The Hindu : Sport : England loses its way

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England loses its way

Ted Corbett

— PHOTO: AP

WRECKER-IN-CHIEF: Andre Nel took care of the England top-order, sending back Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook.

BIRMINGHAM: Twenty-seven minutes before lunch on the first day of the third Test we were wondering just how many Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook would have for England’s opening stand when they sat down to a healthy salad. Michael Vaughan had won a crucial toss and these two heroes had made a serene 68 together on a slow pitch.

Sixteen minutes later, England needed a rescue act, three controversial decisions were being vigorously debated and the agenda for the rest of the summer was firmly in place.

First, Strauss, the less assured partner, essayed a pull but stepped back on to his stumps as the ball sped away. In came Vaughan who, despite a century at Lord’s in May before the New Zealanders had found their land legs, is anxiously short of runs. He almost galloped to the middle, groped forward at Andre Nel’s first ball and was adjudged by umpire Dar — wrongly as a dozen TV replays showed — to be caught behind, although those fielders who appealed lacked passion. Kevin Pietersen, a bad starter, middled his first ball but was out eight balls later. At first it appeared he had been lbw; but umpire Steve Davis cupped his hands to show he had been given out caught at point.

Points to ponder

Now we face a couple of months deciding whether Strauss is the opener who would have begun his Test life with two centuries on debut but for the reckless run habits of Nasser Hussain; whether Vaughan can continue at No. 3 or at all unless he collects a few more runs and whether Pietersen can survive with a massive hundred in every series and nothing much else.

By the end of the month, Vaughan’s position will be reviewed as often as that of the Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Who knows what the present selectors — who can pick a complete stranger, drag Steve Harmison half way down the country and then not use him and ignore the in-form skills of Owais Shah, Simon Jones and Sajid Mahmood, as well as recklessly changing a winning side on a whim — will do.

Redemption for these foolish men came from three sources. The pitch was unresponsive, the South African quicks bowled wide and a repair job by Cook and Ian Bell who at least left the ball decisively. They took the score to 82 at lunch and Cook completed his 13th Test fifty off 88 balls soon after.

Cook continued to accumulate but Bell released his trademark shot; a square cut entirely lacking violence that appears to gain speed as it closes in on the boundary. Not good physics, I know, but superb timing.

Flattering to deceive

Once again, English hopes were dashed. Cook nudged four through the slips and was then beautifully caught by Kallis, diving low. Nel was the bowler but he gave us a glimpse of his inner demon — the one he calls Gunther — by roaring at Cook as he left for 76.

Bell was dropped by Smith off Nel but hit two offside fours in the same over, survived a huge shout for lbw by Kallis on 40, and watched Paul Collingwood face 15 balls before getting off the mark. That four from a half volley was Collingwood’s only contribution before he was caught at slip; half the side gone for 158 and the cheers for either Collingwood’s permanent departure or Andrew Flintoff’s arrival had a hollow ring.

Bell went to fifty with another deceptive extra cover drive but the ball had suddenly and mysteriously begun to move off the pitch so that Bell was caught behind five minutes before tea when 173 for six looked a very puny score indeed.

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