đŸ”— Share this article I'd Be Licking My Lips Facing the English Team - McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments For Australia to bounce back and claim victory in the opening Ashes Test so convincingly as they did, one questions what scars will be left on the England team. What are they going to do for the remaining series? Unexpected Turnaround I do not think anyone anticipated what happened on Saturday. When you examine the quantity of deliveries required to finish the game, it was Test cricket on accelerated pace. England were clearly dominant at lunch on the second day, leading by 105 runs with nine wickets in hand. The pitch was still offering assistance. It looked extremely difficult for Australia to re-enter the match. Batting Mistakes From that moment, England's choice of strokes was their major downfall. Scott Boland put in arguably his poorest performance in an Australia shirt in the initial batting, then completely reversed in the second to be the catalyst for the comeback. England's batters were out trying to hit balls outside off stump, in the air, through the covers. Trying to score off those bowls, with those shots, is the precise action you just do not do as a batsman in Australia. Adjustment Problems It showed that England had not done their homework, are unable to adapt or are unwilling to change approach. There is much discussion about England's method, their attacking philosophy. I witnessed it firsthand during the 2023 Ashes in the UK. Under their captain and Brendon McCullum, they can be quite rigid when it comes to adhering to that method. It is fine on slow, low pitches. On the fast, bouncy pitches of Australia it is a method fraught with danger. If England fail to reconsider, they will struggle for the whole series. Bowling Perspective As a paceman, I would have consistently believed in the game against this England team. I relied on my accuracy, having confidence to land the same spot on or outside off stump, with a some bounce and movement. Even if this England team was going well, I'd be licking my lips at the prospect of facing them, aware a single error could result in three or four wickets. Quality and Mental Toughness There are occasions when England can be a top-class team. They have talented individuals. Competent cricketers 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 Perth Stadium, devastated at the way they were beaten. Now we will see what they are made of. Even as a loyal Australian, I somewhat 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 opening day, then lost the plot when they were put under pressure on the following day. In the longest format, all aspects require a backup strategy. Frequently it seems England have one method, then nowhere to go if that does not work. 'Where has this come from?' - The dismissal as England lose third wicket in six balls Head's Masterclass In defense to England's bowlers, they were hit by one of the great Ashes innings by Travis Head. His century off 69 deliveries was the second fastest by an Australian batsman in Ashes cricket, two overs behind Adam Gilchrist at the Perth ground 19 years ago – a game I participated in. My old mate Gilly said Head's innings was the better of the two. I agree. Considering the challenging nature of the pitch and the situation of the match circumstances, Head's knock will go down as a highlight of Ashes history. Tactical Moves It was a bold and brave move for Australia to elevate Head up the order for the follow-on. Usman Khawaja has copped it for being failing to start in either innings. He had back spasms after playing golf the previous day the Test, but I do not believe the two were connected. When Khawaja failed on the opening day, Australia promoted Marnus Labuschagne and got stuck. In moving Head, who has the confidence of opening in limited overs, Australia were able to go on offensive to England. Future Considerations Now there is the issue of what Australia will do for the next match. I'd like to see them stick with the method of attacking play at the beginning. That could mean Head remains, meaning a player such as the all-rounder comes into the batting lineup, or Head could go back to his position and the all-rounder or Josh Inglis could move to the opening. It would be tough on Khawaja, but sometimes you have to do what the rival team would find most challenging. Series Outlook After the opening match 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 quickest, liveliest pitch in the world, so the batters should get a some respite from now on. It is not all about the wicket. Credit has to be given to the bowlers for getting the ball in the right place consistently. In general, batters on each team will need to look at how they got themselves out. Crucial Next Test Now we move on to Brisbane, and the vastly different twilight conditions for the second Test. In the historic series, I was part of the Australia team that dominated England to achieve 5-0. Ashes series in this country have a habit of getting away from England quickly. At the present, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from 2-0, which is why the venue is such a massive game. They need to adjust, or the historic urn will be gone once more.