The Ashes 1st Test, day 5, Trent Bridge

The Ashes 1st Test, day 5, Trent Bridge:

England 1st innings: 215 all out from 59 overs
Peter Siddle 5-50, James Pattinson 3-69, Mitchell Starc 2-54
Jonathan Trott 48, Jonny Bairstow 37

Australia 1st innings: 280 all out from 64.5 overs
Ashton Agar 98, Phillip Hughes 81*, Steven Smith 53
James Anderson 5-85, Graeme Swann 2-60

England 2nd innings: 375 all out from 149.5 overs
Mitchell Starc 3-81, Peter Siddle 3-85, Ashton Agar 2-82
Ian Bell 109, Stuart Broad 65, Kevin Pietersen 64

Australia 2nd innings: 296 all out from 110.5 overs
Brad Haddin 71, Chris Rogers 52, Shane Watson 46, James Pattinson 25*
James Anderson 5-73, Stuart Broad 2-54, Graeme Swann 2-105

Match situation: England won by 14 runs and lead 1-0.

When Brad Haddin found a tickle of an edge to give an exhausted James Anderson his tenth wicket of the match, I knew it was out before Alastair Cook tactically asked for one of his referrals. Aleem Dar, who has had a well below the bar time officiating the game, was the umpire to reverse the edge he did not detect. It was so faint there was doubt but I knew it was out and I became numb, my heart still pounding. Haddin seemed ready to plan how to grab the final 14 runs, but it was the softest dismissal to end his valiant effort.

Haddin & Pattinson. Well done boys, be proud! © Getty Images

What a great game of Test cricket it was, but seeing England celebrate just made me sink, and it was so sad to see Brad Haddin dismissed after he fought so hard, like an Australian batsman has not fought for such a long time. It was a Hussey-like innings and for that I am proud of him. With a sense of optimism, pride and hope I like to think of Haddin and James Pattinson’s effort as a case of us shedding some skin.

From being dubbed the underdogs of the series, we gave England plenty of grey hairs and it is certainly a series that is alive. They have the momentum as the more experienced side but there's only that element of collective experience really separating the teams. The home ground advantage is obviously massive for them.

This game was unfortunately been affected by controversy, but this has a major role in the world of cricket. Sadly it comes down to three things.

Firstly, Michael Clarke had a poor game tactically and admitted to this in an emotional post-match presentation. He totally misused our referrals and we paid the price as a result. 

Secondly, Stuart Broad not walking left a bitterness about the game knowing those runs he ended up scoring after actually being out flipped the outcome of the game. Having written that, I did write after the incident that he was not expected to walk.

That brings me to the third point and that was Aleem Dar being brought into the spotlight for his officiating. Umpires regularly check for no-balls with dismissals and a lot of the time the bowlers are way behind the lines. It is precautionary. Why couldn’t Dar have used his initiative, common sense with theobvious ball deviation off Broad’s bat and reaction of our team and referred it beyond the simple parameters of DRS? An umpire has this grounding and he could have checked he didn’t make a blunder.

It’s all history now and will forever be associated to this game but there were plenty of outstanding performances from both sides and this should not be dampened by any means.

Starting the day trailing by 137 runs with only four wickets in the bag, the fact we got within 14 runs and survived for 39.5 overs is staggering and I am very proud.

Haddin's determination brought 71 runs & nearly a victory.

Brad Haddin gave it his best and showcased some wonderful shots under heavy pressure. He looked calm, focused and showed belief in James Pattinson, who played better than that of a number 11 batsman, as Ashton Agar did so in our first innings. When Haddin was dismissed so cheaply at the end it was, as Allan Border put it, “deflating” and I just sat speechless watching England celebrate. So close, so damn close and it came down to a DRS moment. England played their cards right and beat us tactically. The result was a victory and this was as a result of securing big passages of play, controversy aside.

I am not going to elaborate much more on the game as my previous posts for each day have been written with clarity and an unbiased approach. However, I will state I am proud of the way we fought so hard in this game and while I am broken and totally shattered to lose to England, we have hope and four Tests to fight back. As a supporter I will be right back and ready for Lord’s to cheer on The Baggy Greens loudly and proudly!

What I do foresee come Lord’s is that Ed Cowan is unlikely to be in the starting XI, so Usman Khawaja – while not a miracle maker – will likely make way into the side as a younger, more versatile player. I have expressed my views on Cowan’s cricket numerous times via the site and unfortunately my optimism for his turnaround just seems too far removed from what this team needs and where they’re headed. It’s nothing that is meant to sound nasty or personal. That is not how I write.

I have supported Ed and will continue to do so where needs be, but there’s better candidates than him and he’s been played out of his opening role and he was put under a fair bit of pressure to be the number three batsman. He was also ill during the match, so that must be added. Should he play I really hope he gets loads of runs to help us, but I think the selectors will overlook him.

Mitchell Starc gave us some key wickets and would have gained incredible experience in this Test, but I do have a gut feeling he will miss out on the Lord’s Test as off all the bowlers he seemed to struggle the most to control the swing, manage his line and wasn’t able to build enough pressure. Starc is a fine young bowler and I do believe he could be a big impact player at Lord’s, however with the slope at the ground if he struggles to control his line and length he will be easy pickings and Brad Haddin’s life will be made a living hell. His selection or omission will be tactical, but hard to write him off. Should Starc not play, Ryan Harris or Jackson Bird, who are both natural swing bowlers, seem to be strongly in contention.

Positives were there, no doubts there! Peter Siddle proved me wrong with a five wicket haul in England's first dig and he gave it his very best out there. Chris Rogers, while seeing it as half a job done in his eyes, scored his maiden half-century and looked the part facing the new ball. Steven Smith and Phillip Hughes failed in the second innings when it truly mattered most but they contributed in our first innings with strong signs that they’ve really matured as players. A small victory for us in that regard, a big one for Hughes in particular after 2009.

The biggest positive was Ashton Agar. Sure, he broke a few records with the bat in hand as he scored an incredible 98 runs in our first innings, a massive achievement in the context of our run chase, but he put on a fair show with the ball and could have had three wickets in England’s second dig. He looked good when I saw him play for Western Australia. He looked sensational out there representing the Baggy Greens with the bat and ball. Couldn’t have been expected to repeat his heroics in the run chase but he has made an entrance into the elite level.

We have a few days to recover before the Lord’s Test. England have taken first blood and history would show that in this position our modern era side cannot make a comeback when losing an opening clash. However, this run chase spawned a return of the old Australian spirit. It was a side shedding skin and showing England we are not pushovers and we will not go down without a fight. This is our battle too and we can regain the urn. With Darren Lehmann there I picked up a different energy, mostly amongst the newer players or our players who are naturally fierce, hard faced Australian cricketers.

Part two begins on Thursday. We’re still in this. It will be tough but we’re in it fanatics.

Come on Australia!

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The Ashes 1st Test, day 4, Trent Bridge

The Ashes 1st Test, day 4, Trent Bridge:

England 1st innings: 215 all out after 59 overs
Peter Siddle 5-50, James Pattinson 3-69, Mitchell Starc 2-54
Jonathan Trott 48, Jonny Bairstow 37

Australia 1st innings: 280 all out after 64.5 overs
Ashton Agar 98, Phillip Hughes 81*, Steven Smith 53
James Anderson 5-85, Graeme Swann 2-60

England 2nd innings: 375 all out from 149.5 overs
Mitchell Starc 3-81, Peter Siddle 3-85, Ashton Agar 2-82
Ian Bell 109, Stuart Broad 65, Kevin Pietersen 64

Australia 2nd innings: 6/174 runs after 71 overs
Chris Rogers 52, Shane Watson 46
Stuart Broad 2-34, Graeme Swann 2-64

Match situation: Australia require 137 runs to win, while England require 4 wickets to win.

The day started off with heads hanging low, with a middle period of extreme optimism only for stumps to be called with mixed emotions.

An outside edge off James Pattinson’s first over of the day against Stuart Broad sailed between Shane Watson and Michael Clarke’s “weaker hands” (Watson’s left, Clarke’s right). It seemed to worryingly set the tone. Ian Bell brought up his second Test century against Australia and as England cheered their middle order batsman on, luck finally came our way as James Pattinson removed Broad, quite a few runs later than what should have been.

Peter Siddle was given the bowling duties after Mitchell Starc was wayward and unable to build any pressure from his bowling end. Starc may find himself making way for Jackson Bird come the Lord’s Test. Siddle was effective in no time with ferocious ambition as he picked up the final wickets of Swann and Anderson.

We’d taken England from 7/356 to 375 all out. Their lead though was intimidating at 311 runs. The highest chase was 284 runs, done so by the home side in 2004. It was a massive target set, but you can’t lose hope until the result is in.

The biggest thing on my mind before the run chase commenced revolved around two factors.
The first is we had time, the second was that although England’s bowlers have great new ball control and Swann for the deteriorating track, it’s not a messy track or a track with lots of life to fret about. Therefore it was all about check points for our run chase and not the overall total. If our top four could get to 150 runs, it would be game on with 8 wickets still in the shed.

James Anderson’s ability to operate under pressure is world class. His first ball was perfectly pitched as Shane Watson (46) lunged and it missed the edge. Watson wants to dominate and wants to attack, but as Chris Rogers (52) calmed him and guided him in the warm up games it seemed to settle the rhythm. After hitting a couple of fours off Anderson an over later he tried it again and nearly found the outside edge. He looked back to Chris Rogers, put his head down and tried to enforce his focus.

Watson and Rogers showcased something good out there. They complemented each other’s natural abilities and seemed to regularly encourage one another with calm composure. Watson struck crisp boundaries, showing off his natural stroke making skills, while Rogers plugged away with tenacity to find his runs. They reached 84 runs by the drinks break and hope was alive in our camp. Sadly, and I truly express the word “sadly”, Watto was dismissed LBW and despite reviewing it, it did look a good decision to me. He fell short of a half-century, which would have been a huge breakthrough for us in confidence. A strong opening stand was brought to an end and the check point of 100 slipped away.

Ed Cowan came to the crease and never looked settled, despite having an understanding of the Trent Bridge conditions. He reached 15 runs but it seemed inevitable he would fall victim to one of the English bowlers. Frustratingly it was to Joe Root, who claimed Cowan as his maiden Test wicket. Cowan is definitely in doubt for the next Test and I think the real issue is that he’s not a number three batsman – rather than his actual batting abilities being brought into question. With David Warner as an opener they were an average pair at best, despite having grafted together for some time with some notable performances.

Number three may be “just a number”, but your character as a player in this role is vital. I have always seen this role suited to an imposing batsman who can take the game by the scruff of the neck to call the game on his own terms. Cowan may have compromised his natural game to pursue this approach.

Ricky Ponting was a classic example. Hashim Amla and Jonathan Trott stand as the best modern day examples. Both have been playing a great deal longer than Cowan, but naturally their temperaments seem better suited. A number three is as good as an opener should one of the top two fall quickly, but it has a different mindset knowing there’s nine wickets in the shed and not ten.  Cowan may find himself being challenged to stay in the side.

Sadly after Cowan’s departure, Rogers logged in his maiden half-century but fell 13 runs into his partnership with Michael Clarke when an English game plan was executed. Rogers had a lapse in concentration and chipped a full delivery to Ian Bell at midwicket. He seemed to lose his composure when Watson departed.

A collapse commenced and it would be a familiar sight for us as Australian supporters to see more than five wickets down with the score below 200 runs, although luck has definitely not been on our side for this match. Reality check is this has been an issue for some time but hurt even more with the knowledge we had a good opening stand.

Michael Clarke’s had a forgettable Test match on a personal note. I do believe he will score plenty of runs this series but this was not his game. Beyond batting, he had a questionable game tactically, mostly regarding a change of ball on day three and a short sighted view in using our decision referrals. His innings brought 23 runs in an oddly conservative manner, and he was dismissed getting the faintest of edges to Matt Prior. Clarke reviewed this decision too and as a result we have lost all our referrals for the innings. It was a small victory to England with our referrals done, but a huge moment of play secured for them with Clarke dismissed.

Steven Smith (17) and Phillip Hughes (0) fell with 161 and 164 runs on the board. It was a nauseating sight seeing we’d lost six wickets for just 80 runs, whereas our openers had given us a foundation of 84 runs to pursue a historic run chase. Hughes was slightly unlucky in his departure. Again, that theme of luck comes up.

Hope is not lost, although history is showing England should win this, along with the obvious factor they won the days play.

Brad Haddin has 11* runs, while Ashton Agar is new to the crease having been moved ahead of Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson. Each and every one of these guys can bat and with 137 runs required, between the five of them that is a collection of roughly 28 runs each. It is definitely achievable and, as I wrote earlier, chasing down this target is about check points. It still applies for our final four wickets where there is no lack of batting ability, but Graeme Swann will be a handful.

I see the final day of play going one of two ways.

It will either be over quickly and England will take the win with a good margin. We have had an inability to put up a fight with the game on the line and if our team needs a moment of glory to embark on a new legacy, this is it. I reckon if it goes England’s way it will be wrapped up very quickly tomorrow.

The second result is that with some good application and an outlook that these runs are most definitely reachable, I tip our guys to chase down the runs. I still believe we can but the first two sessions will define this. It’s hard to be upbeat after the loss of our middle order yesterday but I have hope with our batting depth and that when broken down in chunks, this target can be achieved and victory can be seen. Optimism at its best, but what other choice do I have as a supporter?

Verdict: England won day four, securing the momentum in the final session of play.

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The Ashes 1st Test, day 3, Trent Bridge

The Ashes 1st Test, day 3, Trent Bridge:

England 1st innings: 215 all out after 59 overs
Peter Siddle 5-50, James Pattinson 3-69, Mitchell Starc 2-54

Australia 1st innings: 280 all out after 64.5 overs
Ashton Agar 98, Phillip Hughes 81*, Steven Smith 53

England 2nd innings: 6/326 from 133.0 overs
Mitchell Starc 2-66, Ashton Agar 2-86

Match situation: England lead by 261 runs with 4 wickets in hand.

After getting the vital wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook, and having England at 5/174, England have found invaluable runs in their middle order (Ian Bell 95*, Stuart Broad 47*) and as a result they're in a winnable position for the opening Test.

Tactically it would seem taking the second new ball when we were still making something of the worn down first ball was a mistake, especially since there was evidence of reverse swing and something for our spinner to work with. England were then able to glide the new ball around with the extra pace on offer and take advantage to get settled (notably Matt Prior) with not much swing to talk about. Momentum was killed.

A lead of 261 runs and 4 wickets in hand ultimately gives us one option. We need 4 wickets in the first session at least come day 4. A run chase of over 300 runs, while not impossible, is an unlikely score to chase down successfully at Trent Bridge.

284 runs is the highest successful fourth innings chase at the ground, done by the home side in 2004. Stats in England paint a picture.

We saw Ashes heroics in Ashton Agar and Phillip Hughes on day 2. Day 4 and 5 is a chapter unwritten for our batsmen to make history. It will be a tough challenge as no rain is forecast and this lead will advance, meaning this game should bring a result.

Good news during the day was Ashton Agar taking his maiden Test wicket, a screamer of a catch by Clarke in the slips.

The blunder of the day was Aleem Dar not using the technology at his disposal as an umpire. DRS was introduced to rule out doubt over a decision (although players use it as a get out of jail free card and not tactically enough - Clarke's error too) and put away those "howlers" and uncertainties.

Stuart Broad clearly got an edge to the slips off Agar's bowling. We had used our reviews so we couldn't get the wicket, but it was however an opportunity for the umpire to double check his decision and use the technology to ensure the game went on with no fault on the umpire's watch.

We are always ridiculously having to "check for no balls" after an LBW, bowled or slip catch dismissal. Why couldn't a professional umpire do the same in this instance in checking for a probable edge?

I will defend Broad in that he didn't have to walk, so no point in blaming him or calling him a bad sport. Some people walk, others don't. Always been that way in the game for many, many years. It was the umpire's decision and it was an error of judgement.

Day 4 will be a challenging day but who knows what could go our way.

Verdict: Day 3 goes to England after winning the final session. 

Other recent articles at The Baggy Green Blog:
Ricky Ponting's final first-class innings.

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The Ashes 1st Test, day 2, Trent Bridge

The Ashes 1st Test, day 2, Trent Bridge:

England 1st innings: 215 all out after 59 overs
Peter Siddle 5-50, James Pattinson 3-69, Mitchell Starc 2-54

Australia 1st innings: 280 all out after 64.5 overs
Ashton Agar 98, Phillip Hughes 81*, Steven Smith 53

England 2nd innings: 2/80 from 43.0 overs
Mitchell Starc 2-54

Match situation: England lead by 15 runs with 8 wickets in hand with three days of play remaining.

We started the day on 4/75 with some hope. We crashed to 9/117 and it looked like the Test was over, hope all but lost. Then we witnessed history and something special as we took the lead. It's game on!

Steven Smith brought up the first half-century of this 2013 Ashes series and had looked settled in his middle order role, but fell soon afterwards, which lead to a shocking collapse of our lower order. We lost Haddin, Siddle, Pattinson and Starc for just 9 runs.

Phillip Hughes (81*) was on his own mission which deemed destined to fail. His good form continued and he found an incredible batting mate in Ashton Agar (98).

I saw Ashton bat for Western Australia during the Sheffield Shield and he looked solid then as he was unbeaten to give WA an unlikely win over South Australia. This was the Ashes though and the side was in turmoil with all hope resting on the 10th wicket partnership.

Fast forward 134 minutes later and the position we'd up in would be unimaginable under the circumstances.

A stand of 163 runs was a world-record 10th wicket stand, while Ashton's 98 was the highest score ever for a number 11 batsman. A century would have broken a few more. A more amusing stat is that the last time a number 11 batsman top scored was when Nathan Lyon scored 14 runs for us in the Newland's horror show in 2011. Agar replaced Lyon for this Test, but the way Agar batted you'd think he could stay in as a batsman, allowing Lyon a chance to return.

The wagon-wheel on the right (courtesy of ESPN Cricinfo) will highlight his versatile shot selection. It was a classy display given the circumstances and brought a variety of lofted drives, late cut shots, sweep shots and aggressive pull shots. It was a spectacle and Ashton made England realise he was no pushover.

Phillip Hughes deserves just as much praise for his efforts. He never looked short on confidence as wickets fell around him and he set the tone for his partnership with Agar when he began to powerfully execute cover drives and wild cut shots through the off side - a shot which brought him hundreds of runs so early on in his career.

An image to remember © Getty Images

Hughes' innings was a victory of his own. England bowled short to him, targeting his rib cage with a line down leg side as they did in 2009. He won and turned those nightmares into a thing of the past. It's still a long series to go but it was a big victory in the context of things.

It was sad to see Ashton fall just two runs short of what would have been an emotional maiden Test century. Sure, he could have avoided that pull shot, he did have time to see off the over, he had Hughes in good form at the other end as a senior batsman, and we were still in control that no aggressive tactics were needed.

However, there was no need for this analysis. He's a 19 year old man in his first Test match, his first match being an Ashes clash where he helped us come back from a situation that would have inevitably seen us stare down the barrel of defeat. That is what counted cause that is what happened!

With the lead in place, Mitchell Starc brought us two back-to-back wickets. The first was Joe Root, who tickled one down the leg side to Brad Haddin, and then Jonathan Trott who was out LBW for a golden duck. He was confident he got an inside edge onto the pad but zero evidence (with the loss of one hot spot camera) showed there was no edge. England were two down, eight to go and without the lead.

They since secured a lead of 15 runs with Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook at the crease. The wicket has flattened out ever so slightly with the sun baking down on the track to make it dry out even further, but England scored slowly but with comfort. Ashton nearly had Pietersen out but Haddin put down a tough chance. Reverse swing will be the obsession for day 3 and we will need to bowl incredibly well in the first session. It may decide the fate of this game.

It's anyone's game right now and although England have the lead, we have seen how this great game has so many twists and turns. Three days to go still.

Verdict: Australia took the day

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Ricky Ponting's final first-class innings

Raise that bat with pride Punter © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting is my cricketing hero and this morning I am so proud of The Maestro.

His first-class career is officially over and that ends what has been a true Australian journey with so much history to speak of. And what a way it has been brought to an end. A Sheffield Shield win with the Tasmanian Tigers, top run scorer in the 2012/13 Shield contest, and now 169* runs for Surrey in his final dig at The Oval, a ground where he was a part of various Ashes conclusions. 

Best of all is he was unbeaten at the crease. Saw some highlights last night on Fox Sport and it was an innings I wish I could have watched live. We did get the Ashton Agar show last night though. 

Thank you Punter for all the memories and your commitment to this great game of ours. Pure class, true determination. 

Statistics:

Test cricket: 168 matches, 287 innings, 13,378 runs, Avg 51.85, HS 257, 41 (100s), 62 (50s), 196 catches
ODI cricket: 375 matches, 365 innings, 13,704 runs, HS 164, Avg 42.04, 30 (100s), 82 (50s), 160 catches
First-class cricket: 289 matches, 494 innings, 24,150 runs, HS 257, Avg 55.90, 82 (100s), 106 (50s), 309 catches. 

"As much as I enjoy it (first-class cricket), I need to look after in my personal life now. It's been nearly 21 years that I've played and a lot of that time has been away from home. I've got a young family and it will be nice to just live a life as a father."

Meeting Punter at a training session in 2011. Was great to watch him train.

Punter's autobiography is set for release in October, which should be a brilliant read. I have read his Captains Diaries which provided a fair share of insight into his younger days, but this will be the ultimate book of the Tasmanian maestro.

You will also be able to hear him commentate in the 2013 Big Bash League, this year broadcast by Channel 10.

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The Ashes 1st Test, day 1, Trent Bridge

The Ashes 1st Test, day 1, Trent Bridge:

England 1st innings: 215 all out after 59 overs
Peter Siddle 5-50, James Pattinson 3-69, Mitchell Starc 2-54

Australia 1st innings: 4/75 after 21.0 overs
Steven Smith 38*, Chris Rogers 16, Phillip Hughes 7*

I was wrong about one thing and right about another.

The first was doubting Peter Siddle's abilities for the Trent Bridge wicket, where he bowled beautifully. The thing I was right about was Ed Cowan not being imposing enough to take the number three role - something I wrote about in the most recent article here at The Baggy Green Blog. It's only his first innings of the series but I had a gut feeling we needed a batsman with a different temperament and approach.

Jonathan Trott (48) perfectly demonstrated the art of being the imposing number three batsman. Fortunately after he looked set to mow on, he chopped a wider delivery from Peter Siddle onto his leg stump.

Before Siddle's impact, James Pattinson started off with clear nerves and couldn't control his line or length. Ever since Harmison's first ball wide in the 2006/07 Ashes series, a wide has been a delivery to fret about as an opening Ashes delivery. However, with England on 27, Pattinson found fortune to throw away the butterflies as he managed to lure Alastair Cook into cover driving a looser delivery and the first wicket of the Ashes fell.

Siddle's performance must be credited to Michael Clarke in some ways. Realising Siddle was ineffective in his opening overs (going for more than 6 runs per over) he was switched to operate from the Radcliffe Road end. A different Siddle came out to torment England as he secured his seventh five-for in Test cricket.

An insanely executed yorker with some outswing removed Joe Root, and then Kevin Pietersen was caught by Michael Clarke in the slips not much longer thereafter. Pietersen also survived a catch behind which just dipped on Brad Haddin diving to his left. It was a big wicket. 

Siddle continued to work hard with Ian Bell outstandingly caught by Shane Watson in the slips, avoiding distraction by a diving Brad Haddin. The fifth wicket came with Matt Prior attacking him and the ball flew into the hands of Phillip Hughes.

There was brief resistance from Stuart Broad and Johnny Bairstow but it was all over with England scoring 215 runs. We had set up the 1st innings chase perfectly.

Sadly our batting was always going to be the worry and so it happened as we sit in a worrying position at 4/75 from just 21 overs. Fortunately we are chasing a total that isn't daunting. If we score good runs this Ashes series, we will win.

Shane Watson and Chris Rogers couldn't be expected to perform miracles. 14 wickets in one day shows it was hard grafting out there.

Rogers was simply given a good ball as he tried to counter-attack the swing of James Anderson. He looked steady and very calm at the crease. It was a pity to see he nearly escaped the LBW decision.

Watson was perhaps too assertive as he found an edge to the slips, while Ed Cowan played a disastrous shot to a delivery no new batsman should even contemplate. There were question marks over his selection and he will need to do something superb in the second dig.

It left us in tatters when Michael Clarke - who has carried the batting for some time - was dismissed for a duck. It's his second since the Mohali Test in March. Let's hope that was his first and only blunder. A big victory for England to remove Clarke so cheaply.

Steven Smith has shown incredible determination and worked really hard to manage 38* runs by stumps. He is being supported by Phillip Hughes (7*) who has looked steady in a middle order role. Best of luck to the former New South Wales teammates.

There is hope with Brad Haddin is still to follow, while Ashton Agar, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Mitch Starc can all bat with comfort. If there was a game we needed batting depth, this is it!

Ashton Agar was handed his Baggy Green cap at the expense of Nathan Lyon. It was a shock call up, clearly tactical, and while he is a young man with something to offer, he wasn't effective and only caused some hassles earlier on against Jonathan Trott. Long road ahead for him though to learn and improve.

Verdict: Day 1 to England.

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Who will be in the starting XI for Trent Bridge?

The Ashes battle is just days away and my levels of optimism were certainly boosted after the team morale - and performances - returned to the squad during the tour matches against Somerset and Worcestershire. England have announced their squad for the first Test at Trent Bridge, while we only have four guaranteed selections at present of our potential starting XI.

A few weeks back I wrote an article that took a look at the conditions that can be expected at each of the venues where the Ashes matches will be hosted.

Trent Bridge is one massive hurdle for batsmen to get over as an opening match. It's a fantastic venue for swing bowling and there were promising signs with our batsmen scoring good runs in the tour matches to suggest there is hope come the battle against James Anderson and his cronies. Having said that, this ground is a whole different challenge come focus, confidence and technique against quality swing bowling.

Here is the report I compiled on Trent Bridge, Notthingham on 01 May 2013:

Briefing: It was encouraging to see both Chris Rogers (Ashes squad member/ Middlesex) and Ed Cowan (Ashes squad member/ Nottinghampshire) showcase form and score some good runs at Trent Bridge in their opening Division One game of the county season.

This is going to be providing a gripping contest between bat and ball, but it is going to be most challenging for our batsmen. An excellent opening venue for the Ashes. It will test all aspects a team and individual requires to survive in a Test match.

We last played a Test in 2005, losing by 3 wickets, but we did take the win in the 2001 Test, which has little relevance at this point in time with it dating back 12 years.

At this relatively low scoring ground, Michael Clarke is the only player in our squad who has been exposed to the challenges presented at Trent Bridge at the elite level. There is validity to look at playing Cowan and Rogers too given their county runs.

The pitch report: As mentioned, Trent Bridge is an ideal arena to kick off the Ashes series in a time where batting dominates the modern game. There is as good a guarantee as any that the ball will swing and should provide for a menacing contest. Trent Bridge has produced more win or lose results than drawn results in recent years, so it is definitely a good place to start a series with an outcome quite likely to occur.

A theory behind the high presence of swing conditions at the ground, which is likely to carry throughout all possible innings in a match, is that the increase in buildings around the ground - notably the Bridgford Road stand - creates an enclosure of sorts, meaning that whatever air enters the arena will circulate and not escape as easily as an open ground, logically. Add a packed crowd attendance and conditions that aren't too chilly, you get an increase in friction resulting from the warmer air, which ultimately leads to a ball that responds greater to swing with greater emphasis needing to be placed on preserving one side of the cherry, while roughing up the other.

Have a read at this article explaining the scientific facts behind swing bowling: Read article on how a cricket ball swings.

Given our batting inconsistencies in recent seasons, England may very well eye an opportunity to have a bowl at us with confidence should they win the toss. Statistically it seems better to bowl first, also assessing your opponents batting line-up (SWOT analysis). The toss will be a massive talking point and it's essential to have that luck go your way.

Even though it is apparent that in any Test match should you get bowled out on the first day you are in trouble, Trent Bridge makes recovery from a poor start in a match hard to come by. This is mostly given the presence of swing bowling, made even harder by good, natural swing bowlers - England have a few of these. Sure, you could try and get one up on the opposition, but if they can handle the conditions slightly better, a deficit of even fifty to one hundred runs could end your hopes.

Expect plenty of deliveries with the new ball to be pitched up on a line that will create some fearful uncertainty. I'd be ready in the slips and gully regions. (END)

So, with this analysis concluded let's take a look at our potential candidates for the starting XI come the opening Test of the Ashes. I have not listed my side as I am eager to hear your opinion.

Before I do so, here's the tour batting stats thus far.

Batting:

Michael Clarke: 2 matches, 4 innings, 257 runs, HS 124, Avg 64.25, 100s (1), 50s (1)
Phillip Hughes: 2 matches, 4 innings, 231 runs, HS 86, Avg 115.50, 50s (3)
Shane Watson: 2 matches, 2 innings, 199 runs, HS 109, Avg 99.50, 100s (1), 50s (1)
Ed Cowan: 2 matches, 4 innings, 141 runs, HS 58, Avg 35.25, 50s (1)
Steven Smith: 1 match, 2 innings, 111 runs, HS 68*, Avg 111.00, 50s (1)
Chris Rogers: 1 match, 2 innings, 101 runs, HS 75, Avg 50.50, 50s (1)
Usman Khawaja: 1 match, 2 innings, 100 runs, HS 73, Avg 50.00, 50s (1)
Brad Haddin: 2 matches, 2 innings, 90 runs, HS 52*, Avg 90.00, 50s (1)

Michael Clarke is a vital component to our side. Besides his sublime form dating back to 2011, he is the anchor of this side and a century in the final innings of our tour match against Worcestershire highlighted this. Ricky Ponting was targeted in the 2010/11 Ashes series and we saw how it put us into ruins with a leader not performing and being picked out innings in, innings out by the opposition.

Graeme Swann - an outspoken but well grounded spin bowler - has made a public statement of this common knowledge regarding Clarke. It will be immense pressure for Clarke in the middle, so Darren Lehmann's tactical move to pull Clarke away from a number of duties required during Mickey Arthur's time as coach is brilliant to say the least.

Clarke had a lack of competitive cricket heading into our preparations after his back ordeals, which also brought about a very real and serious leadership crisis in our team. Despite the frustrations being off the field and the burden of exhaustive leadership responsibilities, he came out strongly with gradual signs of improvement with additional time in the middle. Clarke is our key player, but this can be further emphasised and enhanced should our opening duo of Chris Rogers and Shane Watson come out tops.

For too long Clarke has fought a lonesome battle. The change up the top of the order will be a massive boost in terms of experience and technique both Rogers and Watson can deliver, beyond that of Ed Cowan and David Warner. Rogers and Watson have been confirmed and have both looked good so far as a unified opening duo.

Miracles cannot be expected from Rogers and Watson, but there is a good dynamic at play between the two batsmen and it will bring a similar characteristic to the successful partnership Watson had with Simon Katich. One player the crisp attacker, the other the cautious traditionalist.

With Clarke at number four, this brings me to the all important number three role. This is essential for the Ashes in the likely event our opening duo will have one or two short-lived stays. Clarke needs someone to help see off the new ball, but impose himself upon the English attack. This is something Ricky Ponting was able to do so unbelievably well. Hashim Amla (South Africa) and Jonathan Trott (England) have this ability too and it is something we lack.

Ed Cowan is not, in my opinion, the ideal guy for this job but is one of the main contenders for it. Performances from him in the middle may tell a different story in the unforeseen future, but right now his temperament, character with the bat in hand and form doesn't suggest he has that ability to impose himself or be bold enough at the number three position, but he could certainly try and reinvent the role to his own style.

True, it is just a number and this position can be just like an opening role if an opener falls in the first over or two (something Cowan has done), but it does carry a psychological tag players are aware of. The scoreboard only enhances it.

Phillip Hughes, David Warner and Usman Khawaja stand out to me as the obvious other players for this role. There is a catch for each of them though, which does boost Cowan's case given the amount of cricket he has been playing, along with experience in an opening capacity.

Hughes has had a brilliant start to his tour following a shocking Champions Trophy. This is the form that counts now though and it is encouraging to see how he held his own in a middle order position. Therefore, would it make sense to get him into the number three role? Hughes has said he will bat anywhere and adapt to the role, expected words from a confident batsman but is this best for the team given his impression has been notable in the middle order capacity?

David Warner has been given time in the middle outside of match hours due to a ban until the first Ashes Test. Darren Lehmann and Michael Clarke have sounded keen to give Warner a run due to his confidently aggressive temperament with the blade in hand, but is that fair on the players who haven't lacked discipline off the field and have put in performances during these warm-up matches?

The Root incident is now a thing of the past though, and since Lehmann stepped in Warner has reportedly been showing up to practices on time and working hard. The discipline is there, the fierce determination is there but will that alone be enough? He is a strong candidate to play in the number three position as he can definitely make a massive impression, mostly that imposing impact Ricky Ponting mastered!

Usman Khawaja's half-century against South Africa in 2011 at The Wanderers is still fresh in my mind and I admired his application during that innings - a reason I believe he is good enough to develop into a specialist role.

His move to Queensland would have boosted his ability against swing bowling but even now he's only had one warm-up match this tour, which reports state did showcase some good form. Is he fully match fit for the number three role? I don't mean "match fit" as in physical fitness, but will he be psychologically prepared for the taunts and pressure in this role in an Ashes clash in England? This fear will either drive him or defeat him. Lehmann will have a gut feeling on this and only Khawaja will know if he can perform under these challenging circumstances well before his technique is tested.

Steven Smith has likely secured a middle order role either with Hughes, Khawaja, Cowan or Warner. The likelihood of him taking the number three role is unlikely, so the chance to work in the middle order and team up with Brad Haddin should be good. Smith has definitely come a long way since his torrid Ashes series in Australia and his performances in India showcased the growth of a young man stepping up when the team was in a shambles. I am backing his selection for the first Test. He will face the same big stage battle Khawaja may endure.

Bowling:

James Pattinson: 1 match, 29 overs, 7 wickets, Avg 16.71
Mitchell Starc: 1 match, 29.1 overs, 6 wickets, Avg 12.33
James Faulkner: 2 matches, 57.1 overs, 6 wickets, Avg 28.66
Jackson Bird: 1 match, 43 overs, 4 wickets, Avg 25.25
Ryan Harris: 1 match, 40 overs, 4 wickets, Avg 31.25
Nathan Lyon: 1 match, 42 overs, 4 wickets, Avg 37.00
Ashton Agar: 1 match, 50 overs, 3 wickets, Avg 55.00
Peter Siddle: 1 match, 27 overs, 1 wicket, Avg 117.00

The bowling line-up will depend whether Lehmann takes in a heavily loaded bowling attack, which would likely include all-rounder James Faulkner, or whether it will be a higher concentration of batsmen, therefore making it three pace bowlers and a spinner, with Watson or Faulkner in for bowling duties.

James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc seem to be certainties for the match. Starc, while erratic at times, does give the left arm option to vary it up. He can swing the ball but hopefully not too much too soon, something which handicapped Ben Hilenhaus. If Starc gets his line right with the swing in a controlled capacity he will be a handful for the English batsmen.

James Faulkner's position will depend as to whether the extra bowling all-rounder is needed. Therefore the battle will be between Ryan Harris and Jackson Bird for the third place I reckon. Harris has the experience, Bird has the height and made a slightly greater impression in the warm-up matches. Harris' fitness for a full game continues to be a worry but I am tempted to be boosting for him to be in there for that experience.

Peter Siddle is a great bowler on tracks which have the opportunity to exploit good bounce through hard work. For these English conditions though I don't see him making the starting XI, especially Trent Bridge. Tall, natural swing bowlers with express pace will be better suited. Nathan Lyon deserves his place in the starting XI and will play ahead of Ashton Agar, who is getting good exposure to all things Test cricket this tour.

It's going to be a tough decision to name this starting XI for the opening Test of the 2013 Ashes, but the good news is that strong performances leading up to this match has increased the competition and with Lehmann on board performances will be everything. There will be no passengers and this should ensure that whoever puts on the Baggy Green cap for this match will be ready to play with immense determination, focus and pride to perform and stay in the side as they graft to win back the urn.

What is your starting XI for Australian the first Test?

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