Australia take the honours

England got off to the worst possible start at Edgbaston this evening when Australia stormed out of the gate to reach 112/1 a short time before close of play. Shane Watson, in for Phil Hughes claimed his first 50 against England while Smon Katich helped himself to 46 at just under a run a ball. The England bowlers were guilty of bowling an inconsistent line and length and only Graeme Swann could give any sort of control; he eventually had Katich LBW trying to pull a ball off middle stump.

There was drama just before the start of play when Aussie keeper Brad Haddin was forced out of the test when he broke his left index finger when warming up. The teams had already tossed and Ricky Ponting requested to Andrew Strauss that Graeme Manou be allowed to take his place. Strauss consented.

D-Day for Ponting and Johnson

“Rain, rain go away, come again another day”, or words to that effect, will undoubtedly be washing around Ricky Ponting’s head this morning. With the crucial third test now only 24 hours away, the grim weather forecast may match Australia’s prospects for salvaging a result from the forthcoming five days. The complexion of this series changed completely once Graeme Swann bowled Nathan Hauritz ten days ago. Whereas at tea on day five at the Swalec stadium Australia were going to win the series five nil, England are now going to win the series four nil. The domination Australia displayed for four days and two sessions at Cardiff is now a distant memory, The momentum is all England’s; once again the great and the good of Australian cricket and the press box are questioning Ricky’s captaincy – a theme Ponting will be finding tiresome after the struggles at home to South Africa this past winter.

After inclement weather prevented him from working on the pitch for much of the last two weeks, the groundsman, Steve Rouse, has already described the pitch as “jelly” and fears an under prepared strip. He said the same though in 2005 and Punter Ponting is not putting his money where the Warwickshire groundsman’s mouth is this time after being suckered into
putting England in here in 2005. The rest of that first day was spent watching Marcus Trescothick lead an English charge past 400 before the end of the day as the groundwork was laid for the dramatic denouement four days later. After looking at the pitch with his own eyes though, the Australian captain may well end up advising his selectors to give him the four seamers Rouse has recommended after all. The pitch looks like a return to the tracks that bowlersfrom all parts so loved in the 90s. If it still has the green sheen to it tomorrow morning that it currently displays then it would be a foolish or extremely confident captain who goes into the game with only three frontline quicks.

Australia, while not desperately needing to win at Edgbaston, will want to at least take the wind out of the English sails that have been billowing since Lords. To have the better of a rain effected draw may be no bad thing going into Headingley.

To this end, the gods seem to have favoured them this time. As we all know by now, Kevin Pietersen is out and Ian Bell, save for one innings against South Africa, has been uncertain at best when facing the top tier of test match bowling. Without Pietersen coming in at four the middle order suddenly seems vulnerable. KP guided a troubled Ravi Bopara through the afternoon session at Lords on day four. Could Bell do the same? Paul Collingwood, who could nearly be picked purely because he brings the best out of Pietersen when they’re at the crease together, undoubtedly loses some of his aura (if he has one) without the man from Port Elizabeth at the other end. If these three can’t put a score on the board, Matt Prior’s loose technique and overly attacking mindset means he is not someone who can be trusted to come in at six to gut out an Australian onslaught. The English middle order suddenly takes on a whole new level of
vulnerability without their best player. Andrew Strauss will be all too aware of this.

That is the positive for Australia. The major question though is even with the potentially weak middle order of England, will the Aussies have the fire power to even get that far? Mitchell Johnson’s travails have been well documented since Lords. Four wickets in four innings with an economy rate of over five might be acceptable in Twenty20. It is a disaster in test cricket.
Alistair Cooke may have a weakness against the straight ball angled into the stumps but he and Andrew Strauss maybe a compulsive hooker but both are perfectly capable of clipping leg stump half volleys through mid wicket and cutting wide long hops through point all day. At Lords they was asked to do little else by Johnson when putting together an opening stand of 196 on the
first day.

Johnson has cut a lonely figure since the second innings at Cardiff . It is not unusual for star bowlers from the southern hemisphere to struggle the first time they play in England. Even Glenn McGrath was caned by Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain the first test he played here in 1997. The difference between Johnson and most of the other Australian bowlers who have struggled in English conditions is that most were guilty of bowling too short initially, and they quickly rectified the problem. In 1997 McGrath followed 1/104 at Edgbaston with 8/38 at Lords. Johnson was barely been able to land it on the cut strip at Lords.

For his own sake, and for the sake of his future development, he should be dropped for Edgbaston. The lack of alternatives may see him reprieved though. Stuart Clarke is the obvious candidate but he may yet come in for Nathan Hauritz. If he does then it would be a straight choice between Johnson and Shane Watson. Watson is a better batsman but even in his current state, Johnson has more penetration with the ball. Watson is a batting all rounder to be sure but whether he can be trusted as anything more than a fourth or fifth seamer, especially given his injury history is open to question. Peter Siddle too has been full of hustle and bustle but has rarely looked like blowing through anyone on the tour to date. Only the excellent Ben Hilfenhaus has been exempt from criticism all series. It has been argued that Hilfenhaus and Clarke are too similar to have in the same attack. If that was the case then no team would want two Glenn McGraths sharing the new ball. It is an absurd argument to make. Both players can give Ricky Ponting the control he has lacked all series but especially so on day one at Lords. Not every ball need take a wicket, as McGrath himself demonstrated. A persistent line around off stump and an ability to keep it tight will always bring rewards. If only Johnson could find that combination.

If Australia’s problems with the ball can be sorted out they stand a great chance of getting the result they need at Edgbaston. Unfortunately, no matter how well they do with the ball themselves they may be denied by the weather. The forecast is horrendous until the weekend. It may be a case of gaining the ascendancy before launching an all out assault at Leeds.

Just a Thought

England's day so far, no doubt about it. At tea on the first day at Lords England were 225/2 with captain Andrew Strauss unbeaten on an even century. He shared a partnership of 196 with Alistair Cooke. Cooke was unluckily out lbw to Mitchell for a well made 95. He was unlucky not because he wasn't out - he was plumb - but rather it was the only straight ball Johnson had bowled all day. The left armer continued his bad form from Cardiff except he was much worse than the first test. Mixing wide long hops with leg stump half volleys, he cut a sorry figure for the first two sessions of the day, conceding 77 in eleven overs. The pick of the Australian bowlers was Ben Hilfenhaus. On the money from ball one, Hilfenhaus deservedly clamed a wicket when he brought one back into Ravi Bopara's pads. The Essex man may have got an awful decision in the last test but he could not dispute this one.

Kevin Pietersen looked uncomfortable to Hilfenhaus as the ball started to swing but Strauss continued on his serene way bring up his hundred two balls before tea.

It has been a tough two sessions for Ricky Ponting. After he lost the toss he then had to watch his bowlers get taken apart by the English batsmen. To add insult to injury he also lost his spinner, Nathan Haurits to a dislocated fingure when he tried to take a low return catch off Strauss.

Tea at Lords

England's day so far, no doubt about it. At tea on the first day at Lords England were 225/2 with captain Andrew Strauss unbeaten on an even century. He shared a partnership of 196 with Alistair Cooke. Cooke was unluckily out lbw to Mitchell for a well made 95. He was unlucky not because he wasn't out - he was plumb - but rather it was the only straight ball Johnson had bowled all day. The left armer continued his bad form from Cardiff except he was much worse than the first test. Mixing wide long hops with leg stump half volleys, he cut a sorry figure for the first two sessions of the day, conceding 77 in eleven overs. The pick of the Australian bowlers was Ben Hilfenhaus. On the money from ball one, Hilfenhaus deservedly clamed a wicket when he brought one back into Ravi Bopara's pads. The Essex man may have got an awful decision in the last test but he could not dispute this one.

Kevin Pietersen looked uncomfortable to Hilfenhaus as the ball started to swing but Strauss continued on his serene way bring up his hundred two balls before tea.

It has been a tough two sessions for Ricky Ponting. After he lost the toss he then had to watch his bowlers get taken apart by the English batsmen. To add insult to injury he also lost his spinner, Nathan Haurits to a dislocated fingure when he tried to take a low return catch off Strauss.

The End for Fred

Andrew Flintoff today announced he will retire from Test match cricket at the end of the current Ashes series against Australia. The Lancashireman, who has passed a late fitness test before tomorrow’s second test after injuring a knee in the first test, cited his injury history and the toll the five days of a test takes on his body. He will remain available for one day and twenty20 cricket.

The 31 year old came into the England team as a precocious teenager against South Africa in 1998 but was hopelessly outclassed. Like nearly everyone has since Ian Botham retired, he struggled with the tag of “the new Botham” and was in and out of the England team for several years. His reputation for living life to the full off the pitch as well as troubles with his own weight and fitness left him open to widespread criticism from the press and within the cricket world. However, he finally established himself under the management of Duncan Fletcher and the captaincy of Michael Vaughan, averaging 52 with the bat including a dramatic 142 at Lords against South Africa in 2003. He followed that up with fine performances the following summer but that would be only a prelude to the Ashes series of 2005. In a series acclaimed by many as the greatest of all time, Flintoff dominated the stage, inspiring Englandto a first win against Australia since 1986/87. His stats for the series – 24 wickets and over 400 runs – were excellent but they told only half the story. Every time he took the ball in his hand he made something happen. His over at Edgbaston when he took the wickets of Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting was described by Mark Nicholas commentating as “the over of the series”, he followed that with a 102 in the 4th Test that Wisden described as “ a century of murderous purpose.” At the end of that historic series it seemed the world was his oyster and only greatness awaited. Ultimately the fates would conspire against him.

Just as the England management a generation earlier had mistaken a great player for a great captain in Ian Botham, Duncan Fletcher and co did the same with Flintoff. When Michael Vaughan was injured before the next summer, Flintoff was named as captain. He led England for three test against Sri Lanka only for he himself to go down with injury. Andrew Strauss promptly stepped in and led England to a series win over Pakistan. England were to travel to Australia to defend the Ashes the following winter and with Flintoff feeling his way back to full fitness, Strauss seemed the obvious choice to continue as captain. Instead they picked Flintoff to lead the party.

Targeted relentlessly by the Australians, Flintoff could only watch as an outclassed England were whitewashed to the delight of the natives. He would never reclaim the greatness that briefly shone on him in 2005. Since that summer he has missed more tests than he has played and whispers had begun that perhaps England were a better team without him and maybe the test team could not continue to wait for him as he recovered from his latest ailment.

The latest knee problem seems to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. He informed the players on Monday of his intentions and as rumours started to fill the air he formally made his announcement though the Press Association and followed that with a press conference at Lords.

The timing of the announcement does put the selectors in a bit of a spot. What if his form does not merit a place in the last test? Will they drop him as they would with other players or will they allow him to say good bye to his adoring fans publicly? In any case it may not matter. “Fred” will continue to play one day and Twenty20 cricket which his bank manager will be very pleased to hear. Like Darren Gough before him, he seems destined to see out his days on the international 20 overs circuit and playing for England in the shorter forms if he is selected.

After 2005 Wisden described Andrew Flintoff as having made the “quantum, the Beamon leap, from excellence to greatness”. Ultimately it would be just a fleeting moment before his own body would pull him back to ranks of the merely mortal. He was a very fine test cricketer, but not a great one. If he had been blessed with a more rugged frame he may have made that quantum leap a permanent one, but maybe a fleeting moment was enough.