So, England have played their first warm-up match, easing to a six wicket win over Western Australia. Let’s hope it’s a sign of things to come, as England seek to beat the Aussies in their own back yard for the first time in over twenty-four years. In fact, Sunday’s victory was the first time an England team have won their opening game of an Ashes series, since 1965/66. While this certainly bodes well, a number of key points have emerged over the past few days.
Firstly, the return to form of Kevin Pietersen. With a score of 58 in the first innings (the most significant contribution, by far, to what was a somewhat shaky batting display) and backed up with a brisk 38 off just 22 balls in the second innings, there were glimmers of the KP of old. Most importantly, however, Pietersen is himself feeling more comfortable, and thus confident, in his batting. When asked to describe his performance in the match, KP claimed he was “on fire”. Words which surely caused the Aussies (who have just lost another series, by the way) to break out in a sweat. Especially if, as every England fan will be hoping, they are put into action come the 25th.
More worryingly, however, is the form of Alistair Cook. Despite securing his place on the plane down under, with a gutsy century at the Oval against Pakistan, any hint of a return to form seems to have been lost. Scores of just 5 and 9, being testimony to this. Luckily for Cook, there are two more warm-up matches to go. He needs a big score not only for his own self confidence and belief (make no mistake, the Aussie’s will make a point of constantly reminding him of his recent poor form, just in case he had forgotten), but also for England. While Jonathon Trott could open the batting with Strauss (something he was effectively doing throughout the summer) and while England could bring in Michael Carberry (who is on tour with the England Lions in Australia), they wont want too. The Strauss-Cook opening combination is tried and tested; any disruption to that could bring about further disharmony in other areas. Something the England management will want to avoid at all costs.
To stay with the batting for a moment, while the forms of both Pietersen and Cook have been the most noticeable, and thus scrutinised, Paul Collingwood hasn’t exactly been a run-machine of late. A score of 4 in the first innings and a scratchy 26 in the second, being far from convincing. However, the one thing you can always say about Collingwood with any certainty, is that he is a battler. With his mental strength and dogged determination, it shouldn’t be long before he puts in a big performance. Ian Bell also played in the first warm-up match. Failing to make a big contribution in the first innings (something to be expected considering he has only recently returned from injury) he played his part in the second, helping Strauss get England over the line in an emphatic fashion. More interesting then Bell’s form then, is what can be deduced from the selectors decision to play him ahead of Eoin Morgan. Have they already shown their hand? I hope not, as I think Morgan deserves at least one warm-up match to assert his claim for the sixth (and final) batting place. After all, he could turn out to be just the type of player England need.
On the whole, England’s bowling display against Western Australia, was pretty good. Stuart Broad was the pick of the bowlers in the first innings (picking up three wickets), while Graeme Swann shone in the second, bagging four at a ground which is often seen as a spinners graveyard. Imagine the carnage he could cause at the SCG. Steven Finn also looked impressive once he found the right line and length and while James Anderson may have been the least effective, there can be no doubt who England’s four bowlers will be in sixteen days time.
Yes, that’s right, just sixteen days to go.
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