Ben Stokes got what he wanted with a pre-series order for flat decks in order to suit his team’s batting, but will it come back to haunt him and his veteran attack?
Cricket: Usman Khawaja had already completed his ton when the world thought Stuart Blunder had bowled him out. Though upon closer inspection, it was clear Broad’s foot crossed the line, resulting in a no-ball.
When Ben Stokes ordered flat wickets for the Ashes he sentenced a 36-year-old Stuart Broad and a soon to be 41-year-old Jimmy Anderson to one of the greatest challenges of their careers.
In a five Test series spanning seven weeks – and with a relatively light recent ration of bowling – Broad and Anderson, along with the likes of Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood, may have to plough along on wickets as docile as a sleeping lamb.
Given how well England traditionally play on polar opposite green decks, it’s a huge gamble with former English captain Michael Vaughan saying “if they are going to keep producing wickets like this we are going to be digging holes and putting bowlers in them in five weeks.’’
Every time the conditions of a cricket game are artificially beaten out of shape there is invariably a pay back in the opposite direction.
What sort of impact will this wicket have on 40-year-old James Anderson? (Photo by Geoff Caddick / AFP)
Matches on raging greentops may be dominated by seamers but the matchwinning play often comes from a batsman who can rise above the mayhem to make a crucial 70.
Conversely, if these flat wickets stay the norm and 450 plays 480 plays 510 plays 420, the pivotal play is likely to come from the bowler who can take 5-50 when things are not running his way.
For all talk of Bazball’s batting blitz’s it just feels the bowling attack that can best hang on to the rhythms of this testing series will be raising the famous urn at The Oval.
Stokes raised eyebrows and created a few chuckles when he asked his staff to give him eight fit fast bowlers before the start of the series.
Now we are asking whether eight will be enough. Backs will stiffen and hearts will be broken if England continue producing these types of decks.
Usman Khawaja’s outstanding first innings century was one of the most decisive knocks of his career, and by poetic coincidence, comes a decade after he returned from the 2013 Ashes tour unsure whether he wanted to play for Australia again.
Khawaja was dropped from the Australian team midway through their 3-0 series loss and his desire to get back in the team vanished in what was a difficult era for an Australian team trapped in the illustrious shadows of the great teams which preceded them.
Usman Khawaja celebrates his century with Alex Carey. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
At that point Khawaja, with a Test batting average of 25, made a conscious decision not to chain his self-esteem to his cricket career.
“In those early years even when I was scoring runs I wasn’t always happy so something wasn’t right,’’ he told this masthead at the start of this season.
“It wasn’t an easy time to be part of the Australian team. I just didn’t really feel liked I belonged.’’
From 2013 onwards Queensland Bulls teammates noticed a striking change in Khawaja’s demeanour as he became more relaxed and open and his form surged.
“I have worked hard to ensure my satisfaction and gratitude does not come from me scoring runs. It comes from other things. Those things are not necessarily materialistic things or cricket itself.’’
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