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While the majority of global cricket has been distracted this week by the retirement of a certain Sachin Tendulkar, elsewhere we move from the Ashes of an English summer to an Ashes Down Under.
It doesn’t seem too long since England were putting the finishing touches to what, on paper, appeared to be a comfortable 3-0 victory. However, many of the match results hinged on a single incident or passage of play, suggesting the sides were more closely matched than the scoreline suggested.
This time around Australia is expected to make the most of home conditions and will certainly not tailor the pitches to suit the spinners, one area in which England hold a clear advantage.
The Australians are far more settled now than they were in the summer, with preparations disrupted then by the dismissal of coach, Mickey Arthur, and the ban incurred by David Warner as a result of a bar-room indiscretion.
The squad has a familiar look to it, containing 10 of the team that contested the last Ashes Test at the Oval.
They have taken a risk in adding Mitchell Johnson (a move that will delight the Barmy Army who believe he sprays the ball around more than Swanny’s sprinkler) although his recent one-day performances bring a deserved recall. While he has the ability to take a hatful of quick wickets, concerns are emanating from the Australian media about his ability to reproduce similar spells later in a full day of cricket. However, in Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith, they have bowlers who can hold up an end.
Another one-day specialist to have earned a call to the longest format of the game is George Bailey. Even though his record is unremarkable in the Sheffield Shield, no-one can argue with his form.
He returns from India having skippered the one-day side, leading from the front in hitting a stunning 478 runs at an average exceeding 95. Aged 31 he will become the oldest debutant for over three decades and will become the 435th player to represent the ‘baggies’.
James Faulkner is the one likely to miss out although he may be called up if Shane Watson is unable to bowl. Either way, Australia’s batting line-up looks formidable and England will do well to take 10 wickets twice in any match.
The six-inch urn is being contested for the 68th time with the battle due to commence at the 42,000-seater Woolloongabba (The Gabba) in Brisbane tomorrow. Australia took the rather unusual step of announcing their 12-man squad one week before the commencement of hostilities with captain Michael Clarke also cheekily suggesting he could also name England’s.
The Australians have taken a leaf out of England’s book in starting the series at a ground that suits their strengths. They have not lost in Brisbane since 1988, a span comprising 24 tests. Furthermore, Clarke holds the record for the most runs scored in a single innings at the ‘Gabba, having hit 259 not out. Last time the sides met in Queensland in 2010, Peter Siddle ran through the England batting order with six wickets, leaving England to rely on a valiant second-innings rearguard action from Alastair Cook.
In addition, Cricket Australia has ensured that England enter the series under-cooked having faced only three weak line-ups ahead of the opener.
Heavy rain also hampered these preparations while injuries to wicket-keeper Matt Prior, Cook and flamboyant batsman Kevin Pieterson leave England nervously looking at their replacements. They also enter this series without the under-rated Tim Bresnan who can be relied on for a large number of economical overs while frequently contributing with the bat.
On arrival in Australia, England had question marks over their batting line-up. However, an undefeated innings of 153 against a Cricket Australia Invitational XI seems to have secured Michael Carberry the opener’s berth, allowing Joe Root to revert to his debut-position of Number 6. If Prior’s calf renders him unfit, Jonny Bairstow will fill in and can expect a pace-barrage reminiscent of the infamous bodyline series as they test a perceived weakness in that area.
The main question appears to be who will fill the position as third seamer. While Steve Finn has taken 11 wickets in the warm-up games, these have been relatively expensive. Furthermore, with various Australians talking-up his reverse swing capabilities, this would suggest they would like to see him selected!
While Chris Tremlett is the slight favourite and is certainly the more experienced, his absence in the last match suggests that Boyd Rankin may have crept ahead of him. He certainly offers a more economical threat.
While England look to have the advantage with spin and reverse swing, their four-man attack looks a little light. Furthermore, Swanny cannot expect wickets to be tailored to his requirements, while Australia now also boasts additional right-handers to combat the stranglehold he had developed over the lefties!
This contest is a match-up between starkly contrasting styles and mindsets. Australia boasts an attacking batting line-up with Warner, Watson, Smith and Bailey and aggressive bowlers in Siddle, Harris and Johnson. The batsmen are also expected to target Swann in an attempt to unsettle his rhythm early. England is more obdurate with Cook, Bell and Trott far more defensively-minded.
It is not only the playing squads that have come under review with the umpiring panel having been expanded to allow for the inclusion of the ICC’s most experienced and charismatic umpire, Billy Bowden. Despite a barrage of criticism in the last Ashes, the four officials have also been retained although Tony Hill will spend three of the five tests acting as third umpire to ‘provide some consistency in decision-making’.
Conversely, the technology available to the umpires is yet to be decided. There has been talk amongst the ICC that a new real-time snickometer, combining audio and video analysis, may be introduced. However, while this will be available to the TV pundits, it is yet to receive formal approval for use by the umpires. Eagle-eye ball-tracking has been confirmed, along with the much-maligned hot-spot review. Aussies will hope that Clarke has improved in his use of such reviews.
Remarkably, of the previous Ashes contests, Australia and England have won 31 apiece with five drawn, although the ‘green and golds’ have won more Test matches in securing the urn.
In England’s favour is the fact that Australia has failed to win a Test since the retirement of Michael Hussey. If England were to retain the Ashes, they would become the first English side to secure four successive wins since 1890. However, they still have a long way to go to match Australia’s dominance between 1989 and 2003 when they won eight on the trot.
While Cricket Austalia’s CEO, James Sutherland, has been guaranteed his job even if they are on the receiving end of a 5-0 drubbing, I expect the contest to be much closer.
While much could depend on injuries I’m predicting that by the time the series finishes in Sydney on January 7, England will have retained the Ashes.
