England reveal their source of optimism

Daniel Laidlaw

When the first Test is over, and England have an opportunity to review their performance, they will certainly rue Nasser Hussain's decision to bowl first and the loss for the tour of speedster Simon Jones. What they should also regret, whether the match is saved or not, is that the team with the spirit with which they expected to confront Australia turned up a day late. That, while it wouldn't have made the first two pieces of ill luck and ill judgement redundant, would have gone quite a way towards diminishing their importance.

It doesn't seem like a big deal to restrict an opponent at 364/2 to 492 all out. It's still almost 500, which leaves little in the way of celebration or satisfaction. But when you consider Australia's superiority on day one -- Hayden and Ponting's relaxed authority, the missed chances, the captain's decision that got them in that position -- the fact England were a bowler short and that Australia didn't lose their third wicket until 378, a collapse of 8/114 represents a commendable fightback.

Australia really should have, and would have wanted to, post 600. To be kept under 500 was quite a turnaround, of a type they have frustratingly endured too often in the last 12 months after the brilliant starts afforded them by the top three, and helped emphasise how poor England were on day one.

It's like the tourists have played the first days two days in reverse. Obviously, what they should have done was send Vaughan and Trescothick in first, make a positive statement to the Australian attack, and then proceed to get amongst the wickets, which is what happened Friday, in reverse order.

England convincingly won day two, which was unthinkable 24 hours earlier when the first day conformed to all expectations. They finally showed Australia the kind of cricket they have played against other sides but for whatever reason were unable to produce at home last year.

A day too late, Australia were made to really earn their runs. Hayden had a massive score for the taking but bizarrely came out playing loosely, in the undisciplined frame of mind that characterised his play for a while after he had reached his hundred. For a man who loves to bat out days and possesses the single-minded nature to make huge scores, with more stamina a triple century would not have been unrealistic.

Andy Caddick continued his puzzling trend of beginning poorly and bouncing back that sees him average significantly better in the second innings than the first. Uninspiring on day one, he belatedly found something, holding Waugh - there's only one of them now - and Martyn in check. Martyn never got going to be the gloriously economical strokeplayer he can and despite Trescothick, trying his level best to provide him a second chance, held a catch at the second attempt when an edge was finally found.

Waugh was made uncomfortable and, worryingly, fell to the leg trap. Ordinarily he'll look awkward against bowling aimed at his body but never get out to it; this time he gloved Caddick to leg gully. England have their strategy to him in place and if it happens twice it becomes a trend. Sharjah earned him respite, but without consistent runs this series pressure will never be far away.

Australia's middle order lacked the steel to finish the job. The period of improved bowling, a lax shot by Martyn and the dismissal of Waugh was enough to interrupt their momentum and see the innings cough to a disappointing end.

Gilchrist over-ambitiously drove expansively to be caught in the gully off White, whose natural inswing to the right-handers suddenly seemed like more of an asset against the lefties. That meant Australia had lost 4/37, insufficient return on the scintillating start. Only Warne's belligerence propelled Australia onwards, seizing the initiative from a rattled England in a post-lunch period of 7 overs for 46 runs. Lehmann, scratchy for his 30 upon his return to the side, was enticed by Giles to drive loosely to cover.

Only when England batted did we really see the source of their optimism. Representing the New England, which is positive and confident as opposed to defensive and meek, Vaughan and Trescothick proved, just in case it wasn't already known, that their batting, along with Butcher's, is what their team's challenge is built around.

Vaughan, in the same attractive form that saw him score three hundreds at home against India, took the game to McGrath in a way that would have been unthinkable for an English opener at one time. Trescothick, when he premeditatedly attempted to paddle his first ball from Warne and missed, could grin about it at the end of the over and later actually use his feet to loft the leg-spinner for six. Positive, confident - they knew what they were doing, as did Mark Butcher, who carried over his form from the last contest.

It was Australia this day who spurned their opportunities, missing two catches and a stumping. Martyn reacted late to a Trescothick edge early on and could only get a hand on it, Butcher was dropped by a diving Hayden in the gully and Gilchrist was hit in the chest when a Warne delivery had Butcher well out. Furthering the similarity to England on day one, Gillespie, about whose fitness the Aussie camp may have been partially bluffing, was restricted to just three overs.

It's a far cry from all the easy wickets in Sharjah, which has to be good for the game.

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Ashes begins on predicted lines

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