The Ashes of many firsts

This Ashes series – and the English cricket team in particular – is statistically the most erratic in history with results swinging more wildly than a Dukes ball in overcast conditions. Yet nothing could have prepared fans for a morning at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, the likes of which has never been seen before.

Prior to this Test every England victory had been followed by a defeat. In the case of the opening salvos in this Ashes battle with the most optimistic local hoping England could hang on until the final match, Alastair Cook’s men dominated to win by 169 runs.

Australia’s subsequent 405-run demolition of England at Lord’s with the Mitchells, Starc and Johnson, terrorising the opposition batsmen was seen as a return to the ‘natural order’ and the start of a return to form.

Another reversal of fortune at Edgbaston was seen by many as an error of judgment on the part of Australia’s captain, Michael Clarke, who decided to bat having won the toss in ‘typical English conditions’ only to see his side skittled for a match-defining 136. Given the previous run of results and the Nottingham ground’s failure to produce enough wickets in the Indian series that resulted in the pitch being reported, Aussie expectations were still high.

Yet 111 deliveries was all it took for England to restrict Australia at Trent Bridge to the shortest first innings in Ashes history, defeating the 113 it took in 1896 at Lords. This was largely thanks to a succession of failures amongst the top order with the first four batsmen facing only 22 balls between them.

At the home of one of England’s most noted cricket historians, Bill Frindell, statisticians were kept busy as records tumbled. Australia’s first innings saw the earliest fall of the fourth, fifth and sixth wickets in Test history. By the time England’s openers were padding-up Australia’s scorecard resembled one from a village cricket team with extras the highest score - another Ashes first. To make matters worse, Joe Root, England’s ‘man of the series’, achieved the highest Ashes score in a second innings on the first day.

This match was supposed to be about Stuart Broad achieving his 300th Test wicket in front of his adopted home crowd (having moved from Leicestershire where he made his championship debut). Three balls was all it took. By the end of his first over he had two. After 57 balls (only three of which would have hit the wicket) he had eight wickets to draw him level with England great, Freddie Trueman. His first five wickets set a record for the speed with which they were taken.

For those whingeing Aussies who complained that the score was based on losing the toss, that tells only part of the story. Broad confessed, on arriving at the ground, that he would have batted based on the quality of the wicket and England’s recent history at the ground. However, he also admitted that, by lunch, Cook was sitting smugly in the corner having made the correct decision.

There is an old cricketing adage that says if you win the toss and think you should bowl - then bat. England does not have a great record when asking the opposition to bat first. Cook now joins WG Grace and Mike Brearley as the only England captains to win two Ashes series at home, while Ian Bell has now lifted the urn on five occasions.

As wickets tumbled it was the Australians’ batting technique that was being questioned along with their mindset with some pundits unflatteringly suggesting they take a leaf out of New Zealand’s training manual by learning how to play. What makes a mockery of the myth about the aggressive nature of the Baggy Green culture was their line-up, defensively adding an additional batsman at the cost of a seam bowler. In these conditions that proved to be expensive.

It reached a point when Australia’s batting was so hapless that even the English cheered when they made it past 50.

To be fair, England bowled extremely well, putting the ball in the ‘right areas’ and producing some stunning catches, a stark improvement from their series against the Kiwis where a multitude of dropped catches diminished chances of victory at Headingly in particular. Players were quick to credit the training camp in Spain that was the brainchild of director of cricket, Andrew Strauss, and England’s new Australian coach, Trevor Bayliss.

The result and his personal performance in the series prompted the resignation of Australia’s captain Clarke. It would be harsh to judge him on this performance alone, particularly given the questions raised prior to the match about the selection of the team, over which he had no control.

The much vaunted ‘aggressive cricket’ of the visitors was lost immediately as they defensively eschewed their fourth seamer (in seam-friendly conditions) in favour of an additional batsman. With hindsight it would be easy to criticise although this was censure that was levelled after the sides were announced.

Clarke will be allowed a swansong at The Oval before he will be replaced in all likelihood by Steve Smith. ‘Smitty’ arrived in the UK as the world’s leading batsman but is another who leaves with questions raised about his ability to adapt his technique. There will surely be several amongst the Australian top order who lose their place although the side will be rebuilt around him.

Expect the likes of Usman Khawaja and Cameron Bancroft to receive promotions on their return from the A-team’s tour of India.

However, for all the focus on Australia’s deficiencies in English conditions, focus should be drawn on England’s remarkable first session that those present – or even those watching on TV – will never forget. Unless, that is, this see-saw series produces an even more bizarre session at The Oval!