England is still alive and kicking in the ongoing Ashes. They barely survived at Headingley despite the brilliance of Mark Wood. There are quite a few questions that Ben Stokes and McCullum will have to find answers for before Old Trafford. Despite the win, bowling still needs to be improved. The much-touted Bazball, is for now on the backburner. Australia somehow found a solution to keep the English batsmen quiet. These are the questions for England ahead of Old Trafford.
Continue with Bazball or traditional cricket?
Let us face it. Except for day one of the series, England batsmen were never allowed to score freely by Australia save for a couple of freakish Stokes innings. By and large, they were all kept quiet for 5 straight innings. That in itself is a huge achievement for Australia. Now, England is in a quandary. What do they do? Do they go back to their swashbuckling ways of 2022 or stick to the more traditional method? Bazball did not fetch them victory at Headingley. It was the measured and calm approach of the old traditional cricket that fetched them victory in the 3rd Test. Though England was not blown away in any of the games, they weren’t able to play the free cricket that they have become so accustomed to.
Credit must be given to Australia because they have not allowed them to. Commentators criticised Cummins for placing a sweeper cover in the first over on the first day of the series but now, Cummins stands vindicated. This is what England must counter. If they have to swallow their ego and play a bit more normal cricket, they must. I am not arguing that they will have to completely abandon their earlier method and go back to how they were in 2020. The batsmen must come up with their own method to bat against a specific bowler or during a specific passage of play. Australia has seen England’s method for the last several months and it is clear that they have come up with a plan. The challenge for England is to somehow overcome that and post a good total.
Johnny Bairstow and wicket keeping
5 catches and 1 stumping. That is the number of misses by Johnny Bairstow. In a closely fought series, that is a largesse that England could have done without. If only he had held onto those chances, the table would have been reversed. It would have been England who would have led the series 2-1. However, the England management in their own wisdom has decided to continue with Bairstow for the remainder of the series. It is quite unbelievable. For the sake of English supporters, they can only hope that this foolish decision does not end up in England losing the Ashes.
Geoffrey Boycott, the respected commentator, called for Bairstow to be dropped from the team altogether.
Boycott wants him dropped
“England took a calculated gamble and it hasn’t worked,” wrote Boycott. “In three Tests he has dropped catches, missed a stumping and can’t score any runs. It is very sad and outwardly he may show he is upbeat and full of exuberance, but when you fail on the big stage in the full glare of publicity there is nowhere to hide and deep down it affects your confidence. Someone needs to be brave for him and take him out of the limelight.
Well, I will not go that far. However, I certainly want him replaced as the keeper. Bairstow can continue as a batsman.
The bowling needs a revamp
Ollie Robinson and Moeen Ali are the obvious candidates. Yes, Robinson has picked up wickets at less than 25 in the series and Moeen Ali played a crucial hand in the Headingley victory but the point I am trying to make is that are these bowlers, really good enough as the number suggests? Moeen apart from those crucial wickets, has been taken for runs at will. Head treats him with disdain. Robinson on the otherhand, his fitness is not upto the highest standard. His pace drops alarmingly when he comes back for the 3rd, 4th or 5th spell. That is a serious cause for concern in a game of small margins.
It really is strange that England does not boast of any good spinner. Jack Leach is injured but does that mean that there is no other spinner in the land worthy of an international cap? What was the need to pluck Moeen out of retirement and straight into an important series? At this stage, it is obvious that Moeen will play at Old Trafford and at The Oval. The fact remains that he must not have been recalled from retirement.
As for Robinson, Anderson will probably replace him at Old Trafford. I do not think that his fitness supports playing 4 Tests consecutively. Is Anderson the right fit? Only time can answer.
Wrapping up questions for England ahead of Old Trafford
It is really unfortunate that Ben Stokes and McCullum continue to place their faith in the keeping abilities of Bairstow. It is also sad that Ben Foakes is not even being considered despite him averaging 40 and him being an excellent keeper. Pope’s injury afforded a path for Foakes to be included but the management is not willing to ruminate on him.
Just to think that if only Bairstow had held onto his chances, England will be leading 2-1 and not the other way around. Also, Bairstow, free of the gloves will be a menacing batsman. England in trying to accommodate someone is clearly missing out on a top quality wicket-keeper and a run machine.
Other articles related to The Ashes can be read here, here, here and here