England Cricket, Champions of the World! Sounds great, doesn’t it?
However, Ashes winners 2019, as well as being World Cup holders has a far better ring to it, especially for those of us who love the game’s longest format and who believe the true test of any cricketer’s capability is in the cauldron of a 5 match Ashes series where a player’s technique, temperament, and stamina (mental and physical) get challenged beyond belief.
So how will England win back the Ashes after such a drubbing in Australia last timeout? With intelligent cricket and skilful bowling supported by excellent catching. Simple, isn’t it? Anderson and Broad are two of the game’s leading wicket-takers in the history of test cricket – surely they can just ‘rock up’ and bowl the Aussies out?
David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, and Steve Smith have been serving a suspension ‘in disgrace’ and not honing their batting skills in the harsh environment of test match cricket – how can they possibly succeed?
And, as for Tim Paine, how might he be feeling as Australia’s captain when arguably he wouldn’t be in the team if it weren’t for his selection as captain? Could he be suffering from ‘impostor syndrome’?
Justin Langer is new to international coaching, and has experienced a bumpy ride to date. Is he feeling so out of his depth that he had to bring in his good friend and highly-respected former Captain Steve Waugh back to mentor the team because of the void in leadership capability in his support team and/or in his cricket team?
Is Australia’s much-vaunted pace attack over their injuries? Can they survive 5 tests in six weeks? Or will they need to send for replacements after two test matches in the series? Is Mitchell Starc ‘over the hill’ in terms of his peak as a quick bowler?
Will Mitchell Marsh ever grow into the role of being a test match all-rounder? Or will his consistency be forever linked to his inability to be a consistent performer with either bat or ball, let alone both?
Can Australia find a new identity after the culling process that has taken place following ‘Sandpaper-gate’? Will they try to be more like New Zealand, and earn people’s respect for the gentlemanly and humble way they play the game and carry themselves as human beings? Or will they allow David Warner and co. to be seduced into being regarded as he ‘attack dog’, whose role is to snarl at opponents and shout foul-mouthed abuse when he feels the time is right to exploit any perceived vulnerability in the personality of others?
Well, the next seven weeks will tell us – and what’s more, it will (more than likely) remind us why we love test cricket, and more importantly, why the Ashes is such a cherished sporting contest. It has context, it has heritage, and it captures the sporting public’s imagination like no other cricketing event. I can’t wait for it to begin!
My only hope is that Jimmy Anderson is fully fit, England find a top 3, and that Jofra Archer bowls like the wind and stays 100% fit, Moeen Ali bowls as well, if not better, than the excellent Nathan Lyon, and that Joe Root proves himself to be one of the world’s best batsmen. If not, England may be in big trouble!!
Neil Burns