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Were we wrong to doubt Mitchell Johnson? Can Australia still lose this Test? Are England as good at batting collapses as Australia? Can Jonathan Trott overcome his fear of Johnson?
These questions were posed by a remarkable day of play at the Gabba which saw Australia produce a stunning turnaround to roll England for 136 before before finishing on 0-65 with a lead of 224.
Were we wrong to doubt Mitchell Johnson?
My girlfriend handed me a napkin at breakfast this morning. Apparently a piece of omelette needed to be swept off my lip.
Just hours later I was delighted to once again have my face covered with egg.
I was one of many cricket pundits and fans who derided the decision to play Johnson in the Ashes opener.
I argued that his profligacy would undermine the disciplined efforts of his fellow bowlers who had successfully blanketed many of the English batsmen in the recent series with consistent, frugal spells.
The nightmare I envisioned began to merge with reality in the first session today as Johnson repeatedly speared the shiny cherry in ill-advised directions.
He maintained a remarkably consistent line to both the left and right handers.
Unfortunately that focus was on or outside leg stump.
Johnson’s initial three-over spell began with an abominable leg side full toss and included three boundaries.
After 10 overs he had claimed the important wicket of Jonathan Trott but had also leaked 4.4 runs per over due to offering up a plethora of boundary balls.
By comparison, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon had conceded only 1.61 runs per over from the 25 they had delivered.
It was at this stage that Johnson sent a resounding message to his opponents and his doubters with a spell of rare ferocity.
In four overs just before the tea break Johnson dismantled England, snaring 3-3.
With each breakthrough he left England looking more and more rattled.
In the process he ensured his opponents were staring at a likely defeat.
Well done Mitch, you are more than welcome throughout this series to continue pelting me with eggs.
Can Australia still lose this Test?
It will take a phenomenal performance for England to triumph in this match.
Yet the spectre of the last Ashes Test at the Gabba looms large for the Aussies.
Last time around Australia found themselves in an ascendant position in the second half of the Test only for England to prompt a violent swing in momentum by churning out a gobsmacking second innings of 1-517.
The current match has moved at such a pace that a draw is far less likely on this occasion, even taking into account the predictions of inclement weather.
The major obstacle between Australia and victory is a mental one.
This Aussie side in the recent series repeatedly showed an inability to capitalise when they got ahead in the match.
They built first innings leads in four of the five Tests yet lost the series 3-0.
England, by contrast, have built an iron-clad belief in their capacity to win, or to avoid defeat, from almost any position.
In their past 10 Tests this year against Australia and New Zealand they were frequently well behind in a match at its midway point. Yet not once did they lose.
Regardless of their spineless capitulation with the bat today, England are unlikely to prove as feeble with the blade in their second dig.
They will be well aware that with a draw a strong possibility in the next Test given the genial nature of Adelaide’s new drop-in deck, it would be precarious to be 1-0 down heading to their most-feared venue the WACA.
Australia will need to muster hefty doses of determination, diligence and patience if they are to finish off England here.
Should they manage to accomplish that task it will represent a monumental breakthrough for a brittle side which has gone nine Tests without a win.
I think Australia are primed to end that horrendous spree.
Are England as good at batting collapses as Australia?
Australia are commonly lampooned for their frequent and comical batting collapses.
Justifiably so as in recent years they have appeared determined to make these displays of ineptitude their trademark.
Meanwhile, England have been working assiduously in the background to push their own case as a collapsible outfit.
During the five Tests they played in the lead up to the recent Ashes series, New Zealand thrice carved through England’s top order, reducing them to 5-71, 5-72 and 4-90 on separate occasions.
The Kiwis also managed to trigger several mid-to-late order misfires, including periods where they took 5-24, 4-35, 4-38 and 3-16.
In the last Ashes, England’s middle order had to rescue them from perilous scorelines such as 2-11, 3-27, 3-28, 3-30, 3-49, 3-64 and 5-83.
On top of that, the Poms managed collapses the likes of 4-2, 4-19, 3-12 and 7-75.
They are dire figures.
Today England executed one of the great capitulations in history, disintegrating in the face of some sinister pace bowling and canny spin to lose 6-9.
Incredibly, England now almost have as many concerns about their batting as do the Aussies.
Alastair Cook is labouring against Ryan Harris in particular and has averaged just 26 over his past 11 innings against Australia with a highest score of 62.
Jonathan Trott is in a similar rut with an average of 27 during that same period partly due to his own inability to counter Harris.
Kevin Pietersen has fared better than that pair but was inconsistent in England and looked out of sorts today before gifting his wicket.
Joe Root is trying to adapt to his shift from opening to the number six spot.
Setting aside his brilliant 180 at Lords, which it should be noted was only possible thanks to a shocking miss by Brad Haddin when he was on 8, Root has averaged 16 in his other 10 innings against Australia.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior is arguably in worse form than any of England’s top seven, having made just 133 runs at an average of 17 in the past six Ashes Tests.
England, then, are also manifestly in disarray with the blade.
They just aren’t quite as shambolic as their opponents – the reigning kings of the collapse.
How will Jonathan Trott conquer his fear of Johnson’s short balls?
Aussie skipper Michael Clarke’s timid dismissal to a rearing delivery from Stuart Broad yesterday sparked debate about his emerging problem handling the Englishman’s bouncers.
The short-pitched spotlight shifted today to England’s first drop Trott after his ungainly attempts to fend off a rampaging Mitchell Johnson.
Trott did the reverse of the patented tailender strategy of backing away to leg against the quicks, repeatedly stepping right across his stumps in an effort to combat Johnson’s spiteful deliveries.
It looked horribly awkward and ended in embarrassing fashion with a limp nudge played well away from his body which offered a regulation leg side catch to ‘keeper Brad Haddin.
Johnson had unsettled Trott with a similarly aggressive approach in the recent ODI series between the sides.
Trott can be certain he will be peppered by such bowling throughout the remainder of this summer.
Given he was already struggling for touch after averaging just 29 in the recent series, this additional obstacle to success is particularly challenging for him.
Like Clarke it appears Trott must identify and implement a fresh strategy against short-pitched bowling if he is to avoid being cowed by the quicks.