No one agrees when the Indian cricket season begins and ends these days; so instead of associating Diwali and a slight nip in the Bangalore air with the start of the test season like I used to, I have come to identify the initial winter chill with the opening Brisbane test each Novemeber. This usually means having to wake up at six in the morning to the voices of Channel Nine.
Adding to this mock-ritualistic thrill is that the Ashes are once again upon us, and this edition looks too close to call. For much of the 90's, our group of friends and relatives would support Australia as it was i)an Indian thing at the time to jeer the English, and ii)great fun reading Ted Corbett's downcast column in the Hindu, on the soap opera that was England cricket at the time. Over the years, we switched alliances as the Australians got a bit too ugly for our liking.
The roles seem to have completely reversed this time. England have a spring in their collective stride, while Australia's messy, faltering buildup has been well-documented. Perhaps the Barmy Army chant says it best: "Are you England is disguise?"
A good indication of how things have changed since 2006 is to come up with composite sides from both series. In 2006, only Flintoff, Pietersen and perhaps Hoggard would have made a combined Anglo-Australian lineup. This year, such a lineup might read: Strauss, Watson, Ponting, Pietersen, Hussey (just pipping Collingwood), Bell, Prior, Broad (over Johnson), Swann, Hilfenhaus, Anderson. That's 7-4 to England.
Given the home advantage factor Australia (OK, Mitchell Johnson in particular) enjoys, their ability to fight when pushed into the corner, as well as England's relative unfamiliarity with the 'favourites' tag, I'm picking the series result as 2-2 with the draw at either Sydney or Adelaide. Though England still looks the better side, their bench strength is pretty ho-hum (Bresnan and no Shahzad?). And I can't belive Australia would leave out Bollinger, but when he gets back to full fitness he'll have his impact.
First day at the Gabba has rarely passed without dramatic incident, England usually being on the receiving end: Slater's blistering attack in '94, Hussain's backfiring decision and Simon Jones' injury in 2002, and that wide from Harmison last time. I wonder what lies in store tomorrow. Ah, the anticipation.
2 comments:
And what a test it's turning out to be!! Days 1-3 were mostly Australia's, I got all obnoxious with some lads in the pub last night and woke up to the worst news ever ... we're probably going to have to settle for a draw, when we Aussies expect to win the gabba every time.
Oh well, we'll have to see what Adelaide brings.
Terrific test so far. The way things keep going up and down it might well swing back in Australia's favour on the final day!
If it turns out to be a draw Australia have got to be the more gutted side, considering the advantage they built up after some great unrewarded bowling from Anderson..
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