Root posted one reverse ramp for six and another for four in the afternoon. Photo: Getty Images/Ryan Pierse
When Joe Root tried to reverse the first ball of the fourth day, delivered with noticeable speed by Australia captain Pat Cummins, it was the point ball of the century.
Some old-timers like WG Grace and Sir Jack Hobbs would have faced 200,000 balls without even making that throw. But thousands of young cricketers will be trying to do it now, either in the first ball of the day or in their opportunity.
Madness. It was the reaction of many onlookers, from seasoned pundits to people with no interest in cricket, until the Ashes catch fire every summer at four, both to Root's opening gambit and to his dazzling counterattack in general. Teams have been known to wander aimlessly in the third possibility of the test; England hit 101 runs in the first 14.3 overs of Day 4, the most brilliant first batting hour in my personal experience of 480+ Tests (2,507th epic).
Insane? Or unfamiliar in the context of what has happened over the last three hundred years of cricket's evolution? I argue that four main points make it logical.
The first and most general point is that bowlers have never allowed a batsman to bat, they have always tried to take him out of the game, except in exceptional circumstances. So why should batsmen give away the bowl to the bowler?
The second point is that England reacted logically to the Australian field. When Australia stationed their fielders here around the border, English batsmen were looking for and taking singles. Root reacted to three misses and a ravine, but not to a third man: enough room for borders, as he himself explained, defending his special hit.
Good. good morning to you too Joe Ruth ☕😅 pic.twitter.com/tQvApxqHdF
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 19, 2023
The third argument for choosing Root's punches is the predictability of Pat Cummins and Scott Boland. They have made thousands of first-class shots and know exactly where the ball is going, as does the batsman almost all the time. It will be just outside the stump and at such a length that it is likely that it will pass through the stumps if it is straight.
Boys and girls should take into account this predictability. when they consider reversing the first ball of the day or serve. Perhaps he does not jump over stumps; it might even be straight. And Ruth, of course, stopped trying as soon as Cummins hit a fuller ball and brought out an inwinger that castled Ollie Pope.
England run ahead in 2006
A fourth reason for England's bold innovation in general and Root in particular is that Australia were on the defensive by the time their eventual match-winner Nathan Lyon came out on England's 22nd over. second innings. Harry Brook used his feet superbly to get back into his crease or play forward and kept them both on the pedal, scoring 13 from Lyon's first over of the day.
In the rest of England's tumultuous innings, Lyon made do with just one close catcher, either a miss or a short leg. Back to the first Test at Edgbaston in the 2019 series when England tried to block in the second innings with close catchers all around – and Lyon finished with six wickets for 49.
Boycott briefing – about Joe Root. back ramp frames
And ultra-aggression in our time has always been a way that England could go against Australia. Jan Botham in 1981 and to some extent in 1985 and 1986-1987; Andrew Flintoff in 2005 and the rest of that team that smashed the 407 on the opening day of the second Test at Edgbaston; and Michael Vaughan's three centuries in 2002-2003, which for the first time challenged Australia's age-old dominance. What would have been logical, and not just in hindsight, is that Brook continued his attack on Lyon and Ruth played the ball or attacked the seamers at the other end. Brook has already shown to be the ultimate talent against spin, both in the Pakistan series last winter and in the first over of Lyon's spell on day four, thanks to the speed of his legs and arms. Ruth took the lead by stealing 26 points from Boland over two overs and was already slowing down, allowing Brook to contribute 36 points to their 50-run partnership.
England could have scored more in the second innings if they had played in the traditional manner, with straight bats? This is debatable. However, for sure Australia would be much, much happier if they did.
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