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The Ashes are alive: Beware a wounded England

7th August, 2019
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7th August, 2019
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Australia have been here before. This is the fourth time in the past five Ashes in the UK they’ve been in a good position early in the series. History suggests the hard work has just begun for the Aussies.

In 2005, Australia won the opening Test and went on to lose the series. In 2009, they dominated the drawn first Test but could not win the series. In 2015, Australia thrashed England by 405 runs in the second Test but fell apart in the next two matches to hand back the Ashes.

It was the 2005 contest, one of the all-time great Test series, which kick-started Australia’s run of four consecutive series losses in the UK.

A talent-laden Australian side were warm favourites to win that series and justified that by hammering England by 239 runs in the first Test at Lord’s. All-time great seamer Glenn McGrath ran amok with 9/82 and it looked as though the Ashes may be one-sided once more.

Then McGrath trod on a ball, badly injured his ankle, England won the next Test by just two runs and went on to register a rousing 2-1 series win.

In 2009, Australia started with one of their most commanding batting efforts of the modern era. Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting, Marcus North and Brad Haddin all scored first innings tons as the tourists churned out a monumental total of 6/674 in the first Test.

Batting a second time, England looked gone at 5/70, needing 169 to make Australia bat again. In the end, it came down to the final 11 overs of day five, with two of the worst batsmen in world cricket – Monty Panesar and James Anderson – needing to hang on for a draw. Remarkably, they did.

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Despite controlling that Test, Australia came away with nothing, only for England to bounce back and win the second Test. The third match was rained out, Australia levelled the series in the fourth Test and then England were clinical in the decider to regain the Ashes.

It was a similar story in 2015. After demolishing England in the second Test at Lord’s, Australia had all the momentum. England were being slammed by their media, and it remained unclear whether the home side could handle Australia’s express pace.

As it turned out, speed was irrelevant in the next two Tests. On much juicier pitches, the skill, accuracy and know-how of the England quicks outweighed the brawn of the Aussie fast men. Just like that, the Ashes were gone.

David Warner leaves the crease after losing his wicket

(AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS)

That all helps underline why this current series is far from over. Australia may well need to claim another two Tests to actually win this series, as opposed to drawing it and retaining the Ashes. While the Aussies would no doubt be pleased just to hold on to the urn, ending their 18-year drought in England is the aim.

Sections of the UK media have been brutal on England in recent days. That is to be expected when, as the home team, you lose an Ashes opener by 251 runs. Yet England had Australia on the rack three times in the first Test, they just couldn’t finish them off.

Being a man down, due to the injury to star swing bowler James Anderson became a major factor as both of Australia’s innings wound on. It was particularly influential in the second innings when part-time spinners Joe Root and Joe Denly bowled 26 overs between them, taking 0/122.

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England were further weakened by picking as their sole spinner Moeen Ali, who has been in good touch over the past year but gets punished whenever he plays Australia. Moeen looks set to be replaced for the second Test by left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

Left-arm orthodox spinners have troubled Australia in recent years, with Keshav Maharaj, Ravindra Jadeja and Rangana Herath all enjoying generous success against them.

Also, Steve Smith is statistically most vulnerable against this style of bowler. By adding Leach and express quick Jofra Archer to their attack, replacing Moeen and Anderson, England will suddenly have a better balanced and more penetrative bowling unit.

Jofra Archer reacts after the Cricket World Cup final

(Photo by Gareth Copley-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)

They also have the attractive option of adding even greater variety to their attack by squeezing in left-arm swing bowler Sam Curran.

There is an intangible quality to Curran that makes me believe he can excel in the high-pressure scenario of being 1-0 down in an Ashes. Last English summer, in his debut season, he repeatedly stood up for his side when they were under the pump.

Curran seems to relish the spotlight and embrace challenges. His generous batting ability, combined with Chris Woakes’ excellent batting record at home, means England can afford to ditch Joe Denly, play an extra bowler in Curran and still lose nothing with the blade.

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My England XI for the second Test is Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Ben Foakes (wk), Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad and Jack Leach.

That is a side that easily could beat Australia at Lord’s, particularly if the surface is as moist as it was for England’s recent Test against Ireland.

Beware a wounded England.

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