🔗 Share this article I'd Be Salivating Facing England - McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments For Australia to bounce back and claim victory in the opening Ashes Test so convincingly as they did, one questions what psychological damage will be left on the England team. What are they going to do for the remaining series? Surprising Comeback I believe anyone expected what happened on Saturday. When you look at the quantity of deliveries required to complete the game, it was Test cricket on fast forward. England were clearly dominant at lunch on the following day, leading by 105 runs with nine wickets in hand. The pitch was still doing plenty. It looked so tough for Australia to get back into the match. Shot Selection Woes From that moment, England's choice of strokes was their big undoing. The Australian bowler put in probably his worst performance in an Australia shirt in the first innings, then completely reversed in the second to be the catalyst for the recovery. England's batters were out trying to hit balls outside off stump, in the air, towards cover region. Trying to score off those deliveries, with those strokes, is the precise action you just should avoid as a batsman in Australia. Adaptation Issues It demonstrated that England had not done their preparation, are not able to adapt or are unwilling to adapt. There is a lot of talk about England's method, their aggressive style. I observed it up close during the 2023 Ashes in the UK. Under their captain and their coach, they can be quite rigid when it comes to sticking with that strategy. It is fine on sluggish pitches. On the quick, lively pitches of Australia it is a approach fraught with danger. If England do not reassess, they will face difficulties for the whole series. Pacer's Viewpoint As a bowler, I would have consistently believed in the contest against this England team. I relied on my accuracy, backing myself to land the identical area on or outside off stump, with a bit of bounce and nip. Even if this England team was performing strongly, I'd be eagerly anticipating at the idea of bowling to them, aware a single error could bring multiple wickets. Quality and Mental Toughness There are times when England can be a high-quality team. They have talented individuals. Competent cricketers have ability, but great players have the mental toughness and attitude to be adaptable enough for the conditions. They would been shellshocked at the way things unfolded at the venue, devastated at the way they were defeated. Now we will see what they are capable of. Even as a true blue Australian, part of me wants to see them change, just to show they can improve. Pace Attack Issues It was similar with their pace attack. England's bowling unit was excellent on the first evening, then lost direction when they were put under pressure on the following day. In Test cricket, all disciplines require a Plan B. Frequently it feels like England have a single approach, then nowhere to go if that fails. 'Where has this come from?' - The dismissal as England collapse in six balls Head's Masterclass In fairness to England's bowlers, they were hit by one of the memorable Ashes innings by Travis Head. His 69-ball hundred was the second fastest by an Australian man in the historic rivalry, two overs behind the legendary keeper at the Waca 19 years ago – a match I played in. My former teammate Gilchrist said the performance was the superior of the two. I agree. Given the difficulty of the wicket and the context of the match situation, Head's knock will be remembered as a highlight of cricket lore. Strategic Decisions It was a courageous move for Australia to elevate Head up the order for the second innings. The opener has faced criticism for being failing to start in either innings. He had muscle issues after playing the sport the previous day the Test, but I don't think the two were linked. When the batsman failed on day one, Australia promoted Marnus Labuschagne and got bogged down. In promoting Head, who has the experience of starting in white-ball cricket, Australia were able to go on offensive to England. Future Considerations Now there is the question of what Australia will do for the next match. I'd like to see them continue the method of attacking play at the top of the order. That could mean Head remains, meaning a player such as Beau Webster comes into the batting lineup, or return to number five and Mitchell Marsh or the keeper could go to the opening. It would be difficult for the batsman, but sometimes you have to do what the rival team would find most challenging. Series Outlook After the first Test was dominated by the pace attack, some are wondering if the remaining series will be short, low-scoring Tests. The venue is essentially the quickest, liveliest pitch in the global cricket, so the batters should get a little bit of respite from here onward. It is not entirely about the wicket. Credit has to be given to the bowlers for getting the ball in the right place consistently. In general, batsmen on each team will need to look at how they were dismissed. Crucial Next Test Now we move on to Brisbane, and the vastly different day-night conditions for the second Test. In 2006-07, I was part of the national side that overwhelmed England to achieve 5-0. The rivalry in this nation have a habit of getting away from England quickly. At the present, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from 2-0, which is why Brisbane is such a massive game. They must adapt, or the Ashes will be gone once more.