Whatever happens in the drama which ensues at Lord in less than a week’s time, one thing is certain – England have already made a statement which smacks of confidence, the positive and brave attitude it has shown in the past one and half years. There is no Butcher being out with injury, Thorpe – the backbone of the English batting line up in the latter part of the 90s has been omitted and the English test side has younger look than at any point in the past 15 years.
I spoke on why Thorpe and not Pieterson should be chosen a few days back.
Its the first test and I put that argument again to play Thorpe despite a possible good showing by untested Pieterson in the remaining two one dayers because of it being the first test and risks in selection not the best thing to do at this point of time.
The selectors have shown faith in Pieterson for the beginning of such a crucial Ashes opening test that it totally surprised me. But it was a pleasant surprise. Whether Pieterson fails on succeeds now in the first test, the English team have made the first real statement of the Ashes. The one day games were just mouth candy. The English team have said – we are ready to make things happen rather than wait and merely hope that it happens. We are not going for the safe play. We are gritty, we are raring to go and we are willing to growl and make move. In other words, we just don’t hope to win the Ashes if Australia show some lack of form or if we show some miracle of brilliance. We are coming at you and will do all things to achieve the goal of winning the Ashes.
It may not help in winning the Ashes but it is the perfect attitude. Choose a youngster raring to go rather than a soldier with history of nothing from past Ashes spoils, playing a last battle, having already announced his retirement. I never understand the concept of announcing a retirement before a series or test match or a season or a tournament. It smacks of irresponsibility and shifts, if some times only partly, the attention from the actual battle at hand to a mere soldier. Don’t show a desire to quit before a major battle. There are other players raring to go with more rush in the blood.
In a similar irresponsible act by Steve Waugh before the series against India, the Australian selectors did not show the steel to blood Clarke immediately. It shifted attention of Australia in the series and remember how Clarke rose to the occasion in India when given the opportunity. Going back some time, Remember how Gilchrist rose to the ocassion when Healy was looking for a ‘last test’. Pieterson would try to make the most of the chance he has got. Pieterson is delighted at being selected. It’s a big thing for him. Thorpe is disappointed at not getting selected. He was expecting it. That for me undermines the correctness of the decision and shows how much which player was raring to go.
Should England go back to Thorpe if Pieterson fails in the middle of the Ashes. Or bring back Butcher when he comes out of injury? Not really. Have faith in the young, the new. Bring Key or blood Joyce.
The first blood has been drawn by England and the Ashes and the small battles of the Ashes have now begun in all earnest. What was happening the last 2 months was drama with no substance and no one, not even the media writing it taking it that seriously.
