The Hindu : Sport : Pressure is back on England

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 16, 2005

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Pressure is back on England

Vaughan commands a settled and competitive side

PETER ROEBUCK

Seldom has a nation craved a sporting trophy as does England the Ashes. It is hardly surprising. Australia took the prize in 1989 and shows not the slightest desire to give it back. Not that the actual urn has been dispatched to Melbourne. Perhaps the authorities are concerned it will be used in a drinking game. For some extraordinary reason the English are inclined to regard Australians as hard drinking, hard talking barbarians.

Not that the losses suffered since 1989 have been bad for English cricket. Defeat exposed cracks camouflaged by the brilliance of Botham and company in the 1980s. Bear in mind that the old country has not fielded the game's strongest side since the time of Typhoon Tyson and Len Hutton.

Cut to the quick by repeated humiliations, English cricket belatedly set about confronting its weaknesses. Central contracts were introduced, an intelligent coach was appointed (a thought that had not previously occurred), an academy was opened and two divisions were created. Television money flowed into the game, and a flamboyant hero was found. Defeat concentrates the mind, especially defeat at the hands of an opponent regarded as almost as insufferable as the French!

Awful lot at stake

As a result, England has surged to second in the rankings and now must take the next step. An awful lot is at stake. In any sporting field an encounter between the two strongest competitors bestows upon the winner the title of champion.

Cricketing strength is not to be determined by a fifty over tournament played every four years. Speed chess might as well be preferred to the longer version. Five-day cricket is the testing ground because therein men's characters and techniques are ruthlessly examined

Can England prevail? For Australia to be beaten some of the game's greatest cricketers must finish on the losing side and that does not often happen.

Greatness requires a combination of mental strength and exceptional ability. Amongst the current Australians, Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne stand out. These men count amongst the finest performers ever to set foot on a cricket field.

Warne and McGrath work as well together as bangers and mash, Gilchrist can turn a match upon its head in the time it takes to boil an egg.

Unable to match these opponents, England must contain them. It's not impossible. Warne and McGrath have been under the surgeon's knife and, like departing winter, are bound soon to lose their nip. Gilchrist plays a swashbuckling game that gives the bowlers a chance.

Not a lost cause

England must win the first Test. Ponting's outfit is hard enough to beat from the front. Fall behind and the hill becomes a mountain. It is not a lost cause. England's recent successes have not been an accident.

Vaughan commands a settled and competitive side that includes an incisive pace attack, batsmen capable of playing long innings and a match winner. Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pieterson add African resolution to the batting and Steve Harmison's return to form is timely.

Much may also depend upon Matthew Hoggard's ability to swing the ball. Indians will not have forgotten that the last pace bowler to bowl out the Australians was a little fellow called Ajit Agarkar.

A fortnight ago England seemed to have a chance of causing an upset. Then came a whirlwind called Gilchrist, and some wickets for Gillespie. Ricky Ponting, too, will be desperate to win his first Ashes series as captain.

Australia is in the ascendant and suddenly the pressure is back on England to justify the high hopes of long-suffering supporters.

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