Australia insist they can mix attacking bowling with trying to contain England in the Ashes, provided they get pitches with more life than Edgbaston.
Australia’s day-one fielding positions were heavily called into question by commentators Ricky Ponting and Kevin Pietersen in Birmingham on Friday, as England declared shortly before stumps at 8-393.
The tourists put three men on the fence from as early as the third over in a bid to slow down an England side that has built their game on free-flowing cricket in the past year.
Australia also resorted to stump-to-stump lines, played with a limited slips cordon and opted against bowling many bouncers in a bid to quell England’s scoring.
The team has made no secret of the fact defensive fields with men on the rope will stay, as they try to limit England from scoring at above five an over.
But seamer Josh Hazlewood said most other facets were due to a slow Edgbaston wicket, rather than Australia going into ultra-defensive mode.
“The outside edge didn’t feel much in play much at all after that new ball,” Hazlewood said.
“You’re comparing (the wicket) to the sub-continent a little bit or maybe a Sydney wicket or something like that, where the plans do change throughout the day.
“You go straighter and you’re looking for the lbw and bowled and things like that.
“If we come out there and it’s nipping round corners and swinging and whatnot, then you keep your three slips and gully in all day.
“You probably still have those fielders out. Stop the boundaries and the wickets still look the same.”
Hazlewood also suggested England’s fearless batting approach had potentially played into Australia’s hands on the flatter wicket.
England have won 11 of 13 Tests since adopting their aggressive approach under Brendon McCullum last year, and their day-one declaration was also nothing new before Australia went to stumps at 0-14.
But Ben Duckett (12) and Ben Stokes (1) were both caught behind off Hazlewood to balls well wide of off stump, while Jonny Bairstow (78) and Moeen Ali (18) were stumped trying to take on Nathan Lyon.
“Attacking batting probably brings in a few more modes of dismissal,” Hazlewood said.
“If you just bat normal or even if you have to shut up shop towards the end of the game for a draw potentially then it’s going to be hard work to get wickets.
“A bit of the stroke play, we saw a few stumpings and things like that (opens it up).
“If batters play normally I think it’s going to be quite hard to get the 20 wickets.”