Ashes worries: weather and form may rock Aussies
Roar Pro
By Geoff Lawson, 19 May 2009 Geoff Lawson is a Roar Pro
The Ashes Urn - AP Photo/Rob Griffith
England’s recent good form against the West indies back on home (damp) soil is a reason for growing concern for their confident Australian opponents.
Andrew Strauss has seen his team emerge from a doubtful tour of the Caribbean, where they were expected to win easily, but stumbled early and could not mange to find a winning a formula.
The Windies under John Dyson’s tutelage did look a better disciplined group under the warm and sunny skies of Barbados and Jamaica, but so far the dreary and threatening May atmosphere has contributed to layers of clothing and seaming pitches. Pitches that the likes of that well known English destroyer, Graeme Onions, have prospered upon.
Dyson would not have been happy with his leading batsmen’s (Gayle and Chanderpaul) decision to take the buckets of rupees in the Indian Premier League instead of playing the pre-Test first class matches. Both those batsmen have failed miserably, as you would expect coming off southern hemisphere hard wickets in a slogging format.
It is early for Test cricket to be played in the northern hemisphere, but there is no doubt that the confidence gained by the England team will be in the forefront of their thoughts when July 9th comes along.
Winning form is good form.
The Australians will be coming off 20 over games in the IPL, closely followed by more slash and bash in the Twenty20 World Cup, the final on 21st June. The First Test is just two weeks later. Whereas England have had recent Test series in the Caribbean and at home. This may well be of significance.
It would appear that the form and fitness of Brett Lee is being judged solely on 4 over spells in the IPL. Lee has already been selected for the Twenty20 World Cup, having not completed more than 24 balls in any match since the Boxing Day Test.
Rising 33 years of age, the prospect that Lee can find the raw pace of his twenties, or the stamina that comes from successive first class games and a couple of hundred overs, is slim.
Andrew Hilditch must think otherwise, just as he must be sick of explaining the selection of Andrew Symonds “when in form……. Andrew is one of the finest players in the world “ etc etc. We agree with you Andrew, its just that he hasn’t been in your suggested municipality of ‘form’ for about 18 months!
The emergence of Onions and off spinner Swann, along with the growing strength of rumour as to Andrew Flintoff’s progression to full fitness, is all good news for England.
Australia have not played orthodox off spin for sometime (I don’t put Harbajahn Singh in the ‘orthodox’ box), and Swan has certainly played a valuable role for Strauss in the recent resurgence.
Onions reminds one of Matthew Hoggard and if it is a wet summer and the pitches become the traditional slow seamers, then traditional English cricketers will come to the fore.
An offie ala Titmus, Illingworth or Emburey (remember Emburey and Phil Edmonds doing the business in the cool summer of 1985?), along with Monty Panesar, could present a stern examination for an Australia batting order that has struggled against Paul Harris, Dan Vettori and Saeed Ajmal in recent times.
The Ashes squad (announced this coming Wednesday) will have to be chosen with a few different parameters than that which lost in Australia and won through largely the efforts of new players in North, Hughes and Siddle in South Africa.
Batsmen with the ability to play long and patient innings will be needed to play around the likes of aggressive Hughes, Ponting and Clarke.
Simon Katich is an ideal counterpoint to Hughes up front, but Chris Rogers (the highest total run scorer in all forms of the game in the world in calendar 2008 through to the present time) will be an essential selection.
He has significant county experience and, regardless of weather or pitch variety, knows how to get the job done.
Australia have prospered in northern Ashes series when the summers have been warm and dry. The weather conditions have been of significant influence.
England are on the upward trend. After the Windies series they will have a greater sense of self belief, and they might just be praying for a few rainy days to assist the cause.
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Cricket articles
- What we do and don’t know about our Baggy Greens (112)
- Success of Twenty20 spells trouble for ODI cricket (106)
- Channel 9 commentators an annoyance this summer (99)
- Media should call stumps on Rodney Hogg (93)
- One Day Cricket is suffering from Middle Child Syndrome (89)
- Cricket Australia must take a stand against racist spectators (86)
- Dave’s Warner-ful switch-hit panned by precious critics (84)
- Australia vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary
- Hall of Fame for Indian legend Gavaskar
- Sri Lanka to target ‘weak’ Aussie bowlers
- India backing Rohit Sharma to find form
- Game-by-game preview of round 19
- Twenty20 cricket not up to the test (4)
- Like father, like son: Alister McDermott on a fast track to the Test team (19)
- Australia vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary (0)
- Twenty20 cricket not up to the test (4)
- Pakistan’s win over England a triumph of character (21)
- Steve Waugh is right about cricket’s succession plan (5)
- India vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary (180)
- Let’s talk about selection, Test fans (28)
- Pakistan win shows what’s beautiful about the game (13)
Spiro Zavos said | May 19th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
Watching England play under ‘English’ conditions against the West Indies indicates, as Geoff Lawson suggests, that the home side will put up a willing challenge in the coming Ashes series. I was intriqued with Geoff’s suggestion that Chris Rogers must be in the squad. Should he also be in the Test team? If so, what position should he bat? Is Michael Hussey’s position in danger?
Brett McKay said | May 19th 2009 @ 9:00am | Report comment
Spiro, this is where I find these discussions interesting. On stats and form, it’s hard to argue with Henry’s assertion that Rogers should be picked (ignoring the fact Geoff has been pushing Rogers’ barrow for a long time now). However, I think we all accept that the top 6 from South Africa will be retained for the first couple of Tests at least. So, without knowing the full tour schedule (how many tour games, for eg?), what is Rogers supposed to do in the meantime?? There’s only so many net sessions a bat can have, and nets count for little compared to match fitness.
It’s for that reason alone I think the idea of taking a young batsman such as Callum Ferguson or Shaun Marsh and letting them gain experience in an Australian Test squad is so much more beneficial. If they think Rogers might be needed, then tell him to get over the England and keep making runs (if he’s not already), and bring him into the squad as required.
If there isn’t a lot of tour games to be played, you could get away with an Ashes squad of 14 or 15, but have “replacements” stationed around the English counties.
SouthernWaratah said | May 19th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
I needs to be remembered that Ashes Series seam to either be the end or start for Australian Batsman. Martyn’s/Katich ended for a time in ’05, Slater in ’01, Langer in ’01 only to start again, Bevan in ’97 for Ponting’s to Start, Slaters started in ’93 for Hayden to wait in the wings. So heading into 2009 anything is possible. I agree that Rogers should get a spot on the boat though!
Brian said | May 19th 2009 @ 10:38am | Report comment
I agree the top 6 from South Africa should be retained but no one stands out amongst the backups. I would take Watson for his talent and versatility, otherwise Rogers is probably as good as anyone else. Ferguson and Marsh probably have not made enough shield runs to merit selection. Interesting that Marsh seemed to make the ODI team based on his 2008 IPL feats yet fast forward to 2009 and of course IPL form means nothing where Hodge is concerned.
SouthernWaratah said | May 19th 2009 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Brian,
If IPL form meant anything then Gilly, Haydo’s & Warnie would be in the 20/20 side for the world cup, Slapping around a bunch of hack Indian bowlers doesn’t warrant International selection
Brian said | May 19th 2009 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Firstly if they didnt retire Gilly, Haydo’s & Warnie would be in the World Cup T20 side. If IPL form doesn’t count explain how Marsh made the ODI team last summer? Domestically he did nothing
FIsher Price said | May 19th 2009 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Rogers, Hughes, Katich (c), Ponting, Hodge/North, Clarke, Haddin, Johnson, Clark, Siddle, Bollinger.
Greg Russell said | May 19th 2009 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
I think England’s batting (Cook, Strauss, Bopara, KP, Collingwood) is looking very settled and dangerous.
In particular I am concerned about the emergence of Bopara, who for a long time has been regarded as an exceptional talent (people might remember that on the 2005 Ashes tour, Bopara and Cook took Essex to 1- 400 in a tour match against Australia). Until now Bopara has flopped in test cricket, but with 3 successive centuries, his nerves must have calmed, and the exceptional talent is shining through. There is nothing more frustrating for a team in the field than someone who was thought to be an easy wicket making runs. Amla was a good example of this: although he didn’t convert any 50s into 100s, the point is that he made a lot of 50s against Australia, and the resulting partnerships were very damaging. So I now see Bopara in much the same light for this series.
I doubt the ability of Prior to be a test 6, and ditto Flintoff if he is fit (a great bowler, but not a great batsman).
I have to wonder whether the series against the WI has done England any favours in the bowling department. Because of their easy success against the WI, the English will now by dutybound to select Onions, Bresnan and Swann, But who honestly is quaking at the prospect of Australia facing such a bowling attack? I’ll believe they are potent only when I see it.
Similarly, Stuart Broad is a good all-round cricketer, but his test bowling record is very, very modest.
Finally, I suggested with Kersi’s article last week that Chris Rogers should be chosen. Since then he has missed out on a CA contract, which I take as a very strong sign that he will not be selected for the Ashes tour. “Fringe” batsmen who did get CA contracts are Hodge, Watson and Symonds. So I now expect one or more of these to be in the Ashes squad. Geoff may well be correct about Symonds. (Just to stress: this is me guessing at what the selectors will do, not me saying what I would do if I were a selector.)
SouthernWaratah said | May 19th 2009 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
Some Good points Greg, But I’ll hold my judgment on Bopara until he’s scored some runs against us, Siddle may have something to say about him feeling comfortable at the crease, Collingwood is getting slower and again Siddle to unsettle him and KP hasn’t looked the same since the Captain Gate affair.
drewster said | May 19th 2009 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
If the wickets are slow seamers as Geoff is suggesting I am interested to see what a bowler like Hilfenhaus can do if given the chance. Can he produce in England like Terry Alderman could and if so will the batsmen back up his work. On form M. Hussey would seem the weak link in the batting line up. The warm up matches I believe will be very important to the line up of the side as i don’t think Australia can have any passengers waiting to hit form.