🔗 Share this article I Would Be Licking My Lips Bowling to England - McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments The Australian team to bounce back and claim victory in the opening Ashes Test so convincingly as they did, one questions what scars will be left on the England team. How will they respond for the remaining series? Unexpected Turnaround I do not think no one anticipated what transpired on the weekend. When you look at the number of overs taken to complete the game, it was the longest format on fast forward. England were well on top at the midday break on the following day, 105 ahead with most wickets in hand. The playing surface was still doing plenty. It looked extremely difficult for Australia to re-enter the match. Shot Selection Woes From that moment, England's choice of strokes was their big undoing. Scott Boland put in arguably his poorest performance in an Australia shirt in the first innings, then completely reversed in the second to be the catalyst for the recovery. England's batsmen were out attempting to strike balls outside off stump, in the air, through the covers. Attempting runs off those bowls, with those shots, is the one thing you just should avoid as a batter in Australia. Adjustment Problems It showed that England had not done their homework, are unable to adjust or are unwilling to adapt. There is a lot of talk about England's method, their attacking philosophy. I witnessed it up close during the recent series in the UK. Under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, they can be quite rigid when it comes to adhering to that method. It is acceptable on sluggish pitches. On the fast, bouncy pitches of Australia it is a method full of danger. If England do not reassess, they will struggle for the whole series. Bowling Perspective As a bowler, I would have consistently believed in the game against this England team. I depended on my accuracy, backing myself to land the identical area on or outside off stump, with a some bounce and movement. Even if this England team was going well, I'd be eagerly anticipating at the idea of bowling to them, aware a single error could bring three or four wickets. Skill and Resilience There are times when England can be a top-class team. They have good players. Good players have skill, but exceptional athletes have the psychological strength and attitude to be adaptable enough for the conditions. They would been shellshocked at the way things unfolded at the venue, devastated at the way they were defeated. Now we will see what they are capable of. Even as a loyal Australian, part of me wants to see them change, just to show they can get better. Pace Attack Issues It was almost the same with their pace attack. England's attack was excellent on the first evening, then lost direction when they were put under pressure on the second night. In Test cricket, all disciplines require a Plan B. Frequently it feels like England have one method, then no alternatives if that does not work. 'Where has this come from?' - The dismissal as England collapse in quick succession Brilliant Innings In fairness to England's pace attack, they were hit by one of the memorable Ashes innings by the Australian batsman. His 69-ball hundred was the second fastest by an Australian man in the historic rivalry, two overs behind the legendary keeper at the Perth ground 19 years ago – a game I participated in. My old mate Gilly said the performance was the superior of the two. I agree. Given the challenging nature of the pitch and the situation of the game situation, the innings will go down as a moment of cricket lore. Tactical Moves It was a courageous move for Australia to elevate Head in the lineup for the follow-on. Usman Khawaja has copped it for being unable to open in either innings. He had back spasms after playing golf the day before the Test, but I do not believe the two were linked. When the batsman missed out on day one, Australia promoted their number three and got stuck. In moving the aggressive batsman, who has the experience of starting in limited overs, Australia were able to go on offensive to England. Upcoming Decisions Now there is the question of what Australia will do for the next match. I'd like to see them stick with the approach of aggression at the top of the order. That could mean continuation at the top, meaning a player such as Beau Webster comes into the middle order, or Head could go back to number five and the all-rounder or the keeper could go to the opening. It would be difficult for Khawaja, but sometimes you have to do what the rival team would find most uncomfortable. Tournament Perspective After the opening match was controlled by the pace attack, questions arise if the rest of series will be short, low-scoring Tests. Perth Stadium is pretty much the fastest, bounciest pitch in the world, so the batsmen should get a little bit of respite from here onward. It is not all about the wicket. Recognition has to be awarded to the pacemen for delivering the ball in the correct areas so often. Overall, batsmen on both sides will need to analyze how they got themselves out. Crucial Next Test Now we progress to the next venue, and the completely distinct twilight conditions for the following match. In the historic series, I was a member of the Australia team that overwhelmed England to win 5-0. The rivalry in this country have a tendency of getting away from England quickly. At the present, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from two down, which is why the venue is such a crucial game. They must adapt, or the historic urn will be lost again.