Catching and a fuller length: why England won the Ashes
ESPNcricinfo picks out six reasons why England have regained the Ashes
George Dobell
09-Aug-2015
Catching
There was some criticism when it emerged that England were to spend a long weekend in Spain just ahead of the Investec Ashes. Wouldn't the squad be better off playing county cricket? Or at least having nets? But it proved to be a valuable trip. Trevor Bayliss had identified England's catching as an area of weakness and, in between the rounds of golf and meetings, worked them hard. They had a long morning session followed by another late in the afternoon. As Chris Taylor, the fielding coach, put it: "their hands were hot" by the end of the day.
There was some criticism when it emerged that England were to spend a long weekend in Spain just ahead of the Investec Ashes. Wouldn't the squad be better off playing county cricket? Or at least having nets? But it proved to be a valuable trip. Trevor Bayliss had identified England's catching as an area of weakness and, in between the rounds of golf and meetings, worked them hard. They had a long morning session followed by another late in the afternoon. As Chris Taylor, the fielding coach, put it: "their hands were hot" by the end of the day.
The results were clear to see. England persisted with the same cordon that struggled for reliability in the Caribbean and against New Zealand and took some outstanding chances during the series. There was no better example than Ben Stokes' remarkable effort to dismiss Adam Voges in the first innings at Trent Bridge, but Joe Root, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Jos Buttler all held some outstanding catches. A few chances still went down, but England's much-improved catching provided the support the bowlers needed, maintained pressure on the Australian batsman and was a key factor in this Ashes success.
Allrounders
The inclusion of several allrounders in the England side - Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali (both of whom contributed two half-centuries) and, up to a point, Stuart Broad (who has averaged 24.60 in the first four Tests and batted better than for some time) - gave England a depth, with bat and ball, that was to prove crucial. Even when the top-order was dismissed cheaply, England had the batting to post competitive totals. And even if a bowler or two suffered an off day - as in the second innings at Trent Bridge - England had the bowling resources required to get the job done.
The inclusion of several allrounders in the England side - Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali (both of whom contributed two half-centuries) and, up to a point, Stuart Broad (who has averaged 24.60 in the first four Tests and batted better than for some time) - gave England a depth, with bat and ball, that was to prove crucial. Even when the top-order was dismissed cheaply, England had the batting to post competitive totals. And even if a bowler or two suffered an off day - as in the second innings at Trent Bridge - England had the bowling resources required to get the job done.
At Cardiff, for example, they were 293 for 6, when Moeen came into bat. The further 137 runs he helped add - he contributed 77 - helped England establish a dominant first innings score of 430 and put Australia under pressure. It was a similar story at Edgbaston. England slipped to 190 for 7 before Moeen, with 59, and Broad, with 31, helped earn England a lead of 145.
The style in which they have played is relevant, too. Moeen's strike-rate in the series is 78.08 - faster than anyone else in the top eight on either side - which helped snatch games away so quickly that it can only have demoralised Australia. By contrast, Australia dropped two allrounders during the series - first Shane Watson and then Mitchell Marsh - and rarely had the balance to either recover with the bat or sustain pressure with the ball.
Home advantage
After the rout at Lord's, English minds were concentrated. Why would England, as hosts, prepare a surface that did so little to help them? Was it a fear of Mitchell Johnson? Was it a desire to try and make the games last five days for revenue reasons? Either way, it was negative and counterproductive. In truth, the conditions in Cardiff did little to help England, either.
After the rout at Lord's, English minds were concentrated. Why would England, as hosts, prepare a surface that did so little to help them? Was it a fear of Mitchell Johnson? Was it a desire to try and make the games last five days for revenue reasons? Either way, it was negative and counterproductive. In truth, the conditions in Cardiff did little to help England, either.
But then the sides went to Edgbaston where they were confronted with what might be described as a perfect English Test wicket. There was decent pace, decent carry and some seam movement. Good bowling was encouraged and loose batting punished. They were conditions in which county cricket is played regularly and in which most of this England side had been developed. Conditions which their bowlers know how to exploit and their batsmen know how to negate. They responded by defeating Australia in three days.
More of the same followed at Trent Bridge. There was a clear lesson: if England want to optimise their performances at home, use home advantage shamelessly.
Joe Root
It was fitting that Root should rise to No. 1 in the Test batting rankings on the day that the Ashes were won. The one England player to register a century in the first four Tests, Root confirmed his standing as England's premier current batsman with two centuries and two half-centuries in six completed innings. Nobody on either side scored more runs in the first four Tests.
It was fitting that Root should rise to No. 1 in the Test batting rankings on the day that the Ashes were won. The one England player to register a century in the first four Tests, Root confirmed his standing as England's premier current batsman with two centuries and two half-centuries in six completed innings. Nobody on either side scored more runs in the first four Tests.
He is, aged 24, developing into a top-class player. Often coming in with the side in trouble (England were 43 for 3 before he made a match-defining century at Cardiff and 34 for 2 at Trent Bridge), he also top-scored in the first innings at Edgbaston and saw the side home in the second. Playing with huge confidence, his range of stroke allows him to score quickly. But perhaps the greatest measure of his worth came in the one game where he failed. Scoring 1 in the first innings and 17 in the second, England were left without their backbone and crashed to an enormous defeat. Root has established himself as a vital player.
A fuller length
Has Stuart Broad ever bowled better? He has long had a reputation for an ability to bowl outstanding spells, but in this series his fuller length has allowed England to sustain pressure on Australia. Gone were the spells of short-of-a-length bowling that saw the keeper take the ball at head height but the batsman untroubled. Instead Broad was transformed into a relentless bowler who utilised conditions brilliantly when they were helpful and forced the batsmen into playing at the moving ball. Well supported by James Anderson and Steven Finn, who also showed a willingness to pitch the ball fuller, England's seam bowling looked more potent than it had for some years.
Has Stuart Broad ever bowled better? He has long had a reputation for an ability to bowl outstanding spells, but in this series his fuller length has allowed England to sustain pressure on Australia. Gone were the spells of short-of-a-length bowling that saw the keeper take the ball at head height but the batsman untroubled. Instead Broad was transformed into a relentless bowler who utilised conditions brilliantly when they were helpful and forced the batsmen into playing at the moving ball. Well supported by James Anderson and Steven Finn, who also showed a willingness to pitch the ball fuller, England's seam bowling looked more potent than it had for some years.
Evolution not revolution
Sometimes it shows a certain sort of confidence - of wisdom - to say nothing or change little. So it proved when Trevor Bayliss took charge of the England team. While you would think, to listen to some commentators, that England were in appalling shape, Bayliss was smart enough to see that the seeds of change had already been planted. He saw there was no need to rip-up the playbook and start again.
Sometimes it shows a certain sort of confidence - of wisdom - to say nothing or change little. So it proved when Trevor Bayliss took charge of the England team. While you would think, to listen to some commentators, that England were in appalling shape, Bayliss was smart enough to see that the seeds of change had already been planted. He saw there was no need to rip-up the playbook and start again.
Progress had been apparent for a while. It was just it had not been translated into results. Andy Flower had identified Root and Ballance and Peter Moores had identified the likes of Stokes, Moeen and Buttler as key figures in the redevelopment process. Paul Farbrace had identified Stokes' liking for responsibility and promoted him to No. 6. With Moores, Farbrace had helped change the focus from "battling" to "expressing talent" and enjoyment. Bayliss - and the best support staff England have had for some time - deserves credit for harnessing all this, but he was building on foundations that had been laid previously.
George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo