Ashes: Talking points as Aussies edge closer to retaining the urn
If you’re still falling victim to that bloated feeling after Boxing Day, don’t expect the latest goings on in the Ashes to make you feel any better.
At stumps after day two of the third Test match in Melbourne, England finished on 31-4, 51 runs behind Australia.
The Baggy Greens are tantalisingly close to retaining the urn, while England’s thoughts are beginning to turn to the avoidance of a whitewash 5-0 series result.
Here are our talking points as the third Test continues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG):
Labu-change (for once)
Marnus Labuschagne has been outstanding since he stepped in for an injured Steve Smith a couple of years ago at Lords.
The Australian has been a thorn in the side of touring teams Down Under too since his debut. That said, Labuschagne’s dismissal – at the hands of seamer Mark Wood – saw the Baggy Green leave the crease with just one run on the board.
While Labuschagne has been a brilliant batter in recent Tests – and rightly deserved his position as the worlds No1 batter – he’ll be disappointed with his performance in Australia’s first innings.
He was, quite simply, undone by a level of pace England lacked in Adelaide. Mark Wood’s ball speed of over 90mph has been a ray of hope for an England side struggling Down Under.
In fact, he was averaging 150kph across a spell of nine overs at one point – that’s the highest average for an English bowler in Australia since records began.
In Labuschagne England managed to get the world’s best batter out early, for a score of one, by forcing the batter into playing the ball using Wood with a wider bowling action.
Superb form England it may be, but everything feels a little too late for the touring side.
Spare duck this Christmas?
It’s happened again. England’s top order batter Dawid Malan and nightwatchman Jack Leach became the side’s 51st and 52nd ducks of the year, Malan with the honour of being England’s 20th Test duck of 2021.
It’s simply not good enough but in a side where few would know the strongest XI – even in the Ashes – it’s hardly surprising.
Kudos must go to the outstanding Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, who were relentless in their spells this morning.
That said, England have a serious issue now – they’re becoming predictable.
Bowlers are seemingly able to exploit England’s inability to make consistently sharp decisions at the crease, and they’re reaping the rewards.
Ashes crowd
The MCG is arguably one of cricket’s best stadiums. Its 100,000 plus seats make for an intimidating wall of noise for whomever stands at the crease – well, usually.
The traditional Boxing Day Test sees a crowd of over 70,000 on the opening day – especially in the Ashes. But there on, the atmosphere lessens and the crowd numbers fall
Day two saw as few as 30,000, about the number of fans needed to fill Lords in London. This isn’t a problem, of course it isn’t, but 30,000 plus in the MCG means the ground is just a third full, whereas the same number in England would see a cricket stadium rammed.
Atmosphere is everything and it’s something English cricket does very well. The occasion may suit the marketing needs of Cricket Australia and its traditional Boxing Day Test, but the vast thousands of empty seats really disappoints the eye.
Long live the bouncing Eric Hollies stand of Edgbaston – especially in the Ashes – if you ask me.