Lessons from Worcester
The Australians drew their last warm-up match, against the England Lions, ahead of the first Ashes Test at Cardiff. Here are five lessons learned at New Road
Peter English
05-Jul-2009
Brett Lee was the only Australian bowler to get reverse swing at New Road • PA Photos
Lee is the only master of reverse
The Australian team management expects reverse-swing to be a vital factor throughout the Ashes, like it was in 2005, and have been sweating on ways to make the ball move. Brett Lee did it incredibly well against the England Lions, particularly in the first innings when he returned 6 for 76, to prove he is ready for more Test action following another bout of ankle surgery. While Lee was shaping the ball as early as the 35th over in Worcester, his slightly slower team-mates were unable to get the same dramatic effect. When the coach Tim Nielsen was asked how the other fast men went with their reverse-swing, he talked instead about a great team bowling effort. At the moment Lee is the only one providing the mid-innings danger.
The Australian team management expects reverse-swing to be a vital factor throughout the Ashes, like it was in 2005, and have been sweating on ways to make the ball move. Brett Lee did it incredibly well against the England Lions, particularly in the first innings when he returned 6 for 76, to prove he is ready for more Test action following another bout of ankle surgery. While Lee was shaping the ball as early as the 35th over in Worcester, his slightly slower team-mates were unable to get the same dramatic effect. When the coach Tim Nielsen was asked how the other fast men went with their reverse-swing, he talked instead about a great team bowling effort. At the moment Lee is the only one providing the mid-innings danger.
Hussey is back
The real Michael Hussey has returned. Instead of the tired, uncertain and complicated Hussey, it was the clear-thinking, clear-hitting version who posted a double of 150 and 62 at New Road. Out-of-form players pray for the day when everything clicks again and it happened for Hussey on Wednesday as he conquered a testing and well-qualified attack. When Hussey sprinted on to the ground five overs before stumps on the second-last day for his second bat, he was displaying his re-found fire and focus. Nobody else wanted to walk out in that situation. It was only a tour game, but it set him up for the rest of the trip.
The real Michael Hussey has returned. Instead of the tired, uncertain and complicated Hussey, it was the clear-thinking, clear-hitting version who posted a double of 150 and 62 at New Road. Out-of-form players pray for the day when everything clicks again and it happened for Hussey on Wednesday as he conquered a testing and well-qualified attack. When Hussey sprinted on to the ground five overs before stumps on the second-last day for his second bat, he was displaying his re-found fire and focus. Nobody else wanted to walk out in that situation. It was only a tour game, but it set him up for the rest of the trip.
The Hauritz problem
No issue will create more discussion for Australia over the next week than spin. They believe the Cardiff pitch will offer significant turn, but after the first two games of the tour they can't have faith in Nathan Hauritz, their only specialist. The offspinner Hauritz has returned 2 for 260 in 68.2 overs against Sussex and the England Lions, leaving four fast bowlers as the most sensible option given the make-up of the squad. "He's comfortable with how his game is progressing and I feel he's got better and better," Nielsen said of Hauritz.
No issue will create more discussion for Australia over the next week than spin. They believe the Cardiff pitch will offer significant turn, but after the first two games of the tour they can't have faith in Nathan Hauritz, their only specialist. The offspinner Hauritz has returned 2 for 260 in 68.2 overs against Sussex and the England Lions, leaving four fast bowlers as the most sensible option given the make-up of the squad. "He's comfortable with how his game is progressing and I feel he's got better and better," Nielsen said of Hauritz.
The Australians will wait to analyse the conditions at Sophia Gardens to decide on their attack, but will have noticed England choosing two slow bowlers in their squad. Nielsen also believes carrying an offspinner is an advantage against the hosts. "Their Test squad usually has three left-handers to finish their order off and two at the top," he said. "So an offspinner would be pretty handy in that regard."
The good, the bad, the ugly
If the Australians had not seen Phillip Hughes go through an exacting Test initiation in South Africa they would be freaking out about their 20-year-old opener. While they know he has adjustments to consider after being made to look out of his depth by a couple of Steve Harmison short balls in Worcester, they are relaxed about his Ashes prospects. The selectors have such faith in him that there is no spare opener in the squad and the rest of his team-mates saw how well his awkward and unconventional technique coped against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini on spicy wickets in South Africa. After that, they think, England should be much easier. Hughes' style is so ugly it is scoffed at by those seeing him for the first time, but it has already proved to be highly effective. And Harmison isn't in England's squad.
If the Australians had not seen Phillip Hughes go through an exacting Test initiation in South Africa they would be freaking out about their 20-year-old opener. While they know he has adjustments to consider after being made to look out of his depth by a couple of Steve Harmison short balls in Worcester, they are relaxed about his Ashes prospects. The selectors have such faith in him that there is no spare opener in the squad and the rest of his team-mates saw how well his awkward and unconventional technique coped against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini on spicy wickets in South Africa. After that, they think, England should be much easier. Hughes' style is so ugly it is scoffed at by those seeing him for the first time, but it has already proved to be highly effective. And Harmison isn't in England's squad.
Ricky only likes it when it matters
Now 34, Ricky Ponting understands when he has to lift and when he can float along in cruise control. If any other batsman had posted 8, 71, 1 and 15 in the warm-up games Australia might be nervous about their productivity in the Tests, but Ponting is always attuned for the critical moments. In the nets he has been asking for Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus to bowl at him with new balls, which can't be great fun on the unpredictable surfaces, but shows the intensity he demands. "Unless I do that I never feel I'm properly prepared because that's what I get in a game," he said. As a batting genius, his biggest obstacle is often his own level of interest, but the tour-game malaise will have evaporated when he calls at the toss on Wednesday.
Now 34, Ricky Ponting understands when he has to lift and when he can float along in cruise control. If any other batsman had posted 8, 71, 1 and 15 in the warm-up games Australia might be nervous about their productivity in the Tests, but Ponting is always attuned for the critical moments. In the nets he has been asking for Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus to bowl at him with new balls, which can't be great fun on the unpredictable surfaces, but shows the intensity he demands. "Unless I do that I never feel I'm properly prepared because that's what I get in a game," he said. As a batting genius, his biggest obstacle is often his own level of interest, but the tour-game malaise will have evaporated when he calls at the toss on Wednesday.
Peter English is the Australasia editor of Cricinfo