Five reasons why Australia will give England a tough fight

Can Clarke inspire an Aussie comeback?

With the third Test between old rivals Australia and England petering out into a tame draw, both teams head to Chester-le-Street for the fourth match of the series. Some of the momentum that the English had gained by winning the first two games seems to have been lost, while the Aussies will take heart from the fact that they managed to run the hosts ragged in the recent encounter.

Now, the fact that the Kangaroos took on the Poms with the typical Aussie grit (characteristic of previous squads) is a welcome change. With the Ashes already out of their grasp, captain Michael Clarke and coach Darren Lehmann have re-aligned their targets to squaring the series. It’s not a tall order by any stretch of the imagination.

Here are some of the reasons why Australia will give their opponents a hard fight in the next two games:

Nothing to lose

Australia have lost the bid to claim the prized urn after two humiliating defeats and a draw. With the pressure to win the series gone, they only have pride to play for.

Skipper Clarke has openly stated that the 347-run loss was one of the lowest points of his career. He was determined to avoid yet another nadir in a tour that is fast turning into a farce for his squad, and he did that with a brilliant 187.

Bowlers Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle have been among the wickets, while Steve Smith and opener Chris Rogers have got valuable runs. Clearly, the side is not shorn of talent, skill or experience.

With coach Lehmann backing his team to the hilt, Australia will play with even more freedom and intensity. Since they are hurt, the effort will be certainly more than what they have put in before. God help the English when they do!

Clarke’s return to form

Perhaps the biggest benefit from the third Test has been the return to form of the Australian captain. The booming drives, the dainty flicks and the rock-solid defence were on full display at Old Trafford. Clarke also seems to have rediscovered his mastery of spin; he played Graeme Swann quite nicely the other day.

His captaincy skills, which have drawn a lot of flak from the home team’s supporters, have also improved to a reasonable extent. He has led by example, and seems to have gained a good understanding of how and when to use DRS.

Clarke will look to carry his new-found form into the remaining games if Australia are to exit the Ashes with their heads held high. Time to get into action, ‘Pup’.

Wounded Warner

David Warner has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. English supporters peppered him with loud boos when he returned for the third Test. He was fluent in the second innings, providing a bit of impetus with a quickfire 41 before being dismissed, to loud cheers from the partisan crowd.

Warner has offered multiple apologies. The crowds, however, are unwilling to forgive him. He may have handled himself with a bit of grace in public, but deep down, he’s wounded. If Australia restore him to the opener’s slot, he will get an opportunity to answer the jeers with a huge score; he’s due for one.

Young turks on fire

All-rounder Steve Smith and left-arm spinner Ashton Agar have been Australia’s ‘finds’ on this tour. Although the latter hasn’t done much after his stellar knock in the first Test, he is still a good option for the fourth match. He can provide an additional spin option for Clarke, and is more than handy down the order.

Smith, on the other hand, has regained his confidence with a phenomenal 80-run knock in the last game. His electric fielding and handy leg-spin have been extremely useful to the side, especially in the third game.

Both these guys will bring a sense of freshness and enthusiasm to the squad. In addition, both embody the never-say-die attitude typical of Australians. They will want to consolidate their places in the Test team by turning in stellar performances, and this is the best situation for them to do so.

Driven by desperation

For all practical purposes, this Australian team is desperate to win. Desperation often brings out the best in teams. It provides them with the right amount of thrust needed to go that extra mile.

When they arrived in England for the series, the Australians wanted to reclaim the urn. Now, their one hope is to win both the remaining matches. This desperate desire will give rise to intensity, intensity breeds aggression, and aggression leads to a slightly better performance than before.

No team wants to finish a tour without a single win. That should be enough for the Aussies to beat the English lions in their own backyard. It’s time to play smart cricket, Australian style!