Done and dusted in four days. England are 2 – 0 up in the Ashes. Hardly an issue for England to sort out, while for Australia it’s a case of which one do we tackle first. What a difference a week makes !
Last Sunday just after the Trent Bridge test, there was just this hint of optimism that the series might be a lot closer than what many folks had predicted. One week later, and talks of the white wash which did the rounds prior to the series seems a very distinct possibility. Can England be that ruthless to make it happen, or will Australia continue to play so poorly that they’ll make it easier for England to achieve it ?
What can Australia do ? Michael Vaughan was on Test Match Special saying that Australia should stick with Hughes, Khawaja and Smith for the remainder of the series, and in the end they would find out if the three are actual test match quality players. To an extent, the thinking with Khawaja and Smith makes sense, but Hughes ? He made his test debut in 2009, and in the four years since then he has been dropped twice from the test team. That should say a lot about his test match credentials. Pace/Spin – everything seems to faze him. It’s indeed a mystifying query – how did he end up 84* at Trent Bridge ! Forget Ashton Agar’s 98, that was a knock which made no sense.
The remaining batsmen are Watson, Rogers, Clarke and Haddin ( from the Lord’s 11) and the remaining batsmen are Cowan, Warner ( who is in Zimbabwe and not scoring much), and Wade. Are these replacements, one of whom is the reserve wicket keeper, any better than the one’s that took the field at Lords ? Highly doubt it. Added to is is the fact that chopping and changing a batting order will only worsen the situation.
It wouldn’t be the worst decision for Australia to make just the one change for the Old Trafford test. Drop Phil Hughes, and bring back Nathan Lyon. You’d expect Lyon to be back for the third test but at the expense of Agar. It would be better if Lyon comes in at the expense of Hughes, and they have Agar as a late order batsmen. Agar can’t do any worse than Hughes in the run scoring department, and while he’s no where close to a test match spinner, he’s a better option than Steven Smith. Suspicion is that should Cowan make runs at Hove, he’d probably come back in to the team in place of Hughes and Agar would make way for Lyon. If Cowan doesn’t score, then Hughes retains his place in the team due to TINA. It’s that desperate a situation for Australia !
Watson, Rogers, Khawaja, Clarke, Smith, Haddin, Agar, Siddle, Pattinson, Harris, Lyon – that’s a side which makes sense for Old Trafford. In paper this is a team that is short of a batsman and is one playing 5 bowlers. This batting order can’t do any worse than the one’s that turned up for the first two tests, and with the bowling line up, Clarke at least has a better spinning option, and a better fall back option should Lyon need a break. Will this happen ? Highly suspect it won’t.
It’s all gone pear shaped for Australia in the span of one week. The initial optimism fast replaced with desperation. It would take a monumental effort to pick themselves up after the hammering at Lords. The media, after sounding all positive after Lehmann’s appointment, will have a field day ripping apart the team. The Australian bowlers might start to look at the batsman and ask – do we have to do everything, including your role as batsman ? How soon before rifts and crack appear within the confines of the dressing room ?
If Darren Lehmann was looking for a challenge, he’s got one now.
Ramblings of an armchair critic 