The physical threat posed by a fast bowler is a legitimate aspect of cricket and this was an elevated example of a hallowed genreWhile mulling over England’s tactics for what would go down in history as the Bodyline series, Douglas Jardine watched a newsreel of Donald Bradman, his side’s principal adversary, batting at the Oval in 1930. What particularly caught his eye was an incident in which a short ball from Harold Larwood hit the Australia hero on the chest. Examining it again and again, Jardine thought he saw Bradman flinch as the delivery bore down on him at high speed. His daughter remembered his comment. “I’ve got it – he’s yellow,” Jardine exclaimed and made his preparations accordingly. Related:...
England’s intimidating pace bowler has put Australia’s batting rock into a hard place and their duel may shape Ashes outcomeAt lunch Lord’s looked exactly as you picture it in the dark days of winter. The sun was out, the sky was blue and the bars were buzzing with happy chatter. You wouldn’t have guessed it, then, but there was a storm coming in.Australia were 103 runs behind, had five wickets in hand, and Steve Smith and Tim Paine were in the thick of a 50-run partnership. It felt as if England had 60 minutes left to win the Test. Then the tempest came. In the next hour Steve Smith, the best Test batsman of his generation, and Jofra Archer, the...
After taking his first Test wicket the debutant pace bowler gave Joe Root the quandary of asking for one more overA quarter to midday, after two days and eight hours of play, the crucial stretch of the second Test was finally under way. Steve Smith was in again.This series is going to ebb and flow with Smith’s form. If he carries on batting like he did in that first Test at Edgbaston, then the tide is only going one way. Related: Jofra Archer off mark for England but threat of second Test draw looms Related: Ashes 2019: England v Australia second Test, day three abandoned after rain – as it happened Continue reading...
England will put their faith in two bowlers who did not play at Edgbaston – Jack Leach and Jofra Archer – to cause the imperious Australian batsman a few problems at Lord’sJack Leach might have played at Lord’s anyway, given Moeen Ali’s loss of confidence, but a stat doing the rounds during the first Test at Edgbaston certainly helped his cause. Steve Smith has a Test average of 35 against orthodox left-arm spin; against any other type of bowling he averages 70. The stat needs to be qualified – he struggled against the great Sri Lankan Rangana Herath on some viciously turning pitches – but equally it cannot be ignored. And the disparity is becoming more pronounced: CricViz stats show...
Steve Smith and Ben Stokes will understand forgiveness is not just earned by runs and wickets, it is by willingness to rebuild the example you setThe greatest cricketers obsess over their game with a motivation to be the best they can be. They squeeze out every ounce of skill and fitness which helps them approach matches with an unbreakable mentality, knowing every part of preparation has been covered. They throw themselves at every conceivable practice and game scenario to absorb, learn and build experiences to lock away in the memory bank. When they are faced with these situations again they then instinctively know what to do.Away from the playing field, though, I was reminded last week that even the greatest...