by bigfluffylemon » Tue Dec 06, 2022 12:27 am
That was, on reflection, an extraordinary test match and result. The highest runs aggregate for a non-timeless test, the highest runs aggregate for any match with a result, highest first innings aggregate with a result, 7 centuries, curtailed overs due to the light - all test match logic says that should have been a draw. That England manufactured a result and a thrilling last day from what seemed to be a debacle of a pitch is highly commendable. They realised that with the time needed to take 10 wickets, the early declaration was the only chance of a result. Sure, it was brave to the point of foolhardy, and could easily have backfired. But they knew that, that there was a strong chance of a loss, and were willing to take that risk anyway. There's a lot to like about that. Even if we'd lost, I'd much rather we lost pushing hard in this sort of way than the sort of meek collapses and surrenders that we got so used to seeing in the last few years.
One thing that has gone unremarked on in amidst all the run fest is that England actually managed to take 20 wickets on this pitch. That's no mean achievement. Anderson and Robinson were outstanding in the second innings. England have so often struggled in this sort of environment, but the pace they played the game at, and the pressure they created on the Pakistan batsmen with the runs and scoring pace gave their bowlers the time to create those chances.
I do think England are capable of winning the Ashes with this sort of cricket. That's very different from saying I think they will win, but they will win games playing this way, and if they can string together something like Trent Bridge or Rawalpindi against Australia, they might be able to take them too.
Perhaps I'm getting carried away, but if England can take this sort of attitude and execution, and combine it with maturity to go hard at the right time, we could be seeing the start of something very special. Of course, it could collapse in a heap, and they will definitely lose matches playing this way, but for now they are winning, and after the last few years, I'm enjoying it.