England are sticking to their plan. Australia’s non-plan might work again in second Test
There are some that are difficult, and some that are half too difficult. On the morning of the start of the second Test match in Brisbane, Australia still had not announced their final XI.
“We’ll wait and see what the goal looks like and pick an XI from there,” Steve Smith said. If you get this, here’s a set of steak knives.
Pat Cummins bowls in the nets in Brisbane.Credit: Getty Images
Is Patrick Cummins ready or not? It didn’t depend on how many centimeters of grass were left unshaven. It was not resolved by Cummins’ exclusion from the squad, but he was not “ruled out” from playing either. By leaving the question open, Australia knew what they were doing with Cummins: casting him as a boogeyman.
Nathan Lyon, in or out? Osman Khawaja? Here on Tuesday morning, gone on Tuesday afternoon (but not from the team). Will Travis Head start the inning? Let England simmer on this.
When put together, these preparations seemed too complex to be true. Two alternatives remained: Australia, 1-0 up and playing on a ground and in a format with which they had much more experience than England, were in complete disarray; or they were playing ducks and drakes to mess with the English heads. You decide.
Given the brevity of the Perth Test match, it is as if days and weeks of feverish speculation about this Ashes are 11 days behind us. After the fake war came a fake peace.
Since neither group of players took part in any real games, only mind games were left, and it was interesting to see the whole contrast. England is sticking to its plan.
The replacement of Mark Wood by Will Jacks marks a slight change in that plan, but after Perth it makes sense for them to seize the opportunity Wood’s injury presents to strengthen their batting.
