It seems the whole cricketing world expected the bouncer
barrage from the Australian bowlers expect for the England batsmen and their
coaching staff. Ever since Australia’s returned
from England three months ago they have been planning meticulously on exposing
the England batsmen. The main ingredient they required was ‘bounce’ from the
home wickets.
Even England was aware the wickets would contain bounce hence
they picked bowlers that are nearly two meters tall so it was mystifying to
know what Graham Gooch had been planning with the batsmen for the last three
months.
Each of the batsmen was exposed by the same deliveries only
three months ago. Trott didn’t have the
same prodigious movement on the front foot but neither did he ever try and
evade the short ball by ducking under it, the best way to play the short ball
in Australia. Kevin Pietersen might have looked the most comfortable of the
English batsmen but the ugly swipe he played on the 2nd ball of
Johnson short ball would not have gone unnoticed and on the big Australian
grounds, a top edge is likely to be caught than fly over the roped for six.
Ian Bell and Prior were also victims of well set traps. Lyon
has been raised on pitches that rarely assist side spin so he has learned to
impart more over spin on the ball rather than side spin. Ever since the last
Test match in India, he has learnt the art of bowling around the wicket and
used different angles to fox the batsmen. England should have prepared for the
line and the over spinners.
The worst dismissals were that of Cook and Root. The England captain has now been dismissed
caught keeper of Ryan Harris on four occasions in the past five tests. Luckily for Cook, it took Harris 4.4 overs to
hit that perfect length, once he did Cook was stuck on the crease and pushing
at a ball well in front of his pad. Root
once again failed to transfer his weight on the front foot, a flaw that caused
his demise in each of his innings in England.
If the tail expected anything else than a bouncer barrage
they are to be sent back to their rooms and then made to listen to Shane Warne
commentary in England. During each of the Tests Warne stated “I wouldn’t be
bowling one ball towards the batsmen half, I would be giving it to the tail”.
The talk certainly didn’t fall on deaf ears, even Craig McDermott a strong
advocate of pitching the ball up advised his bowlers to offer some chin music
.
Australia executed their plans superbly but with over 10
support staff and a coaching maestro’s such as Andy Flower and Graham Gooch at
the helm it is incredible to believe how England batsmen have succumbed so
easily.
No amount of planning and execution is likely to save the
first Ashes Test. Best England can hope for in the second innings is to try avoid
been intimidated by the short ball and execute the plans we hope at least they
would have discussed in the last three months.
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