but I'm glad I took up the place on the course, because otherwise I’d have always wondered.

The Christmas break will see a lot of shorthand and plenty of Public Affairs revision as the exam beckons in January, but I’ll have plenty of time to watch the World Championship Darts too. Now that’s a proper winter-sport!

Ashes 2013/14 – 2nd Test, Day 4: Improvement is relative

Unorthodox - The Pietersen technique... KP's 50 was part of a better showing for England - © Nic Redhead

Advertising and encouraging people to read a blog that contains 500+ words of despair is becoming more and more difficult every day. Day four was better for England, but only relatively speaking.

Before this, their fourth innings of the series, England have failed to make 200, so finishing the day on 247-6 is an improvement, and there were individual positives to be found.

However, for all the improvements that can be seen in this innings, the pitch is still flat, and there was never any sense that England might come close to the mammoth total Australia compiled over the first two days.

With the threat of showers on day four and five, Michael Clarke had no hesitation in declaring before the start of play and setting England the challenge of scoring 531 runs to level the series.

Captain Alastair Cook, who has struggled this year against Australia, lasted only seven balls and the tone was set for another disappointing day.

The dismissal was a simple one, and because of that all the more miserable. Johnson banged in a short ball in his first over and Cook took on a hook shot he was never in control of that found Ryan Harris at fine leg.

If falling for the trap once was bad, step forward Michael Carberry to compound things…

Peter Siddle’s bouncer wasn’t as fast or high, and Carberry had much more time to play the shot, but the result was the same.

Nathan Lyon was the fielder this time, but it was suddenly 20/2 and there was a danger that England could fail to take the Test into the fifth day again.

From this point onwards the morning session was England’s, but to revisit a phrase that epitomises this series, the damage was already done.

Kevin Pietersen joined Joe Root at the crease, and England’s most flamboyant player and England’s most smiley player both made half centuries as they took part in the tourists’ first century stand of the series.

Root was compact and watchful, and Pietersen, though relatively reserved, found time to bully Steve Smith in a reflection that he may be finding some form.

When Pietersen’s wicket fell, it was once again due to the flexibility of Michael Clarke’s captaincy. Having given Mitchell Johnson the chance to prise out a wicket with sheer pace, Clarke changed tack and gave Shane Watson and Peter Siddle the task of building pressure.

After three successive maidens Pietersen dragged on for 53 and Australia had the momentum once again.

In the internal competition building within the England team for worst dismissal of the series, Ian Bell made his case.

Charging Steve Smith and miss-hitting a full-toss to mid-on is a terrible way to get out in any scenario, but batting against a part-time bowler as you attempt to save a Test match makes this all the more horrifying.

If Bell’s wicket confirmed another successful session for Australia right on the stroke of tea, the final session of the day took shape quicker.

There was some resistance from Ben Stokes who made 28, but Joe Root falling for 87 was the key wicket and despite a late rally from the hopelessly out of form Matt Prior and Stuart Broad, Australia will be rightly pleased with their day.

Session score: 3-0 to Australia – 10-2 overall

Verdict: England were better, but it’s still not good enough. With two wickets lost in each session Australia are doing enough, with plenty to spare. Even with rain around, it would take something unbelievable to save this Test match, because 247-6 is England’s best score of the series, and even with the improvements, there are still key issues regarding longevity at the crease and suspect dismissals.

Ashes 2013/14 – 2nd Test, Day 3: ...And so it goes on.

One Day Mode - David warner may as well have been wearing Yellow during this innings - © Sum_of_Marc

“If the second day was a bad one for England, it didn’t get any better on the third day at the Gabba.”

These were my opening sentiments during the 1^st Test, the same could be said for the events at the Adelaide Oval overnight. A complete catastrophe.

I first whispered the words 5-0 in the moments after 1^st Test defeat, more in a reflection of how badly England had played on that occasion than in a genuine belief that it might happen, now it looks increasingly possible.

Former England captain, Michael Vaughan, in Australia with BBC TMS said today that England could lose 5-0 if this form continues, and with a batting line-up that cannot make 200 there are problems that won’t be solved by quick fixes or a bit of luck here or there.

Having battled through to the close, Michael Carberry and Joe Root began the day at the crease with England 35-1, and whilst they continued at a circumspect strike-rate, the early stages were relatively calm.

Root barely played a shot in anger as he moved on to 15 from 79 balls, and the 80^th ball, the first he faced from Nathan Lyon on the day, was evidently the wrong one to go after, his top edged sweep flew to Chris Rogers who only needed to take a few steps in from the boundary to take the catch.

If Root’s shot was bad, Kevin Pietersen’s was probably worse. Michael Clarke is described as a creative captain, but his trap for Pietersen is far from subtle.

He places two fielders at mid-wicket and waits for the South-African born batsman’s ego to force him into hitting it straight at one of them, he’d made four by the time he did it on this occasion.

The next to go was Carberry who had put together a well made half-century before lazily pulling to David Warner who took a stunning catch.

Carberry’s dismissal wasn’t in the same league as Root’s or Pietersen’s, and could be described as unlucky, but he picked the man out and for that he can be criticised.

After this, Mitchell Johnson took centre stage once again and ripped through the middle order and tail, leaving Prior run-less again and shattering Anderson’s stumps along the way.

The only man who stood up to be counted was Ian Bell; his innings was bizarre, but classy, he can always be counted upon to be classy…

He shot off like a train and had 25 at better than a run a ball, but as pressure was built up through maiden overs, and Carberry fell he also began to get bogged down and could only watch as the rest of his team mates arrived and then departed.

His innings of 72*, that included four 6s, was the one stand out in a third England innings of the series to include a spell in which at least four wickets were lost for less than ten runs.

Another thing worth noting, alongside the miraculous comeback of Johnson, is that the Australian’s have got their taste back for bullying opponents.

Michael Clarke could have enforced the follow-on with England still 398 runs behind, but he wants them to suffer.

He knows full well that with that many runs in hand he could have thrown them back in to bat and had an innings victory to celebrate by tea on day four, but that isn’t as painful or humiliating as this can be, so he’s gone for the throat.

By choosing to bat again, he has enabled David Warner to smash England’s bowlers around, he has sent the whole team out in the heat for a bit longer ahead of the 3^rd Test, and given already tired bowlers a bigger workload.

He is also saying that he doesn’t think he needs maximum time to bowl England out in the second innings, and frankly he’s probably right.

Session score: 3-0 to Australia – 7-2 overall

Verdict: Like in the 1^st Test, after an even opening day, things got bad and then worse. Day three was like living out a nightmare for just about every England player. The key protagonists for Australia were Johnson and Warner, but the whole team is contributing to a convincing victory.  

Ashes 2013/14 – 2nd Test, Day 2: The Clarke & Haddin show

148 - The Michael Clarke show at the Adelaide Oval - © Sum_of_Marc

The last thing I said yesterday was that England needed early wickets. They didn’t get them.

First Michael Clarke, and then Brad Haddin, moved impressively to centuries as Australia took firm control of the Test match, and with it the series.

Explaining who won the first session could be done by statistics alone.

Clarke and Haddin began it at the crease, and 116 runs later, the pair were still together as lunch fell. At 389-5, England’s chances of a series equalling victory were already all-but over.

Clarke eventually fell for 148 to Ben Stokes in the afternoon session, but until that point the Australian captain looked completely untroubled.

He was able to play all-around the wicket, and had bags of time on the docile drop-in pitch.

If Clarke was calm and classy, Haddin abandoned this ploy after lunch as he went on to hit five 6s in his 118, most of which were slog-sweeps off Graeme Swann who, like most of the English bowlers, looked unthreatening.

Mitchell Johnson fell cheaply, and Peter Siddle became Stokes’ second Test wicket, but despite Clarke and Haddin being back in the pavilion, England’s punishment didn’t stop.

Ryan Harris, normally known as a genuine tail-ender, managed to score freely all-around the ground, as he was on his way to 55 not out.

Australia eventually declared on 570-9, and by this point had all-but secured a win for each of the three sessions of the 2^nd day.

England came out to bat behind in the game situation, under a tonne of scoreboard pressure and tired from two days in the field.

It wasn’t too long before despair began to set in as Alastair Cook played the wrong line to a Mitchell Johnson delivery and saw his stumps crash backward.

The England captain fell for three, and his struggles against the pace of Johnson continue.

There was a monumental effort by Joe Root and Michael Carberry to guide them safely to the close, but like they needed wickets yesterday, they need plenty of runs on day three to make sure they don’t find themselves 2-down.

It looks pretty bleak.

Session score: 3-0 to Australia – 4-2 overall

Verdict: Clarke and Haddin cashed in on dropped catches and made important centuries. Australia’s 570-9 dec. will add a significant amount of scoreboard pressure and could lead to more session victories for Australia as they chase wickets on day three.

Ashes 2013/14 – 2nd Test, Day 1: Honours Even

Shane Watson looked comfortable through most of his innings - © Nic Redhead

After England’s humiliating 381-run defeat at the Gabba, lessons had to be learned quickly, changes had to be made, and a reaction had to come from key players.

One variable that may not have been expected was the pitch. Australia wanted pitches with pace and bounce for this series, and looking at their success in Brisbane, you can see why.

This is not a pacey track. This is so much in the mould of the pitches used by Swann to spin England to victory this summer, England have called upon his spin-twin Monty Panesar to try and help spearhead the comeback down under.

The day didn’t start well for England as Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat at a ground in which he averages over one hundred in Tests.

David Warner set off like a train as he tends to, completely disregarding the notion of playing yourself in, or traditional Test Match strike rates. As is his want, he looked good briefly, scored some nice boundaries all around the wicket, but chipped a wide ball from Broad to Carberry at backward point on 29.

Showers and rain-delays punctuated the morning session, so with the score at 46-1 on a batting paradise of a pitch, the first session was England’s for my money.

In the extended afternoon session, runs began to flow. Whilst the run rate never threatened to reach pre-Warner-wicket levels, it was steady, and first Chris Rogers, and then Shane Watson reached half centuries during their three-figure partnership.

As tea approached, and with it the prospect of a wicket-less session, James Anderson struck. The ball was just beginning to show signs of reverse swing, but it was Watson driving at a good length ball that brought the wicket.

He chipped back to the grateful Lancastrian who made the return catch look frighteningly simple, and Watson was gone for 51.

One wicket often brings two, as the old saying goes, and on this occasion it actually brought three.

Rogers fell next over to Graeme Swann, as the off-spinner found some turn and bounce, and Roger’s nick found Prior’s gloves.

Two overs later and Monty Panesar was in on the act too. Steve Smith can look hapless at times, despite his staggering improvements, and he was neither forward nor back to a ball that spun, and his stumps bore the brunt of that.

A session that could have been calamitous for England, was hailed by many commentators and pundits as a roaring victory, it certainly wasn’t an unqualified success though.

Despite the century partnership, I’ll tentatively award this session to England too, noting that they certainly never gave up, and produced and impressive spell of seam and spin bowling.

The evening session though belonged to Australia. Michael Clarke serenely went about his business, playing the spinners effortlessly, and George Bailey made a maiden Test fifty to take the game out of England’s clutches.

Bailey fell before the close to a spectacular catch by Swann, but Clarke will begin the second day two shy of another Adelaide half century, and is partnered by Brad Haddin, who having survived a horrendous drop by Michael Carberry in the last few overs, will look to add to his own impressive record at the ground.

On an undoubtedly flat pitch, 273-5 is no disaster for England, and I would say they edged two of the three sessions, but early wickets are a must, and even then, if the Ashes are to be kept alive, one of the top six batsmen will have to go big, and pull the side through to a reasonable total.

Session score: 2-1 to England

Verdict: Several Australian batsmen got in, but the failure to convert anything into a big hundred gives England a slight advantage. This will disappear if Clarke bats until lunchtime on day two though.