At last England has something to crow about on the cricket field. An Ashes win in Australia is a wonderful achievement under any circumstances but before we all get carried away by the idea that we are world beaters let us just reflect on the fact that in comparison to the great sides of the past, both would be considered relatively mediocre. If you were to pick a world XI based on those currently playing how many from either team would make that elite squad?
Take nothing away from the England players, who collectively played better than most other England sides I have seen in my lifetime. Praise should also go to the selectors for keeping faith with certain players, who in recent years, would have been cast out at the first sign of a loss of form. The fielding and catching have been consistently high, the bowling of a higher quality than I would have expected and most of the batsmen were able to make a significant contribution at some stage during the series.
I was delighted to see Alastair Cook and James Anderson return to form at the right time. There will be times in a career when you lose your way, confidence disappears and performances suffer but usually this returns after a period in the wilderness. It was also encouraging to see the new boys step up to the plate and perform well. For once we do seem to have depth in batting, which we will need when we come to face India in the Summer.
Andrew Strauss was spot on when he said that this side had yet to peak. What has impressed me is the way that the side worked together as a unit both on and off the pitch. This may have been helped by the fact that things by and large were going England’s way. It remains to be seen if the spirit and discipline will hold firm against sterner opposition.
It would be too easy to write off the test match that the side did lose as a ‘bad day at the office’. Without a doubt it was a poor performance on that occasion and it exposed the vulnerability that I believe still remains within the side. Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Strauss and Prior have all proved that they have the ability and temperament to build a high score against a weak bowling attack yet, without exception, there are flaws in their technique, especially with positioning and footwork, that will be tested more fully by bowlers of greater ability.
You can only play against the side put up against you and it is encouraging to see the way that this side so comprehensively outplayed the old enemy. Hopefully the confidence that this performance has given them will carry through to the one-dayers, the Summer series and the World Cup. What a great start to the new year.
