Thank you Andy Murray and every other knocked-out Brit at Wimbledon. Thank you poor old Mark Cavendish, nobbled by malign Fate at the Tour de France. Thank you even Eddie Jones and the Wallabies in Pretoria after the usual Eddie-the-Lip verbals were shown to be so much bluster.
By Sunday morning there were no distractions, no voices off, no rival attractions. Cricket was left to hold centre stage on yet another theatrical Headingley mid-summer’s afternoon. It didn’t disappoint. It gave us yet another test match for posterity, rich in incident and dramatic to the last flash of Chris Woakes’ blade to settle the match in England’s favour and keep the Ashes alive.
We thought we had hit the cricketing heights with the 2005 series, for its twists-and-turns and stellar, stand-out performances. The 2023 iteration will yield as much thumbing of Wisden pages in years to come with recollections of peaks-and-trough matches, defiant, heroic performances from individuals in both camps – Mark Wood in white, Mitch Marsh in Aussie gold-and-green to name but two from an ever-lengthening roster – some bite and snarl, some mateship across the divide too.
And, yes, we did all begin to doubt the merits of Bazball, start to question the unwavering proselyting of its advocates, all the more so when you see the champ of 2022, Jonny Bairstow, slashing and burning almost every time he comes to the crease. Even with a healthy average for the series, Joe Root no longer looks like Joe Root when he is out in the middle, calm and composed, playing the right shot at the right time, as elegant and unruffled as any of the greats down the years. He’s been Bazzed.
Bazball was surely on the line at Headingly on Sunday. If England had blown it – and with England on 27-0 still requiring 224 to win it was far from a gimme even if a fourth innings chase at Headingly is considered one of the easier gigs on the circuit – the inquest would have had to have been probing.
The Aussies, too, had the bit between their teeth. No matter that they had fallen foul of the conditions on a chastening Saturday evening, losing their last six wickets for 108 and needing Travis Head to dig them out of a hole, they could have wrapped up the series on Sunday, been hailed to the heavens back home as world champions and the first Australian team to win a series in England since 2001. That’s quite a motivational spur to take into a day’s play, all the more so when you’ve got the talent of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to call on.
Chris Woakes celebrates dismissing Alex Carey. (Photo by Stu Forster – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)
Sure, you might be able to gripe that England had the best of the weather to get them across the line. It was miserable on Saturday evening when play did start but that is exactly what you want in test cricket. It is what makes it what it is – a test of everything across five days if necessary, of skill and technique, of character and temperament and of luck. That is what makes it special. It can be capricious and unfair. The rub of the green can go whichever way it damn well pleases. It fell for England at Headingly. And they made best use of it to win a real nerve-shredder.
Bazball, then, lives. There is no turning back. And there probably wouldn’t have been even if Australia had wrapped it up. Our heart-rates face the prospect of more heightened activity when the series resumes at Old Trafford in ten days’ time. The Ashes 2023 was sold to us a five act thriller. It’s living up to billing.
A Word For The Good Guys
Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Mitch Marsh. They waited their turn for all sorts of different reasons, much as they have always done. And they all got due return. And how. Wood and Woakes are terrific cricketers in their own right but also proper blokes. And from what we saw in the manner of Marsh’s prodigious knock of 118 from 118 balls in the first inning and his wry tone in the press conference (not to mention the wild family celebrations from a bar in Bali) Marsh seems to be cut from the same cloth. Good guys do get to go to the party after all.
Wood was named Man-of-the-Match for his electrifying opening spell on the first day, banishing all those echoes of the turgid pitches at Edgbaston and Lord’s, with the ball whizzing through in excess of 90mph. There has never been a better sight in cricket than the ball speeding down the track, the batsman narrowing his eyes and maybe tensing his body for the impact and the clip cordon waiting like vultures for any nick.
From Harold Larwood to Ray Lindwall, Lille and Thomson, Hall and Griffiths and so many other venomous West Indian line-ups and now in this test to Wood, a man who has suffered for his cause. It was hard to credit the statistic doing the rounds on Sunday morning that Wood has missed 80 tests for one reason or another, notably injury or selection, since making his debut in 2015. That’s perseverance for you.
Chris Woakes celebrates with Mark Wood after hitting the winning runs. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
His bowling was a class apart with his batting not far behind. To rival the 80 test stat comes yet another belter. Wood’s rapid-fire batting – 24 off eight balls in the first innings and another 16 at the death gave him a tally of 40 runs in 16 balls from an unprecedented strike-rate of 250. Fabulous stuff. He was there at the end with his mucker, Chris Woakes, who took six wickets across the piece and was there valiantly at the end, 32 not out.
Old Trafford and the Oval
Stick or twist for England? Selection is going to be a teaser with Jimmy Anderson due to return for his home test at Old Trafford. Lord’s Ashes debutant, Josh Tongue, is also in the mix after supposedly being ‘rested’ for Headingly. Moeen Ali to continue at no.3, enabling Harry Brook to bat in his preferred position of no.5? And how can you think to leave Chris Woakes on the sidelines? You can’t. As for Jonny Bairstow – just how much longer can England persevere with him as wicket-keeper. It’s painful to watch. It’s time (again) for change.
Pop
Roar Rookie
MICHAEL NESER 176 for Glamorgan 24 4s , 2 6s . HIGHEST SCORE ever . MUST PLAY FOURTH TEST!!! Leave Hoff out!!
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
He bowled 17 overs for 34 runs in that second innings so we lost wickets and let him tie up an end. And he's a pie-chucker, let's be honest. That's where the test was lost. We should have gone into the third day 2 down at most
matth
Roar Guru
Leaving out Murphy for the next test will likely depend on conditions. Based on our India series Cummins has no problems bowling Murphy, but that Headingly pitch was all about pace bowling. Which makes Smith and Labuschagne gifting their wickets to Ali even worse
Micko
Roar Rookie
Bairstow hasn't delivered with the bat either, but being freed up from the keeping role should probably see his batting improve. Wouldn't know where to put him, but if they want to keep to Bazball then Bairstow could bat at 3. I'd doubt they'd ever put Foakes at 3, so weird suggestion!
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
would that then be Foakes for Robinson and Anderson for Ali? Foakes at 3, Bairstow at 6, Stokes at 7?
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yeah, surely Murphy has to be left out for Old Trafford if he's going to be treated as an afterthought by Cummins, and thus a waste of a selection. Would love to see both Neser and Hazelwood in for Old Trafford as well. Boland should be on the chopping block as well, so Cummins, Hazelwood, Starc, Neser, along with Marsh (and possibly Green for Warner?) would be a great pace attack, with Head, Marnus & Smith able to chip in with a few spin overs here and there.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yeah, England have been seriously unlucky with both Wood & Archer over the years, especially when it comes to touring Australia, where both would put England in a good position to compete.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Don't think England can justify either Ali or Bairstow in the side for Old Trafford. Foakes should come in, and obviously Anderson will be back for his home test. Can actually see both sides going with all pace attacks for Old Trafford; England can't (now) drop Wood & Woakes, and Anderson will surely have to come back in. Australia will probably drop the ineffective Murphy (a bit of a victim of Cummins' poor captaincy), and Neser should get a match, but probably Hazelwood is due back too, so a bit of a conundrum there, especially with the fact that Starc was the standout bowler for Australia for once. Boland has been ineffective and down on confidence, so both Neser and Hazelwood back in for mine. :cricket:
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I was deeply unhappy with the fans, team, coach and many writers after the Lords test with English hypocrisy and santimony off the charts and then to win the toss again, to get the better of conditions again, I felt like I wanted this game more than any for a very long time. In the calm of a Monday morning, having absorbed a weekend where the Rats lost, my Wallabies were pumped and a chance to nail the Ashes slipped through our fingers, I am happy with the Leeds result for the reasons you state here, Mike. England cricket isn't just Bazball and it isn't just St Brendan. There is real toughness and there are really good blokes. Who couldn't enjoy the cricket played by Mark Wood or deny him the pleasure of a win on return and MoM? He plays with a smile and is a real character. Not for him the need to push the Aussies are cheats narrative by suggesting how he might have done differently, just fast and furious and all with a smile. Ditto for Woakes. Mostly in England it needs to be said but he is a proper cricketer. Always in the game and never giving less than 100%. Of course I'm disappointed we lost and disappointed for Marsh who would surely have grabbed MoM honours had we won. Another one of the really good blokes who has proper courage - MoM in a T20 WC final and now a match-saving and almost winning innings on return to the test side. None of my good mood will be extended if we don't now win a couple of tosses, get our fair share on the conditions and close out the series in Manchester which I fully expect us to do. Memo for Pat, if we don't trust our spinner, let's not play him. And if we can knock over the top order with good balls and attacking fields, we can surely do the same for their tail. Let's leave the bouncers for the shock weapon they should be.
The tagger
Roar Rookie
Have not been a big fan of England's holier than thou approach this series but love Wood. No false bravado. Just a talented cricketer
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
Nice to see sensible writing from an Englishman,Mick,instead of some of the stuff coming from their journalists. It has been a great series so far,with everything you could hope for,including the usual share of controversy.As you say,England have got a bit of head scratching to do with selections for Old Trafford.Surely you guys have a better choice at 3 than Moen,though?You would think dropping Bairstow would be an easy choice,but he seems to have a lot of support.As for the pace attack,that will be the really difficult one!
Caught and bowled
Roar Rookie
Best test series for some time.
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
we always thought the Australia-windies 81-2 was the best 3 test series ever. this is as good. and, yes, it's just the entree and main. dessert to come!
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
Moeen only needs to tee off once in a first innings and it would be worth it. if he came in at 1-70 after 15 he could go postal. in the absence of an alternative (batter or spinner), i guess it makes sense -and root loves 4 and Brook 5, so Mo gives them all of that.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
How do you fit Anderson and Tongue into the team? Woakes, Broad and Wood surely have to play, that only leaves one extra spot for a fast bowler. Assuming Robinson is out, that probably goes to Anderson, with Tongue only playing if Wood is not fit. Moeen at 3 is an interesting option going forward. I guess they aren't getting much out of him at No.8 so may as well sacrifice him at 3 to enable Brook to bat 5 where he is better suited. This has been the best first three tests of a series I've ever seen, but I'm hoping Australia play spoil sports at Old Trafford and reduce the last test to a dead rubber. Hopefully with an innings victory or a similar margin which spares my heart!
Caught and bowled
Roar Rookie
Both sides face selection "dilemmas". What a series. In hindsight & barring injury, an attack of Archer, wood, broad & woakes/Anderson would be formidable ,