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Opinion

Ashes niggle in January? Strap in for a long year

28th January, 2021
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28th January, 2021
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It’s already started. English potshots at the Aussies, Aussie potshots back.

And so on, until we finally hit late November, when it begins. It’s an Ashes year, which is equal parts exciting and exhausting.

National selector Trevor Hohns on Wednesday felt the need to launch a defence of Tim Paine from criticism abroad after the Australian captain’s performance in the recent series loss to India.

“Some of the criticism he’s had to endure in our view has been pretty wide of the mark,” he said.

“In particular, some of it has been in poor taste from overseas people.”

It didn’t take much to work out who the “overseas” people were.

Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen were particularly critical of Paine and his position as captain, and their views gained traction around the world. Reports in Newscorp papers suggest the Australian setup were “seething” at what they viewed as overly harsh criticism.

Head of national teams Ben Oliver also felt a need to respond.

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“After a series that attracted so much global interest, it was inevitable there’d be scrutiny,” he said.

“But some of the commentary surrounding Tim and his position as Test captain has been wide of the mark.”

There’s no issue with the comments; two senior members of Australian cricket’s hierarchy staunchly defending their on-field leader. But the niggle has already started, and it draws attention to a somewhat exhausting cycle.

That is, that a large chunk of discussion in Australian and English cricket is contextualised through the lens of the next Ashes series.

“He’ll turn 37 in the next Ashes series,” is something we’ve already heard many times regarding Paine.

Tim Paine reflects on victory

(AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

“Is X in our next Ashes team though?”. “Can Y get through five Tests?”

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Given the intense and historical rivalry, it is understandable.

And I’m certainly no saint in warding off the temptation of writing a prospective Ashes XI piece way out from the series start. But the early focus tends to inadvertently devalue other series.

There was more Ashes forecasting throughout this summer than there was talk of the upcoming tour of South Africa.

Which makes little sense given what is on the line in just over a month. The last tour of South Africa was an unmitigated disaster and turned Australian cricket inside out.

Year-long bans were handed to Australia’s captain and vice-captain, the coach stood down and behaviour on the tour proved the impetus for a wide-ranging, top-down review of cricket culture in this country.

After the series, Australian cricket started afresh under the helm of Paine and Justin Langer.

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As such, the upcoming series represents a full cycle of the new era. Ashes talk also seems premature with what is at stake in South Africa.

The upcoming series will determine whether Australia can make the World Test Championship final in June, something they appeared almost certain to do after taking a decisive 1-0 lead against India in December.

Interest in the WTC had been minimal but, all of a sudden, four countries (India, Australia, New Zealand and England) are chances of making it to Lord’s.

While the calculations are somewhat mind-bending, it looks like Australia will need to win 3-0 or 2-0 to guarantee qualification into the final. They could qualify with a more marginal victory (1-0 or 2-1) although that would rely on England being competitive (or winning) the upcoming series against India.

So can we hold off on the Ashes talk for just a bit?

Maybe, but it’s unlikely.

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