England drop the initiative

Carbbery's clanger will have disastrous consequences.

After melting in the furnace of the Gabba, England let the momentum shift away from them and they never recovered, whimpering to a pathetic defeat. Surely they wouldn't let the same happen again?

The sun was high in the sky, ferocious heat and a ferocious crowd baying for blood. 4200 voices jeering around the Gabba, urging the Aussie batsmen to batter their nemesis Stuart Broad. Unfortunately for them the English players were unmoved and we saw how Broad responded. Yet from the strong position of 132 for 6 England took their foot of the throat and allowed the Australian to get back to 295. With confidence from his 64, Mitchell Johnson entered the second day of the first test to a wall of noise. The Gabba was turned into a Roman Colosseum, the fans screaming for English blood. His bowling responded, the pressure was to much for England, and the rest his history.

The greatest of international tests has moved to the Adelaide Oval where the atmosphere has been completely different. The genteel people of Adelaide welcomed the English team to a wicket that is as flat and true as a newly tarmacked road. The air was far more relaxed than in Brisbane, it felt like a calm summer day in the Shire's where the crowd had turned up for a charming day of lovely food, a dew drinks, pleasant conversation, and... oh yes, cricket. Broad wasn't booed and, in the wake of the political blunders over Trott and threats to Anderson, there was no hint of hostility. Australia won the toss, chose to bat, and everyone  settled in for a long hard day for the bowlers.

Warner started with a bang, racing to 29 of 32 balls before being caught out by some movement of the seam. Broad's delivery went wider than he expected and Warner rather limply chipped it up to Carberry. The atmosphere was so subdued that the roar you expect to follow a catch never came. Everyone had to look twice to check there actually had been a wicket; the pitch being so flat that clearly no one had been expecting one.

And so the game went. The lifeless, pace-less pitch created gentle bowling and after the tame dismissal of Warner the crowd went back to enjoying their drinks, expecting some high scores. Yet Australia's fragile batting order gave England hope. From a commanding position of 155 for 1 Australia slipped too 174 for 4. Maybe England could seize the initiative on a day they were odds on to lose? No, England would once again let the momentum shift way from them. 

The sleepy, lethargic atmosphere was seeping into the players of both teams. Clarke played a lazy shot while only on 18 which went to Root who dropped, and admittedly hard (not impossible) catch. Clarke is now 48 not out and averages 100.48 at Adelaide. George Bailey, on 10, clipped a ball back to Monty for a surely a caught and bowled? Dropped. Bailey was finally magnificently caught by Swan, bowled Broad, for 53. Two dropped catches have so far cost England 73 runs, but they weren't done yet. By the end of the day the snoozey Adelaide Oval must have sapped the concentration completely from Carberry. The dangerous Haddin was on 5 when he sent the ball towards Carberry's chest much like you'd see in a catching practice drill. Some how he dropped it. Cathces win matches and England have dropped three.

Admittedly we can't tell how costly dropping Haddin will be but he is batting confidently, getting 94 and 53 in the first test, while averaging 122 at this ground. With such a flat pitch, and Clarke not out on 48, those three clangers could cost England anything between 80 and 250 runs. As it stands Australia are 273 for 5, with potential for a lot more. If the fielders had done their job they should be 198 for 7. Don't believe this was England's day, they have once again let the Aussies off the hook and handed them momentum.