Stunning start to the 2023 Ashes!

I must confess that all Bazball hype had left this Test cricket fan rather subdues and less than enthusiastic about the home Ashes series. For starters, I cringe at the way so many so-called England fans believe that cricket revolves solely around the occasional battles with Australia and possibly a World Cup so long as the nation is winning. I cling desperately to the association of TV cricket with the ‘Soul Limbo’ tune and am old-fashioned enough to detest the shift to drunken football-style crowds. 

And yet if Test cricket is to survive the flood of Twenty20 and Hundred, who am I to complain about any connection felt between young English blokes and the traditional summer sport (at least, while the footie season is in abeyance)? Whether it’s the cider bar at Taunton or the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston, if people are enjoying themselves and perhaps enjoying some cricket then it must be a good thing. I only hope that that those who attended the First Test, especially on the final day, appreciated what was happening on the pitch because it was quite extraordinary. 

I confess I rarely watch the game on TV these days, with little inclination to sacrifice whole weeks to Sky’s coverage. Thanks, BBC, for your website coverage and evening highlights show. There were certainly plenty of highlights on offer this week. 

It was billed as the clash between Bazball and the old-fashioned Aussies. How things have changed! The tourists were crowned world Test champions only the other week so Ben Stokes was unlikely to have everything his own way. 

On Friday morning, he did. From Zak Crawley’s courageous crunching cover drive from Pat Cummins’ opening half-volley to the bravado of Brooks and Bairstow and another imperious century from Joe Root, England were stroking their way to a total well into the 400s. Then the skipper declared on 393-8 to leave Broad and Robinson a few overs hopefully to dismiss Usman Khawaja and perennial cartoon villain David Warner. 

Tipping convention on its head has been a hallmark in England’s astonishing transformation last year. This decision, along with some novel field placings, were well to the fore at Edgbaston but the declaration was unsuccessful in its prime aim. Nonetheless, it served as an appetiser for some superb Test cricket over the next four days. Broad got Warner (of course he did!) and Labuschagne, then Stokes pinned the other hate figure, Steve Smith, for 16 but Khawaja played an excellent restrained innings lasting eight hours. Head and Carey were bolder, and Cummins joined in with the six-hits off poor Moeen Ali, whose raw spinning finger must have been awfully painful. 

With a slender lead of seven, England sallied forth to set the Aussies a tough target and unleash a pumped-up Broad, Anderson and Robinson. This time, Cummins and Nathan Lyon never allowed the batsmen the same freedom and nobody passed fifty. Alex Carey took another three catches and added a third stumping, illustrating England’s penchant for taking risks to the spinner. They scored at ‘only’ four an over but were all out for 273. So to a dramatic climax full of twists and turns. 

The raucous crowd must have helped England’s bowlers and put the fear of God into the Aussies. At 143-5 and four dismissals to Bairstow’s name, all looked rosy for Stokes and co. But that man Khawaja was still there. When Green played on, Robinson looked set to explode, and even Stokes looked quite calm when his ultra-slow delivery fooled the Aussie opener. 209-7, 82 short. A fabulous caught-and-bowled by Joe Root ended Carey’s resistance and surely the tailenders wouldn’t survive the pressure and score the required 54 to win? 

Statistics were against them. During the morning rain delay, commentators were keen to remind us that Australia always lose tight matches. Not since a young debutant Cummins struck the winning runs to beat South Africa by two wickets in 2011 had they edges such a close finish, but against all odds he repeated the feat. Khawaja also played in that match in Johannesburg, and his second innings score of 65 was identical to his corresponding total at Edgbaston. Statistics, eh? 

I wouldn’t begrudge the Aussies their victory. Stokes seemed to take the defeat stoically but in good heart. England came oh-so-close, four Tests to come, blah-blah-blah. I think another England victory could have killed the series as a sporting spectacle. Now we have something really special to look forward to. Test cricket is back, folks!

Ben Stokes creates Ashes history

Well, who needs Twenty20? England and Australia dished up one of the greatest sporting dramas since, oh, last month’s World Cup Final, demonstrating yet again why Test cricket must be savoured and protested for future generations of fans.

As a turnabout in fortunes it didn’t quite match the Headingley Test of 1981 – Botham, Willis and all that – but for overcoming home supporters’ low expectations in adversity, Headingley 2019 was just as remarkable. 38 years ago, it was a revitalised Ian Botham who, after a terrible start to his Ashes summer, rediscovered his mojo to drag England back from the brink. This time it’s Ben Stokes, although his rehabilitation from drunken thug to cricketing hero began in spectacular style at Lord’s when his innings and Super Over striking did so much to end the nation’s long wait for World Cup success.

I’m no fan of Stokes the person but there’s no denying his bravura talent on the biggest stages, at least with a bat in his hand. And yet, that unbeaten 135 notwithstanding, the Durham all-rounder was not the only man responsible for England’s victory. In the post-match euphoria amid the Stokes-centric headlines, it is easy to forget Jofra Archer’s first innings 6-45 and Saturday afternoon’s heroic resistance of the two Joes, Root and Denly.

On Friday, England were swatted away inside 28 overs for a paltry 67. Hazlewood and Cummins had bowled intelligently but the home team seemed to be batting in T20 self-destruct mode, nicking everything to Warner or Paine behind the stumps. They’d come close to winning the previous week at a rain-affected Lord’s but this dismal performance brought back the usual comments about the lost art of grinding out a score, knowing when to leave alone, when to defend and when to launch an offensive. 

Australia weren’t a whole heap better. Steve Smith’s injury replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, was the only one in a green helmet looking comfortable against the opposition attack. But when he and Lyon were last men out, England’s target of 359 looked challenging enough.

Normally such a fourth innings total would be beyond any side, but England had two and a half days in which to make them. Easy, huh? The portents were not good, especially when Roy and Burns succumbed meekly to the new ball. Root and Denly sensibly saw the side to stumps on Saturday evening but there was still plenty to do. A draw was out of the question; this was all about eight more wickets versus an additional 203 runs.

At 245-4, England looked to be cruising in the Bank Holiday heat but five wickets for 41 run left Australia in the driving seat. Ben Stokes and Jack Leach were on the rack. The Somerset spinner is no mug with the bat, as his 92 against Ireland demonstrated, but Stokes knew he’d have to play to his strength, and that’s to whack the ball as hard as he could. With 73 still required, he had nothing to lose.

Up to that point, he’d played with impressive restraint. Now was the time to display the Stokes of old. The sixes flew, but it was every dot ball faced by Leach which received cheers just as hearty from the Leeds crowd. Stokes was obviously pumped up, unable to even watch as his partner faced the fifth or sixth deliveries of overs by Cummins or Lyon. There was no intention of running quick singles; he merely squatted on his haunches, bat in both hands like a war-weary medieval knight clutching his sword, eyes focussed on his boots.

When on strike, my, how Stokes rode his luck. Aiming for the stands, three times he narrowly avoided outstretched hands, with a few very difficult diving catches spilled. The desperate LBW review for a ball clearly pitching and striking  outside leg stump cost the Aussies the match when a few overs later the umpire failed to spot a blatant leg-before; the ball would have hit middle. Justin Langer’s expression told the story. My thoughts strayed to Edgbaston, 2005 when the Aussies, featuring Langer, had been in a similar position yet were robbed just three runs from victory. With it, went that amazing series.

Nevertheless, in August 2019, all Stokes’ heroic hitting looked in vain when, with 2 needed, Stokes reverse swept to backward point then turned his back on Leach. His windmilling arms indicated that his partner had to run back to the crease. It wasn’t the greatest throw but all Nathan Lyon needed to do was catch the ball and calmly whip off the bails. With Leach stranded metres from safety, the bowler had plenty of time. He fumbled it, the chance had gone and with it the match and, in all likelihood, the Ashes.

The coup-de-grace followed shortly and one of the greatest of all Ashes Test matches was over. Just a few days after registering their lowest home Ashes total, England had achieved their highest ever fourth innings run chase. The series score reads 1-1 but I have no doubt that England will now proceed to build on their amazing good fortune and Stokes’ inspirational innings and regain the Ashes which, as the ball was lobbed to Lyon, looked certain to be Australia’s. I don’t think even the return of Steve Smith will prevent England’s sensational summer script becoming fact.

Ashes 2019 – Smith back on song as Aussies win a rollercoaster

Well, I didn’t see that coming! On the eve of the 2019 Ashes series, or indeed by lunch on the first day, none of the probable scripts would have told the story of what actually prevailed at Edgbaston. This was supposed to be the summer of England, buoyed by an historic World Cup success, carrying their confidence through to smash an Australia side only just welcoming back their banned trio of batsmen. Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft would surely wilt under the pressure and Joe Root would follow Eoin Morgan to Buckingham Palace for his knighthood. On the basis of the First Test I suggest PM Johnson and the Queen had better hold fire for the moment.

The final day collapse and consequent drubbing should not come as a complete surprise. At Headingley thirty years ago, the Aussies arrived without a strong reputation, yet bowled out David Gower’s men on the last day for a 211-run victory which laid the foundation not only for a series win but also a whole decade of world domination. Two years ago in Brisbane, the then-captain Steve Smith scored 141 not out in the first innings en route to a ten-wicket victory. Six months later he was cast into the wilderness for his role in the sandpaper controversy in Cape Town, the last time he played first-class cricket until this week.

At 112-8 last Thursday, Australia looked dead and buried. However, despite the chorus of boos and predictable beer-fuelled taunts with sandpaper and Smith-in-tears masks, the restored Smith was resolute. Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon kept him company through the afternoon as their side more than doubled their score. Until he was bowled by Broad, Smith had demonstrated the art of a Test batsman to perfection. And yet 284 all out was hardly a match-winning score. 

At stumps on day two, it was Rory Burns soaking up the adulation and some well-meaning handshakes from the opposition after his battling maiden Test century. Even on Saturday evening, England were still on top but Sunday was no day of rest for England’s fielders. They were run ragged by Steve Smith (again), fellow centurion Matthew Wade and then James Pattinson’s six-hit salvo. The final day saw England echo Australia’s woes on the first but this time there was no Steve Smith to salvage the situation. Roy, Denly, Buttler and Bairstow are hardly the types to knuckle down, and Nathan Lyon was extracting formidable turn from the pitch. Cummins’ short-pitched deliveries did the rest. Game over.

Love him or loathe him, you have to admire Steve Smith. His batting style looked more unorthodox than ever but he played superbly, punching cover drives to pile on the runs or shuffle outside off stump to frustrate Ben Stokes with a nudge behind square. In one of those freaky statistics I love about cricket, Smith became the first man in Test history to be dismissed twice in the 140s. Yes, England were a bowler light after Jimmy Anderson’s early breakdown but even with a fully-fit Anderson or Jofra Archer firing them in, I’m not sure the outcome would have been any different. 

It was an extraordinary Test match. I doubt that Tim Paine’s side will emulate Allan Border’s Class of ‘89 nor that England will resort to picking four different captains as they did that year. However, as with Steve Waugh three decades ago, the home nation has to work out how to dismiss Steve Smith, and hope that Warner, Khawaja and co don’t also find their form. Otherwise it could be a long hot summer and the World Cup fever will feel like a distant memory.

Ashes 2017-18: England save the worst for last

Congratulations, Australia. One more, they made home advantage count and duly wiped the floor with Joe Root’s tourists, extending the winning margin to 4-0 courtesy of an innings victory at a scorching Sydney. It seemed somehow fitting that poor Root was too ill not only to complete his final innings but also to attend the end-of-series presentations.  It also seemed appropriate that Root retired ill having outscored all his colleagues in the final game. One of the other two Englishman to leave with reputation reasonably intact, Jimmy Anderson, was left with the thankless task of trotting out the pleasantries and excuses.

When the Aussies amass 649-7 and then dismiss the opposition for 180, it’s a pretty conclusive result. I commented a few weeks ago that there wasn’t a huge difference between the teams but those words look woefully misjudged today! Steve Smith’s run glut obviously caught the eye but his four-man attack of Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and indefatigable spinner Nathan Lyon each captured more than 20 wickets. England managed to take only 58 in the whole series.

Both Marsh brothers reached three figures at the SCG while Cook, Bairstow and Malan were England’s only centurions of the series amidst generally pitifully low scoring. Anderson was the only English bowler to average under 35 and also led the wicket table on 17. Moeen Ali, Jake Ball and young Mason Crane each ended with bowling averages in three figures, and the Hampshire leggie was considered to have bowled well! Never mind; 25 years ago, Shane Warne was tonked on his debut, too, and I believe he went on to have quite a useful Test career.

So, in terms of Test cricket, what can Bayliss, Strauss and Root do to stop the rot? First of all – and this might seem perverse - they should forget the Ashes debacle Down Under. 4-0 looks – and was – humiliating but I don’t think any country would have beaten the Aussies this winter. England won at home last time and will probably do the same in 2019, with the likes of Anderson (if fit), Broad, Overton, Roland-Jones and Porter leading the attack.

Short-term, there are Tests to play in New Zealand. Conditions there will be more conducive to Root’s less pacey but perhaps more skilful seam and swing merchants, and the Black Caps don’t have Steve Smith in their line-up. I suggest that England don’t make wholesale changes. Give Ball, Crane and Overton another go but not sure about Tom Curran. He was only picked because of his Surrey connections anyway; certainly not on 2017 county form.

In addition to Moeen, James Vince was perhaps the most disappointing. His one-day batting seems to have matured as his first-class performances have declined. He wasn’t a complete disaster. After all, had Alastair Cook not produced that Melbourne masterclass, his series average would also have loitered in the low 20s at best. Malan and Stoneman must stay, but perhaps Ballance could have another chance to walk to the middle holding a bat instead of drinks tray.

At least England can say they pushed the Aussies into a fifth day every time, a modern rarity. The same can’t be said for India in Cape Town. Kohli’s world leaders played their part but, in the event, they were undone by South Africa’s fast bowlers, led by Vernon Philander. Only 760 runs were scored, not many more than Smith et al compiled in their single Sydney innings. However, unless you held unused tickets for the fifth day, it made for a good contest. Kohli’s men must be strangers to defeat but, on foreign soil, South Africa will surely look to reduce the ranking points difference between the two nations. AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn are back, and that can only be good for cricket, too.

2017-18 Ashes Preview

There always seems to be a great deal of aggressive talk before an Ashes series. Some of the press conferences or solo interviews sound more like heavyweight boxing weigh-ins than anything related to cricket. Of course, the media like to focus on a single throwaway comment more than a balanced preview. If the question of a whitewash is not laughed off, it’ll be printed as xxxxxx predicts 5-0 massacre.

In the end, it’s all about who wins on the pitch but in the past the Aussies have benefited from some early pre-series sledging instead of relying on childish baiting in the middle. That might have worked when the side led by Border or Waugh were clearly miles ahead of England. In 2017, any talk of a crushing series victory won’t seem such a mental sledgehammer. England should have no inferiority complex this time. However, nor should they be overly optimistic about their own chances.

In the ICC Test rankings, England currently sit in third place, two ahead of Australia. Neither have any kind of recent consistency. Last winter, England were thumped by India and held 1-1 by Bangladesh but, with Joe Root at the helm, turned things around in last summer’s home rubbers against South Africa and West Indies. The Aussies have also suffered an historic defeat by Bangladesh and been beaten by India so, if anything, are looking shakier than their visitors.

On the face of it, the Ashes could be decided by the home team’s apparently superior bowling attack. The batting on each side looks rather shaky. The two skippers Steve Smith and Joe Root are one and two in the player rankings, while Alastair Cook and David Warner also occupy places in the top dozen or so. It’s in the rest of the top six that both nations look creaky. For England, Mark Stoneman looks in good nick and Jonny Bairstow deserves credit than he is often given. Dawid Malan has at last made a hundred in England whites. Gary Ballance and James Vince promise much but can both deliver? With the charmless thug Ben Stokes sidelined, more responsibility weighs on Moeen Ali’s shoulders, and Chris Woakes will be expected to hang around with the bat as well as prove he is not just a useful one-day death bowler.

In the green baggies, Peter Handscomb has a decent recent record in Tests and Cameron Bancroft will look to build on last week’s Sheffield Shield double-century. Thirty-somethings Khawaja and Shaun Marsh certainly won’t put the fear of God into England’s bowlers, and Tim Paine has been recalled as wicketkeeper despite not even wearing the gloves for Tasmania. Hmm.

So what about those bowlers? Four years ago, it was Mitchell Johnson who devastated the tourists. That feels so long ago it may well have been broadcast in black and white. Mitchell Starc is probably the best all-format bowler in world cricket and achieved the rare feat of claiming two hat-tricks in the same match for New South Wales last month. He’s a leftie, called Mitchell, but that’s no guarantee of repeating Johnson’s Ashes heroics. Hazelwood, Bird and Cummins are all mighty quick but also mighty injury-prone. The focus on pace could unravel if any of them break down.

Nathan Lyon has just joined the 30-something club and boasts twice as many Test wickets as Moeen, with a notably superior average. I’m not convinced England’s 20 year-old leggie Mason Crane will do much damage either. Of course, Root will be turning to the guile and experience of James Anderson and Stuart Broad to upset the Aussie batsmen. However, it’ll be interesting to see which of Jake Ball and Craig Overton – or both? – get to play. As a Somerset fan I’ve followed the progress of the latter for several years. He has earned his opportunity with England. Trouble is, should he succeed Down Under, I’m worried he’ll nab a central contract and consign our county to Division Two next season.

If this series was to be played in England I reckon Root and co may just edge it. A few weeks ago, I was predicting something similar for the series in Australia.  However, having given much thought I have changed my mind. I’m going for another narrow Aussie win but should it be 2-1 or 3-2 the other way I won’t be at all surprised. Yes, it’s down to the difference between the pace attacks but if Root offers Starc a tasty-looking burger and the bowler is subsequently ruled out by a mysterious illness, things will look a lot more even.

India Still Top of the World

Congratulations, India! Not only have they consolidated their number one status in Test cricket with a 2-1 series win over second-ranked Australia but they managed it having been comprehensively crushed in the first game at Pune. In fact it’s only the fourth time in India’s history they have come from behind to clinch a series.

The eight-wicket margin at Dharamsala looks impressive but, not for the first time, the match was won in the second innings when India’s attack was simply too much for the Aussie batsmen. For much of 2016-17, India’s dominance has largely been the result of Ashwin’s bowling and Kohli’s batting. However, both have been uncharacteristically quiet in the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The home side’s captain aggregated a paltry 46 runs in five innings, while Ashwin was overshadowed by team-mate Ravi Jadeja and even, on occasions, Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keeffe. Umesh Yadav picked up five wickets in the final Test and 22 year-old Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the first innings bowlers, marking his debut with 4-68. Yet Ashwin, with Jadeja, could still teach the Aussie slowies a thing or two about bowling on the fourth and fifth days.

Kohli’s lack of form and Fourth Test absence was compensated for by the excellence of Pujara and Rahul. This week, the latter made it six half-centuries out of seven, a display of remarkable consistency not achieved by an Indian since 1982-3. As the bowlers, especially the spinners, were so on top, there were only six hundreds scored across the whole series. What really stands out is that half of them flowed from the bat of Aussie skipper Steve Smith.

While the ‘brain fade’ incident left a sour taste in the mouth, Smithy was brilliant at the crease. He accumulated 499 runs at 71, remarkable on largely bowler-friendly pitches and seems to be in a golden patch right now. He has the rare gift of converting half his 50s into 100s and also boasts 40+ averages in every country in which he has played. Leading his country has not hurt him one jot either. As captain, his Test average is an amazing 73.27, and his strike rate is a none-too-shabby 57 per 100 balls.

He said he feels pride despite the latest defeat in Asia, and that’s fair enough. It was a great series and I hope there will be many more in the coming year. I particularly look forward to seeing how Kohli and co fare in their next away Test series.

Steve Smith’s Brain Fade, Australia Outplayed

At Pune, planet Earth was almost jolted off its axis when India suffered their first home Test defeat since Alastair Cook and co wrought havoc in December 2012. Indeed, it wasn’t so much a defeat as an annihilation by Australia. The opposition spin attack, so long derided by the cricket world, suddenly became world beaters, outclassing Ashwin and Jadeja at their own game on their own pitch.

Could Virat Kohli’s men put that embarrassment behind them, shake off the Pune dust and get back to winning ways at Bengaluru? Absolutely! For the first few days, it looked like a Test match of old. Spinners bowling maiden after maiden and batsmen concentrating on keeping their wicket.

However, whereas back in the Seventies, visiting batsmen often had the wherewithal to withstand such pressures, the current crop of Twenty20-softened strokemakers are often unable to grind out a score and save a match. When their mental resolve is further tested by exceedingly ungentlemanly, yet apparently legal, conduct (i.e. sledging), performances seem to suffer more. Which I guess is why the likes of Kohli, Warner and many other leading cricketers continue to indulge in the practice.

As for the cricket itself, Nathan Lyon’s sensational 8-50 on day one seemed to be setting the scene for the Aussies to make it two out of two. But on the next three days, India remembered why they were the world’s top cricketing nation and they fought back. Even Ishant Sharma conceded fewer than two runs an over as Australia struggled for runs. Ravichandra Ashwin twirled away for 49 overs but it was fellow spinner Ravi Jadeja who completed a six-four, restricting the opposition to a lead of 87.

When India batted next, it was the quicks, Starc and Hazelwood who did the damage. Rahul again passed 50, as did Pujara and Rahane, but the rest capitulated. The outcome was that Australia were left with almost two whole days in which to knock off the required 188 to win. However, they knew that this pitch was proving decidedly tricky with uneven bounce and lateral movement. It wouldn’t be easy.

In the event that was an understatement. David Warner signalled his intent not to block and nudge by striking an early six but he was second out, for 18, in the tenth over. As the day progressed, the wickets tumbled but it wasn’t just the batting which was disintegrating; so were relations between the two sides, sparked by the use and blatant misuse of DRS.

Kohli pointed out to the umpires the tendency of Steve Smith to glance towards the dressing room for guidance before deciding on any reviews. This is banned under the laws of cricket. When the Aussie captain did it again after being given lbw, umpire Nigel Llong wasted no time in sending him back to the pavilion. India were fired up even more, and Ashwin proceeded to his 25th five-wicket haul. More than that, his 6-41 meant that for the first time EVER, four different bowlers had achieved six-fors in the same match. Unlike in Pune, Steve O’Keeffe was not one of them.

That would be quite a record, one to remember this match by. However, instead it will go down in history as the one when Kohli said the Aussies had “crossed the line” and made it clear he reckoned Steve Smith had cheated. Smith was unconvincing when he described his look to the balcony as “brain fade”.

We all know that technology has its place when used to aid umpires in coming to difficult decisions. Nevertheless, it is encumbent on players and officials to ensure that DRS is not abused. If Steve Smith and others have been caught out, they should be punished, and umpires will unfortunately have to add checking players’ eye movements to their already long list of duties. I can see captains demanding a review on whether the opposition illegally sought a review. What next? Team A demanding a review of whether Team B sought illegal assistance on whether or not Team A had sought illegal assistance on whether or not to review a decision on Team B? Aarrggghhh!

Let’s just say that India deserved to draw level 1-1 and hopefully common sense will prevail when the sides next meet at Ranchi. Somehow I anticipate another dearth of runs, spinners in the ascendancy and more grumpiness from Kohli. I just wish the game is played in the proper spirit and is remembered for cricketing reasons.

From Ponting and Law to Lyon: Aussies back on track?

Michael Clarke may have been the one savouring his first victory as full-time Test captain, and Mike Hussey the Man of the Match, but two other players in Australia's 1st Test victory over Sri Lanka are worthy of mention.

This was ex-skipper Ricky Ponting's 100th Test win, which is more than most nations have achieved in their history, let alone a player's career. He's now well into his 37th year and his contribution to the win at Galle was only 48 runs. Indeed he has reached three figures only once in the last two years - and that was a double against Pakistan - but his landmark is a reminder of what he has achieved with Australia. 'Punter' made his debut at the WACA, also against Sri Lanka, in December 1995, making 96 out of a massive total of 617-5 declared. Interestingly, the other debutant in that match, Stuart Law, hit an unbeaten 54 and never played another Test. However, with a career aggregate of more than 27,000 runs, I don't think any other Australian has score more in first-class cricket. The likes of Ponting and the Waughs kept him out of the side but who knows? Perhaps it could have been the Queenslander and not the Tasmanian looking back in 2011 on a great Test career?

At the other end of the scale, the latest Test featured two new men in Clarke's team: seamer Trent Copeland and off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Ryan Harris may have eclipsed Copeland with the new ball, but Lyon claimed 5-34 in the first innings. Sangakkara was his first victim, a good one for the CV, before he wrapped up the Sri Lankan tail. Whilst in the second he took some treatment from Jayawardene and Mathews, he was the man who took the last wicket to fall, thus signalling Australia's first win in Asia for five years or so. That must give them a lot of confidence which had plummeted after the Ashes drubbing last winter.

But what about Lyon? Will he be a Ponting, or a Law? Ricky himself has expressed disquiet about the policy of selecting players for Tests with virtually no first-class experience, just a few useful performances in Twenty20 games. Lyon's career at South Australia began only six months ago so there does indeed seem to be a sense of desperation in Cricket Australia's picks. Michael Beer was just as inexperienced, albeit three years older, when he was catapulted into the side to face England at Sydney. After taking a solitary wicket, he was immediately dropped and I wonder whether he will be seen in a green baggy cap again. There will never be another Shane Warne but after making a useful start in a winning team, it is surely worth persevering with young Lyon and encouraging his development back at Adelaide in proper cricket, not just four-over containing spells of spin in the twenty-over thrashes.