Lessons from Worcester
Roar Guru
By vinay verma, 2 Jul 2009 Vinay Verma is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Test cricket, The Ashes
Australia sat their first serious English Examination today and would have mixed feelings. MR Cricket, speaking to Holding, described it as “a par score. Hard work for the bowlers and difficult to drive when the ball got softer.”
Though Hussey was dropped twice, his 143 not out was both assured and authoritative.
He is no longer batting like a hen-pecked husband. He has been the missing link in the last 12 months. He is back and his reliability will prove priceless in the battles ahead.
Philip Hughes was caught between attack and defence and was roughed up by a rejuvenated Steve Harmison.
Ponting followed cheaply and it was left to Simon Katich and Hussey to restore order.
That Australia manged 337 for the loss of eight wickets was due to a partnership of 100 between Mitch Johnson and Hussey.
Johnson was unlucky not to reach a half century and played with a maturity that augurs well for Australia. He also dismissed the leg spinner Rashid as a pretender, with a massive six out of the ground.
Rashid, at this stage of his career, is no more than a good club bowler. Unfortunately for England, he is not their answer to Warne. For the time being they will have to contend themselves with Swanning about.
Simon Katich with his 95 proved again how important he is to Australia’s recent success. He will need to protect the precocious Philip Hughes, who is susceptible early in his innings.
Michael Clarke lunged at a full pitched ball that was wide and scooped to point. A shot showing that his footwork and balance were rusty.
This first day proved that the first ten overs with the new ball are going to be vital. Once the shine was gone, bowling became hard work and there was no reverse on offer.
Australia have to bowl with discipline and not waste the new ball. And there cannot be a repeat of the no balls from their first outing.
Marcus North seems to have lost his compass and is playing too soon. He is playing for the pace that is not there. It is still a week before the first Test and he has time to discover his bearings.
This is a very rusty Australian team and is being carried in its batting by a few. It needs to build more partnerships at the top of the order and the batsmen have to start performing to their potential sooner rather than later.
Harmison proved that he still has the fire and his opening salvo was reminiscent of 2005. England will be tempted to include him for Cardiff at the expense of Bresnan or Onions.
This first day’s play proved a sober reminder that Australia have work to do if they are going to beat England.
Matches are not won on paper and the middle is an altogether different playground. Ponting will need to go back to his Mowbray roots and summon the resilience and street smarts that are so necessary to survive Test cricket.
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 (99)
- 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 (5)
- Like father, like son: Alister McDermott on a fast track to the Test team (29)
- Australia vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary (99)
- Twenty20 cricket not up to the test (5)
- 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)
- Explore:
- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Test cricket, The Ashes
Kersi Meher-Homji said | July 2nd 2009 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
Vinay,
When the majority in Australia was watching Hewitt losing a five setter at Winbledon or sleeping, you not only watched the Australians play Worcstershire at cricket but also reported for us the details of Hussey’s innings and Harmison’s come-back as a force. You have summed it up, adding Worcester sauce to the reporting.
It’s early days but the Aussies do look a bit rusty. Hope we are proved wrong come September. Remember the old song?
You should be a radio commentator, Vinay.
vinay verma said | July 2nd 2009 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
Hey Kersi,yes I remember Gregory Peck and audrey hepburn but you have to stop predating me. Here I am trying to project a hip image and you are saddling me with Gone with the Wind and of Mice and men and God’s Little Acre.
It was amusing listening to nasser Hussain extolling the virtues of Anil Rashid before he had bowled. We did not hear much ater Johnson had hit him out of the ground and they had to replace the ball. They had flashbacks to the game England was playing,I think,against Keicester and only Cook made a worthwhile score. Bopara got 30 and Flintoff 19. England scored around 290 for 7. Pedestrian at best.
Colin N said | July 3rd 2009 @ 12:01am | Report comment
As it stands at 3:15 (BST), Australia were 358 all out and the England Lions are currently 151-0. Hussey hit a good 150, but both Johnson and Hauritz are being hit around the park by Moore and Denly.
In the other game, England bowled out Wawickshire for 102, both Flintoff and Anderson seemingly bowling well and England batting again are 34-0.
vinay verma said | July 3rd 2009 @ 7:18am | Report comment
I watched the first ten overs last night and Johnson bowled as if he was having a net . He seemed to be tinkering and fine tuning as befits a man assured of his place in the starting lineup.
However,Lee was an altogether differnt proposition .He should have had a wicket with his first ball and both Holding and Bob willis were astounded it was not given LBW. Australians are well aware that Bob Willis gives us nothing.
Lee bowled consistently fast in his five overs and was in the low 90′sMPF. During this spell he bowled the fastest ball of the match 94.5 MPH On this performance lee is a CERTAINTY for Cardiff. Lee came back for a second spell after lunch and sparked a mini collapse ending with 5 wickets. Two LBW’s ,two bowled and one caught behind. Lee did not transgress and had a clean sheet with noballs and wides.
Both Clark and Lee got the ball to reverse and this was encouraging considering that England Lions failed to get any Irish.
Hauritz bowled two no balls and coninues to underwhelm. He has bowled himself out of Cardiff calculations and maybe a passenger for the rest of the tour. To emphasise this point Marcus North claimed the only other wicket to fall.
Stuart Clark will be better for the run and needs more miles in the legs.
Michael Clarke was unveiled as the New First Slip and Australia have been struggling here with the retirements of Hayden and Warne.
Justin said | July 3rd 2009 @ 7:43am | Report comment
Vinay – Thanks for the summary, have just seen the highlights and Lee certainly must have bowled well in that spell. I didnt think he had it in him but as you say it looks like they will go with him. No surprise with Hauritz, just not up to it but blame the selectors not him is my mantra.
I think they may go in with the 4 quicks and use the 3 part time options for spin. Do you agree?
vinay verma said | July 3rd 2009 @ 9:09am | Report comment
Certinaly,Justin,I definitely agree. Lee.Siddle Johnson and Hilfenhaus would be my pick. Stuart Clark is short of a gallop but looks better suited to Lords and beyond.
The think tank must resist the temptation of rewarding Stuart Clark for past deeds.They need to go with form and Clark has not got it. Lee has done enough and will play.
Jameswm said | July 3rd 2009 @ 9:33am | Report comment
I agree with everything you’ve said vinay…but I would go for past deeds and pick Clark ahead of Hilfy.
Having said that, if you pick Hilfy, your 4 quicks would be bowling at the following rough seepds consistently
Lee – 152kmh
Johnson – 146kmh
Siddle – 144kmh
Hilfenhaus – 142kmh
That is some serious zing in your attack.
Lee – 3 spells of 5 overs
Johnson – 3 spells of 6 overs
Siddle – 3 spells of 6 overs
Hilfenhaus – 3 spells of 6 overs
That leaves the part time spinners with 21 overs to make up. The last two named quicks could bowl a few more if needed but we’d probably need at least 15 from the spinners to make up time.
If the quicks take 4.5 minutes an over and bowl 70, then the spinenrs need to bowl 20 overs in 45 mins, which can’t be done.
I remember at school we used to bolt between overs to catch up – you can catch up 20 seconds an over, which is 30 minutes. I wonder if this has occurred to anyone?
vinay verma said | July 3rd 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
James,Ponting treied that in Nagpur and it upset the rythm and momentum of the game. You would know from playing that rythm and momentum are so important. Its like catching a wave. Catch it right and you cruise. Miss the crest and you get dumped. Running between overs causes you to become jerky. Again the swimming analogy. Hackett was awesome when the stroke was unhurried.
We talk so much about timing without realising how important it is. I also believe a lot of commentators could learn about timing from Richie. You have to say the right thing at the right time. Nasser Hussain’s commentary is based on quantity and not quality. There,I have got that off my chest.
You make good points,James and well articulated. Talk more soon
cheers
vinay verma said | July 3rd 2009 @ 5:10pm | Report comment
Justin.regarding the part time spinners they will prosper if Ponting uses them as attacking weapons rather than bookends to pad out his over rate.
Katich can confound batsmen early in their innings when the feet are not yet in sync and the eyes are adjusting to the light.
Ditto for the other two.
Its time Clarke bowled more overs. If hes got a dodgy back maybe he shouldn’t be playing at all.
vinay verma said | July 3rd 2009 @ 10:31pm | Report comment
Credit to the England think tank. They have worked out Philip Hughes likes to give himself room to play his off side shots.
Harmison cramped him for room for the second time in the match and succeeded in bouncing him out. Once was an aberration twice is confirmation that Hughes needs to make a technical adjustment..and soon. The bowling machine will be programmed to help him sort this out before the 8th of July. He is a good enough batsmen to fix this blip.