Australia lost at Headingley in 2019 after England were chasing a giant target of 359 to win. Photo: Reuters/Andrew Boyers. Ashes on a knife edge, the nine-day break came in handy for both teams. Recovery, reflection and reorientation will be a priority for hosts and visitors. Fans here and in Australia will take advantage of this time to catch their breath and adjust their blood pressure.
This 2023 series was equivalent in intensity to the 2005 and 2019 seasons. The pressure on the player and coach in the latter is enormous.
In 2005, after winning the first Test, Lorde's momentum changed and it was hard to get back. We tried, but England won.
Glenn McGrath, who stood on the ball during the warm-up for the second Test at Edgbaston, became the starting point in the backswing. England seized the opportunity after Marcus Treskotik and Andrew Strauss played their own version of baseball.
Their energy and intentions seemed to be contagious to their team and to all of England. Never underestimate the influence of the home crowd, which can choke you if you're on the wrong side of it.
Who could forget the result of that control match? Michael Kasprowicz caught Geraint Jones' leg. Thriller. The series is alive. We knew we were in for a fight.
Five weeks later, beaten, bruised, defeated, devastated, flying home seemed like a relief. The pressure of the competition was such that the series was like a marathon with a strong headwind. I'm sure England teams of the past have felt the same emotions when leaving Australia.
After the heroism of Ben Stokes at Headingley in 2019, I clearly remember a sleepless night, not uncommon for a manager. Much to the chagrin of most of the players, the next morning we sat in the hotel boardroom and watched the entire partnership between Stokes and Jack Leach on video. You can cut the air with a knife.
The goal, from my point of view, was to deal with the frustration, learn from the experience, and then let it go and move forward. Who knows if it worked, but I'm sure it cheered up the group.
While the other teams might have buckled under the pressure of such a humiliating defeat, we had to fight the demons, otherwise the Ashes would be lost.
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From the boardroom the whole team traveled together to Derbyshire for a practice game. No time to pout. The message was that we must strengthen our resolve by doing, not by saying. We could do it by winning a three day contest. Often such games can be seen as center wicket practice. Not this one, we won in two days and a session.
This may seem insignificant to some, but I know winning is a habit, just like form. That week between Headingley and keeping the Ashes at Old Trafford in 2019 was the best coaching week of my career. It wasn't popular, leadership is rarely popular, but the lessons were invaluable.
The reason some didn't like it was because some players promised to take some days off and get away from the gaming pressure with their families.
It was too late to decide to go together with the whole squad to prepare for the fourth Test. It didn't go perfectly, but with a clear explanation of why we think it's important, the band's synergy was strengthened and everyone was on board. The reward was well worth the effort.
«Wood and Wookes will do anything for their team.»
The next nine days will be equally important for both sides.
Players like Mark Wood will have time to rest their weary bodies. Having played so little cricket, he must be upset.
I predicted before the game that he and Chris Wookes would «add a lot of favor to England, whose team looks very well balanced, for this test.» They both look like the kind of players you would love on your team. They play hard, but with a smile on their face, and they look like they are ready to do anything for their team.
Wood's pace was interesting to watch. I can't remember ever seeing the ball hit the bat so hard. He was rewarded with wickets in the first innings, and although he only took two in the second innings, his leonine pressure benefited his bowling partners on the other end. He was a worthy man of the match. Where was he the first two tests?
Others also need mental and physical refreshment. Captains Stokes and Pat Cummins will be exhausted in body and soul. Their work never stops, on and off the field.
Stuart Broad and Mitchell Stark will take a break. Ollie Robinson will be, too, although from a distance he hasn't looked at peak physical condition since the beginning of this series. On flat fields and under the scrutiny of an Ashes blowtorch, you can't be anything but perfect shape.
From an Australian point of view, I can't help but think that they could make the scheduled match this week. Times have certainly changed. In 1989, Australia played 13 tour games throughout the tour. Four years later, the same number of matches were programmed.
«Idle Minds Can Be Dangerous»
Looking at the line-up of the Australian team, you can see that many players could benefit greatly from playing cricket this week.
The modern «best fresh» philosophy may work for a select few, but I don't believe in that concept; especially for young players. Idle minds can be dangerous, and you won't get better at anything by doing less.
Todd Murphy, Cameron Green, Mitch Marsh, Marcus Harris, Matthew Renshaw, Jimmy Pearson will crave being in the middle.
Even senior pros like David Warner and Scott Boland could find the rhythm. The benefits of playing far outweigh the time in the networks. There's a reason Michael Neser was let go to play for Glamorgan this week.
On the contrary, experience tells me that players like Alex Carey and Jonny Bairstow could lay on the beach for a while or play a couple of rounds of golf. Anything that will help relax their minds and avoid the pressure of spotlights and attention.
There is an art to manage people and train who to rest, who to play, who to hug, who to support. from time to time let's spoon hard love. I'm sure both teams will weigh how best to prepare. They will need to pass the last two tests correctly.
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