The book on How To Lose An Ashes Series
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By James Mortimer, 15 Jul 2009 James Mortimer is a Roar Pro
You would think that with just one Ashes triumph since 1989, England would have approached the first Test on red alert, DEFCON 1, and all other battle station analogies.
But they clearly walked into the first Test at Cardiff thinking that an Australian team without some of the greatest players of all time would be a fairly easy proposition for them.
After all, they had just defeated the calypso kings, the West Indies, by ten wickets in the first Test and by an innings and 83 runs in the second. The same West Indian team that is barely seventh on the Test rankings, and in complete disarray, now striking over collective pay issues.
The English also made the right noises coming into the Tests acknowledging that, despite the lack of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Matt Hayden, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn among others (my god, what a collection of players!), this was still Australia: ‘we know what we are up against’, and so forth.
They also said that focus, discipline and intensity would win this series.
But they didn’t back any of this up.
There were some grave underestimations on the part of the English as well.
They forgot that Australian cricketers have long memories, and the pain of the 2005 Ashes loss, while somewhat forgotten with the 2007 whitewash, would only be erased with a statement made back on the hallowed grounds of England.
England forgot that there was still some very good players in this Australian team, thinking that with Australia’s only 300 wicket taker (they used to have two 500 plus bowlers), Brett Lee, out as well, it would be a pretty simple task.
After all, the entire Australian bowling attack had barely 40 Tests between them, with over half of them belonging to Mitchell Johnson.
They forgot that captain Ricky Ponting, for all the criticisms levelled at him about his captaincy, is still one of the finest batsmen in the game, and history will remember him as one of the greats with a blade.
Equally, while he is not recognised by many as the captain that Allan Border or Steve Waugh was, he still has the same sheer bloody mindedness evident in his predecessors.
And while it is not the swaggering front five – all with 50 plus Test averages – batting line up that haunted the world’s bowlers for years. It is still a competent Test line.
While Michael Hussey continues to be out of form (it is almost mocking to call him Mr Cricket now), the talents of vice-captain Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, and Marcus North will now surely be noted by England.
But most importantly, this was an Australian side that has had to scrap their way through toughest cricketing theatres in the last twelve months.
You could not ask for a more uncompromising preparation than India in the subcontinent, South Africa beating you on the previously unbeatable Australian soil, and having a return series against the same team.
England showed a borderline arrogance throughout this match.
No batsmen knuckled down and dominated the novice tourist attack. For every batsman to reach double figures is one thing. But for seven players to reach 30 and three to pass 50, and not score a hundred in an Ashes Test match is a cardinal sin.
It was the same with their bowling.
To not use Freddie Flintoff as an opening strike weapon, when he is your best bowler, is a terrible transgression.
Their attack was in stark contrast to Australia’s, as players who had never played in an Ashes contest bowled with the determination and spirit that wins Test matches. If Johnson can find the form of a few months ago, it will be a fearsome attack if and when Lee returns.
The most telling signal as to England’s mindset was at the end of the match.
An admittedly weaker Australia, after dominating for close to four out of five days, could not quite kill the English off, but came very close. A Test match draw.
And what does England do? Celebrate like they have won the Ashes.
If England is to win this series on home soil, they will need to pull their heads in, and very fast.
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sheek said | July 15th 2009 @ 10:01am | Report comment
You know James,
Perhaps I’m showing my age here, but I’m thankful I was able to watch most sports from about the mid-60s to say mid-2000s. I call it the ‘golden age’ of sport. Sport was becoming mass-produced on TV, but you still had plenty of variety in personalities & styles.
Today sport is different, & I don’t know if it’s any better. Sure, there’s 24/7 blanket coverage of any sport you desire. The players are bigger, stronger, faster but are they really better technicians of the game?
I now can see more rugby union than at any time in my life, but I still prefer many of the guys who ran around in the 70s, 80s & 90s. Homogeneity (bland sameness) hadn’t yet set in, as it has now.
With cricket, the 2005 series was an absolute cracker, but most of everything else around it has been bland – like a lone island in the vast seas of either the Pacific or Indian oceans.
I don’t think Englishmen love their cricket anymore, especially test cricket, not like they used to, or like the Aussies (most of whose fans are just hanging on). The world of sport is changing, whether for better or worse, I don’t know.
But I’m none too impressed with what I’m witnessing. Maybe for me, more or less, the world of sport as I knew it, ended on either 31/12/99 or 31/12/00, depending on when you believe a century starts & ends!
On another point, it’s rich of Ponting to complain about poor sportsmanship from England. As if Australia would have done differently. And as if the Aussies are saints themselves! They’ve perfected the art of being hard-nosed bad-asses.
Dave said | July 15th 2009 @ 10:18am | Report comment
sheek
Cricket is booming and ratings and crowds are up. if you compare the English crowds from the 60′s you will see that the game just keeps growing in popularity.
The ashes of 89,93,97,2001 had nowhere near the following that 2005 and 2009 has had.
And no the Australians have not done anything like what the English did which irrespective of any “sportsmanship” thing was against the rules/laws
jonno said | July 15th 2009 @ 10:28am | Report comment
England did show poor sportsmanship. That is what time wasting is. It is not ‘rich’ to complain about it. It is called cheating.
England are by no means saints, they are quite hypocritical. I seem to remember their press claiming Mathew Hayden ‘spat’ on a young boy in the crowd. Were those lies sportsmanlike?
Brett McKay said | July 15th 2009 @ 11:05am | Report comment
great piece James. It’s been said by plenty this week, but I’m still struggling to understand by England (and not just the players and commentators, the whole country!) seems to be so preoccupied by the events of 2005. Forget 1882, you’d swear The Ashes were born in 2005, and obviously weren’t contested in 2006/07.
I’m starting to wonder if the only way to bring this continued delusion to a halt is to be up 2-0 by the time we get to Headingley…
sheek said | July 15th 2009 @ 11:28am | Report comment
Dave,
Okay, I’ll take that back, probably swallow it with a nice shiraz this evening.
James Mortimer said | July 15th 2009 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Cheers for the compliment Brett.
Sheek, I read an interesting piece on the wonderful cricket site CricInfo (which, curiously, is one of the biggest sites in the world – period) stating that in England coverage for cricket has been in a steady freefall since 2007.
I liken this to living in New Zealand when the All Blacks lost, such a result would be lucky to get one article. But win, and it would cover 5-6 pages.
It’s an interesting point you refer to about such golden ages. I’m in my thirties, so my first “viewed” memories of sport were of All Black cavalier tours and Richard Hadlee tearing apart Australian teams.
From there I spent a huge portion of my life viewing sport, including having a run in the mid nineties where I had season passes to Wellington rugby, cricket, netball, and of course motor racing, being lucky enough to witness the greatest street racing competition I have ever witnessed, the now defunct Nissan Mobil 500 (god, the debut of the Nissan “Godzilla” still sends goosebumps down my spine).
However, I still regard sport as being in a golden age. But I think a large part of this corresponds with the fact that I now essentially “work in the industry” being blessed enough to have been employed by two rugby organisations of late, including writing for allblacks.com – something even a few months on I consistently pinch myself about and giggle like a ****head.
But, I do see it as a valid point you make. I used to watch cricket religously, but to be honest have watched preciously little in the last year or two. Perhaps that is why this Ashes contest has appealed to so many. When was the last time we watched some glorious drama?
As for rugby, I do see many peoples points regarding technicians and even personalities.
Ironically, sportsman are payed the most money by a long way in history, but am I alone in thinking when listening to an interview “sure, you are a good player, but shouldn’t you have a personality to be classed as a superstar”.
David Beckham stands out here.
So in essence, I think Sheek we are on the same point in the fact that there is a bit of flamboyance lacking in our great passion of sport – but for me, I see this as an opportunity
(think there is potential for a pure extrovert like myself)
But, I think of the next few days, for example.
State of Origin tonight
British Lions first test replay early tomorrow morning
2nd Ashes test tomorrow night
Two Currie Cup replays Friday afternoon
Tri Nations Bledisloe Cup opener sat night
And honestly mate, life is bloody good.
Dave said | July 15th 2009 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Crowds are up in England though
Record crowds for county matches in 2008• Over 2.2 million people watched domestic cricket last summer
• Figures represent a 10% increase year on year
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jan/22/ecb-announce-spectator-increase
FIsher Price said | July 15th 2009 @ 1:46pm | Report comment
Not sure I’m with you on your closing point, James – If you recall, Australia celebrated like they’d won/held the Ashes after a day lost to rain helped them draw in Manchester in 2005.
mart said | July 15th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Sheek – agree 100%. Great post.
Dave – as Fisher Price says and, er, underarm bowling anyone ?
Guys, I’d have liked us to knock over that last wicket too but, as was brilliantly said on The Back Page on Fox last night, yes the Poms were underhand but if we can’t knock over a last wicket pair on a very turning pitch in the last hour of the last day, well………
Finally – for Ponting to even bring up “Spirit of Cricket” (isn’t that a Qantas plane ?) beggars belief given the behaviour of the team on his watch in recent times…..
mart said | July 15th 2009 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
Sorry – James not Dave (apolgies James !)