The Ashes: Australia make the decisive move

England’s batting always seemed to be punching above it’s weight througout this series so far, with the lower order providing plenty of important runs.  Particularly without Pietersen, there is not much authority in the top 6.

Today, having won the toss, their batting completely combusted under pressure from some fine Australian bowling in swinging conditions.  The score at lunch was 72/6, and England’s hard work in eking out a series lead has been undone in a single session.  Australia will now be heavy favourites to win this match and retain the Ashes.

With Strauss, the best of them, departing early to a fine catch by Marcus North, the rest followed fairly meekly.  With Mitchell Johnson seeming to have rediscovered his mojo and Stuart Clark immediately effective, England suddenly seem very vulnerable.  Clark’s figures of 6.5-3-7-3 are a continuation of his tormenting of England in 2006/7.

And of course, everyone has been talking about how Australia will plunge to 4th in the Test rankings should they lose the Ashes.  It’s a real schoolboy error to talk about Australian cricketers that way when it is still within their power to do something about it.  It would be no surprise if they routed England for the rest of the series to retain their number 1 ranking simply to spite the media, who deserve everything they get and then some more.

As for England, whilst they have had Flintoff available to play as an all-rounder, playing five bowlers has been a luxury they could afford.  After his retirement, this is a strategy they should drop with immediate effect.  Whilst many contend that Stuart Broad is capable of filling that role, he has not yet demonstrated anything much more than promise, and promise does not win Test matches.  Until they can find some world class batsmen, rather than some who can hover just above 40 in the averages, they will need to beef up their batting lineup.