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The preliminaries are over, the Bangladesh team are on their way home, all the talk about how great this is going to be has been said. It’s time to touch gloves and get this show on the road. Welcome to the exclusive 2 part preview of the Ashes from the FFUK Site.
Part 1 will cover the strengths and weaknesses of the 2 sides, with part 2 next week being a comprehensive guide to the teams and other factors. Of course, with the Australia-England rivalry on FFUK almost (but not quite) as intense as what will happen on the field of battle, no stone will be left unturned to see Australia winning (there’s some bias for you)
AUSTRALIA
STRENGTHS
• BEEN THERE, DONE THAT:
Australia have beaten everyone anywhere in the last few years and as a result draw tremendous confidence that they can blow any opposition team off the park. Just ask England, who hasn’t beaten Australia in a series in 18 years.
• WICKETS APLENTY
It’s not often that a country nurtures and develops 2 great bowlers in 2 generations. But when you have a couple of bowlers with over 1000 test wickets combined (and not many vs Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to boot), you know that there has to be an advantage in that area. Nothing seems to faze Glenn Donald McGrath and Shane Keith Warne on the field, not even the brashness of what’s facing them. And we haven’t even touched the surface of the support cast (Gillespie, Lee, Kasprowicz, MacGill etc.)
• THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FORCE IN WORLD CRICKET
Traditionally, keepers were only in the side to take catches and not worry too much about batting. Not so Adam Gilchrist, who has bashed his way out of trouble on countless occasions. England must realise that when Australia are 5 down, they cannot relax for a second because the game might slip away before they take a 6th wicket.
WEAKNESSES
• FORM NOT AS SHARP AS IT NORMALLY IS
I know ODI’s are not seen to be a traditional base for form. After all, Australia lost the Texaco trophy as it was then in 1989 and 1997 only to dominate the test series. But the bowling has been poor from the likes of Gillespie and Kasprowicz, who may eventually be competing for 1 spot in the final lineup.
• OFF FIELD DISTRACTIONS
With the fame and fortune that comes with success comes further scrutiny of private lives (a collum to come soon). It never helps when relationships break down, and it remains to be seen just how Warney copes with this latest headline.
ENGLAND
STRENGHTS
• YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE/LACK OF FEAR
Unlike in previous years where England picked the same old players that copped pounding after pounding, this time the younger players are coming through. The likes of Strauss, Pietersen, Flintoff and G.Jones have never tasted Ashes defeat whilst S.Jones did his knee in the last battle and therefore might not be as ‘scarred’ as others. The fact that they are in a winning team also helps.
• CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT
When Steve Harmison came to Australia as a young player; he was seen as a cumbersome force in the field and as such was not playing well. Now he is one of the better quick bowlers in the world. Of course, when individual improvement comes, team improvement will undoubtedly follow.
WEAKNESSES
• THE GHOSTS OF ASHES PAST
I know that past demons may not mean much when predicting the future, but the fact that several of the team have already tasted Ashes defeat has to be in the back of the mind. The fact that they won the last test in a series where they were comprehensively thrashed in Australia in the previous series may be a good omen for them, but unfortunately they seem to come good when a dead rubber is being played. They cannot afford that to happen.
• WOEFUL AT THE HOME OF CRICKET
The first test this year is at Lord’s, a ground steeped in history and tradition. England however have not beaten Australia in nearly 100 years at the venue, and a good start is what they need when it comes to the crunch. England again can’t let history get into their minds if they want to win the series.
COMING UP NEXT TUESDAY: FIRST TEST PREVIEW!!!!!
UNTIL THEN
YOU KNOW I’M A GOOD BLOKE
MOOKS