Ashes First Test Review: English Heads in a spin after 'Trav-ball' onslaught

First Test, Perth

Australia won by eight wickets
England 172 & 164
Australia 132 & 205/2

 

One must feel for the food and drink vendors at the Optus Stadium in Perth. They have missed out on some bumper trade over the last couple of days.

Instead, punters are spending their hard-earned cash in the hostelries on the Swan River or cramming the Fremantle to Rottnest Island ferry thanks in no small part to England's second day capitulation in Western Australia.

The facts are etched in to the mind with England collapsing from a commanding 105 run lead for the loss of just one wicket to posting a very gettable 205 run target which Australia - and in particular, Travis Head - relished.

It was a game which felt peculiar from the very beginning. Visiting skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bat first, forgoing the preferred fourth innings run chase. Whilst this has proved to be the winning formula for all of the previous test captains at Optus Stadium, it isn't traditionally the ‘Bazball’ modus operandi.  

This is not to take anything away from the efforts of the Australians who are never (ever) out of any game of cricket.

But many feel England now have a lot to answer for particularly when this was the test which many had earmarked for success. Add in the fact that there was the absence of home frontline bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and the top order was in borderline disarray due to opener Usman Khawaja’s bad back and this defeat really could knock Stokes’ men.

The challengers, it was felt, had to lay a marker a down early doors in this series.

We have written previously on this blog about the spectacular ways in which they have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and this was the latest example, albeit quite surprising in its delivery.

The tourists have a long time – almost too long – before the next test, an examination with the pink ball in Brisbane. They will have to consider whether they double down on a concept which they have failed to execute properly.

You must earn the right to play expansive cricket by seeing off the new ball and fresh bowling attack. The fact that the Three Lions did not bat beyond the 35^th over in either innings spoke volumes.

Head’s brilliant match winning knock blinded all who witnessed it. Perhaps England are blind to batting sensibly.

One thing is for sure, when Australia do sort themselves out, things could get a lot worse for the away team and their loyal legion of supporters.