🔗 Share this article

• Published
  9 minutes ago
• 4 Comments

For Australia to bounce back and win the opening Ashes Test so convincingly as they did, one questions what psychological damage will be inflicted upon the England team.

How will they respond for the rest of series?

Surprising Comeback

I do not think anyone expected what happened on the weekend. When you look at the number of overs required to finish the game, it was Test cricket on fast forward.

England were clearly dominant at the midday break on the second day, 105 ahead with most wickets in hand. The pitch was still doing plenty. It looked so tough for Australia to re-enter the match.

Batting Mistakes

From that point, England's shot selection was their major downfall. Scott Boland put in probably his worst performance in an Australia shirt in the initial batting, then completely reversed in the subsequent innings to be the driving force for the comeback.

England's batsmen were out attempting to strike balls wide of off-stump, on the up, towards cover region.

Trying to score off those deliveries, with those strokes, is the precise action you just should avoid as a batter in Australia.

Adaptation Issues

It showed that England had failed to complete their homework, are unable to adapt or are unwilling to adapt.

There is much discussion about England's approach, their aggressive style. I witnessed it up close during the recent series in the UK. Under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, they can be quite rigid when it comes to sticking with that method.

It is acceptable on sluggish pitches. On the quick, lively pitches of Australia it is a method fraught with danger. If England do not reassess, they will struggle for the entire series.

Pacer's Viewpoint

As a bowler, I would have always felt in the contest against this England team.

I depended on my precision, backing myself to hit the identical area on or outside off stump, with a bit of bounce and nip.

Even if this England team was performing strongly, I'd be eagerly anticipating at the prospect of facing them, aware one mistake could bring three or four wickets.

Skill and Resilience

There are times when England can be a top-class team. They have good players. Competent cricketers have skill, but great players have the psychological strength and mindset to be adaptable enough for the conditions.

They would been stunned at the way things unfolded at Perth Stadium, devastated at the way they were beaten. Now we will see what they are made of. Even as a loyal Australian, part of me wants to see them change, just to show they can improve.

Bowling Concerns

It was almost the same with their bowling. England's attack was very good on the first evening, then lost the plot when they were put under pressure on the following day.

In Test cricket, all aspects require a backup strategy. Quite often it feels like England have a single approach, then no alternatives if that fails.

'Where has this come from?' - Starc bowls Root as England lose third wicket in six balls

Brilliant Innings

In fairness to England's bowlers, they were confronted with one of the memorable Ashes innings by Travis Head.

His 69-ball hundred was the second quickest by an Australian man in the historic rivalry, 12 balls behind the legendary keeper at the Perth ground 19 years ago – a game I played in.

My old mate Gilchrist said the performance was the superior of the two. I concur. Considering the challenging nature of the wicket and the context of the match situation, the innings will go down as a highlight of cricket lore.

Strategic Decisions

It was a courageous move for Australia to promote the batsman in the lineup for the second innings.

Usman Khawaja has faced criticism for being unable to open in both attempts. He had muscle issues after playing golf the day before the Test, but I don't think the two were linked.

When Khawaja failed on the opening day, Australia advanced Marnus Labuschagne and got stuck.

In promoting Head, who has the confidence of starting in white-ball cricket, Australia were able to take the attack to England.

Future Considerations

Now there is the question of what Australia will do for the second Test. I'd like to see them continue the approach of aggression at the beginning.

That could mean continuation at the top, meaning someone like the all-rounder enters the batting lineup, or Head could go back to his position and Mitchell Marsh or Josh Inglis could go to the top. It would be difficult for the batsman, but sometimes you have to do what the opposition would find most uncomfortable.

Series Outlook

After the first Test was controlled by the bowlers, questions arise if the remaining series will be short, low-scoring Tests.

The venue is essentially the fastest, bounciest pitch in the global cricket, so the batters should get a little bit of relief from now on.

It is not all about the wicket. Recognition has to be awarded to the pacemen for delivering the ball in the right place so often. Overall, batsmen on both sides will need to analyze how they were dismissed.

Crucial Next Test

Now we progress to the next venue, and the vastly different twilight conditions for the second Test.

In 2006-07, I was a member of the Australia team that overwhelmed England to win 5-0. Ashes series in this nation have a habit of getting away from England rapidly.

At the present, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from 2-0, which is why Brisbane is such a crucial game.

They must adapt, or the Ashes will be gone once more.