Yes, the topic in World Cricket has shifted from Australia’s dominance to England’s resurgence after 25 years. This series has definitely turned out to be a nail biter with England raising its game to phenomenal heights.
“I . . . propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer-U.S.Grant”
This is what the two teams have done; fighting it out on the crease not for shear survival but for supremacy between two bunches of eleven warriors and it will go to the edge-the last Test at Oval.
What has England done extraordinarily that other teams could not in conquering the indomitable in two out of three and nearly the third after the drubbing in first Test?
What are the lessons to be learnt by other teams to achieve this success?
What it takes to be a Strong Test Team in Cricket?
Teamwork
This is the most important asset that England has developed in the last two years under the captaincy of Michael Vaughan.
“When we think we lead, we most are led”
The Team led and the Captain echoed them. This is a very well knit balanced side that we are seeing after the days of Mike Brearely arguably their greatest Captain. This team has 9 performers in an Innings all the time for the last two years and this I think is the biggest cause. Cricket is a Team Game you see.
Opening Platform
England have the best Opening platform today above Australia with the sliding form of Mathew Hayden. The arrival of Strauss to International Cricket is the defining moment in strengthening this and the pair of Trescothick-Strauss with Vaughan following them is the best opening combination you could get for any team. Strauss is also a brilliant catcher. England have scored 400 plus runs in an innings in 12 out of last 16 Tests which I think is the benchmark on How a team has progressed to this level.
Exciting Lower Order
Andrew Flintoff and Peiterson have added new dimension to English Team with their pyrotechnics at the lower order which is exactly what demoralizes the opposition. If you are a keen watcher of Cricket, You will notice that Australia goes berserk with changing field placing and bowling strategies, when Peiterson arrives and this is a moral Victory for England. The great thing about Flintoff is that he is a genuine all rounder in the mould of Botham and he is not the modern One day Cricket slogger who can bowl a bit. Flintoff has emulated in 2005 Botham’s scintillating show of 1981 against Australia. They are not saving the Game for England but rather adding strength over stability to the score.
Five Prong Attack-Bowling
I always believed the five men genuine bowling attack is the correct way of playing test Cricket as was earlier but Modern One day Game has eroded good batting technique the result of which is the Test Games getting finished in 3-4 days time. Hence teams have succumbed to four prong attack. This will be a miserable failure if
• You don’t have two world class bowlers in your team Like Australia’s Mcgrath-Warne or Srilanka’s Vaas-Murali
• If the opposition batting line up is as strong as Australia or England for you to bowl out twice.
England has learnt just that and this bunch of Harmisson, Hoggard, Flintoff, Jones & Giles looks like a rugby team with big burly men ( except Jones) trying to pounce on you all the time. They are surely intimidating with their pace and bounce, whilst Giles seems to be a gaily customer too.
Fielding
England have excelled in this department and the catching has been very professional which has added another dimension to their cricket.
Hope other coaches take cue from this. But my bet is Australia unlike any other team will come back strongly in the last Test as they have shown their fighting ability during England’s second knock yesterday. One Man whom they will be desperately looking to come back is Glen Mcgrath without whom their pace attack looks ordinary.