🔗 Share this article I Would Be Salivating Facing England - Glenn McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments For Australia to fight back and claim victory in the opening Ashes Test as decisively as they did, one questions what psychological damage will be left on the England team. How will they respond for the remaining series? Unexpected Turnaround I believe no one anticipated what happened on Saturday. When you examine the quantity of deliveries taken to complete the game, it was the longest format on accelerated pace. England were well on top at lunch on the second day, 105 ahead with nine wickets in hand. The pitch was still offering assistance. It looked extremely difficult for Australia to get back into the match. Shot Selection Woes From that point, England's shot selection was their major downfall. Scott Boland put in probably his worst performance in an Australia shirt in the initial batting, then turned it around in the second to be the catalyst for the recovery. England's batters were out attempting to strike balls outside off stump, in the air, towards cover region. Trying to score off those deliveries, with those shots, is the one thing you just should avoid as a batsman in Australia. Adaptation Issues It demonstrated that England had failed to complete their preparation, are unable to adjust or are unwilling to change approach. There is much discussion about England's method, their attacking philosophy. I witnessed it firsthand during the 2023 Ashes in the UK. Under their captain and their coach, they can be quite rigid when it comes to sticking with that strategy. It is acceptable on sluggish pitches. On the quick, lively pitches of Australia it is a method fraught with danger. If England do not reassess, they will struggle for the whole series. Pacer's Viewpoint As a paceman, I would have always felt in the game against this England team. I relied on my accuracy, having confidence to hit the identical area on or outside off stump, with a some bounce and movement. Even if this England team was performing strongly, I'd be licking my lips at the prospect of bowling to them, knowing one mistake could bring multiple wickets. Skill and Resilience There are times when England can be a top-class team. They have good players. Competent cricketers have ability, but great players have the mental toughness and mindset to be adaptable enough for the conditions. They would been shellshocked at the way events developed at Perth Stadium, crushed at the way they were beaten. Now we will see what they are made of. Even as a loyal Australian, I somewhat wants to see them change, just to show they can get better. Bowling Concerns It was similar with their bowling. England's bowling unit was excellent on the opening day, then lost the plot when they were attacked on the second night. In Test cricket, all disciplines require a Plan B. Frequently it seems England have one method, then nowhere to go if that fails. 'Where has this come from?' - Starc bowls Root as England collapse in six balls Head's Masterclass In fairness to England's pace attack, they were hit by one of the memorable Ashes innings by the Australian batsman. His century off 69 deliveries was the second quickest by an Australian batsman in Ashes cricket, 12 balls behind Adam Gilchrist at the Perth ground previously – a match I played in. My old mate Gilchrist said Head's innings was the superior of the two. I concur. Given the difficulty of the pitch and the context of the game situation, Head's knock will be remembered as a moment of cricket lore. Tactical Moves It was a courageous move for Australia to promote the batsman up the order for the second innings. Usman Khawaja has faced criticism for being failing to start in both attempts. He had muscle issues after playing golf the previous day the Test, but I do not believe the two were linked. When Khawaja failed on day one, Australia promoted their number three and got stuck. In moving the aggressive batsman, who has the experience of opening in white-ball cricket, Australia were able to go on offensive to England. Upcoming Decisions Now there is the issue of what Australia will do for the second Test. I'd like to see them continue the method of attacking play at the beginning. That could mean Head remains, meaning someone like the all-rounder comes into the middle order, or return to number five and Mitchell Marsh or Josh Inglis could go to the opening. It would be difficult for Khawaja, but sometimes you have to do what the opposition would find most uncomfortable. Series Outlook After the first Test was dominated by the pace attack, questions arise if the rest of series will be short, low-scoring Tests. The venue is essentially the quickest, liveliest pitch in the world, so the batters should get a little bit of relief from now on. It is not entirely about the pitch. Recognition has to be given to the pacemen for getting the ball in the correct areas consistently. In general, batsmen on each team will need to analyze how they got themselves out. Pivotal Match Now we move on to the next venue, and the completely distinct twilight conditions for the second Test. In the historic series, I was a member of the Australia team that dominated England to win 5-0. The rivalry in this nation have a habit of getting away from England rapidly. At the moment, England are only 1-0 down. There would be no coming back from 2-0, which is why Brisbane is such a massive game. They must adapt, or the Ashes will be lost once more.