The first ashes test has just come to a thrilling conclusion, yes that term can apply to a draw. Whilst I was on the edge of my seat listening (not watching, I’ll explain that in a later post) to the match, there was, at one point, a possibility of an England win.
What was the problem with the draw? Well, let me give you the scorecard of England’s second innings. With England coming in at 239 behind, having already scored 435 in their first innings, Cook fell LBW for 6 leaving England 13-1. Not a terrible loss, recoverable. Bopara out for 1, 17-2. Pietersen bowled for 8, 31-3. Strauss caught on 17 at 46-4. Prior caught on 14, 70-5. Flintoff caught 26, 127-6. Broad dismissed LBW on 14, 159-7. Swann, another LBW, 31 leaving England 221-8. The ninth wicket fell at 233, Collingwood finally caught on 74. Final two people, Anderson not out on 21, Panesar not out on 7.
Now, let’s just disassemble those figures you skipped past. Collingwood top scored on 74. The second highest scorer was Swann, a spin bowler, at 31. That, ladies and gentlemen is not a test score card. Definitely not the scorecard of a team who had to bat a day out on a flat pitch. Why is this score there? England are better than that. England were effectively playing one day cricket. Silly shots, silly frame of mind, not a side batting out a final day for a fairly simple draw.
England have played a stupidly high amount of one day cricket (50 overs) and T20 that they have lost the ability to bat properly. With the ending of the Pro 40 to make way for a second domestic T20 championship the England players will hardly be improving their long game with their counties.
England’s batting was terrible. Yes, OK, the batting was enough to get us to a thrilling finish, but batting out a day, on the pitch that was there wasn’t supposed to take nine wickets. Pietersen especially, as well as in his first innings, was playing one day cricket. He got out to a silly shot.
There are people everywhere saying that one day cricket will not replace test cricket. I’ll probably rant about that September 27th, but I will say this now. T20 and 50 over cricket may not push the five day game off the calendar. You only have to look at England’s batting performance, however, to prove that it has an effect on the game. Not a good effect either.
MTFBWY
Filed under: Cricket | Tagged: Ashes, Australia, Cricket, England, T20, Twenty20
