🔗 Share this article I Would Be Licking My Lips Bowling to England - McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments For Australia to bounce back and win the opening Ashes Test so convincingly as they did, you wonder what scars will be left on the England team. What are they going to do for the rest of series? Surprising Comeback I do not think anyone expected what happened on the weekend. When you examine the quantity of deliveries required to complete the game, it was Test cricket on accelerated pace. England were well on top at lunch on the following day, 105 ahead with nine wickets in hand. The playing surface was still doing plenty. It looked extremely difficult for Australia to get back into the match. Shot Selection Woes From that moment, England's shot selection was their big undoing. The Australian bowler put in probably his worst performance in an Australia shirt in the initial batting, then completely reversed in the second to be the catalyst for the recovery. England's batters were out trying to hit balls wide of off-stump, on the up, towards cover region. Trying to score off those bowls, with those strokes, is the precise action you just should avoid as a batter in Australia. Adjustment Problems It showed that England had failed to complete their homework, are unable to adjust or are reluctant to adapt. There is a lot of talk about England's approach, their attacking philosophy. I observed it firsthand during the 2023 Ashes in the UK. Under their captain and their coach, they can be pretty stubborn when it comes to adhering to that strategy. It is fine on slow, low pitches. On the fast, bouncy pitches of Australia it is a approach fraught with danger. If England fail to reconsider, they will face difficulties for the whole series. Bowling Perspective As a bowler, I would have always felt in the contest against this England team. I depended on my precision, having confidence to hit the same spot on or outside off stump, with a bit of bounce and nip. Even if this England team was going well, I'd be eagerly anticipating at the idea of facing them, aware a single error could bring multiple wickets. Quality and Mental Toughness There are occasions when England can be a high-quality team. They have talented individuals. Good players have skill, but great players have the psychological strength and attitude to be flexible enough for the situation. They would been stunned at the way events developed at the venue, devastated at the way they were defeated. Now we will see what they are capable of. Even as a true blue Australian, part of me wants to see them adapt, just to show they can get better. Pace Attack Issues It was similar with their pace attack. England's bowling unit was very good on the first evening, then lost the plot when they were put under pressure on the following day. In the longest format, all aspects require a backup strategy. Quite often it feels like England have a single approach, then no alternatives if that fails. 'Where has this come from?' - Starc bowls Root as England collapse in quick succession Head's Masterclass In fairness to England's pace attack, they were confronted with one of the memorable Ashes innings by the Australian batsman. His 69-ball hundred was the second quickest by an Australian batsman in the historic rivalry, two overs behind the legendary keeper at the Perth ground previously – a game I played in. My former teammate Gilly said the performance was the superior of the two. I concur. Given the difficulty of the wicket and the context of the game circumstances, Head's knock will be remembered as a moment of Ashes history. Tactical Moves It was a courageous move for Australia to promote the batsman in the lineup for the follow-on. The opener has faced criticism for being unable to open in either innings. He had back spasms after playing the sport the previous day the Test, but I do not believe the two were connected. When the batsman failed on day one, Australia advanced their number three and got bogged down. In promoting the aggressive batsman, who has the confidence of starting in limited overs, Australia were able to take the attack to England. Upcoming Decisions Now there is the question of what Australia will do for the next match. I'd like to see them continue the method of aggression at the top of the order. That could mean continuation at the top, meaning someone like the all-rounder comes into the batting lineup, or Head could go back to number five and Mitchell Marsh or the keeper could move to the opening. It would be difficult for Khawaja, but occasionally you have to do what the rival team would find most challenging. Series Outlook After the first Test was dominated by the pace attack, questions arise if the rest of series will be brief, low-run Tests. Perth Stadium is pretty much the fastest, bounciest pitch in the global cricket, so the batters should get a some respite from here onward. It is not all about the pitch. Recognition has to be given to the pacemen for getting the ball in the correct areas so often. Overall, batsmen on each team will need to look at how they were dismissed. Pivotal Match Now we progress to the next venue, and the vastly different twilight conditions for the following match. In 2006-07, I was part of the national side that overwhelmed England to achieve 5-0. The rivalry in this country have a habit of getting away from England rapidly. At the moment, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from 2-0, which is why Brisbane is such a crucial game. They must adapt, or the Ashes will be lost again.