Super Mitch

One of the finest sights in world sport is that of a fast bowler charging in to hurl a 5.5 ounce missile of leather, cork and string at speeds of more than 90mph towards a batsman standing 22 yards away. No area is off limit. The batsman has to scramble for his life, ducking, swaying and defending not knowing whether the ball will be directed at his head, chest or toes. The batsman hopes the bowler will tire quickly and lose pace and accuracy. It is about survival rather than run-scoring. The atmosphere can be akin to a bear-pit.

England fans will remember the duel between Allan Donald, South Africa’s White Lightening, and captain Michael Atherton in the Trent Bridge Test of 1998 that has attained legendary status. Atherton repelled Donald’s high speed advances with skill and no small amount of luck and courage to see England through to a famous victory. Similarly, in Ashes competition, Andrew Flintoff was cast in the role of aggressor in 2005 as he ripped out Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting to the delight of a roaring Edgbaston crowd.

For Australia the nation’s fast-bowling hopes now rest on the shoulders of Mitchell Johnson. A fast, left-arm bowler he was named the International Cricket Council’s ‘Cricketer of the Year’ in 2009. If Australia were to regain the Ashes then Johnson would have to fire.

Sadly, from an Australian perspective, Super Mitch’s performance has been abject. A total loss of control has seen deliveries sprayed either side of the England batsmen who have pounced in the manner of King Henry VIII at an all you can eat buffet. Dropped for the second Test in Adelaide Johnson rebounded in Perth to produce a game-changing spell of rapid inswing but doubts remained as to whether he actually knew how he had rediscovered his ability to bowl accurately.

Johnson’s fragile confidence and natural shyness off the field has been further eroded by the verbal shellacking he has received at the hands of the Barmy Army. With Sydney to come it will be seen whether Melbourne represented a nadir. For hours on end England’s loyal band of supporters subjected Johnson to a repetitive ear-bashing that they would have never risked dishing out to Glenn McGrath – and nor did his performances give them ammunition to.

A less than complimentary ditty sung to the tune of the Addams Family played a bit part in the Barmy Army repertoire but it was dominated by the description of Johnson’s bowling sung to the tune of Sloop John B, “He bowls to the left, he bowls to the right, that man Mitchell Johnson, his bowling is shite”. Complete with hand movements thousands of Englishmen made their point to Johnson again and again. Even Kevin Pietersen, fielding in front of the Barmy Army, felt inclined to agree (see video).

For a man struggling to find any form, with the sun beating down and his team stuck behind the eight ball, it was the last thing that Mitchell Johnson wanted to hear. Every leg-side delivery or four was cheered mercilessly. Johnson needs to rediscover his form and fast if Australia are to re-emerge as a cricketing powerhouse.

Sprinkle Sprinkle

It wasn’t meant to be like this. It was my third trip to the MCG and on the two previous occasions I’d arrived with England already three nil down and would leave for Sydney a few days later with us down by four. But yesterday I saw England retain the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years with victory by an innings and 157 runs to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series.

If Carlsberg made a perfect day of cricket then for the English cricket fan Boxing Day was it. Over 84,000 people were left stunned as Australia were routed for 98 only to see England surge to lead by 59 at stumps, with all ten wickets intact. The Australian fans were silenced whilst the long-suffering but eternally optimistic Barmy Army were pinching themselves in disbelief not just at the cost of the watered down mid-strength Victoria Bitter that passed for refreshment, but at the scoreboard. That England rammed home their advantage without taking their foot off the Australian throat indicates a team that is learning to seize the moment – there are still relapses and remember that the best two Test teams in the world are currently playing elsewhere in the southern hemisphere.

Australia avoided the ignominy of losing the Boxing Day Test before the conclusion of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race but it was a close race for line honours. When Ben Hilfenhaus edged Tim Bresnan to Matt Prior before lunch on Day 4 the celebrations could start. Rarely did an England team play with such verve and focus but it is becoming an increasingly common sight. To do it against Australia in their own backyard is as rewarding as it gets. 

It has been curious to observe the reaction of Australian cricket fans from the old Bay 13. Volubly critical of their own team, especially the performance and leadership of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, yet there is a lack of consensus of how the team should proceed. It is clearly time for change but to what? There are few obvious contenders waiting in the wings. No batsman, other than Michael Hussey, was up to the mark and he was on the verge of being dropped before the Ashes started. Despite fielding more bowling options than England there has been an absence of control and lack of penetration. The attack leader, Mitchell Johnson, was missing in action for three of the four tests and he was marmalised by both the English batsmen and the Barmy Army for hours on end at the MCG.

England have embodied a squad united by a sense of purpose, discipline and a common goal. Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan, who were not in the starting line-up in Brisbane emerged as game changing bowlers in their own right. The Australian replacements were not up to the mark: Philip Hughes and Steve Smith will go back to finishing school. The much vaunted Australian Cricket Academy that produced a seemingly endless conveyor belt of talent, for so long the envy of English cricket, has evidently been left unattended for too long. The Sheffield Shield, the toughest of first class finishing schools, has been reduced to a beauty pageant where any glimpse of promising talent is fast-tracked through to the national side after a handful of games.

There is much to enjoy in England’s cricket. They bowl with guile and discipline, in tandem to build pressure on batsmen by denying them width. In 2009 Justin Langer attached the label of “pussy” to James Anderson. Little did we know that Anderson would return to haunt the now current Australian batting coach in his guise as the premiere swing bowler in the world. Runs have been scored by batsmen prepared to see off the new ball and build an innings. Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott have prized their wickets in a fashion that the great accumulator, Sir Geoffrey of Boycott, would be proud to call his own. It has been the grafters rather than the dashers who have battered the Australian attack in to submission. Andrew Strauss’ captaincy has become more astute as he has grown in to the role since his appointment in January 2009. Great credit too must go to Andy Flower, a coach who has instilled a work ethic previously unseen in an England team.

For England, whilst the celebratory sprinkler dance was performed to the delight of the Barmy Army there is still work to be done. When the hangovers subside this England team will get back to work in Sydney. The management and players wouldn’t have it any other way. There is still a series to win.

Game On

Prior to Perth there was talk of England going unbeaten through the Ashes tour for the first time in 40 years. Some of this came from the England wicketkeeper. There is nothing like a 267 run pummelling to refocus the mind. Enough of this touring squad experienced regular beatings on this scale four years ago to realise that there would be a fightback from Ponting’s men following Adelaide.

The ‘psychological edge’ was meant to be with England as Australia had been hammered by an innings. Australian cricket was in disarray. The captain and vice-captain couldn’t score a run, the meter had been running for 4 years as the nation searched for a spinner and the bowling attack could only locate the middle of English willow.

It was the return though of pace, power and swing in attack that did for England. Skittled twice for a total of 310 runs it was a confrontation with a rejuvenated Mitchell Johnson, the fastest bowler on either side, and a receptive pitch that the haymakers of Brisbane and Adelaide couldn’t cope with. Johnson showed what English players and fans alike had only heard about in dispatches. When he clicks, even if he doesn’t know how he does it, Johnson is a game changing cricketer.

The only batsman that showed the requisite skill was Mr Cricket or Mr Bloody Cricket as Michael Hussey is probably referred to in English team meetings. Andy Flower’s thinktank will unveil plan G in Melbourne following Hussey’s sixth consecutive score of more than 50. He batted like a champion, well supported by a disciplined Shane Watson.

At 69-5 on the first day an English win looked on the cards. The Ashes were there for the taking but from that point on Australia bossed the game. England’s bowlers, with the noteworthy exception of Tremlett, pitched short too often allowing runs to flow. Wickets don’t need to come only from outstanding deliveries but can be taken by two bowlers working in tandem to apply pressure. Swann was attacked from the off and unable to settle on an unhelpful pitch for him and Finn was profligate despite continuing to take wickets. Australia got away. All of Australia’s pace attack kept at the English batsmen and didn’t let up.

It is a novelty for England to head to Melbourne with anything other than pride to play for. 90,000 people will roar their support at the MCG on Boxing Day. The pitch traditionally offers assistance to spin but after the demolition job that Johnson and Ryan Harris completed it is to be expected that the groundsman will leave grass on the pitch negating Swann and playing in to the hands of Johnson. There will be tough selectorial issues for England to discuss; will the out of form Collingwood be replaced by a fourth seamer? Will Swann lose his place if the pitch is tailored radically or, most likely, will Finn pay the price for a lack of control in a team reliant on each bowler exerting control?

Lest the doom-mongers get too carried away with the Australian rebirth: Ponting and Clarke are still woefully out of form, their search for a spinner continues, Hussey will surely fail at some point and the series is level at one win apiece. Touring teams always struggle in Perth with Melbourne and Sydney historically proving far happier hunting grounds. In contrast to their predecessors this England team has good spirit and can move on with optimism having achieved much so far on this tour. It is now time for England to show that they deserve to take the Ashes home by bouncing back as winners. Happy Christmas. I’ll see you on Boxing Day.