Any remaining English hopes in this match rested squarely on the shoulders of their captain, as they resumed 44 runs behind with only four wickets intact under a hot day four in the Brisbane sun. Did Ben Stokes have another cricket miracle in him? For all the talk about Bazball, England’s game plan seems too often to boil down to that question.
Given Scott Boland could bat for 2.5 hours on this pitch the previous day, it stood to reason Australia could have their work cut out for them removing Stokes and Will Jacks if they were up for a fight, which they soon proved to be. Given the game situation, if Australia couldn’t get an early breakthrough then they needed to prevent England building any sort of lead at pace. So even though they were wicket-less in the first session, the fact only 59 runs had been accumulated meant few alarm bells would have rung.
Stokes and Jacks remained entrenched after the main break, but a disciplined Australian attack meant they could never break the scoring shackles. Whereas England’s bowlers had frittered runs away like millionaires in this game, Australia were conceding their corned opponents nothing. The partnership had crept along to 96, and England’s lead to just 47, when the decisive moment arrived.
Will Jacks had seen off Steve Smith with a blinding catch on the game’s second evening. Smith now returned the favour, diving low to his left at slip to pluck an equally brilliant catch off Michael Nesser. It was just reward for Nesser, who was bowling a searching spell that increasingly suffocated the English pair.
As Gus Atkinson joined Stokes, all were wondering if Stokes was about to launch another of his famous assaults. Such thoughts were rudely interrupted as Alex Carey, standing up to Nesser, nonchalantly snaffled a Stokes edge to send him on his way for an even 50. Stokes’ reaction showed he knew the jig was up. This was the crowning moment in a peerless keeping effort from Carey in this match.
That England’s tail were now wrapped up felt like a formality. In the end they lost 4/17. Nesser finished with 5-42; his long experience on flat Gabba decks coming to the fore. Though it had seemed a mistake to have left out Nathan Lyon, Lyon couldn’t have done the job any better this day.
Needing 65 for the win, Australia’s main concern was the storm clouds appearing on the Brisbane radar.
Having bowled within himself through most of Australia’s long first innings, Joffra Archer now chose to crank it up in the 150kph zone for the first time since day one in Perth. These fireworks had been needed here on day two. Like all of England’s efforts this day, it was too little too late. Australia’s openers had knocked off half the target in five overs before dinner.
Atkinson coaxed Travis Head to chop one onto his stumps after resumption. Then Marnus Labuschagne copped a rearing delivery that he could only glove to the keeper. It was a moment for England to ponder what could have been if they’d presented Australia with even a modest chase.
That’s England’s campaign thus far – a succession of what-if reflections on squandered opportunities.
Ludicrously, Archer chose the penultimate over to get into a verbal stoush with Smith. Smith had an emphatic last word, finishing the game by clouting a couple into the crowd. Australia had their second successive eight-wicket victory inside six days of Test cricket play.
England’s pre-tour huff and puff is starting to look ridiculous. They have won the toss in both Tests. Two of Australia’s champion bowling quartet are yet to take the field. Its most experienced opening bat has played no meaningful role in proceedings. As an added bonus, Australia convinced themselves to leave a third member of the famous bowling quartet out for this game. It is hard to conceive more propitious circumstances. Yet they are again 2-0 down.
There is nothing inherently wrong in aiming to play positive cricket. But at this stage of the Bazball experiment, perhaps its greatest failing has been the avoidance of consequence for all involved. It’s one thing to play fearless cricket. It’s a completely different thing to play ignorant of consequence. If there is no consequence, what is to prevent a batter from repeating his mistakes? If you have a pre-determined team for a pre-determined game style, what do you have to do to get dropped? Particularly if you pick a touring squad that seems designed to reinforce your prejudices. If failure is not to be contemplated, then how do you deal with it when it arrives? That is England’s dilemma now.
But enough of the vanquished. Australia has not played perfect cricket, but is has risen to the challenge of each adverse circumstance it has confronted.
Mitch Starc has not just shouldered the burden of absent colleagues, he has thrived. Crucially, he has truncated both England first innings when the rest of the Australian attack was showing signs of flagging. Then his batting yesterday showed an understanding of how time can be your friend in Test cricket. An understanding that seems well beyond England. Most of all, when the going was tough he’s played tough. Having batted for three hours and already bowled a couple of spells, he finished the third night’s play still charging in, still bowling 140kph plus, claiming a couple of decisive wickets to break England’s back. England’s bowlers should feel shamed by the comparison.
This England team is on course to go the way of much less talented predecessors. Disaster is looming. Do they have it in them to reverse the trend? Pardon us if we don’t hold our breath.
England 334 and 241
Australia 511 and 2-69
Australia won by 8 wickets
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About John Butler
John Butler has fled the World's Most Liveable Car Park and now breathes the rarefied air of the Ballarat Plateau. For his sins, he has passed his 40th year as a Carlton member.
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JB – MANY YHANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED CONTRIBUTION TO TEST CRICKET. Have you lined up for Day 5 in Adelaide. We are hoping for a better “effort” from the Englishmen. One does wonder if they have recovered sufficiently from the two maulings they have had in the ring with the counter punching Aussie Roo?
“If failure is not to be contemplated, then how do you deal with it when it arrives?” — great question J Butler.
I wonder what bazball is about, really.
Sometimes it reminds me of something that Australian cricket trots out from time-to-time: “That’s the way he plays.”
– after Shane Watson burns another review
– after Mitchell Marsh loses his wicket to a slog when application was in order.
– after David Warner is out attempting a big shot in over number three.
That may well be “the way he plays” in certain situations – but for the love of all that’s good, don’t things turn out better when players respond to match circumstances?? Assess, act, respond.
“The way he plays” should always be to assess, act, respond.
ER, there’s much of good old Watto in the whole Bazball ethos. As there is in Cam Green, for that matter.
Chase the flow state. Good vibes. And a good dose of megalomania thrown in.
The most basic principal any young cricketer was taught in my day was play each ball on its merits. I would think that still applies today. In fact, it’s not the worst way to approach life in general.
Bazball presumes to know better. How’s it going for them so far?
Cheers