Gough the lonely Braveheart (29 December 1998)

29 December 1998

Gough the lonely Braveheart

By Mark Nicholas

THERE is a generous view among the great and the good of Australian cricketing opinion that England have bowled particularly well during this so far one-sided series. This is not right, rather they have bowled quite well, have been let down by careless catching, and overall have chosen a tidy approach to their art rather than a threatening one.

There is an exception, writ large. Darren Gough has bowled for England rather as William Wallace fought for Scotland, with immense pride and courage but with flair, too. And, best of all, with unconditional commitment.

I cannot remember a man so obviously bursting himself for his team in the way that Gough did on Sunday evening - not even Allan Donald during that memorable evening against Michael Atherton last summer.

Gough's cavalry charges to the crease, the good and strong action in delivery, the hurling of the body into the follow-through, earned him the wickets of Michael Slater and Mark Taylor, which seemed so little gained for so much given. Poor Gough, a magnificent warrior in an attack made up by mediums.

He had more to show for his campaign yesterday, even though another catch went down, but the final figures do not do him justice. He did not have the support he required or deserved.

Alan Mullally has something up his sleeve but appears distracted, has lost the nip he had in Brisbane and does not make his opponent play the ball enough. Angus Fraser is a yard slow these days for a good, hard and even-paced Aussie pitch. Dean Headley has some zip but he is slipping into lacklustre patches too often.

These cricketers were exposed by the Stuart MacGill innings, the knife in the back for England, the one which gave Australia the advantage and allowed Steve Waugh his supreme hundred.

This is nothing to do with effort, there is plenty of that from the bowlers, it is to do with excellence which is missing from English cricket in general. Bowlers don't bowl straight enough, batsmen don't stay in long enough.

To get the most from the bowling that is available to the England selectors, a better balance of style and speed must be identified. Fraser and Mullally are doing the same stock job, Headley is not a spearhead.

One or both of Alex Tudor and Andrew Caddick must be included next summer - extra height means extra bounce, which means extra wickets - along with at least one bowler who can bat a bit in support of the top order and a spinner when the pitch demands it.

We must not give up in the quest for quality of performance, or give up on people who have talent but are tricky to handle. We cannot leave Gough alone and worn out.

If anyone is in doubt about how to bowl with a new ball, watch Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming. Watch how they commit the batsmen to play, how time after time the seam is upright and homing in on its target. Watch replay after replay of the beauty from Fleming which clipped the top of Atherton's off stump last evening.

This was bowling as an art, not a job. It is the difference between the two attacks. Save for Gough, of course, who is still, as he was four years ago, England's breath of fresh air - their Braveheart.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)