England expect as Punter under pressure

5th January 2007

Matthew Hayden. Not out. 23. England suffer a 5-0 series whitewash and tamely lose the Ashes.

24th August 2009

Michael Hussey. Caught Cook, bowled Swann. England seal a 2-1 series win and regain the Ashes.


England go into the 2010/11 Ashes with the humiliation of 2006/07 and the confidence of 2009 undoubtedly at the forefront of their minds. The former a reminder of how formidable a home Australian Ashes team can be, the latter a clear indication of how much the gap between the two old foes has shrunk. Apart from in the world of Glenn McGrath and his obligatory prediction.


I don't intend to bore you with the usual talk of how awful the Aussies have become - no more Langer, Hayden, Gilchrist, Warne and McGrath. The only way was down, of course. Instead let me draw you to a rather more interesting comparison of England's fateful trip four years ago, involving perhaps the least celebrated of the aforementioned five - the wicketkeeper.


In that series, Adam Gilchrist averaged 46 with the bat, with a top score of 102 not out. His counterparts, Geraint Jones and Chris Read averaged 11 and 12 respectively, with top scores of 33 and 26 not out. OK, there are numerous other similar comparisons which could have been made. So what about with the gloves? Gilchrist snaffled 24 catches and added two stumpings in one more innings that Jones and Read combined, who between them took 21 catches and contributed one stumping. Now, England are settled with Matt Prior as their Test choice, whilst Brad Haddin was always going to struggle to fill the void left by Gilly. A snapshot illustration of the gap disappearing.


In the run-up to Thursday's series opener at the Gabba, Australia have flattered to deceive in their pre-empting of what to expect, whilst England have been quietly confident, almost too quietly confident. Whilst Andrew Strauss and his men have been openly speaking against any sort of complacency, under-pressure Australia captain Ricky Ponting's men have been (inexplicably) targeting England's most out-of-form batsman.


Maybe they realise that Kevin Pietersen is a potential series winner if he clicks into gear. Maybe they don't realise they're providing more than enough necessary ammunition for Kevin Pietersen (and his ego) to click into gear.


With perhaps the most difficult (read only) Ashes series in Australia to call in a generation, nothing is certain. But one thing we can expect is fast pitches. With the Aussie selectors in a spin over Nathan Hauritz' lack of form and the subsequent inclusion of the unknown, yet wonderfully named, Xavier Doherty, preparing a spin-friendly pitch for the brilliant Graeme Swann would be cricketing suicide.


Which means if England's quicks, particularly James Anderson, can get the Kookaburra ball to swing, then they may fully justify the pre-series hype. Steve Finn has the height and Stuart Broad the acumen to trouble a shaky Australian batting line-up. Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson, on paper, should be a competitive match-up. But the Ashes aren't won on paper.


Doubts remain over Alistair Cook and Paul Collingwood's form, but both bring much more to the team than their recent records suggest. Ian Bell has justified the faith shown in him lower down the order, while Eoin Morgan can consider himself unlucky to be seemingly preparing for seven one-dayers come January. That's an argument for another day, though.


Jonathan Trott will scratch and probe and frustrate. And he has already shown against the Australians the necessary concentration and resolve to put some runs on the board. In my opinion, the understated South African could be England's key to success down under. If this is the case, why shouldn't England dream they could win the Ashes in Australia for the first time in 24 years.


Exactly why the all-knowing bookmakers have the home team as favourites, of course.

Update: What to expect and your help/feedback/criticism needed.

Since I last had a proper attempt at blogging, lots of things have changed. Not least my own personal circumstances. A couple of house moves, a naked encounter with a burglar (don't ask!), and an unrelated graduate job, I'm finally working towards the dream - being a Sports Journalist.


As a result, you'll hopefully be glad to hear that this sports blog will be updated as regularly as possible. For my own personal development, I'd appreciate any feedback at any point, good or bad. Be it on the blog itself, on Facebook (or Twitter - if I can learn how to use it), or simply over a few pints, I'd love to hear what you think. If you think certain aspects of the blog are horrible, tell me - I need to know. Without valuable criticism, I'll never learn. On the flip side, if you think something's excellent, tell me - I need to keep doing it!


Even better, if you haven't already done so, why not add yourself as a follower. I'm aiming to hit the 20 mark by the end of the year.


Although there's been a lot of football material recently, this is not a football blog. I'll be showcasing a little bit of everything really. Cricket, snooker, darts, athletics, rugby union, tennis, and I'll probably throw a bit of random sporting action in here, particularly with London 2012 coming up. Again, suggestions are welcome if there's any particular sport or sporting event you'd like to see featured here.


Personally, I'm hugely excited by the Ashes, which is just over a week away. I'll be trying to provide regular updates, and maybe even analyse a few days play. Football will always remain a passion of mine and that will probably show quite a bit. Christmas darts at the PDC World Championship, the conclusion to the Race to Dubai, and tennis' season finale at the O2 arena are all on the horizon.


So in between practising my shorthand, doing my first journalism exam and paying the rent, there's plenty to be excited about as 2010 rolls to a fascinating close.