Australia have struck the first blow in the psychological battle ahead of the Ashes by leaving England frustrated that they must train in the afternoon at the Gabba on both practice days ahead of Thursday’s first Test.
Normal convention has opposing teams swapping training times in the build-up days but Australia have sentenced England to practising when the Brisbane heat is at its most intense on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
‘It’s a bone of contention,’ said England coach Trevor Bayliss, who had scored a few pre-Ashes points of his own by organising for England to play their final warm-up match in this north Queensland outpost in an attempt to replicate conditions in Brisbane.
England coach Trevor Bayliss has admitted there is a ‘bone of contention’ ahead of the Ashes
‘But the home team make the programme,’ said the man who will be coaching England against his native country. ‘It’s just the way it is. We’ll take it on the chin and get on with it. There’s no point whingeing about it. In one of the other Tests we’re practising on the morning before the Test so it doesn’t really concern us.’
Bayliss will complain to both boards about the quality of opposition in warm-up games ahead of Ashes series after yesterday’s final practice match against another inexperienced Cricket Australia XI fizzled out to a tame draw.
‘I think both England and Australia should be getting together to ensure there is at least one match against the other’s A team before an Ashes series,’ said Bayliss. ‘When Australia go to England similar questions are asked about the quality of the opposition. But that’s the way it is and that’s what we’ve come up against. I’ve already mentioned it to Andrew Strauss and I will mention it to Pat Howard (Australia’s high performance director) when I see him next week.’
Ironically Bayliss’s complaint came at the end of a chastening day when England were able to take just one wicket and were put to the sword by two young home players who are yet to play any Sheffield Shield cricket.
Jason Sangha, at just 18, became the second youngest player in history after the great Sachin Tendulkar to make a first-class hundred against England and put on 263 with his 22-year-old captain Matt Short.
It left England frustrated in the heat and humidity, with Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali, three bowlers certain to play in Brisbane, wicketless on the flattest of surfaces. Only Mason Crane, who did the bulk of the bowling yesterday with Moeen, struck when he finally dismissed Sangha after tea.
Bayliss is not pleased at having to train at the Gabba in the afternoon when the heat is intense
‘Today wasn’t perfect for us but we spent a bit of time in the dirt and if we’re realistic over these five Tests we’ll probably have another one or two of these days,’ said Bayliss. ‘So it was good to experience it.
‘We decided to try a few things where normally we would hone in on line and length and concentrate on that. We thought we’d try different tactics and field placings to see how it went. It’s difficult on a flat wicket. It’s not often you see three or four short covers to your pace bowlers.’
The most encouraging news was that Jake Ball came through his extensive work-out in the excellent Townsville nets and also spent a large part of the day fielding yesterday to ensure he has fully recovered from his ankle injury.
It now looks certain Ball, who had been earmarked last summer by Bayliss as a bowler suited to Australian conditions, will play at the Gabba in place of Craig Overton, who struggled to make an impact again yesterday.
‘I thought Ball was our best bowler in Perth and he started that way again in Adelaide before he sprained his ankle,’ said Bayliss. ‘He’s fine now, is bowling again, and should be fit and raring to go at the Gabba.’
And Bayliss believes England got everything they possibly could out of the three warm-ups and will head to Brisbane quietly confident of pulling off what would be, especially without the suspended Ben Stokes, a huge upset.
‘Australia like to hit the opposition hard early and we have been talking about going hard ourselves,’added Bayliss. ‘We are not here to make up the numbers. We are here to win.’