England lost at Perth. They were always going to, they never had enough runs and batted like idiots. Honestly, we could leave it at that. The wickets of Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Joe Root were plain pathetic, and all of them should be ashamed of themselves. The bowlers are not free of all blame either – they very kindly fed Travis Head’s strengths.
However, I do think we need question some of the media statements around this game. Anyone who says this is one of England’s worst ever defeats has missed a few defeats in Austrailia over the years. I always thought the games would be like they were today – England would not be too far out of it, but would have a few disasterous half hours that they often get away with in 3 match series, but in 5 test match series will open up a chasm.
Travis Head
I have to be honest, I have never rated Head, and I still don’t. He does not have a good technique. What he does manage to do is get bowlers to bowl to his strengths. He looks ungainly against short balls, so bowlers feed him short balls, which he keeps belting for 6. He walks across his stumps so bowlers go for the LBW – and he clips the ball away for 4. They see his static footwork and bowl outside off stump, and he crashes it away. It is just so predictable.
Head reminds me of Graeme Smith of South Africa and Steve Smith – though these are a vastly better batters. But these batters trick the bowlers into feeding strengths.
Here is a mad idea. Bowl to Head the same way you bowl to anybody else – just outside off stump on a full lenth. I think he is more likely to edge behind – like most batters – than to top edge a hook.
But saying all of that, Head was brilliant today, and it was a masterstroke to open with him. Undoubtedly, the Australians were better at tactics today than Ben Stokes, who was not at the races with bat or ball. He can not be at his best every day.
Can things improve?
I doubt that things will improve. But it is not impossible. I think we could ask questions about selection and also the toss. But whatever happens, England needs to score more runs – 300 must be the minimum.
It means hard practice – yes, they do need practice games – and some flexability. Not a change in approach – Head showed us that England’s approach is right. However, if a shot is dangerous and causing lots of wickets to fall, then don’t play that shot, or at least give yourself some balls to get in.
Indeed, when England got tentative, they also lost wickets. Play to your strengths – but don’t be reckless.
Was it a good test match?
No. Not in any way, shape or form. Test matches should last 4.5 days on average. When we have games over in 2 days – it means sides are not batting properly.
We know that 5 day test matches can be exciting. Yes, this game was unpredictable, but not high quality.
On this evidence, test matches will soon be 3 day slog fests soon. But it does not need to be this way – we saw how good the games were in the English home summer when they went into days 4 and 5.
Give me Steve Waugh’s Australians or Andrew Strauss’ England any day – and both of those teams would batter the current day teams.
Cricketed 