The Hindu : Sport : Fillip for England

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 25, 2005

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Sport

Fillip for England

Tait is fast, lively, enthusiastic, slingy and erratic.

PETER ROEBUCK

Shaun Tait's selection ahead of Michael Kasprowicz indicates that Australia intends to attack. Tait is an old-fashioned Australian fast bowler. As far as he is concerned, his job is to break the stumps at the other end. Doubtless, he has heard talk of line and length, much as schoolchildren have heard about homework, and he treats it with the same bemusement. Do you mean boys sit down at night and attempt quadratic equations? Do you mean blokes run all that way and plonk it on a length? It's not for him. Too tame, much too tame.

Realising that the fielding and bowling have looked dull as sugarless tea, the visitors have gambled. Tait is fast, lively, enthusiastic, slingy and erratic, and his ability to swing the ball at pace makes him dangerous. He can also be expensive but that was deemed to be a risk worth taking.

Can Tait make a difference? Alas, he can hardly be less threatening than his fellow South Australian, Jason Gillespie. Moreover, he will bring the fresh winds of youth to the fielding and add excitement to the general mood.

His fitness and ability to reverse swing the ball will help Australia to trouble even the most established opponent. Not least psychologically, it was the right move.

Yet Tait's appearance is also a fillip for England because it confirms that the momentum is with them. Australia has abandoned its strategy of picking off opponents in favour of a gunfight at the O.K. Corrall. The hosts have disrupted Australia's game plan, not least by scoring at four runs an over. England has learnt to be aggressive with the bat and mean with the ball. The great trick with cricket is to discover its simplicities.

Michael Vaughan and his merry men have subdued their adversaries with intelligence and daring. Many important duels have been won.

Marcus Trescothick has forced Glenn McGrath to play the game on his terms. Andrew Strauss has overcome his allergy to leg-spin. Ian Bell has shown that he belongs. Andrew Flintoff has resembled a giant surrounded by jockeys. Simon Jones and Steve Harmisson have outbowled their counterparts.

In short, England has lived up to expectations. Not that everyone has contributed. Matthew Hoggard has been lucky to hold his place, and Geraint Jones' dropped catches have been costly. Replacements can be found. Paul Collingwood has made a strong impression. Chris Read is the best gloveman around.

Nor has England's improvement been a surprise. After ten years in the doldrums, central contracts, two divisions, an academy and more competitive club cricket were belatedly introduced. Flintoff's abilities were also grudgingly recognised. Finally, this sports-mad and increasingly nationalistic nation has a cricket team to cheer.

Big boost

English cricket has also been boosted by increased contributions from Africa. As black Africans have lifted English athletics and football, so white Africans have become driving forces in local cricket. Four of the Hampshire team that has just reached a Lord's final were educated in Africa. Had Trescothick and Flintoff been raised in Natal or Matabeleland, they'd have broken through five years earlier.

Despite these improvements, England has not yet won the series. Rain, dogged lower order batting and a great defensive innings thwarted them at Old Trafford.

Have the hosts missed their chance? Australia needs to win one match. Manifestly the tourists have grasped the point. Will England feel edgy? Having backed Australia to win the first three matches, I'm going to stick with them. As the old saying goes, `Man who changes horse in mid-stream ought to be riding a donkey.'

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