Australia need to combat their fear, so evident against England at Edgbaston, if this summer is to be the sort of contest that the Ashes deserves
Daniel Brettig11-Jun-2013It was not only for his catching that David Boon made a great short leg fielder for Australia. Crouched under the helmet, he looked as ready to smother a grenade as a cricket ball, and was not shy of the odd verbal rejoinder. Legend has it that on one occasion in the West Indies in 1991, a vision-impaired Desmond Haynes turned towards Boon for a moment’s assistance. Asked Haynes of Boon: “Can you see something in my eye?” Came the retort: “Yeah. Terror.”England looked Australia in the eye at Edgbaston in their Champions Trophy opener and glimpsed something similar. It was unsettling to watch Australia’s performance in the first match of 26 to come against England over the next seven months. The tourists’ response to the middling total they were asked to chase, in particular, was feeble. While the search for Test match portents in 50-over matches can be a fruitless exercise, the one recurring theme that kept bubbling to the surface on the Australian side was fear. Fear of failure, fear of losing one’s place, fear of looking silly, and fear that Michael Clarke may not be able to save them.This fear was not manifested necessarily in body language or posture – Matthew Wade went after Jonathan Trott in a manner that suggests his own personal preparation for the match was to listen to the coach Mickey Arthur’s scathing critique of the ODI team this time last year as “submissive” and susceptible to “bullying” by England. Instead it was evident in less demonstrative but more critical and instructive areas, like a selector’s choice of team, or a batsman’s choice of shot.Xavier Doherty was picked for this tournament as the lead spin bowler but found himself left out, most likely due to fear he would be toyed with by England in the same manner he had been in 2012, even though the pitch was dry and very likely to spin. England’s batsmen do not fear Doherty, but they had even less reason to be wary of Adam Voges. Then in the first over of the match, Mitchell Starc trotted in nervously for his opening spell, and grew even more twitchy when his first ball did not swing as he had hoped, whirring straight into Alastair Cook’s pads for a boundary.These portents were none too encouraging, but the team’s collective efforts in the field were sound enough to keep England to a tally of around 250. That another 20 or so runs were scampered by Ravi Bopara and Tim Bresnan was merely the marker of England as a quality unit, one that will press for an advantage at every reasonable opportunity.The contrast with Australia’s batsmen was not to be long in coming. Though the consensus at Edgbaston was to laud Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad for their accuracy, Shane Watson and David Warner had the task of wresting the advantage with bold early strokeplay. Cook and Ian Bell had motored past 50 without stretching themselves too far, and Australia’s IPL-approved openers needed to match them at least. Instead they began with a careful torpidity that suggested the ball was swinging around treacherously, and that they were taking block after tea in a Test match.No wonder the English gloated. Some of the most defining Australian Ashes innings have been characterised by decisive attacks on the bowlers at times when others – Englishmen, certainly – may have chosen a more conservative path. Allan Border at Headingley in 1989, Michael Slater at the Gabba in 1994, Steve Waugh at Old Trafford in 1997, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Elliott at Headingley in 1997, Slater again at Edgbaston in 2001, Matthew Hayden practically anywhere in 2002-03. The likes of Andy Caddick, Phil De Freitas and Martin McCague cowered then, but all would have fancied themselves at Edgbaston this time.
Afterwards, Bailey spoke frankly of what worried him most. In his mind, too many batsmen had been worrying about not getting out, about keeping their spots, and about keeping England’s bowlers out rather than scoring from them. And that word, fear, was mentioned without prompting
Allowed to settle, Anderson and Broad constricted the innings, Warner eventually choosing the wrong ball to go after – an increasingly common trait of his – and Watson squeezed out when Bresnan arrived at first change. Neither Warner nor Watson played with the sort of confidence their seniority in the team demands, and their anxiety would be felt down the order.Other fears and phobias in the team would then play out with disappointing inevitability. Phillip Hughes was caught up in the homely offspinner’s web spun by James Tredwell and Joe Root. Adam Voges worked the ball around neatly but was found wanting when required to hit out. Wade snicked behind in the manner that reminded many of why Brad Haddin will don the gloves for the Ashes. Only James Faulkner added to his reputation. All had the most insidious, creeping fear at the back of their minds also: the horrid thought that Clarke’s back will continue to fail him.George Bailey was becalmed in Hughes’ jittery company but at least found a way to greater fluency later on. Afterwards, Bailey spoke frankly to ABC Radio of what worried him most. In his mind, too many batsmen had been worrying about not getting out, about keeping their spots, and about keeping England’s bowlers out rather than scoring from them. And that word, fear, was mentioned without prompting.”Stuart Broad and James Anderson really gave nothing, no width, hit a really good length, but I guess the balance in one day cricket is you’ve got to find a way to put pressure back on the bowlers,” Bailey said. “The fear for us is … concern about losing your wicket and not starting to play your natural game. That’s what I certainly don’t want us to fall into the trap of. I think it’s really important that guys continue to back their individual plans and the way they play, and we’ve just got to find a way to score big partnerships.”So it has taken only one game for the world to see Australian anxiety about facing England. The match-ups with New Zealand and Sri Lanka can help this team find their footing, but they will have to confront and combat the fear so evident at Edgbaston if this summer is to be the sort of contest the Ashes deserves.
