England’s attack unable to back up Joe Root’s gamble to bowl first in Adelaide
ENGLAND’S bowlers could have condemned skipper Joe Root to emulate Nasser Hussain’s embarrassment for a devastating toss howler that condemns his men to an Ashes series defeat.
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SPOOKED by a low-rev attack shielding a crumbling spinner, England skipper Joe Root is set to emulate Nasser Hussain’s culpability for a devastating howler that condemns his men to an Ashes series defeat.
Root’s decision to send Australia in to bat on day one backfired as unconquered Shaun Marsh (126) powered Australia to a record Adelaide day-night total of 8/442 declared.
An attack still hurting from its first Test pounding in Brisbane failed to deal with enormous performance pressure.
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Root’s men delivered more overs – 149 - than Hussain’s hapless 2002 tourists did when the former England captain sent in Australia at the Gabba series opener.
“One of our challenges is taking wickets on flatter wickets so Joe wanted to give our guys the best opportunity to take 20 wickets,” explained England coach Trevor Bayliss.
“On this occasion it didn’t work out but I thought we bowled pretty well.
“We said we’re here to win, not here to make up the numbers. no one said it’s going to be easy but we’ve got to bat big in this innings.”
Hussain has long lamented a “mistake” in 2002 that saw Matthew Hayden strike a mammoth first innings ton (197) - including 186 on a series-shaping first day. England were in the field for 130.2 overs as Australia posted 492.
Root didn’t heed predecessor Hussain’s pain but his bowlers lived it as Australia punished a lack of potency.
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Former England opener Geoff Boycott bemoaned the lack of an “enforcer” at Root’s disposal while Kevin Pietersen noted “only two or three balls from the English bowlers above 140kmh.”
Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are tight, Chris Woakes and Craig Overton still developing but none have the raw pace that rivals fear.
“This England pace quartet just has no knockout blow,” noted Test legend Ricky Ponting.
Mark Stoneman (18) put up a brave front against Starc but was beaten for 150kmh pace and swing when trapped in front. Only rain saved the tourists from pending disaster late in the final session on day two, trailing Australia by 413 runs
Even if England gets past Australia’s vaunted trio of Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, off-spinner Nathan Lyon could be lethal in a way ailing Moeen Ali wasn’t here.
“That’s another reason why you bat first on day one, imagine the spin and bounce Nathan Lyon will get on day five,” said former Australian skipper Michael Clarke.
While Root’s decision might be flawed, Ben Stokes must have felt like digging a hole across the Tasman in Canterbury as Cummins and Shaun Marsh piled on the pain in an 88-run, eighth wicket stand that took Australia past 400.
Stokes can bowl 140 clicks would have been a handful with the pink ball in Adelaide.
Originally published as England’s attack unable to back up Joe Root’s gamble to bowl first in Adelaide