Australian fans long have dreamed and speculated about the carnage the so-called Big Four quicks could wreak if unleashed as one unit.
While that day is yet to arrive, last night’s events should have tided them over.
Bowling together in a Test for the first time, Josh Hazlewood (5-30), Pat Cummins (3-23) and James Pattinson (2-9) combined to roll England for a paltry 67 on the second day of the third Test.
With the fourth member of that unofficial group, Mitchell Starc, still in reserve, Australian supporters could be forgiven for feeling giddy at the side’s pace stocks.
That’s without even considering the gigantic potential of 22-year-old Western Australia quick Jhye Richardson. If fit, Starc and Richardson should press strongly for a Test berth at home this summer.
Today, however, it’s all about the new Big Three of Cummins, Hazlewood and Pattinson.
What they achieved last night was remarkable. Granted, this is a fragile England batting unit. Yet in batting conditions far more favourable than those Australia encountered on day one, England were powerless to halt the Aussie trio.
James Pattinson of Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
On the opening day, Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad had put on a remarkable display of pace bowling. Quite often they were too good, producing deliveries that were un-nickable. That was a seriously tough act to follow.
Yet Australia’s quicks were every bit as skilful, every bit as clever, every bit as composed.
It all started with Hazlewood. Forced to sit out the first Test as the selectors went with Pattinson, Cummins and Peter Siddle, the giant right armer had a point to prove at Lord’s.
His first spell in that match was phenomenal as he hit the right line and length with a consistency very rarely witnessed.
Hazlewood was just as precise yesterday while also rediscovering some venom. Whereas at Lord’s he concentrated on mimicking Glenn McGrath, yesterday he broke up those sequences of testing length deliveries with searing short balls.
This aggression added another dimension to his bowling, the same way it did in the last Ashes during which he intimidated the English batsmen with his under-rated bouncer.
First and foremost, though, it was his ability to find that perfect in-between length that befuddled the hosts. Time and again Hazlewood had batsmen trapped on the crease, transferring their weight neither back nor forward. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow were undone in just this manner as they nicked off.
While a suffocating line and length is Hazlewood’s biggest strength, Cummins’ stand out weapon may is his short ball. Few bowlers in the past decade can have achieved as high a percentage of wickets with bouncers as Cummins.
It’s not that he’s unable to operate with the accuracy of Hazlewood, perhaps just that he recognises his intimidation factor offers him a point of difference. All three of Cummins wickets yesterday came from well-directed short balls.
Pat Cummins will be crucial to Australia’s chances. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Rory Burns, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer all were unable to cope with his aggression. Cummins is tearing this Ashes to pieces, with 16 wickets at 14 so far. His Test record is growing more extraordinary by the match, now standing at 110 wickets at 21.
Pattinson, meanwhile, showed last night he does not need to take the new ball to be effective. Up to yesterday he had played almost exclusively as an opening bowler in Tests, rarely ever coming on first change.
When he was handed the ball after 14 overs last night Pattinson made an immediate impact. From his third delivery he had Ben Stokes caught at first slip flaying at a wide, full delivery.
It was a loosener, a rank warm-up. But with that wicket Pattinson gained some of the fortune he lacked in the first Test when things, repeatedly, did not go his way.
From there, Pattinson settled into a good rhythm and bowled quicker than he has at any point this series. Regularly he passed 140kmh and regularly he troubled Denly and Bairstow.
This wasn’t quite vintage Pattinson, not quite his peak, but it proved quite enough. He finished this lively spell with 2-9 from five overs before handing it over to Cummins and Hazlewood to complete the kill.
In the space of 27.5 overs yesterday, this new Big Three thrilled Aussie fans, rattled the English team and gave the tourists a solid grip on the Ashes.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
DP its now bout winning the ashes not a hate campaign on paine of course. I respect his past but the three ashes matches have been poor from him . Looking at manchester we have to do everything we can to win it. Theres a way forward with one wicket keeper batsman that makes sense to me given the history of the ground there. I might write an article on it. Sadly I think politics of smith warner and ridiculous judgmental attitude will prevent someone like carey coming in for paine let alone wade keeping for him
Old Fallopian
Roar Rookie
Sorry, I'm a bit late commenting on this one. I agree, they look impregnable, can't imagine any side posting 300+ on them. Especially final innings. For sure.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
agreed, I think Paines time is up. that test loss was a disgrace.
ChrisH
Roar Rookie
Oops! Our big three couldn't get the job done twice. Maybe a bit hasty jumping on their bandwagon.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
SO.......this said.....did you put a lazy 100 on at some amazing odds?
James Butcher
Roar Rookie
Sure why not...oh damn I think I burned my last review though. :laughing:
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Absolutely. Can’t see the Poms ever getting above 300 against that stratospheric attack...Oh, wait a minute...
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Do you want to review this comment.....?
Pierro
Roar Rookie
the answers yes replace paine with carey, paine has yet again blundered carelessly with DRS and cost us a referral that was plum out , losing australia the test match. terrible how many poor drs decisions and can't bat lately , keeping mediocre of late
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Unlikey for Harris to get only one test so I'd say its Ussi or Wade to go.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
big session with the new ball, fingers crossed
TheCunningLinguistic
Roar Rookie
Oh, I agree. Head hasn’t been poor, rather a touch inconsistent. It would be great if he converted a few more starts, but aside from that, I think he definitely deserves to be there. Warner and Wade have had one good knock each, Paine none. Khawaja is definitely inconsistent, and Harris & Bancroft are unconvincing. I think Paine is a very good keeper, but his batting has been rubbish and he’s missed a few chances. Give Wade the gloves and bring an extra player in, even possibly *gasp* Marsh? Top marks to Smith and Labuschagne, pass mark for Head, and an F for the rest of the Batsmen. Consider this: Siddle has the fourth highest batting average for the Aussies this series!
PeteB
Roar Rookie
I’m still confident with the 350, however it could be tight. Certainly would be feeling uncomfortable if it was only 300.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Well I think head v wade is fast becoming a selection and I lead to head. Wades teqnique has not held up at all since his lucky 100 on a flatter wicket. Manchester is usually a minefield and line and length . Wade would be much more suited at the oval. Answer in an ideal world now this test is done on aussie batting , is to bring smith in for harris , promote khawaja. Paine is doing nothing with the bat, in fact he's been careless and has been pretty mediocre for me as a captain this series , so many awful drs referrals and costly misses not referred. His keeping has been so so he's missed the beat a few times. They won't change him for this series but there is a real opportunity to get carey solid gritty batting in at manchester, much like labas . they are hard to get out ,compact and time the ball pretty well and can both take a big blow. Wades technique has been all over the shop for me , he was lucky to make 50 in his 100 . Id really look to replace harris and wade at manchester but doubt they will . It moves around at manchester usually, anderson bowls well there , often on greener decks and they are trying to get him in there . Food for thought. At this stage smith will come in to the side for harris or wade id say
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Id say its long odds, Im a fan but there have been cases to rest him at lords given the short duration and well we need him to come good tomorrow thats for sure , heres his chance
Pierro
Roar Rookie
yes he has done more than a lot of the other batsmen outside of laba . hopefully he can do more than get one 50 though in the series
Pierro
Roar Rookie
maybe we needed more pete, it was my concern , headingly is known for big run chases as wicket gets flatter , perfect for batting this afternoon thats for sure
Chris Love
Roar Guru
The one thing Patto doesn’t do that Starc does is provide Nathan Lyon the right foot marks for him to bowl nasty balls to right handers. Against Root and Denly he was trying to turn it out of bare pitch with zero rough. If England pull off the miracle here, Starc will certainly come into contention.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Paine has missed opportunities.So what's your point?
Zenn
Roar Rookie
it was a joke....