Pat Cummins took a completely different approach to Ben Stokes — and was on the verge of winning. Photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images
On Friday morning, I sat on the edge of my chair wondering, like millions of cricketers, what was going to happen. My adrenaline didn't rise like it did in days past when I was the first batsman or coach, but I was intrigued, not knowing what to expect, even though I know both teams so well and participated in their last battles.
< p>Nothing changed yesterday.
I was still glued to the edge of my seat, heart pounding as I watched Pat Cummins stand upright. Questions have been raised before and during this test match as to what the antidote to Bazball might be. The Australian captain has just shown the world; it's ice in your veins.
Cummins demonstrated this with the first ball of the series, and last night with the last ball of the match. This time with a bat.
Australia's FAMOUS victory in the first challenge of the 2023 Ashes series 🏆🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/8pt5zauQ9v
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket), June 20, 2023
On the first morning, Pat raced like Usain Bolt, to young England international Zach Crowley. The crowd roared. Cummins installed the most unusual field. Many will say that it looked «un-Australian». Deep point from ball one. Strange? But one thing Australia is ready. Strategy is never taken for granted. The ball was released, Crowley stepped forward and hit: a classic cover drive. The tone has been set: England is serious.
Superstar Ashes and my great friend Adam Gilchrist wrote on Tuesday morning, “I can't remember being so passionate about Test since I retired. It was amazing.»
Who could disagree?
The game used the most contrasting methods of any test I can remember.
England is led by talented tattooed larrikin Ben Stokes. He brought his baseball style to the fight against the calm Australian world champions led by the handsome, eloquent Prince Charming Cummins. It was the dream of a marketer and cricket lover.
Australia reminded us that they are the #1 test side for a reason
There has been a lot of discussion about whether Australia supports this strategy of wearing down the English batting in an attempt to reduce the number of borders they clog. It's not an easy task in English conditions, with a lightning-fast outfield and a super-aggressive opponent.
As a captain and coach, I have never been a supporter of falling behind the field, especially from the first ball. As a batsman, I always felt like the pressure was off as soon as there were gaps. Good bowler balls are often knocked out from behind the single and the pressure is released. We saw it on the first day that the English batsmen were able to get comfortable.
However, I believe that the Australians will continue to use this approach when conditions become as flat and lifeless as in Edgbaston. In Pakistan at the beginning of last year they continued to work. Discipline and calm were their mantra. Success followed.
Australia reminded us here that they are the world's No. 1 test team for a reason. They trust their method. As they should. It works and they consistently win. The fact that Cummins kept his composure after a difficult first day, even the first ball, showed the quality of the man, especially in that he scored his best score in five years.
Australia also has a key strength: Nathan Lyon. I think he served brilliantly in this test. Not only does he throw a lot of overs and take the load off the fast bowlers, but he also takes important wickets. He can also make some comfortable runs, as England found out after his death.
Boycott Briefing, First Test Day, Fifth, End of Game
Mother Nature plays an important role in Test cricket. This is usually evident in England when overhead conditions favor the swinging and stitching of the Dukes ball.
However, in this series, if the summer stays dry and the pitches are flat, Lyon will continue to rise. England's lack of a classy or suitable spin bowler is certainly a major weakness in their line-up. This was evident in Edgbaston. Playing Moen Ali has always been risky. It was a risk England were willing to take, but like the marathon, Test cricket requires endurance and it is difficult to run a marathon or play Test cricket without the necessary preparation. Ali's rotating finger is a testament to this fact.
The contrasting style of both teams was no more noticeable than on the fourth day. Cummins ran for the first ball of the day. Joe Root, the best batsman in England, tried to reverse the fastest bowlers in the world. Reverse ramp? Until recently, there was no such shot. Now, under enormous pressure, Ruth, the English Mr. Reliable, does it from the first ball. I couldn't help but think, «What the fuck?!» Extraordinary.
The beauty of test cricket is that there are several ways to skin a cat. Let's take Usman Khawaja for example, who was great. He played like an old master. We can say that he is the complete opposite of Baseball; nonetheless, it is gorgeous and the poetry is worth a look for any batting lover. He is the epitome of peace. However, years on the rollercoaster that is international cricket has put together a shield of resilience and a hard edge.
Stokes stuttered as he parted his brim
England have been slovenly on the pitch at times, especially in the first innings. This will be a subject of discussion in the future. It's one thing to constantly attack, but the foundations of big scores and brilliant play never die.
Interestingly, after all the talk of Cummins defensive pitches, Stokes had to turn his pitches around late Tuesday night. This strategy was costly in my opinion. For the first time in the game, I felt that Stokes was hesitant. Pressure does funny things.
Like Cummins, the Stokes are a pressure-eating superstar. The battle of the two captains in this match was like a heavyweight championship.
At the end of the day, every player in this test should take a bow. Like Gilchrist and any cricket fan, I enjoyed every minute of it. Each session was like arm wrestling, not a single team got very far ahead.
When I sat down on that first ball on Friday morning, I thought Australia would win and Cummins and Lyon would be decisive. Five days later, I was proven right, but despite all these extraordinary twists, not always the way I expected.
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