The Hindu : Sport : Is the Hayden-Jones scrap setting the tone for the Ashes?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 30, 2005

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Is the Hayden-Jones scrap setting the tone for the Ashes?

Ted Corbett

BIRMINGHAM: You may remember several years ago a picture of a policeman directing cricket traffic in this city, thigh deep in water in one of the main streets. That scene came close to being repeated last night when several rather smaller storms wiped out the last England-Australia clashes in the NatWest Trophy one-day international competition.

The two sides meet in the final at Lord's on Saturday and we must hope for a rather better tempered match. The flash point was as intense as anything that the electrical storm provided and must lead us to expect an Ashes series full of incident.

Why Matthew Hayden, who has been at the top in cricket long enough to be aware of the signs of apology made — hand in the air by Simon Jones — chose to add fuel to the fire provided by Simon Jones when his shy at the wicket hit Hayden in the chest area we will never know with certainty. At that point other voices — the unmistakeable Durham twang of Paul Collingwood, the harsher tones of Michael Vaughan, the England captain — joined the argument.

Ponting deserves praise

Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, who happened to be batting, led Hayden out of harm's way or the consequences might have been worse. Ponting deserves praise and so do the two umpires David Shepherd, a peace-loving man already close to the day when retirement to his Devon post office beckons and the sweet-natured if eccentric Billy Bowden who made it clear that no more trouble was required.

It was hardly as fierce as the spear tackle moment in the clash between the Lions and the All Blacks in Christchurch last weekend but cricket is not a game for such fierceness although I guess we will see more of them in the future.

At a time when there is a greater aggression worldwide we cannot expect the elegant game to miss out on confrontation. This match was, after two rain breaks, eventually washed out before either side had any chance to establish mastery.

Australia made 261 for nine, with another top score from their powerful all-rounder Andrew Symonds who has no longer any need to apologise for his misdemeanours after two big scores, brilliant fielding and a five-wicket haul since he stayed out late one week-end.

As one cricketer of long ago told his county's disciplinary committee, it may be worthwhile for the Australian management to finance Symonds' weekend forays if he plays so well afterwards.

England had time to make only 51 for the loss of Andrew Strauss in the sixth over before the weather settled the match but they are, as always, puzzling over their usual problem: what to do about Darren Gough. The charismatic fast bowler went for 23 off two overs but finished with three wickets for 70. He will be 37 when the next World Cup comes along.

What is his purpose? As a mentor to the young guys who pulled back his early wretched bowling so that Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff bowled their ten overs for a miserly 38 each while Jones, more tearaway than tight wad, bowled ten overs for 33. Clearly, Gough cannot be considered for the World Cup in 2007 so lets make him the coach, or a spectator with barracking rights, or simply a standard bearer. But to continue with his present role for much longer is not an option, for all his new found fitness based on a German doctor's faith in the by-product of chicken beaks.

The Australians will also be wondering if their pacemen can stand the heat much longer. Glenn McGrath looked vulnerable when Strauss went on the attack after the target had been reduced to 200 off 33 overs and the lower middle order collapse of five wickets for 35 suggests that they will make changes for the final on Saturday.

They meet Bangladesh first in another pointless tie at Canterbury where incidents are not unknown and where England has one of its few crowds with a reputation for rowdiness.

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