Australia’s batsmen are under strict orders to shape up in time for the second Investec Test at lord’s.
The tourists almost pulled off a surprise victory in Ashes opener at Trent Bridge, where the top of the order was twice bailed out by high-scoring tailenders.
That is a telling factor not lost on the tourists’ coach Darren lehmann, who has left his batsmen in no doubt they must do better.
Test debutant number 11 Ashton Agar came to the rescue with a remarkable maiden contribution of 98 in the first innings after Australia had collapsed to 117 for nine.
Second time around, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin top-scored from number seven and needed major assistance from those even further down the batting order t to get so close to a ground-record Test target.
lehmann did not shy away from the obvious as he assessed his team’s successes and failures in Nottingham.
“Our tail has done really well over a period of time now, but it’s time for the batters to make sure they’re making the runs,” he said. “I think we only batted for 64 overs in the first innings and 110 in the second.
“We’ve got to be reversing that about, batting for 120 overs plus in the first innings of a game and making our runs there.”
Principal among those who found his day job a struggle was Ed Cowan who, on his own home ground after a spell with Nottinghamshire, was out first ball to put Steven Finn on a hat-trick first time round and then fell to part-time off-spinner Joe Root at his second attempt.
“He’s had a tough game,” said lehmann. “like everyone, you’ve got to make runs and perform. We’ve told Ed how we want him to play and how we want him to bat... we picked him to do a role. He’ll be disappointed with the shots. So are we.
“We’re trying to learn and get better. I’m sure he’ll get better at that as well.”
lehmann is nonetheless at pains to point out that the 14-run margin between the teams is indicative of their relative merit and Ashes prospects this summer.
He said: “I think they’re quite close — a lot closer than people give them credit for, both sides. So the key for us is to make sure we’re playing better.
“I still don’t think we performed to the level we want to perform at. If we do that then we’ll be good enough. We’ve certainly got to bat better as a top order. We’re going to bowl very well, and we know we can control their batters. It’s just a case of making more runs.
“I just thought we missed a chance probably in the first innings with our top order. I know conditions were tough, but we had to get through that. They’re the areas we can improve on.”
lehmann chose a questionable phrase to stress Australian intent for the rest of the series, following David Warner’s bar-room behaviour in Birmingham last month.
But his point was clear, that the tourists are here to fight for possession of the Ashes on the pitch.
“We’re going to keep punching them. We’ll keep coming back at them all the time,” he said. “We’ve shown enough, that this is going to be a really close series.”
Australia will not be expending any more energy on Stuart Broad’s controversial decision not to walk when he edged a catch to slip in England’s second innings.
lehmann, instead, is simply demanding his and Michael Clarke’s team improve their use of the two permitted DRS reviews per innings.
“It’s dealt with as far as I’m concerned,” he said of the Broad incident. “We just move on and get on with it.
“The DRS has improved the decision-making process. Both sides have the same issues. We’ve got to get better at using it, basically.”
‘Broad has every right not to walk’
England coach Andy Flower has given his unequivocal backing to Stuart Broad over his refusal to walk when he edged the ball to slip in the first Ashes Test.
Broad stayed put, on 37 out of his eventual 65 during a crucial second-innings stand with centurion Ian Bell, after umpire Aleem Dar gave him not out.
He edged a ball from debutant spinner Ashton Agar to slip, via the wicketkeeper’s gloves — a deflection obvious to many, especially on video replay.
When Broad declined to ‘give himself out’, there was no further recourse for Australia, who had by then used up their two permitted DRS options.
The incident was perhaps the most contentious of a string of DRS and third-umpire calls punctuating a wonderful match, which eventually ended in a home victory by just 14 runs.
Flower, sees no reason to reproach Broad. He said: “Stuart Broad, like every other batsman in international cricket, has the right to wait for the umpire to make his decision. The umpire’s job is to make those decisions.”
England were reportedly incensed a day before the Broad controversy over the process by which Jonathan Trott was dismissed lbw in Nottingham, via DRS, for a golden duck in their second innings. DT