"If I’m going to be critical of England’s new and vibrant approach it’s their second innings batting" - Mark Taylor
Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has opined that rather than the unorthodox first innings declaration, England faltered with their batting approach in the second innings. None of the batters crossed the 50-run mark in the second time of asking and ended up posting a 281-run target, which Pat Cummins and co. managed to chase down with two wickets remaining.
After attaining a slender lead, England's second innings began on a rocky note after an inspired spell of bowling by Australian bowlers under grey skies. The hosts were in a relatively comfortable position following Joe Root's counter-attack on Day 4. Holding a lead of 135 runs with seven wickets remaining, England were expected to post a target well in excess of the 300-run mark, but they crumbled with the dismissal of Joe Root.
The ace batter was stumped for the first time in his Test career and departed after being well-settled at the crease
Opining that Root's dismissal in the second innings was the turning point in the game, Mark Taylor wrote in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald:
"If I’m going to be critical of England’s new and vibrant approach it’s their second innings batting. I thought the declaration late on day one was excellent given they’d made almost 400 and the second new ball was due. I thought that was bold, aggressive captaincy, which I applaud."
Taylor added:
"But Joe Root’s dismissal in the second innings, stumped on 46 when he looked set for a second hundred in the game, was a pivotal moment. His dismissal certainly opened up their middle to lower order and gave Australia a chance to get right back in the game, which they took. That’s where I’d be more critical than the declaration."
Much like Root, other batters also perished to ordinary deliveries over the course of Day 4. They were eventually bowled out for 273 runs in 66 overs and their shaky batting performance in the second innings and early declaration on Day 1 came back to haunt them on the final day.
"I don’t think I would have been quite as defensive" - Mark Taylor on Pat Cummins' tactics on Day One of the Ashes opener
After losing the toss and being asked to bowl, Australia had a glimpse of the new-look England from the word go after Zak Crawley thrashed the first ball to the fence. Skipper Pat Cummins spread out the field following the early onslaught by the England batters against the new ball.
While Australia eventually emerged as the winner, several were critical of Cummins for going on the backfoot so early in the contest.
Admitting that he would have persisted with an attacking field for a while longer than Cummins, Taylor wrote:
"Many people talked about Australia’s defensive field settings on day one but looking at that pitch and the new ball, which didn’t do anything all game, I think the tactics of captain Pat Cummins were pretty good, apart from the morning of day one. I don’t think I would have been quite as defensive."
Taylor continued:
"I thought we pushed the field back on both sides a little too quickly. I wasn’t against pushing the point back because if we’re going to bowl in that corridor just outside off stump and batsmen hit through the line that’s where a lot of balls do go. But I was a bit worried we pushed the square leg back a little bit too early for my liking and there were too many singles picked up from good balls on the stumps."
The second Ashes Test is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 28, at Lord's. Australia have a slender 1-0 lead in the series with four matches left to play.