Can England Spin to Win in Adelaide?

Panesar: sitting tight

Second Ashes Test preview.

Amid the moralising, agreeing to disagree and general fall out from the Ashes first test in Brisbane, which was all overshadowed by excessive sledging and the departure, due to mental health concerns, of England’s Jonathan Trott, the most important question will start to be answered tomorrow morning: what next?

England’s grip on the urn was significantly weakened by Michael Clarke’s men at the Gabba, who were as good as the tourists were poor.

Johnson: terrifying, Warner: devastating, Clarke: imperious. The winning margin a hefty 381 runs.

Captain Alistair Cook and head coach Andy Flower will know that England have an uphill struggle if they are to retain the urn, following the Brisbane defeat – their first in thirteen months.

The last time England were beaten was by India in a first test drubbing in Ahmadabad, a catalyst for their first series win on the sub-continent for over 25 years.

There can be no question that England have the experience and personnel to turn things around but there has been a hint of over-reliance on bowlers bailing out their batting counterparts and, while Trott’s departure will be somewhat of a taboo subject on the pitch, off it England’s top order will have to be reshuffled.

Ice cold Root (left) and fiery Johnson

Youngster Joe Root seems to be the preferred choice for first drop and will reignite a fascinating battle with Mitchell Johnson. Root’s placid temperament the antithesis to Johnson’s snarling facial contortions and fire breathing. 

With the drop in pitch at the Adelaide Oval a talking point among most of the newspapers down under, the focus of which centres on what has produced ‘run-laden draws’ in domestic competition thus far.

That will excite uncapped Yorkshireman Gary Ballance, who looks likely to fill in at number six for the visitors. The Zimbabwe born 23 year old brings to the table a first class average of over 53.

Ballance’s fellow county teammate Tim Bresnan could make a welcome return to the pace attack to share some of the workload on James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Having suffered a stress fracture of the spine in August, he will be straining at the leash to get stuck in.

 

However, Cook and Flower may opt to ‘box clever’. Why tire Bresnan out in a batsmen’s paradise when you could recall off spinner Monty Panesar?

The slow left armer was coupled with Graeme Swann to inflict death by spin on India and take an astonishing 19 wickets between them in Mumbai a year ago, why not tomorrow?