Having watched English Lions in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth it gives us strong feelings that they are now on the brink of an inevitable Kangaroo wash.
English batsmen can not decode the mysteries of Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon. Neither Anderson, Broad nor Moeen Ali set puzzles for Warner, Smith, Bancroft and Marsh.
With MCG and SCG to go stage is set for comprehensive white wash for the lions. Excepting the second innings of Australia in Adelaide we would not say England was at all in competition. The three in three wins of Smith brigade has underlined the vulnerability of English cricket to quality opposition. The euphoria that every Ashes creates was also there this time. But poor over all performance by the Englishmen has taken away much of the gloss from the traditional Boxing Day test at MCG and new years day test at SCG. In the dead rubber home team Australia is firm favorite.
My Australian cricket connection kept be busy with mind boggling questions as to how Bangladesh managed to win tests in the recent past against both England and Australia. Incidentally I had eye witnessed the tests which Bangladesh won. Englishmen were lucky avoiding series white wash in Bangladesh winning narrowly in Chittagong. One rookie spinner Mehedi Miraz mesmerized Englishmen with his mystery spin bowling. The vulnerability of English batting to quality spin attack of Miraz and Shakib was vividly exposed. Australians had to struggle against hot humid climate and wicket while struggling to a 1-1 drawn series. Bangladesh definitely implemented appropriate strategies. But even from those two series Australians appeared a far better side.
Like anytime in the past Ashes created hypes. England proved to be a very competitive team off late. Anderson and Broad led attack appeared strong enough for taking 20 wickets in any test. But before the series commenced controversy and injuries started taking tool. Maturing all rounder Ben Stokes was disciplined while Bell, Buttler, Finn, Plunkett and Adil Rashid were not picked. English attack looked less penetrative.
Still it was expected that premiere batsmen Cook and Root would give them enough run cushions for intelligent bowlers to exploit. But Cook looked a shadow of his past and Root went through a very lean patch. Moeen Ali could neither bowl as expected nor could bat. Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon created serious issues for English batting. Malan and Bairstow batted well at times .But could not appear as survivors.
On the other hand Smith looked superb as a leading Aussie batsman. Marsh brothers came back very strongly. Regrouping and resurging Australians looked way too strong for pathetic Englishmen.
It is not easy for any team playing well against a very probing pace attack when all four bowlers Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Marsh bowling at 140 KM+. No batsman in the world love consistent pace at responsive surface. These quality pace attack on bouncy wickets need quality batting to confront .Unfortunately this English team lack that.
Moreover, the two batsmen Cook and Root are very much out of form. Another plus point for Australia is the great for Lyon is in now. He complement so well the pacers attacking the batsmen consistently from the other end .Whether with white ball or the pink Lyon was very special in the three tests. Fielding also was a major difference.
We are not sure England can make strong comeback either at MCG or SCG. But big innings from Cook and Root are over due. Anderson and Broad are too good not to appear as match winners. But it will require a huge turning around. Waiting for a fascinating contest at MCG boxing days even after all these.
BDST: 1202 HRS, DEC 22, 2017
SI
