I'd Be Salivating Facing England - McGrath

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The Australian team to fight back and claim victory in the first Ashes Test as decisively as they did, you wonder what psychological damage will be inflicted upon the England team.

How will they respond for the rest of series?

Unexpected Turnaround

I do not think no one expected what transpired on Saturday. When you look at the quantity of deliveries required to complete the game, it was the longest format on accelerated pace.

England were clearly dominant at lunch on the following day, leading by 105 runs with nine wickets in hand. The playing surface was still doing plenty. It looked so tough for Australia to get back into the match.

Shot Selection Woes

From that moment, England's shot selection was their big undoing. Scott Boland put in probably his worst performance in an Australia shirt in the initial batting, then turned it around in the subsequent innings to be the driving force for the comeback.

England's batsmen were out attempting to strike balls outside off stump, in the air, towards cover region.

Trying to score off those deliveries, with those strokes, is the one thing you just should avoid as a batter in Australia.

Adaptation Issues

It showed that England had failed to complete their homework, are not able to adapt or are unwilling to change approach.

There is a lot of talk about England's method, their aggressive style. I observed it firsthand during the recent series in the UK. Under their captain and their coach, they can be pretty stubborn when it comes to adhering to that strategy.

It is acceptable on slow, low pitches. On the quick, lively pitches of Australia it is a method fraught with danger. If England do not reassess, they will struggle for the whole series.

Pacer's Viewpoint

As a bowler, I would have consistently believed in the contest against this England team.

I depended on my precision, having confidence to land the identical area around off stump, with a some bounce and movement.

Even if this England team was going well, I'd be licking my lips at the idea of facing them, knowing one mistake could bring three or four wickets.

Skill and Resilience

There are occasions when England can be a high-quality team. They have talented individuals. Competent cricketers have skill, but exceptional athletes have the mental toughness and mindset to be flexible enough for the conditions.

They would been stunned at the way things unfolded at Perth Stadium, crushed at the way they were beaten. Now we will see what they are made of. Even as a loyal Australian, I somewhat wants to see them change, just to show they can get better.

Pace Attack Issues

It was similar with their bowling. England's attack was excellent on the first evening, then lost direction when they were attacked on the second night.

In Test cricket, all aspects require a Plan B. Frequently it feels like England have a single approach, then nowhere to go if that fails.

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Brilliant Innings

In defense to England's bowlers, they were hit by one of the great Ashes innings by the Australian batsman.

His century off 69 deliveries was the second fastest by an Australian batsman in the historic rivalry, 12 balls behind the legendary keeper at the Perth ground previously – a match I participated in.

My old mate Gilly said Head's innings was the better of the two. I agree. Considering the challenging nature of the pitch and the context of the match situation, Head's knock will go down as a highlight of cricket lore.

Strategic Decisions

It was a courageous move for Australia to elevate Head up the order for the second innings.

The opener has faced criticism for being unable to open in either innings. He had back spasms after playing the sport the day before the Test, but I do not believe the two were linked.

When Khawaja failed on day one, Australia promoted their number three and got stuck.

In promoting the aggressive batsman, who has the experience of starting in white-ball cricket, Australia were able to go on offensive to England.

Future Considerations

Now there is the question of what Australia will do for the second Test. I'd like to see them stick with the method of aggression at the top of the order.

That could mean Head remains, meaning a player such as Beau Webster comes into the batting lineup, or Head could go back to number five and the all-rounder or Josh Inglis could move to the top. It would be difficult for Khawaja, but occasionally you have to do what the opposition would find most challenging.

Tournament Perspective

After the opening match was controlled by the bowlers, some are wondering if the rest of series will be short, low-scoring Tests.

The venue is essentially the fastest, bounciest pitch in the global cricket, so the batters should get a some relief from now on.

It is not entirely about the pitch. Recognition has to be awarded to the pacemen for delivering the ball in the correct areas consistently. In general, batters on each team will need to look at how they got themselves out.

Pivotal Match

Now we progress to the next venue, and the completely distinct day-night conditions for the following match.

In the historic series, I was a member of the national side that dominated England to achieve 5-0. The rivalry in this country have a tendency of slipping from England rapidly.

At the present, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from 2-0, which is why Brisbane is such a massive game.

They must adapt, or the Ashes will be lost once more.

Lori Bryan
Lori Bryan

Elara is a certified fitness coach and wellness advocate with over a decade of experience in helping individuals achieve their health goals.