Australia as of now are one up on England in the on-going Ashes series with the hosts posting a thumping 10-wicket win in the first Test at The Gabba in Brisbane. The 2nd Test of the 2017-18 Magellan Ashes series, which starts today, would be interesting to watch for many reasons:
England’s Pride
Given that the English squad has a more experienced line-up which led to greater expectations for the 1st Test, this defeat was a major blow for them. One distressing factor for the team was that they performed quite well for most of the match at the Gabba. Yet they were outplayed and outsmarted. Will the Poms bounce back or will the Kangaroos dominate againIJ
The Kangaroo’s Form
Australia is a team that has seen more lows than ups in recent times and has plenty of cracks in its armour. For this reason, their form in the first match was surprising. It had an unexpected brain: brawn ratio, given how they took control of the match stealthily rather than with aggression. The 2nd Test may unveil even more surprises with the Aussies having the home advantage.
Sideways Salvation
Traditionally, the England sides — and this theory applies to the 2017 tour party — are better suited to playing on surfaces that offer a sideways movement. Conditions should be similar in the day-night Test, which gives England legitimate hope of making life more difficult for Steve Smith, who is almost unstoppable in favorable conditions.
The Fireworks
The sensitive relationship that the Aussies and the Poms share makes for an entertaining spectacle. Sledging, mind-games and even fisticuffs are commonplace (Australian David Warner punched England’s Joe Root in a bar, during the 2013-14 series) in the Ashes. The English will shed their soft spoken nature and get ready for the battle to defend their title.
The Pink Ball
This will be the first day/night test of the Ashes series ever. Figures prove that almost every world record in track-and-field athletics and cycling events has been broken in the afternoon or evening. While more research needs to be done into how cricketers, a mix of performance and endurance athletes at Test perform, if some of the body’s functionality is better, it could mean that we might see fast bowlers bowling faster and batsmen hitting harder in this format once they have adapted to it. This will definitely make for an interesting match.
The Adelaide Oval
Out of the last 10 Test matches played at the Adelaide Oval, Australia has won six and three have been drawn. The Kangaroos play well on this ground and it is going to be difficult for the English to win their pride back at this venue. PNS/ Adelaide