Michael Clarke’s taunt of Jimmy Anderson as Australia stood on the threshold of a crushing First Test win in Brisbane could not have been more apposite:
The umpires stepped in as the aggro escalated during the third-last over. The stump microphone picked up Clarke telling Anderson to ”get ready for a broken f—ing arm” before wagging his finger at him between overs.
It was bounce that destroyed England in Brisbane. Pace helped. But mostly it was bounce. It made Mitchell Johnson looks unplayable and turned Nathan Lyon into a constant threat. The English batsmen seemed to have no answers. From Trott to Bell they either capitulated to head-seeking missiles inside-edged easy chances to short leg or top-edged everything in sight.
It’s a truism that touring sides struggle with hard Australian pitches and the English can now expect harder than is customary for the rest of the summer!
The series is now even to my mind. The English are still a far superior side but they face an uphill battle adapting to local conditions in time. Fortunately for the tourists they play in Adelaide next where the pitch is likely to better suit them. But then it’s off to Perth, where they’ll be terrified again; Melbourne, which will be unfriendly, then Sydney, where they will have the edge.
In short, from here it’s two pitches apiece. We’re well ahead on favourable conditions, therefore, but I’ll back the Poms to adapt with at least partial success.
We’re back!
