A classy knock
An alien landing at Edgbaston would quickly work out that England fans seem dislike Steve Smith but also fear him. David Warner has won the fans over a bit, but he is also feared. Everybody expects Marnus Labuschange to make runs at some point.
However, I, for one, did not realise that Usman Khawaja could play like that. He ground England down while playing classy shots. It was a great relief when he was bowled by Stuart Broad, and a surprise when he did not press on for 200, done in by a bizarre Ben Stokes field.
I remember a loose player coming in against England at 2010/11. Like Smith, the early impressions were very wrong.
Missed chances
England could and should have had a lead of 100. They missed useful chances, with Broad’s no-ball being particularly frustrating. Broad was self-critical and did not look to make any excuses, and he was right to point out that over his career, he has not bowled many. English cricket has a real problem with no-balls – yesterday I was at Old Trafford and saw another one when Luke Wood overstepped for Lancashire. I do not remember Lord Botham bowling very many – though he did not have a third umpire to contend with. But this is surely basic stuff that any coach should stamp out.
The Jonny Bairstow situation is more difficult. At the start of the summer, I could not see how Bairstow could be fit to keep wicket in a test match given his injury last year. Even if he is fit, he is out of practice. When was the last time he ‘kept for England for any sort of period? I can not see how you get Ben Foakes into this team without making a tough call on someone, and all the top-order are going to know it. Having already decided that Root stays at 4, the openers are safe. So Ollie Pope and Harry Brook need to score runs as Bairstow will have to improve to keep the gloves.
Are they fit?
I am not convinced Bairstow is fit. Ollie Robinson speant half the day off the field on Day 2, though he did make a spectacular comeback on day 3, though I do not approve of the way he spoke to Khawaja. Moeen Ali is suffering with an injured finger that perhaps should have been thought about sooner. Stokes is clearly not fit to bowl, and at some point, his knee will give up – for good.
As Michael Vaughan pointed out on BBC, these guys are not getting time on the field and are not able to build up match fitness. I am not sure it would help, but it does feel very touch and go as to whether we can put a set of bowlers out.
But does it matter?
Whatever we say, this team is in a different world to the England team that played in the last Ashes series in Broad’s ‘void’ Ashes. It is easy to complain about the negatives I have outlined. But let us not forget how dreadful it was. Things are a great deal better, and the transformation has been incredible. It is going to be quite a series.
Cricketed 