I am flying to Perth on Thursday night from Singapore. I’m going to see an old friend, have a few (ok a lot of) beers and have dinner at a cracking restaurant on Friday night.
He happens to be a member at the WACA and at some point on both Friday and Saturday I’ll be there.
I’m looking forward to seeing me old mucker and having a good steak. But I feel no excitement about the cricket I’ll be seeing. It is going to be torturous.
England have given up. I don’t know why, maybe they just weren’t that good in the first place, for me your greatness in sport is measured when there is competition and it’s tough, not when you are bullying teams and winning easily.
If it was on the basis of the ‘ticker’ that they’ve shown, as Warney puts it, I simply wouldn’t go. They don’t deserve the support the Barmy Army is giving them right now.
I shall of course get on the plane and I’ll have a great time regardless.
I love the WACA, it’s a wonderful ground and I’ve been through horrendous times watching England down under before.
I was there when Brett Lee took Alex Tudor’s head off, at the WACA again when Adam Gilchrist smashed the second-fastest Test century. I was at the MCG when Warney got his 700th wicket (a genuine pleasure that last one I have to say).
I’ve seen it all and I keep coming back.
It is of course easy to kick someone when they are down but what I think is irking people so much is the manner of the capitulation. Listening to Alastair Cook being interviewed afterwards, he was almost laissez faire about the whole thing.
When questioned about the amount of wickets falling to legside catches he almost just gave an apologetic shrug as if if to say ‘it happens’.
Ian Bell for instance has had innumerate plaudits in the past couple of years, yet with England on the ropes he got out trying to haul a part time leg spinner’s full toss to mid wicket, it’s all a bit ridiculous for me.
I think there is an inherent problem with British sport. Winning is not a habit and when success comes along, it usually comes with a massive drop off in performance shortly thereafter.
The fact that Monty Panesar (a marginally better batsman than me) showed the most heart with a bat during the first innings says it all. England are right now a disgrace.
There is of course a queue of pundits and ex players (all more qualified than me) lining up to slaughter this team, it’s not difficult. I however am the voice of the paying fan and so in many ways I feel that voice has more resonance.
England haven’t become a bad team overnight and Australia haven’t suddenly become world beaters again and that is even more galling.
By Australian standards, this is a pretty ordinary team yet they are playing as a team and competing far far harder than England are.
Mitchell Johnson is taking much of the plaudits right now and rightly so, he’s been magnificent especially given how much he was maligned in the run up to this series by many within Australia.
The England batsman however are making it far easier for him by simply not doing the basics properly. He is bowling with almost no pressure on him and in those circumstances his suspect action and fragile psyche remain intact.
Johnson when he’s on fire like this and Ryan Harris are world class. Peter Siddle is a good solid seamer and Nathan Lyon is capable of holding down an end. It is however a long way from the halcyon days of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
England should be doing far better than they are.
The England team certainly appears to have peaked with Cook, KP, Prior, Swann and Anderson all performing levels below their previous bests.
Jonathan Trott is sat at home and they have yet to find a stable opening partner for Cook now that Strauss is gone.
For Australia it is time to make hay. As with any concentrated period of competition between two teams, much bad blood has emerged and there is little doubt now that Australia will turn the screw.
England were a far better team than Australia last time down under and even then they were blown away at the WACA, such are the demons that Perth holds for England.
It seems unlikely that anything else than another heavy defeat lies in wait for the disheveled tourists.
England at least need to start playing for pride. They have shown in small patches that they can actually bat if they put their minds to it.
While Australia have played far the better cricket, much of this is mental for England as the ridiculous statistic about the number of them getting out to leg side catches would indicate.
Test cricket has always been about preparation, hard work and concentration, nothing has changed in that respect.
The discipline to play a long innings however seems to have entirely deserted the England players, the first innings totals they have been posting have been poor for some time now and I have written several times, things during the English Summer could have been very different very easily.
I truly hope that England ‘buck up’ and compete at the WACA but I seriously doubt their ability or desire to do so, there is nothing in their body language to suggest they are anything else than already beaten.
I’m taking my entire family for two days in Sydney also, by that stage we will simply be enjoying the beer and the pleasures of watching a nice relaxed dead rubber, it is already all over.
Incidentally, I wrote a piece about the 20/1 I got for 5-0 after the Gabba, that has now shortened to 5/1.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Cheers mate!
Eddy Bramley
Roar Pro
Here here biltongbek. That man will be Alastair Cook.
RWB
Guest
Safe flight Steven.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Biltong, I sincerely hope you are right. They're at least speaking positively now. I was so hacked off listening to Alastair Cook being interviewed after Adelaide, he just sounded like he didn't care almost. One of the great things about following cricket abroad is you have a great time almost regardless of the score, I love Australia so I'll still enjoy myself and I've got my flights on airmiles. BUT a lot of people are paying an awful lot of money, many saving for YEARS to go out and follow the team and I think they owe those people a hell of a lot more than they've shown at the Gabba and the Adelaide. Everyone's talking about Mitchell Johnson (quite rightly) but many of the batsmen have got themselves out, they look like they'd rather be back in the shed. My attitude and ramblings on a website are not affecting their play. They get wonderful support from the Barmy Army regardless every single day everywhere they play and I'll be cheering come tomorrow morning. The shortcomings are with the team and not the fans who after the last two debacles have a right to say 'buck up'.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
You make several good points Gav. It is NOT a great Australian team and that's what irks me most. But as you say they are playing and competing as a unit and maximising their talent and game plan. I think fielding in general in cricket is now excellent and the relative performances in the field reflect the state of mind of the team in question. When England were pushing no1 in the world they were catching everything. Carberry and Root I agree with you have shown some fight and heart. Root has a lot of potential for sure.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
RWB, I enjoyed your response I have to say and great to see a different perspective. I would however say that I'm not being defeatist but rather realistic. For a team was that supposedly so good (and by many people's opinion) superior to the Australians, to have capitulated so badly in the first two tests, they deserve the brickbats mate. I've not said I'm not going to the game and I will be there cheering them on. What I am saying is that they need to get theirs heads out of their backsides and show some fight and pride. Not sure that's too controversial mate...... Anyhow I'll be heading out to the airport in a few hours to have a couple before getting onboard. I sincerely hope your sentiments prove more pertinent than mine and we'll continue this debate when I get back. Cheers!
RWB
Guest
Always happy win, lose or draw, Nudge. Never bitter or twisted. Give it a go.
RWB
Guest
Well said Biltongbek.
AlanKC
Guest
I suspect it's a good toss to lose either way.
Gav
Guest
:)
Steven McBain, I truly hope the English team don't feel the same you do. Hopefully there is one player in the changerooms that can fire them up.
Darren
Guest
I think it is simple Aust is on the improve and England on the decline. They're meeting going in opposite directions.
Nudge
Guest
Your not going to be happy RWB if perhaps one of the worst Aussie teams in the last 30 years beats one of the best england teams in the last 30 years. It might then be time to give up, or recruit more South Africans
RWB
Guest
Well there you go the first post has miraculously appeared.
Gav
Guest
Hi Steve, this was a good read.....and there's plenty of articles I've tuned out of in the last few days! I recon you should be encouraged by Carberry and by Root. I was amazed at how young Root is when I read something the other day. His getting invaluable experience recently. KP could be about ready to turn the corner too, Perth is the sort of challenge he gets up for. Cooks a real worry batting wise, and I think that's having a big affect on his and the teams mindset. Monty bowled a lot better than his figures indicate in Adelaide. I felt almost sorry for him with the catches that weren't taken and his dismissals of Clarke and Smith were quality. He was up for the battle, Swann is not the bowler he was in England. His useless at the moment and dropping him may just wake him up! Anderson also needs to be hit with a cattle prod! Your really missing Bresnan One big diff between the sides is fielding. Our blokes look like hunters, your guys look like their enduring it! Must be something to do with our convict roots haha. Running between wickets has also been pretty ordinary from England, sometimes looks like their too lazy to run a single. This energy has a massive effect on the team. On the bright side for England, and while we are enjoying our time in the sun, I recon only 50% of our batting unit have performed well. We've been dug out of a couple of holes by our lower order. I recon we are still shakey in that regard. The tide could turn rather quickly. Good luck in Perth, and if you do lose, I hope your selectors show some foresight and drop a few of your complacent seniors. I will say that going with 2spinners in Adelaide, was a courageous/ bold move though, very un England like in my estimation.
RWB
Guest
I'm not too sure why the moderators haven't included my response to your article Steven (I'd love to know why but it was written nearly 2 hours ago and hasn't been published at the time of writing this). It was quite long and took me a while to construct. I felt I made a few decent points. The jist of it was that I am truly embarrassed by your defeatest attitude. I won't be wasting any more time trying to make worthwhile responses.
Broken-heartedToy
Guest
Broad will enjoy the WACA. I'd expect him to come out firing at Perth. I wouldn't be surprised to see Johnson not bowl that well. He must be exhausted. Bowling at that sort of speed for long periods takes it out of you and he's been giving it his all. Keeping the fingers crossed for Harris, what he brings to the team cannot be over-estimated.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
He's almost certainly just running scared JGK!
twodogs
Guest
Hi Steve, I just heard Greg Matthews on the radio raving on as usual- saying that they've got to stick with Swann. 'You gotta stick with your stars man' My train of thought is check out whats happening now and make a decision based on the present. Presently, Monte looks to be the better bowler. The ball comes out of his hand quicker and seems to have more bite than GS and I dare say the doctor will help a quicker spinner than a slower guy. Presently, Monte is willing to cop one in the chest for his team and I reckon that counts more because some of the bats are running scared. Remember when Waugh dropped Warnie years back? Awe, hell to pay man! But truthfully, Warnie was shite at the time and Macgill was makin' 'em sing so, roll with it.
RWB
Guest
(This is not a sob story) Steve, I emigrated (with parents) from England in 1970 (8 years old). I love Australia BUT am always an England supporter in all sports (you'll see why). In the early 70's Australia was pretty much Poms and Wogs who were chastised (sledged) pretty much mercilessly as a right of passage. During this time Lillee and Thomson were at the peak of their powers, so I had to suffer the constant ridicule from my "peers" as England were caned. For me WSC was a godsend because we finally got some wins due to the depletion of Australia's bowling ranks. Botham comes along and we also have some fight. Seasons came and went but during this period the ledger was pretty much against England throughout the 90's (a hard time for any cricket fan if you supported anyone else but Australia) Finally with retirements the once Mighty Australian side is again beatable and on the last tour of Australia not just beatable but floggable a 3 1 result with England winning 3 by an innings. I was in a dream at 1/517 and then Australia 3/2 in Adelaide, it was unbelievable. Any tour of Australia makes any English supporter in Australia very nervous and the start of this tour confirms why BUT I have never ever wavered in my support or my optimism. Your peice has perhaps given me some idea why the English team has performed so poorly this tour because if they are as negative and defeatest as you are, they deserve to go home 5/0 down. Regrdless of what you think, the Bulldog Spirit is alive and well, perhaps not in you but in many of us. You need to remember that on this very site Australian supporters were critiscising their own and were in a state of turmoil. They were terrified that England would go home again with the Ashes retained and regardless of what they think they are far from being a solid unit. The big difference in the aggression the Johnson has shown. The wheel turns sometimes quickly and sometimes very slowly but when it does turn back please avoid any temptation to celebrate Englands success because you don't seem to be able to share the failures. A draw or a win in Perth and we will have a whole lot of nervous Australian supporters and to my optimistic way of thinking we must be closer to both rather than a loss, as if you roll 8 heads a tails must be just around the corner. Good luck England and if it's Black Friday for you tomorrow you still have my unequivocal support.