Making_Splinters wrote:We'll see how the pundits reply if Australia put up a better showing in the second Test.
It's infuriating that England's success is written up as Cook doing a good job rather than the bowlers being significantly better and Cook doing the same old thing.
There were three points in the match where England's captaincy was noticeable.
To his determent.
1. The strange inclination to have 1st/2nd and 4th slip with a gap at three. Two edges went into the gap, the first was Steve Smith's first ball, and I cant remember any catches or drops in the Gully/4th slip area, or any edges that went that square on this pitch. I think two (maybe three if you count Cook's ricochet to Lyth from gully back to the slip) dismissals went to third slip. Clarke's slower ball was the only one that went aerial behind square to backward point. Didnt make a jot of sense at all.
2. With the ball doing everything for the seamers, and the Aussie Batsman looking like walking wickets, Cook turned for first change to Ali and released the pressure completely, costing a near 100 partnership that could have really damaged England's 4th innings defence.
To his credit.
1. The fielding positions on the drive in front of square contributed to dismissals and were a good call on a pitch where the two pace nature meant a lot of batsman popped shots in the air in these areas.