---ASHESLORE- Tales in England --- Pros Anderson and Broad catching the youth fever?

At the first Investec Test Match between Australia and England in Cardiff, we witnessed an all-round bowling performance from the England. Yes, the Aussies also picked up 20 wickets but as Stuart Broad says they didn't adapt to the nature of the pitch fast enough. Before this test match it seemed as if England had the same slew of right hand fast medium seamers. They seemed predictable and dull on a dry surface. 

Suddenly we find that there is variety in this bowling line-up too. The swing of Anderson, the bounce of Broad, seam from Stokes and the Pace from Wood.

In this article I am mainly presenting my views on the English bowling performance of the two pros Stuart Broad and James Anderson and the reasons for their success.

regaining the joy

rediscovering his potential

There was one more thing equally, if not more important that contributed to their success. The attitude of Ben Stokes and Mark Wood. 

They bowled with spirit, they bowled with vigour, they bowled to express their joy.

 Most importantly, they rejuvenated Anderson and Broad. They caught the youth fever of playing aggressive uninhibited cricket which they used to in their younger days.
Though it is possible that the young core of 'New England' was 'Made in New Zealand', the youth shows us a changing face of English cricket and its move from attritional  and a safety first approach to a fluid and proactive one.

youth fever spreading?

 The new ball spell from Anderson and broad on the fourth morning was as good as any we have seen in recent times from them. They were controlled, aggressive and relentless.

We are seeing a new core of young enthusiastic players come up who are not scarred by previous tours. They have a vibe about them and essentially in this test match, the youngsters have led the way forward and shown the experienced how to play without fear.

In attempt to nullify the effect of their decreased speeds Anderson and Broad have many times been at fault of bringing their length back. This was in full view at Headingly against the black caps when the English Bowlers got smacked around for 454 in just 91 overs.

The experience Broad and Anderson showed, coupled with a new found vigour helped them complement each other beautifully. They bowled a fuller length at the start and  bowled according to strict plans to each batsman. Warner was denied width, they bowled a 5^th stump line to Smith who constantly shuffles across, and just aimed at the stumps or more precisely the huge trunk Watson has for a leg to effect a leg before Watson.. sorry wicket.

However the striking thing which I observed, though seemingly insignificant was a show of their skill and expertise. The Cardiff pitch not seaming and swinging after the new ball, they pulled their lengths back slightly to exploit the variable bounce in the surface and consistently bowled a stump to stump line. 

At one point of time Anderson actually bowled 3 consecutive maidens and Moeen Ali was rewarded with the wicket of Clarke.

Another aggressive move was Broad coming on to bowl 10 overs before the new ball could be taken.  His reward- Leg Before Watson i.e he got Watson out LBW.

There is another reason why Broad’s and Anderson’s potency has increased. It is due to the sustained pressure placed by Stokes and Wood. Previously the pressure the pair creates would inevitably get released by the back-up bowlers. The bulk work had to be done by this pair and thus they started bowling with speed and verve only during critical periods.

A revealing stat tells us that since 2010 Anderson and Broad have bowled the most balls in test cricket. No wonder they have become a bit more cautious. They, Anderson in particular, are testimony to longevity, skill and fitness in comparison to their workload

partners in crime overburdened?

Thus in the Cardiff test it felt like they were almost rediscovering the  joy and pleasure of bowling as they could bowl high-octane relentless spells due to support from the back-up bowlers.

On a larger note, this win for the English has changed many things. Many though that the pitches would be prepared to nullify Australia’s Pace battery. However with the Australian batting comparatively more insecure than that of the English, one might be tempted to think that the Lord’s pitch would be seamer friendly, even more so after the comprehensive performance of the English seamers. They would however be wary of the situation that befell them when they prepared a green pitch against India.

I conclude with anderson’s apt words during the New Zealand tour.

"We're trying to be aggressive and attacking with our fields and the lines and lengths we bowl. The players we have in the team - the likes of Mark Wood or Ben Stokes - are naturally attacking cricketers, so guys like that are moving us forward. We're looking to play the same sort of cricket as New Zealand and Australia and fight fire with fire.

"It is rubbing off on us, I think. It's good for someone like me who's almost over the hill to get these guys giving you a kick up the backside. You can't help but admire the way they play and try and do that as well."

---ASHESLORE- Tales In England---New England UpROOTing Dad’s Army ?

Of all the one liners I have scripted (heading or otherwise) I feel no greater satisfaction than having thought of the above title. (It has nothing to do with the wordplay).

These five letters have, in essence, described what I hope to describe in, say, 500 odd words.

We all know England had caught the New Zealand disease of playing aggressive cricket reasonably consistently even if that was in greater show during the limited overs format.

It does help when their identified talents and emerging players like Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are in good nick and have started to slowly carve their own niche in the team and influence the outcome of the game even more.

 Australia has decided to enter a new era with old players. Hence the term dad’s army.

As far as I recollect smith is the only batsmen playing who is under 26 years of age.

However I digress. What I am going to say was thought of well before and the first test has confirmed it. It is the basis for my analysis.

The point of this article is plain and simple- it is not as bad for England as one thinks. I feel they have more than a chance wining the ashes. There are 3 reasons. One reason is obviously home conditions and support.

The other reason is a combination of various factors.

 Even with the no. 1 batsman in the team Australia’s batting line-up is not scoring as much as it should. Heck, Hazlewood plays with a straighter bat than Watson. The bottom five on numerous occasions have scored the same if not more number of runs as the top six (minus smith). If England can prepare pitches similar to that against the new Zealand series the Australian top order will get under pressure. Suffice to say Australia’s batting is not as secure as the scorecard shows.

The first test at Cardiff was* crucial. Though termed slow, ball still is conventionally swinging pretty much throughout the day and it is turning reasonably and has variable bounce. As of now England have rattled Australia.* If England win ( more than likely) they can rattle Australia. They can shock them. Usually we see in 5 test match series the team which wins first gets that needed momentum which is very important.

Alistair Cook has started batting almost close to his best. He now faces a different problem. Previously he led mainly through example and hard graft. After returning to the squad after the ODIs cook must feel like a guest who is arriving to a raucous night part quite late. The youngsters ( relatively) are the forerunners for proactive game and how he develops the attacking spirit brought in from Eoin Morgan is a defining moment. He did signal his intent by trying to play aggressively but in vain. Aggressive batting is not Cook. It need not be. You need a grafter amidst stroke-makers. Cook’s role is to encourage stroke makers play without fear. If they do so Australia will be challenged.As he himself says, that it will be a different challenge to lead this bubbly team. A good challenge.

moeanalitharan?

Moeen Ali. Opponents underestimate him. Opponents try to hit him out of the attack. Opponents starts aggressively and hit boundaries. Opponents get carried away. Opponents lose wicket. They change his name to Moeenalitharan. Smith, Clarke, Haddin etc.Whew!!! Not to mention that he must be the best no. 8 batsman to play as of now.

Stokes. Probably the most promising allrounder since Botham and Filntoff. His attitude of playing fire with fire will create fissures in the Australian team. Coming of a wonderful series against the black caps he has learnt the art of mixing aggression with consistency. Watch out Australia.

Mark Wood and Jos Buttler are the dark horses whose careers will get a big boost with a commendable Ashes performance. They have impressed everyone. Jos buttler is due a big knock. He averages 50 without having hit a century. Wood has impressed everyone with his pace and attitude.

The old pros- partners in crime Anderson and broad are vital in this series. One has passed 400 and the other is approaching 300. Though not having pace to match their Australian counterparts, they make it up with their guile.

Bell and Ballance on current form and to some extent Lyth (on his first ashes series) look vulnerable.  Underestimate them at your own peril. Ballance has had a wonderful career so far. However I feel Australia and in particular Starc will test his lack of feet movement by bowling those full swinging deliveries. Despite being short on confidence and runs he made 61 in the first innings without looking assured at any stage. But he did make those runs.

the likely hero?

All said and done it is Joe Root who will have a defining impact on this series. He is the glue in the middle order. Joe Root got first hundred of this series which he hopes is the first of the many. His attacking cricket has rubbed of others. He, though young in years has shown maturity beyond it and knows that however successful he was in the preceding months, Ashes is ultimately the barometer on the basis of which he gets judged on. He has had a good start, expected but ominous for the Aussies.

All these seems a to be far-fetched guess... Deductive reasoning (ahem) but these are signs which I noticed. For all we know Starc will produce toe crushers, Johnson will again come in nightmares of the English players. Bowlers will take legal action against Smith for scoring heavily.

For all we know.

But I still say England is winning this one. I can’t predict the margin. But they will.

It is because of the third reason. Gut Feeling.

All right you can snort. We will see after two months.

Maybe that’s why you should've have just read the title.

Brad Haddin in the pre-ashes coverage once said he did not understand what the hype around England was.

 I don't really understand the hype around that one-day Series. We'd just come off a World Cup. I don't understand what the excitement is about, and what this new found form England found in that format.  if you could explain to me what it is.

Brad, have New England explained to you what the hype is about in Cardiff? I hope so.

* this analysis has been written during the fourth day of the Investec Ashes series between Australia and England