England may have been denied the presence of their talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes in this Ashes series, but it is the lack of input from their two best batsmen which has crueled them.
Captain Joe Root entered the Ashes as the world’s number two ranked Test batsman, while former skipper Alastair Cook is England’s all-time leading Test runscorer.
In the absence of Stokes, due to his alleged involvement in a street brawl, Root and Cook needed to lead the England batting if the tourists were to compete strongly in this series.
Australia’s quality bowling attack has been their biggest asset for many years now and England’s two most accomplished batsmen simply had to make them toil.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Instead, Cook has continued his horrid run in Ashes cricket and Root is still yet to come to terms with playing in Australia.
For many years now, Cook has escaped the level of criticism he deserves for his weakness against quality pace bowling. Again and again he receives plaudits for his long and undoubtedly fine career. But the reality is that he has long been very vulnerable against good pace attacks.
Both Cook’s footwork and his range of strokes are limited. He very rarely strikes the ball confidently in front of square on either side of the wicket.
His once imperious pull shot, the one he used to pummel Australia in 2010-11, is now only useful against medium pacers.
That Ashes series, when Cook piled up 766 runs, was an anomaly. An extraordinary performance, but an anomaly.
Across Cook’s other six Ashes series, he has averaged 28 with the bat. Since 2011, Cook has not had even one good series out of seven against Australia and South Africa, the only two teams he has faced in that time who boasted quality pace units.
Whether at home or away, Cook has been unable to come to terms with the mix of genuine pace and generous skill boasted by the quicks from those two countries. So it has been this past fortnight as Cook has been worked over by the Australians.
With 46 runs from three knocks, he has been a non-entity. In a top five featuring three rookie batsmen – James Vince, Mark Stoneman and David Malan – Cook has been the biggest failure, leaving that trio exposed to the marauding Australian attack.
The Australians know that Cook only has two fruitful strokes these days – the cut shot and the nudge through the leg side. For an attack as gifted as Australia’s, that makes the English veteran very easy to shut down.
It is hard to see how Cook will have any impact over the remainder of this series and, to be blunt, that won’t particularly matter as the Ashes are already all but gone.
Even an epic knock from Root in the second innings of this Test is unlikely to save England.
While Root is a fantastic batsman, there is no ignoring his woeful record in Australia. From six Tests down under, he has made just 267 runs at 26.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
It is the one major blot on his incredible Test record, yet even if Root dominates over the remainder of this series it will be too little too late.
He needed to set the tone for his side early in the series, like his opposite number Steve Smith did at Brisbane as he hauled Australia out of the muck with a remarkable unbeaten ton.
Root, meanwhile, had a chink in his technique exposed by the Australians, who noted the manner in which he often overbalances to the offside when looking to flick the ball off his pads.
Twice at Brisbane he was undone in the same manner by pace deliveries tailing in towards Root and trapping him in front.
Yesterday we got a peek at Root’s biggest weakness, his tendency to aim optimistic drives at wide deliveries better left alone. It is via such loose drives off either the front or back foot that Root regularly donates his wicket.
In comparison to Smith, who is so hard to dislodge once well set, Root drives England supporters mad by throwing away starts with needless strokes.
He has reached 50 a whopping 46 times in Test cricket, yet has turned only 13 of those knocks into centuries. Root may just have one final chance to swing this series over the next two days if England can go on to roll Australia very cheaply today.
Australia have been left ever so slightly vulnerable by Smith’s bizarre decision not to enforce the follow on yesterday. The hosts had England down and out, with an opportunity to bowl at them again with a new ball under lights.
Instead Smith handed that juicy scenario over to England, who gleefully accepted his offer and made the most of it.
With the pink ball swinging and seaming all over the place, as it tends to do in the final session, England’s quicks looked more dangerous than they had all series. This ensured that Smith’s decision came back to haunt him.
Don Freo
Guest
There's a part of my previous response that you are pretending to have not read. Try again...go on.
OJP
Guest
fair enough too Rellum; well played !
Don Freo
Guest
The numbers say otherwise. You seem to live in your own little imagined world where things happen according to the script of your imagination. Here's a hint, little Ben. If you want to have sensible conversations, read some articles. The articles on The Roar are a good starting point because there is information there. Reading, however, is a great starting point. Try it. I suspect you go straight to the comments section.
Scuba
Guest
Always good to see the resident jingoistic journalist put himself out there, only to be made to look stupid. How's Root going now Ronan?
Ben Brown
Guest
So everyone doing poorly means he gets off the hook? Peter Handscomb, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, David Warner, Matthew Wade all had better averages than Shaun Marsh. He consistently scores a hundred than bugger all until his next hundred. That is a fact which you can't conveniently spin around to suit your pathetic argument, because I've just given you the facts.
JimmyB
Guest
Dawid Malan struggled to assert himself in SA domestic cricket before moving abroad....11 years ago.
Peter
Guest
Oh Gawd, you're not a NSW State of Origin supporter, are you?
Don Freo
Guest
And, despite that, he is averaging over 50 in Test cricket in the past 2 seasons. Averaging over 55 in Shield cricket over the past 3 seasons. Do you know who else did poorly in Border/Gavaskar? Everyone. Now, you tell me, what is wrong with an average of over 50 in Test cricket over a 2 year period? That is consistent. Also, why are you dropping Bancroft?
Ben Brown
Guest
Hey Don Freo, how about his average of 18 in the Border-Gavaskar series in Feb-March this year. And average of 18 batting at No. 4 from the supposed 'subcontinental specialist'.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
All hypothetical with Bancroft here. Marsh has inconsistent returns at test level, sure, but just as much, if not more, of that is from injury rather than actual form/ability. When he's on there's no-one better to watch and he's on right now.
Don Freo
Guest
What "consistent failures" are these? Any numbers? Any dates? You are dropping Bancroft, why? Because Davy Warner ran him out?
Ben Brown
Guest
But Marsh's previous consistent failures tell me he won't make it to the South Africa series. But it would be a good way to reintegrate Burns back into the test team. Even if Marsh somehow puts up some consistent performances he probably only has 18 months left at the top level anyway. Which is perfect if Matthew Renshaw can find his form again, might take a few years though.
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Marsh averages 40 as a test opener, he could certainly do the job well. Burns is very versatile in the order, but he's been doing the job as opener (and in my opinion, would still be in the test team if he wasn't unfairly chopped after Hobart). I would say Burns to open, Marsh's experience is good for number five and Maxwell at six is a no-brainer.
Ben Brown
Guest
Matthew I think your someone who can employ a bit of logic and reason to your arguments, so I'll propose one here. With Joe Burns looking like he could be returning to Test match level contention and Glenn Maxwell a near certainty for the next batsman in, how would you fit these guys in the same lineup? If Bancroft and Handscomb fail to deliver the good over the next couple of test matches would you set Burns to open, or promote Marsh to open(as much as a I think he's a useless test cricketer) and slot Burns in at 5 and Maxwell at 6? I think that would give us a shield openers stability at 5 with firepower and aggression at 6. Also Maxwell batting at 3 in the shield is good for his technical game. Of course this is just my own personal view and hope that Handscomb finds form, but if not we have at least 2 batsman finding quality form with Burns being a proven Test Player.
DavSA
Guest
Hi Ronan , In any series it is vital that the senior players perform and as your article suggests both Root and Cook have not ( so far at least). Cook like South Africa's Graeme Smith was , is limited in his stroke play but as an opener that can be an asset. The difference in comparison lies in the footwork . I have also heard time and again that lack of footwork goes to confidence. What must be concerning for England fans is a seeming lack of quality in depth both in batting and bowling . Dawid Malan struggled to assert himself in SA domestic cricket before making the move abroad . He played 1 test in Englands recent series against SA averaging single figures and was dropped yet finds himself back in the starting line up in the Ashes . This shows a real lack of forward planning by Englands management. But lets not take away the bowling of Australia. It has been near faultless.
Nudge
Guest
Spot on Matthew, why the heck would you want to bat last if you don’t have to. Smith made the right call. A call he wouldn’t have had to put too much thought into.
Bakkies
Guest
Ozinsa England put on 60 odd for their eighth wicket. As sloppy as they have been with the bat they still have a deep line up that could still scrape a lead the following day.
DaveJ
Guest
At 6/77 with the possibility of a 320 chase he’s not looking so toothless. Wouldn’t but on it, but a Headingly ‘81 style upset and egg on our faces is not out of the question. Handscomb’s luck looks to have run out, Maxwell to have another run now.
ozinsa
Guest
If they are 4 down at stumps following on, it’s game, set and match. Wrong call
Matt P
Roar Rookie
Pretty shocking stuff. Should have been instantly banished for a good while. But hey, while we certainly aren't angels, the Poms are hardly shining moral compasses.