It’s fairly common knowledge by now that St. Darren Lehmann and John Inverarity are firmly wedged between a rock and a hard place regarding selections for the first Ashes Test.
Right now, the only players well-and-truly inked in for Nottingham are Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and James Pattinson. The four left in the top six are up for debate, but Chris Rogers seems a relatively safe bet to open with Watto.
The depth in the fast bowling means any combination will acquit themselves well, but the presumptive incumbents in Harris and Siddle have been shaken up by Mitchell Starc’s new romance with the Duke ball.
However, the Ashes – this Ashes – only have the currency of bragging rights. Whoever has custody of the cremated bails in September should be mindful that they’re only on loan until January, after which they’ll sit in a cabinet for another three and a half years, only occasionally to be dusted off and waved at the old enemy.
It so happens that back-to-back Ashes will work to Australia’s advantage come the final showdown in the sunburnt country.
This Ashes will uncover the batsmen who can truly be relied on, the bowlers who keep their lines and lengths through thick and thin, and the patience of Lehmann to finally gel the Watson/Clarke divide.
Let’s not delude ourselves here. Lehmann, for all his positives, is not a panacea in himself. There will be losses, setbacks and controversies. No point ruling out an innings defeat or off-field handbags within the team. A major away series is the ultimate baptism of fire, as even the champions in 2005 found out.
Luckily for us antipodeans, ancient chemistry is on our side because steel is forged in fire.
After the Oval Test we will have a much better idea of who plays better under pressure, who can handle the swinging ball and who the ball should be thrown to when the chips are down. The short-term disarray will ultimately uncover pretenders and performers on the biggest stage possible.
If you’re still skeptical about how adversity brings out the best in batsmen, have a squiz at the 2006/07 whitewash of the Poms. Who made runs against a line-up of greats hellbent on vengeance? Kevin Pietersen and Alistair Cook. Who made our lives a misery for the next two series? The aforementioned.
A callow Cook in particular cemented his reputation as the consummate rock of the top order and grew to become the most prized wicket in the Test team.
Some emperors might have no clothes – but even when starkers they are emperors regardless.
This series might be written off as a lost cause to the English – but let’s find out who will stand in their way.
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