🔗 Share this article I Would Be Licking My Lips Bowling to the English Team - McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments The Australian team to bounce back and claim victory in the first 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 remaining series? Surprising Comeback I do not think anyone expected what happened on Saturday. When you examine the quantity of deliveries required to finish the game, it was the longest format on fast forward. England were well on top at the midday break on the second day, 105 ahead with nine wickets in hand. The pitch was still offering assistance. It looked extremely difficult for Australia to get back into the match. Batting Mistakes From that point, England's shot selection was their major downfall. Scott Boland put in probably his worst performance in an national colors in the initial batting, then completely reversed in the subsequent innings to be the catalyst for the comeback. England's batters were out attempting to strike balls outside off stump, on the up, towards cover region. Attempting runs off those bowls, with those strokes, is the one thing you just should avoid as a batsman in Australia. Adjustment Problems It demonstrated that England had not done their homework, are not able to adjust or are reluctant to change approach. There is a lot of talk about England's method, their attacking philosophy. I witnessed it up close during the recent series in the UK. Under Ben Stokes and their coach, they can be quite rigid when it comes to adhering to that method. It is acceptable on slow, low pitches. On the fast, bouncy pitches of Australia it is a method full of danger. If England do not reassess, they will struggle for the entire series. Pacer's Viewpoint As a bowler, I would have always felt in the contest against this England team. I depended on my accuracy, backing myself to land the identical area on or outside off stump, with a bit of bounce and movement. Even if this England team was going well, I'd be licking my lips at the idea of bowling to them, aware a single error could result in 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 mindset to be adaptable enough for the conditions. They would been shellshocked at the way things unfolded at the venue, crushed at the way they were beaten. Now we will see what they are capable of. Even as a loyal Australian, part of me wants to see them adapt, just to show they can improve. Pace Attack Issues It was similar with their bowling. England's bowling unit was very good on the first evening, then lost direction when they were attacked on the following day. In Test cricket, all disciplines require a backup strategy. Frequently it feels like England have a single approach, then nowhere to go if that fails. 'Where has this come from?' - Starc bowls Root as England lose third wicket in six balls Head's Masterclass In fairness to England's bowlers, they were confronted with one of the memorable Ashes innings by Travis Head. His 69-ball hundred was the second fastest by an Australian man in Ashes cricket, 12 balls behind Adam Gilchrist at the Waca previously – a match I played in. My former teammate Gilchrist said the performance was the better of the two. I concur. Considering the difficulty of the pitch and the context of the game situation, Head's knock will be remembered as a moment of Ashes history. Strategic Decisions It was a courageous move for Australia to promote the batsman up the order for the second innings. The opener has copped it for being failing to start in both attempts. He had back spasms after playing the sport the previous day the Test, but I don't think the two were linked. When Khawaja missed out on the opening day, Australia promoted Marnus Labuschagne and got bogged down. In promoting Head, who has the confidence of opening in limited overs, Australia were able to take the attack to England. Future Considerations Now there is the issue of what Australia will do for the next match. I'd like to see them continue the method of aggression at the beginning. That could mean continuation at the top, meaning someone like the all-rounder comes into the middle order, or Head could go back to his position and the all-rounder or the keeper could go to the top. It would be tough on the batsman, but sometimes you have to do what the opposition would find most uncomfortable. Tournament Perspective After the opening match was dominated by the pace attack, some are wondering if the rest of series will be brief, low-run Tests. Perth Stadium is essentially the fastest, bounciest pitch in the global cricket, so the batsmen should get a little bit of respite from now on. It is not entirely about the wicket. Credit has to be given to the pacemen for getting the ball in the right place so often. In general, batsmen on each team will need to look at how they were dismissed. Crucial Next Test Now we progress to Brisbane, and the completely distinct day-night conditions for the second Test. In 2006-07, I was part of the Australia team that dominated England to achieve 5-0. The rivalry in this country have a habit of slipping from England quickly. At the moment, England are only 1-0 down. There would be no coming back from two down, which is why the venue is such a massive game. They must adapt, or the Ashes will be gone again.