by Arthur Crabtree » Thu Aug 08, 2019 12:35 pm
I've viewed English cricket long enough to recall when a ground labelled a 'fortress' meant a pair of back-to-back wins there (Headingley in the early nineties). So England moving from fortress Edgbaston, where they lost, to Lord's where they are reputed to struggle, doesn't feel a special cause for pessimism. And the notion that the Home of Cricket inspired the tourists, always felt fanciful. Anyway, England have won four of the last five there and Pakistan who mostly do well at HQ aren't touring.
Besides, I don't really believe in fortresses of the mind. Just that the better side, playing better cricket, will probably win. And England batted lamentably in Birmingham. Lord's does have some local factor with the famous slope, and I've already seen speculation that a little native expertise will be summonsed for the Second Test, in Toby Jones. It worked for Ireland. But it is sagely said you look up not down at this venue, and as much as weather can be predicted so far in advance, we have a neutral forecast of sun and light cloud.
I doubt Jones will be picked. But England will miss James Anderson combining with Stuart Broad, so prolific have they been there over their careers. Spin hasn't been such a big factor and the urge to replace Moeen Ali after a disappointing game at Edgbaston doesn't seem pressing. Jofra Archer will come in for Anderson. Chris Woakes has a good enough record at Lord's to be retained. The batting will be excused their inefficiency once again as if the selection of Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes is mysteriously inevitable. Perhaps it is telepathically willed by Dominic Cummings. Most pressure appears to be on the little tested Joe Denly.
Only Peter Siddle, who seems likely to be left out, has played more than one Test at Lord's for these tourists. He averages 40.1 in two games. Josh Hazlewood took wickets at HQ in 2015 and may be recalled with Mitch Starc. But if England allow their thoughts to drift back to the contest in 2015, they won't put themselves in a good place mentally for this year's Test. It won't help them visualise success. On a flat batting pitch, England lost by 405 runs, and nemesis Steve Smith batted for nine hours for 215 before falling lbw to Joe Root out of 566-8. In reply, Adam Lyth made a two ball duck to leave England 0-1. England made 103 in their second innings with Stuart Broad top scoring with 25. It seems like England's batting is in a similar place still. Tapping on this keyboard in August 2019, it feels like it will be forever.
I always say that everybody's right.